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Anonymous wrote:SJC robotics team performs well in competitions. I am surprised there are any requirements to join. I haven’t heard that’s the case. However during the main season (January to April), it’s like a varsity sport time wise.

Regarding sports, you can walk on to freshman teams and get playing time, but it gets less at JV and then nonexistent at varsity (unless you turn out to be a superstar…I am sure that has happened though I never witnessed with my own eyeballs).

You still have to practice just as hard as everyone else, so you need to decide if it is worth it to be on the varsity team junior and senior year and get almost zero playing time.

Teams like XCountry, rugby and crew are no cut or nearly no cut.

The freshman teams are not walk on. This is misinformation except for running. Not even golf or tennis took any freshman boys. Baseball took 1 non-recruited freshman from tryouts.

Yes! Pay attention to this! If you want your kid to play a sport, any sport, the odds of them making a team as a walk on are slim to none. SJC recruits its athletes heavily and aims to be a sport pipeline to the pros more than anything else. This is not a school where kids normally walk on. If sports are important to your kid then you need to know this. Your good but not stellar athlete will be able to be on a team almost anywhere else. At SJC, He’ll end up a manager or a fan in the stands. My son regrets giving up his sport to go to SJC. It has weighed heavily on him.

So this is well known. I’m sorry you were not aware. Kids coming from a Catholic or private school are counseled about the sports part. I remember many discussions with friends whose kids opted for other schools because of this very issue. Are you new to DC or did you come from public school? You’ve done a good turn by making others aware.

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Anonymous wrote:SJC robotics team performs well in competitions. I am surprised there are any requirements to join. I haven’t heard that’s the case. However during the main season (January to April), it’s like a varsity sport time wise.

Regarding sports, you can walk on to freshman teams and get playing time, but it gets less at JV and then nonexistent at varsity (unless you turn out to be a superstar…I am sure that has happened though I never witnessed with my own eyeballs).

You still have to practice just as hard as everyone else, so you need to decide if it is worth it to be on the varsity team junior and senior year and get almost zero playing time.

Teams like XCountry, rugby and crew are no cut or nearly no cut.

The freshman teams are not walk on. This is misinformation except for running. Not even golf or tennis took any freshman boys. Baseball took 1 non-recruited freshman from tryouts.

Some of them are walk-on. Not sure about football, basketball, or lacrosse, but in past years there have been freshmen in crew, cross country, and rugby, among other boys’ sports.

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know where kids like some of the PPs ended up for college. I have a similar kid there and it would be helpful. Good students but without much rigor. If anyone is willing to share it would definitely be helpful!

PP, the college lists are public. They’re on the website and info is also included in social media, the magazine, SCOIR, etc. What year is your kid? I would encourage you to contact your student’s counselor or the Dean of Academics with your concerns.

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Anonymous wrote:Honestly, SJC and a lot of private schools seem to be reality checks for parents who think their kids are exceptional but are really not.

The school isn’t holding anyone back, they’re placing them where they need to be. They’re blocked from classes bc they’re not good enough.

Go to public school where you can harangue the school and get your kids into the classes u want them to get into. Did families really think their kid could get into any class they want in private school bc they pay tuition and their kid is a “hard worker”?

My kid can't move their GPA b/c they are required to take scripture and they are not a Scholar.
So Scripture is not an honors class year and pulls down weighted GPA each year - even though every year gets an "A" in the course

I don’t think the scripture requirement was a secret. If u wanted ur kid to get scholar treatment, why would you put them in a school where they are not a scholar?

Move them to a school where it will be easier to get good a high GPA.

I don’t think private schools are marketing themselves as places where it easy easy to get high GPAs.

The point is that is isn’t easy to get a high GPA not because you don’t have the chops but because you are blocked. APs are APs no matter where you take them…public or private. They are the great equalizer which is why colleges value them over honors chases. It is an apples to apples comparison no matter where you go to school. But if you are blocked from taking the number of APs you need the way you are at SJC, you will not stand out among public or private schools despite your hard work. My son got 5’s on both of the national AP exams that SJC allowed him to take. He’s got what it takes to succeed in the right circumstances.

Your kid was not blocked, he didn’t do well enough to get into the AP classes regardless of whether he did well in the AP classes that he did earn his way on to.

As a PP says, self study for the ones he didn’t get into and take the test anyway.

