Anonymous wrote:A bit surprised by the HM stats. Sure, Cornell and Chicago are well represented, but very very few top-5 admits (maybe 2?). Sure, HM is bigger and probably more diverse than e.g. Brearley, but why aren’t the top kids having the these outcomes? There’s got to be some academic superstars there.

I’ve been wondering that myself. Back in the late 1990s, they would send like 18 kids to Harvard a year.

A bit surprised by the HM stats. Sure, Cornell and Chicago are well represented, but very very few top-5 admits (maybe 2?). Sure, HM is bigger and probably more diverse than e.g. Brearley, but why aren’t the top kids having the these outcomes? There’s got to be some academic superstars there.

And not every kid will thrive at the top public schools. My child got into one. Super smart kid, highly motivated, works really hard, participates a lot in class, but very low key, some anxiety. We visited and realized that it would be an awful learning environment. I'm sure they would have done fine academically and made friends. But it would be a very unhappy four years.

We are not wealthy but after all the years of public school leading up to that we were able to pay for private and did. And in that case, we also didn't just focus on the TT schools. We looked at them and some were better fits than others. But most importantly, we wanted our child to be happy. They would not be happy surrounded by dumb kids either as it would be frustrating, but most decent NYC privates have at least some smart kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look it up, the average SAT scores at Bronx Science are 30 points higher than Horace Mann, just FYI.

1470 vs 1460. Basically the same.

Average at Hunter is 1525. And also free

And. unfortunately, not many kids can get in to Hunter. Even if you pass the two rounds for K admissions, it's a lottery after that.

It is funny that all these top G&T public schools are mentioned, but even if you are a super smart kid, it doesn't mean they will have a place for you. It's extremely competitive.

The bulk of Hunter graduates - responsible for those lofty averages - start in 7th grade, and it's purely test- and essay-based; 90th percentile reading + math on your 5th grade state exams to take their test, top 1/4 or so of scores on their multi-choice test, and then top 1/3 or so of essays among those high scores.

That's great! But how many kids in NYC are getting in at 7th grade and then in at 9th grade?

I feel like there is all this talk about the greatness of SHSAT public high schools, but unfortunately many kids are not getting in to those schools. It is just as competitive, if not, more competitive than TT schools. So families can't bank on the fact that their child "will just got to BS or Stuy."

Hunter only admits in 7th. Their 'high school' is 6 years.

Not every kid gets into an SHSAT school, but it's not unreasonable for an upper-middle-class parent of a generally smart-ish kid to think they have a strong chance of getting in; the big Manhattan public middle schools like Booker/Baruch/Wagner all send like 50-80 kids to specialized high schools per year, if you're 'one of the smart kids' due to some combination of natural ability and aggressive tutoring you can feel pretty good about your chances.

Agreed. But it is no guarantee that your child will get in to one of these specialized public schools. Do you have a better chance if your child is doing aggressive tutoring, tons of extra Classes outside school? Yes. is it a guarantee, no. I think you have to be a really excellent, disciplined and self-directed student to thrive at schools like Stuy, BxSc or BT. You can push your kid to fit the mold, but it doesn't mean they will and it doesn't mean they will get into a Ivy+.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look it up, the average SAT scores at Bronx Science are 30 points higher than Horace Mann, just FYI.

1470 vs 1460. Basically the same.

Average at Hunter is 1525. And also free

And. unfortunately, not many kids can get in to Hunter. Even if you pass the two rounds for K admissions, it's a lottery after that.

It is funny that all these top G&T public schools are mentioned, but even if you are a super smart kid, it doesn't mean they will have a place for you. It's extremely competitive.

The bulk of Hunter graduates - responsible for those lofty averages - start in 7th grade, and it's purely test- and essay-based; 90th percentile reading + math on your 5th grade state exams to take their test, top 1/4 or so of scores on their multi-choice test, and then top 1/3 or so of essays among those high scores.

That's great! But how many kids in NYC are getting in at 7th grade and then in at 9th grade?

I feel like there is all this talk about the greatness of SHSAT public high schools, but unfortunately many kids are not getting in to those schools. It is just as competitive, if not, more competitive than TT schools. So families can't bank on the fact that their child "will just got to BS or Stuy."

Hunter only admits in 7th. Their 'high school' is 6 years.

