Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 12:10     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I heard it would be easier for a student with a high GPA graduating from a low rated school than it is the other way around


This can be true, but with a big caveat. The problem with being the kid with a high GPA from a lower performing school is that colleges know that students from lower performing schools are less likely to be prepared for college, even with a high GPA, so the high GPA isn't enough; you need other corroborating achievements to demonstrate a high level of college readiness. A kid with a slightly lower GPA from a more rigorous high school will have already demonstrated college readiness by their performance in the context of their school so they don't need as much corroboration; they will instead have to find other achievements as a way to stand out.


What if the child is from an average rated school, not necessarily a low rated school?
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 12:09     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I heard it would be easier for a student with a high GPA graduating from a low rated school than it is the other way around


This can be true, but with a big caveat. The problem with being the kid with a high GPA from a lower performing school is that colleges know that students from lower performing schools are less likely to be prepared for college, even with a high GPA, so the high GPA isn't enough; you need other corroborating achievements to demonstrate a high level of college readiness. A kid with a slightly lower GPA from a more rigorous high school will have already demonstrated college readiness by their performance in the context of their school so they don't need as much corroboration; they will instead have to find other achievements as a way to stand out.


...and they will have a large cohort also competing against them. Yes, schools like Lee and Stuart have small percentages of students going to competitive schools, but it’s easier to be in that group. Any admissions officer will tell you this. Also, they are looking for geographic diversity. The over saturation of competitive students is working against you- really from any high school in nova.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 12:03     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Anonymous wrote:I heard it would be easier for a student with a high GPA graduating from a low rated school than it is the other way around


This can be true, but with a big caveat. The problem with being the kid with a high GPA from a lower performing school is that colleges know that students from lower performing schools are less likely to be prepared for college, even with a high GPA, so the high GPA isn't enough; you need other corroborating achievements to demonstrate a high level of college readiness. A kid with a slightly lower GPA from a more rigorous high school will have already demonstrated college readiness by their performance in the context of their school so they don't need as much corroboration; they will instead have to find other achievements as a way to stand out.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:57     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:And what happens when they eventually get to the bigger pond?


They rise to the occasion? I know it scratches a certain itch to think a Lee high school graduate will flunk out of UVA, but that’s not really what happens with kids who attendees HS in northern VA.
If your kid is an outstanding student from Stuart, they will have a better chance of gaining admittance to a highly competitive school, and will perform fine once there.


The admissions to top schools from Lee and Stuart are a fraction of those from the high schools with more high-performing kids. The best that can be said is that a truly outstanding student from Lee or Stuart also has a shot.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:55     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Some people think it's better to be a big fish in a small pond, but I don't necessarily agree. I don't know that you have any guarantee that they'll be the big fish, so I make school decisions based on other factors personally.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:55     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Anonymous wrote:I heard it would be easier for a student with a high GPA graduating from a low rated school than it is the other way around


this happens
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:47     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
I heard it would be easier for a student with a high GPA graduating from a low rated school than it is the other way around
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:44     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Anonymous wrote:And what happens when they eventually get to the bigger pond?


They rise to the occasion? I know it scratches a certain itch to think a Lee high school graduate will flunk out of UVA, but that’s not really what happens with kids who attendees HS in northern VA.
If your kid is an outstanding student from Stuart, they will have a better chance of gaining admittance to a highly competitive school, and will perform fine once there.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:30     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
And what happens when they eventually get to the bigger pond?
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:29     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Anonymous wrote:Probably as long as they don’t sink down to fit in.


Or get incredibly bored. Even if you keep their schedules full of non-school activities, etc. there's still a ton of time to be bored while in school.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:23     Subject: Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Anonymous wrote:Yes, but why do you want them to stand out? Specially when the kid stands out because others stand in.
They won't be in school forever you know. What kind of education does she/he the receive in school where they stand out vs stand in? ( "In" was written on purpose).


stand out academically
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:18     Subject: Re:Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Probably as long as they don’t sink down to fit in.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:17     Subject: Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Yes, but why do you want them to stand out? Specially when the kid stands out because others stand in.
They won't be in school forever you know. What kind of education does she/he the receive in school where they stand out vs stand in? ( "In" was written on purpose).
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:15     Subject: Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
I wonder the same. As far as college admissions go, they are aware of the level of difficulty at the schools and to some degree take that into consideration. However, it may help the students self esteem when in high school. Based on my experience going to a mediocre HS and sending my kids to a competitive one.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2017 11:10     Subject: Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?
Or no?