Are parents really telling their kids that the school is blocking them from certain classes? Instead of, tough, next time get the grades you need.

AP tests are not like the SAT. The school has to allow you to register for the test in like September. Will SJC allow anyone to register to take the AP exam?

Also, taking the actual class means more for college admissions than the score on the test. You will have to explain to a college why you didn't take the AP class at SJC, but then took the test.

Now, it will of course make SJC look foolish if you score a 5 on the AP test for a class they determined you were not qualified to take.

BTW...what is the AP pass rate at SJC?

So…no need to explain why you did not take as many APs as a kid in MCPS, where they start APs freshman year. This is because SJC has a well staffed office of college counseling which works closely with colleges to inform them about SJC and its students. There is also a College Profile sheet for SJC, just as there should be one for your school. Despite the “AP gate keeping,” graduates are getting into some fantastic schools.

Anonymous wrote:To a person’s earlier point, how well are the graduates of SJC doing in college? HS is not just about gpa. It’s about preparedness for the next phase of life. It’s great to get into a Top 20, not so great to struggle and drop out. I rather my child hit academic stumbles in high school where you can coach them through the emotions as opposed to college when the stakes are much higher.

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Anonymous wrote:My kid is a sophomore this year and likes SJC pretty well. I wanted to comment on the requirements for honors/Ap English and also math if your 9th grader takes (or has to repeat from 8th grade) Algebra 1.

A B+ in non honors 9th grade English gets you grade level 10th grade English. You have to have an A in 9th to move into honors in 10th. (I think its a B if you start in honors) Then in 10th, you need an A to move into 11th honors, and a 95 or above, which is near impossible, to move to AP.

In math if you don't start in honors you need to be in the top 5% of all Algebra 1 students (last year that grade was about a 95) to qualify for summer Geometry and then be on track for honors Algebra II as a sophomore.

All a bit frustrating esp since teacher difficulty and grading policies vary depending on who you get.

THIS!!!! My kid is a Senior. We made a massive mistake choosing SJC and it is going to impact his options for college. I have an A student who struggled as a Freshman due to two back to back death the first month of his freshman year at SJC. SJC never allowed him to recover academically. Please parents realize that it they gate keep their classes for honors kids and it WILL impact your child’s future! My son was in accelerated math going into SJC. SJC forced (and I mean forced) him off of it. He wasn’t allowed into Honors classes with a B plus (about .7 point away from an A). He was not allowed to take more than two APs his Junior year. He is now is pre calc because he was forced out of the accelerated program. The college he wants so badly’s rep told him he didn’t have a shot and they won’t even look at him even though he is an A student because of his APs and Math over which he had no control because he had no control. The school is rigid, too big and doesn’t care about each kid wholelistically. They care about sports. Period. The resentment I have towards what this school has done to my kids future is deep. If they take your kid off the honors/college math path, get out!!!!! I have so much regret for my hard working good kid. It is devastating!!!!

I want to add your kid is better off in public where they can choose their path. His public school friends didn’t work nearly as hard as he had to try to get into the higher classes. They simply signed up for them. Their GPA’s are amazing as a result. They are all going to get into amazing schools. I am sick over it. I paid for them to screw my kid over. If you care about where your non athlete non scholar program kid goes to college, this school is not it!

This is the PP with a Sophomore....I hate to hear this and it has been my concern for my kid as well. I agree with you that while some teachers are nice the really doesn't care about your kid and the rules are strict. I can't believe that even with a family death they wouldn't work with your son. That is not acceptable. My kid is a hard worker, accelerated in middle school. Now off accelerated math and English. Also a good athlete but did not make the team in his sport. He is hoping to get back to some honors/AP but math will never happen once off, right? We came from public and have considered going back also but my kid decided to stay at SJC as we don't have a good IB school. I constantly worry about this exact situation. Do you mind me asking what level colleges your kid wants? Mine is focused on state flagship level schools, which of course vary but many schools he likes need a 4.0+ from public schools and he will certainly not have that at SJC. He is thinking that he can get away with a lower GPA in private but I am not so sure.