Not every kid gets into an SHSAT school, but it's not unreasonable for an upper-middle-class parent of a generally smart-ish kid to think they have a strong chance of getting in; the big Manhattan public middle schools like Booker/Baruch/Wagner all send like 50-80 kids to specialized high schools per year, if you're 'one of the smart kids' due to some combination of natural ability and aggressive tutoring you can feel pretty good about your chances.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look it up, the average SAT scores at Bronx Science are 30 points higher than Horace Mann, just FYI.

1470 vs 1460. Basically the same.

Average at Hunter is 1525. And also free

And. unfortunately, not many kids can get in to Hunter. Even if you pass the two rounds for K admissions, it's a lottery after that.

It is funny that all these top G&T public schools are mentioned, but even if you are a super smart kid, it doesn't mean they will have a place for you. It's extremely competitive.

The bulk of Hunter graduates - responsible for those lofty averages - start in 7th grade, and it's purely test- and essay-based; 90th percentile reading + math on your 5th grade state exams to take their test, top 1/4 or so of scores on their multi-choice test, and then top 1/3 or so of essays among those high scores.

That's great! But how many kids in NYC are getting in at 7th grade and then in at 9th grade?

I feel like there is all this talk about the greatness of SHSAT public high schools, but unfortunately many kids are not getting in to those schools. It is just as competitive, if not, more competitive than TT schools. So families can't bank on the fact that their child "will just got to BS or Stuy."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look it up, the average SAT scores at Bronx Science are 30 points higher than Horace Mann, just FYI.

1470 vs 1460. Basically the same.

Average at Hunter is 1525. And also free

And. unfortunately, not many kids can get in to Hunter. Even if you pass the two rounds for K admissions, it's a lottery after that.

It is funny that all these top G&T public schools are mentioned, but even if you are a super smart kid, it doesn't mean they will have a place for you. It's extremely competitive.

The bulk of Hunter graduates - responsible for those lofty averages - start in 7th grade, and it's purely test- and essay-based; 90th percentile reading + math on your 5th grade state exams to take their test, top 1/4 or so of scores on their multi-choice test, and then top 1/3 or so of essays among those high scores.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look it up, the average SAT scores at Bronx Science are 30 points higher than Horace Mann, just FYI.

1470 vs 1460. Basically the same.

Average at Hunter is 1525. And also free

And. unfortunately, not many kids can get in to Hunter. Even if you pass the two rounds for K admissions, it's a lottery after that.

It is funny that all these top G&T public schools are mentioned, but even if you are a super smart kid, it doesn't mean they will have a place for you. It's extremely competitive.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look it up, the average SAT scores at Bronx Science are 30 points higher than Horace Mann, just FYI.

1470 vs 1460. Basically the same.

Average at Hunter is 1525. And also free

Yea but they’re often poor and do bad coke

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look it up, the average SAT scores at Bronx Science are 30 points higher than Horace Mann, just FYI.

1470 vs 1460. Basically the same.

Average at Hunter is 1525. And also free

Fair — you could be the blonde one. You’re right about there important info being how corrupt some of these TT are.

You don’t have to be turtle. You have to be Kevin Federline and get a billionaire or celebrity’s daughter pregnant. Then you’re set for life all because you could hang in HS

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
To me the interesting part of was the cultural fit, fund raising, and how they couldn’t afford it anymore. With the husband being laid off and the wife needing to reinvent herself as a comedian. The reality of going to TT private school when you are not super wealthy.

I thought Horace Mann had very robust financial aid? If they wanted the family to stay, I expect they would have supported them through a financial downturn.

I believe the layoff came after she pulled her children from HM. She was determined to leave because she felt her eldest daughter wouldn’t get pushed by the school for top colleges and they had already spent over $1mm in tuition. She said the school catered to the donors and board members.

Anonymous wrote:
To me the interesting part of was the cultural fit, fund raising, and how they couldn’t afford it anymore. With the husband being laid off and the wife needing to reinvent herself as a comedian. The reality of going to TT private school when you are not super wealthy.

I thought Horace Mann had very robust financial aid? If they wanted the family to stay, I expect they would have supported them through a financial downturn.

Yes, but one costs a lot less.

quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you look it up, the average SAT scores at Bronx Science are 30 points higher than Horace Mann, just FYI.

1470 vs 1460. Basically the same.