Your kid sounds exactly like mine. Good student. Good athlete. Good kid. But not enough for SJC to allow to shine in any capacity. I felt they actively held him back. My mostly A B plus Senior does not have a 4.0 at SJC because he was blocked from higher classes. I had your same nagging concerns and it was all justified. I also begged my kid to leave SJC even this year but it was too late. He is applying to all the same pool of schools everyone else is, southern state flagships, mid sized private schools. Despite his hard work, college reps are telling him that it will be for nothing. Please sit your kid down and explain this to him. He is a Sophomore and he can still set his path right at a different school that cares about him. It will impact his college admissions.

I was telling my husband this same thing. I feel like SJC has taken more than it has given. I did plenty of research ahead of time, or so I thought but clearly I was not asking the right questions, or reading the right reviews. I do hope that your son ends up with at least some of the options he wants, he does sound so similar to mine. Maybe reaching out to college reps now would be eye opening. I am not sure how to navigate that but you are right that there is still a little time to jump ship and even though it would be messy it may be worth it.

I would give anything to do this all over again and force him to leave SJC. Learn from me. I didn’t ask the right questions. I paid attention to the wrong reviews. He even tried to start clubs and was blocked. If I can save one kid at SJC from what my son has gone through, it will be worth this post. Don’t let this school hold your kid back because they will actively stand in the way of your child’s success. They will block him from being all he can be in favor of their athletes and scholars program. And your kid will compete with those exact kids for the same college spots even though they will be blocked from the classes they need to compete. SJC does not develop kids like ours. We exist to prop up their scholars program and athletes. Either pay more for an elite private school that will invest in your child or go to public for free where he can take as many AP and homors classes as he wants and maybe even play his sport. Going to SJC has no doubt hurt our good student good kid’s chances at his dream schools. I dread this entire year.

I hate hearing this! But I also know you are right. How many AP/honors classes did your son end up being able to take? I don't think my son will make the cut for any of the major AP classes next year due to B+'s in core classes freshman year. Hoping for honors in a class or 2 with APs senior year which makes my stomach hurt. I think there may be an AP elective he could take but that would be it. Its ridiculous and was not the plan!

My son was only allowed two AP’s his Junior year and no honors. I actively fought for more but the school refused. I fought for them to allow him into an honors class when he was barely a point off. They refused. You needed a 95 to get into the class! This Senior year he is taking four AP’s and one honors class. He is pre calc because he was demoted from his advanced path that he was on in public school. The required religion class also stops kids on the regular path from taking an Additional AP. Contrast this to my son’s girlfriend in public who started taking APs her Freshman year and as a Senior has 15 AP classes to my son’s 2. This is what colleges see. APs are standardized and count equally no matter where you go to school.

This actually sounds like a decently rigorous load. This is the PP with a Sophomore there this year. You feel like its not enough for a competitive school though? I have had a hard time with comparisons to what the public school kids take also but I assume that there is not a direct comparison when looking at kids from different schools, esp public vs private. Maybe I am wrong? I do agree about needing Calc though. It seems like there an opportunity between Jr & Sr year to take this over the summer but that, per usual, its extremely competitive (like 95+) to get in to.

To the PP whose kid took pre calc at St. Albans, did your kid fall into the 95+ grade range to qualify for this or dis SJC approve the class for your kid based on other criteria? When we talked with the department last year they made it sound like the SJC summer program was the only option to move to Calc senior year, and descent grades and desire to take it got you nowhere without the impossibly high A. I would love it if there was another path.

SJC parent with here with a different persepective on SJC's grade requirements for AP and honors level classes.

1) There are only two options when it comes to AP/honors class admissions - to have a grade prerequisite or not. SJC and other private schools have grade prerequisites, most publics don't. The advantage of not having a prerequisite is no one who wants to take the class is denied the opportunity (equity). The disadvantage to that approach is that some students may enroll in the course who don't have the skills to succeed. Teachers then have to make the course less challenging and/or inflate grades and/or give the kids with less developed skills poor grades. None of those are great options.
2) The SJC grade prerequisite allows SJC to keep the AP/honors courses rigorous enough to challenge the top students.
3) SJC has high expectations of its students. Some posters above see that as rigid, but many see those high expectations as pushing students to succeed. Many parents want high expectations especially since MCPS (and other schools) have very low expectations of students at the moment. (Read the September/October 2024 Bethesda Magazine article "Is MCPS Losing Its Edge?" https://moco360.media/september-october-2024-digital-edition/).
4) You should do your own research, but having read a lot about the college selection process prior to picking a high school and when my oldest went through the process, the consensus seems to be that top colleges don't care about the number of APs taken per se - they want kids who have taken the most rigorous courses available at the students' high school and/or to show that they challenged themselves in school (i.e. may have started in on level courses, but worked their way up to honors/AP by junior/senior year). This may cut against SJC for some kids, but colleges also will only take so many kids from each school. Public schools' open access to AP/honors classes and grade inflation means that each school has huge numbers of kids with over 4.0 GPAs and all AP/honors classes. The question then is how can these students distinguish themselves from each other? (The Bethesda Magazine article addresses this as well).
5) One of my kids was placed in on level math freshman year, but was moved to honors math sophomore year without any problem.
5) The SJC Class of 2024 set all sorts of records when it comes to college admissions and scholarships. SJC graduates do well.


And finally, as of last year, the SJC JV swim team was not walk-on, but also was not super competitive.

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Anonymous wrote:SJC robotics team performs well in competitions. I am surprised there are any requirements to join. I haven’t heard that’s the case. However during the main season (January to April), it’s like a varsity sport time wise.

Regarding sports, you can walk on to freshman teams and get playing time, but it gets less at JV and then nonexistent at varsity (unless you turn out to be a superstar…I am sure that has happened though I never witnessed with my own eyeballs).

You still have to practice just as hard as everyone else, so you need to decide if it is worth it to be on the varsity team junior and senior year and get almost zero playing time.

Teams like XCountry, rugby and crew are no cut or nearly no cut.

The freshman teams are not walk on. This is misinformation except for running. Not even golf or tennis took any freshman boys. Baseball took 1 non-recruited freshman from tryouts.

That’s a change for baseball…my kid graduated three years ago and the freshman team at that time had 7-8 freshman walkons. It was a large team.

That was the tail end of a bit of a debacle with kids like James Wood and like 6 others leaving SJC, so it’s possible that thinned the upper ranks and artificially created openings down the line.

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Anonymous wrote:SJC robotics team performs well in competitions. I am surprised there are any requirements to join. I haven’t heard that’s the case. However during the main season (January to April), it’s like a varsity sport time wise.

Regarding sports, you can walk on to freshman teams and get playing time, but it gets less at JV and then nonexistent at varsity (unless you turn out to be a superstar…I am sure that has happened though I never witnessed with my own eyeballs).

You still have to practice just as hard as everyone else, so you need to decide if it is worth it to be on the varsity team junior and senior year and get almost zero playing time.

Teams like XCountry, rugby and crew are no cut or nearly no cut.

The freshman teams are not walk on. This is misinformation except for running. Not even golf or tennis took any freshman boys. Baseball took 1 non-recruited freshman from tryouts.

Yes! Pay attention to this! If you want your kid to play a sport, any sport, the odds of them making a team as a walk on are slim to none. SJC recruits its athletes heavily and aims to be a sport pipeline to the pros more than anything else. This is not a school where kids normally walk on. If sports are important to your kid then you need to know this. Your good but not stellar athlete will be able to be on a team almost anywhere else. At SJC, He’ll end up a manager or a fan in the stands. My son regrets giving up his sport to go to SJC. It has weighed heavily on him.

Anonymous wrote:SJC robotics team performs well in competitions. I am surprised there are any requirements to join. I haven’t heard that’s the case. However during the main season (January to April), it’s like a varsity sport time wise.

Regarding sports, you can walk on to freshman teams and get playing time, but it gets less at JV and then nonexistent at varsity (unless you turn out to be a superstar…I am sure that has happened though I never witnessed with my own eyeballs).

You still have to practice just as hard as everyone else, so you need to decide if it is worth it to be on the varsity team junior and senior year and get almost zero playing time.

Teams like XCountry, rugby and crew are no cut or nearly no cut.

The freshman teams are not walk on. This is misinformation except for running. Not even golf or tennis took any freshman boys. Baseball took 1 non-recruited freshman from tryouts.

I would love to know where kids like some of the PPs ended up for college. I have a similar kid there and it would be helpful. Good students but without much rigor. If anyone is willing to share it would definitely be helpful!

We had two kids go through SJC - not recruited athletes - I hated the open house and was against my older child going but she insisted and it turned out great for her and her sibling. Both were well prepared for college at competitive slacs. Neither was part of the party scene - any school this size is going to have some partiers - it is a relatively small group and neither of my kids felt oppressed by any kind of '80s type cool kids scene. It is rigid (as are most catholic schools) - overall I looked at it like a hybrid - way cheaper than a private independent school, but in many ways good and bad more like a good public school which suited my kids well as teens. We are catholic but not conservative and didn't feel like fish out of water. Our experience was very positive re: getting the higher level classes that my kids wanted despite not being in the honors program. In certain cases they let us take a summer on-line class to get a prereq that my child needed.

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Anonymous wrote:Honestly, SJC and a lot of private schools seem to be reality checks for parents who think their kids are exceptional but are really not.

The school isn’t holding anyone back, they’re placing them where they need to be. They’re blocked from classes bc they’re not good enough.

Go to public school where you can harangue the school and get your kids into the classes u want them to get into. Did families really think their kid could get into any class they want in private school bc they pay tuition and their kid is a “hard worker”?

My kid can't move their GPA b/c they are required to take scripture and they are not a Scholar.
So Scripture is not an honors class year and pulls down weighted GPA each year - even though every year gets an "A" in the course

I don’t think the scripture requirement was a secret. If u wanted ur kid to get scholar treatment, why would you put them in a school where they are not a scholar?

Move them to a school where it will be easier to get good a high GPA.

I don’t think private schools are marketing themselves as places where it easy easy to get high GPAs.

The point is that is isn’t easy to get a high GPA not because you don’t have the chops but because you are blocked. APs are APs no matter where you take them…public or private. They are the great equalizer which is why colleges value them over honors chases. It is an apples to apples comparison no matter where you go to school. But if you are blocked from taking the number of APs you need the way you are at SJC, you will not stand out among public or private schools despite your hard work. My son got 5’s on both of the national AP exams that SJC allowed him to take. He’s got what it takes to succeed in the right circumstances.

Your kid can self-study for APs during the school year or over the summer. When life (or SJC) throws you a curveball, you need to figure out a new plan. This does not mean giving up and dropping out - it means taking classes online or at local privates during the summer. Be sure to get the classes pre-approved by SJC so they will show up on the official transcript. That’s what we did and it all worked out.

I find this comment frankly bizarre. Somehow you are fine that SJC blocked your kid from just taking the class at SJC, even though I gather your kid did well in an online class and did well on the AP test?

Wouldn't you throw that into SJC's face as proof their existing policies are wrong?

Why are SJC's exisiting policies wrong? Because you and a couple of other PPs don't like them? SJC is a private school. Their policies are well laid out in the handbook. Nobody is forcing you or anybody else to send their kid there. If public school folks are looking at private highschools, I HIGHLY recommend mapping out a 4 year plan for your kid based on electives/requirements/etc. And just because they have all As in a public school doesn't mean they are going to automatically get placed into honors classes. Be realistic about their abilities and realize that you are not going to be able to "talk" them into higher level classes at any of these schools.

If you decide maximizing APs is your goal, you should send your kid to a public. Because of religion requirements, that knocks out a chance to take an AP class for ALL kids. If you have a kid who wants to do art, or choir, or music, that knocks out another class that could be filled with an AP. Scholars kids also have a required senior seminar that means one less chance to take an AP class.

I am one of the posters “critical” of SJC policy and I agree with a lot of what you said. SJC is just not a good fit for a lot of regular good students that would really shine elsewhere. That is why it is important for the parents of those particular kids to understand truthfully what their kid’s transcript will look like compared to transcripts within SJC scholars and at other area schools. That is the where the competition is for the college seats. There is no room for error at SJC and it is a rigid path with few options for those (outside of scholars and athletes) who are just good solid students who would be allowed to be rockstars somewhere else. That being said, this is my first time in the college process. The posts here aren’t meant so much to be critical of SJC but more factual so parents of the “regular” SJC kids know what they are up against and can make the educated choices they want to make for their kid’s futures. Not everyone wants a top school or a southern state school. Those people might be ok with a college that has a high acceptance rate and they might prioritize the Catholic experience. That’s fine! Not everyone wants the same thing. Those people are going to be happy at SJC. it just isn’t the best school for a certain subset of very good students who want competitive but not Ivy level schools. Those kids will fall through the cracks and not get the classes they deserve to shine. That’s all. I hope this dicsussion helps those parents of those kids understand. The parents who are happy, I’m glad you’re happy. And whatever points you make are also valuable to the discussion.

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Anonymous wrote:My kid is a sophomore this year and likes SJC pretty well. I wanted to comment on the requirements for honors/Ap English and also math if your 9th grader takes (or has to repeat from 8th grade) Algebra 1.

A B+ in non honors 9th grade English gets you grade level 10th grade English. You have to have an A in 9th to move into honors in 10th. (I think its a B if you start in honors) Then in 10th, you need an A to move into 11th honors, and a 95 or above, which is near impossible, to move to AP.

In math if you don't start in honors you need to be in the top 5% of all Algebra 1 students (last year that grade was about a 95) to qualify for summer Geometry and then be on track for honors Algebra II as a sophomore.

All a bit frustrating esp since teacher difficulty and grading policies vary depending on who you get.

THIS!!!! My kid is a Senior. We made a massive mistake choosing SJC and it is going to impact his options for college. I have an A student who struggled as a Freshman due to two back to back death the first month of his freshman year at SJC. SJC never allowed him to recover academically. Please parents realize that it they gate keep their classes for honors kids and it WILL impact your child’s future! My son was in accelerated math going into SJC. SJC forced (and I mean forced) him off of it. He wasn’t allowed into Honors classes with a B plus (about .7 point away from an A). He was not allowed to take more than two APs his Junior year. He is now is pre calc because he was forced out of the accelerated program. The college he wants so badly’s rep told him he didn’t have a shot and they won’t even look at him even though he is an A student because of his APs and Math over which he had no control because he had no control. The school is rigid, too big and doesn’t care about each kid wholelistically. They care about sports. Period. The resentment I have towards what this school has done to my kids future is deep. If they take your kid off the honors/college math path, get out!!!!! I have so much regret for my hard working good kid. It is devastating!!!!

I want to add your kid is better off in public where they can choose their path. His public school friends didn’t work nearly as hard as he had to try to get into the higher classes. They simply signed up for them. Their GPA’s are amazing as a result. They are all going to get into amazing schools. I am sick over it. I paid for them to screw my kid over. If you care about where your non athlete non scholar program kid goes to college, this school is not it!

This is the PP with a Sophomore....I hate to hear this and it has been my concern for my kid as well. I agree with you that while some teachers are nice the really doesn't care about your kid and the rules are strict. I can't believe that even with a family death they wouldn't work with your son. That is not acceptable. My kid is a hard worker, accelerated in middle school. Now off accelerated math and English. Also a good athlete but did not make the team in his sport. He is hoping to get back to some honors/AP but math will never happen once off, right? We came from public and have considered going back also but my kid decided to stay at SJC as we don't have a good IB school. I constantly worry about this exact situation. Do you mind me asking what level colleges your kid wants? Mine is focused on state flagship level schools, which of course vary but many schools he likes need a 4.0+ from public schools and he will certainly not have that at SJC. He is thinking that he can get away with a lower GPA in private but I am not so sure.

Your kid sounds exactly like mine. Good student. Good athlete. Good kid. But not enough for SJC to allow to shine in any capacity. I felt they actively held him back. My mostly A B plus Senior does not have a 4.0 at SJC because he was blocked from higher classes. I had your same nagging concerns and it was all justified. I also begged my kid to leave SJC even this year but it was too late. He is applying to all the same pool of schools everyone else is, southern state flagships, mid sized private schools. Despite his hard work, college reps are telling him that it will be for nothing. Please sit your kid down and explain this to him. He is a Sophomore and he can still set his path right at a different school that cares about him. It will impact his college admissions.

I was telling my husband this same thing. I feel like SJC has taken more than it has given. I did plenty of research ahead of time, or so I thought but clearly I was not asking the right questions, or reading the right reviews. I do hope that your son ends up with at least some of the options he wants, he does sound so similar to mine. Maybe reaching out to college reps now would be eye opening. I am not sure how to navigate that but you are right that there is still a little time to jump ship and even though it would be messy it may be worth it.

I would give anything to do this all over again and force him to leave SJC. Learn from me. I didn’t ask the right questions. I paid attention to the wrong reviews. He even tried to start clubs and was blocked. If I can save one kid at SJC from what my son has gone through, it will be worth this post. Don’t let this school hold your kid back because they will actively stand in the way of your child’s success. They will block him from being all he can be in favor of their athletes and scholars program. And your kid will compete with those exact kids for the same college spots even though they will be blocked from the classes they need to compete. SJC does not develop kids like ours. We exist to prop up their scholars program and athletes. Either pay more for an elite private school that will invest in your child or go to public for free where he can take as many AP and homors classes as he wants and maybe even play his sport. Going to SJC has no doubt hurt our good student good kid’s chances at his dream schools. I dread this entire year.

There are lots of people talking about "dream schools" and "selective schools" on this thread who seem really clueless about the post-2020 college admissions environment. College admissions is very hard for kids now. Kids getting into T-20s from SJC have multiple hooks. Non-hooked kids getting into even T-30s are few and far between. I've had 2 graduate post-2020. Your kid was never going to get into a selective school regardless of whether they went public or private. Of course your kid could excel at a selective school. Most kids could. It is a numbers game, and too many kids are applying for too few spots. This idea that SJC is holding them back in favor of athletes or scholars is simply a fantasy in your mind. Let it go, you will be happier! Your kid is going to do great!

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Anonymous wrote:Honestly, SJC and a lot of private schools seem to be reality checks for parents who think their kids are exceptional but are really not.

The school isn’t holding anyone back, they’re placing them where they need to be. They’re blocked from classes bc they’re not good enough.

Go to public school where you can harangue the school and get your kids into the classes u want them to get into. Did families really think their kid could get into any class they want in private school bc they pay tuition and their kid is a “hard worker”?

My kid can't move their GPA b/c they are required to take scripture and they are not a Scholar.
So Scripture is not an honors class year and pulls down weighted GPA each year - even though every year gets an "A" in the course

I don’t think the scripture requirement was a secret. If u wanted ur kid to get scholar treatment, why would you put them in a school where they are not a scholar?

Move them to a school where it will be easier to get good a high GPA.

I don’t think private schools are marketing themselves as places where it easy easy to get high GPAs.

The point is that is isn’t easy to get a high GPA not because you don’t have the chops but because you are blocked. APs are APs no matter where you take them…public or private. They are the great equalizer which is why colleges value them over honors chases. It is an apples to apples comparison no matter where you go to school. But if you are blocked from taking the number of APs you need the way you are at SJC, you will not stand out among public or private schools despite your hard work. My son got 5’s on both of the national AP exams that SJC allowed him to take. He’s got what it takes to succeed in the right circumstances.

Your kid can self-study for APs during the school year or over the summer. When life (or SJC) throws you a curveball, you need to figure out a new plan. This does not mean giving up and dropping out - it means taking classes online or at local privates during the summer. Be sure to get the classes pre-approved by SJC so they will show up on the official transcript. That’s what we did and it all worked out.

I find this comment frankly bizarre. Somehow you are fine that SJC blocked your kid from just taking the class at SJC, even though I gather your kid did well in an online class and did well on the AP test?

Wouldn't you throw that into SJC's face as proof their existing policies are wrong?

Why are SJC's exisiting policies wrong? Because you and a couple of other PPs don't like them? SJC is a private school. Their policies are well laid out in the handbook. Nobody is forcing you or anybody else to send their kid there. If public school folks are looking at private highschools, I HIGHLY recommend mapping out a 4 year plan for your kid based on electives/requirements/etc. And just because they have all As in a public school doesn't mean they are going to automatically get placed into honors classes. Be realistic about their abilities and realize that you are not going to be able to "talk" them into higher level classes at any of these schools.

If you decide maximizing APs is your goal, you should send your kid to a public. Because of religion requirements, that knocks out a chance to take an AP class for ALL kids. If you have a kid who wants to do art, or choir, or music, that knocks out another class that could be filled with an AP. Scholars kids also have a required senior seminar that means one less chance to take an AP class.

You don't sound like the person who actually made the comment, so I am not sure why you are responding.

My only point is that if this person was denied taking the AP class at SJC, then independently took the class online and subsequently scored very high on the AP test...does that not poke a giant hole in the way SJC operates? Isn't that empirical evidence of a flawed system?

Sometimes apples don't fall too far from the tree my friend.