Well you've dragged the conversation so far off the topic of "Best Elementary Schools in MoCo" that it's hard to figure out what the question is, let alone the answer.

But it looks like your original point concerned SAT score differentials between schools in lower-income areas (think parts of DC) and schools in higher-income areas (think Bethesda and Potomac). If that's what we're still talking about here, then the SAT differential between these rich and poor areas is way more than any 200-point gain that could reasonably be attributed to SAT test prep. (Fact Check: even the SAT test prep centers don't claim 400-point gains, because they almost never achieve gains this high. Their own promo material mostly talks about 200-point gains.) Check out this WaPo article which says it's "rare" to find a Ballou student who does better than 1500 on the 2400 SATs: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/20..._survive_our_worst_schoo.html. One, or five or six, SAT prep sessions isn't going to bring this score up to the 2200 necessary for an Ivy. I can't understand why you continue to insist that home environment and schooling, both of which operate over 16 years before a kid takes the SATs, are unimportant.

But hey, why don't you put your theory to the test in your own house. Let your kid rely solely on SAT test prep. Toss out all the books in your house (if you have any) and send him to a lousy school. Then come back here in 10 years when he's 16, and tell us his SAT scores.

(Oh God, I now realize I've been sucked into a conversation with the Crazy Tiger Mom who thinks test prep is more important than sports. I'm outta here!)

Anonymous wrote:http://www.nysun.com/new-york/student-backlash-brews-against-untimed-tests/60619/

Anonymous wrote:Wrong question to ask. With only 300 folk getting perfect 2400 per test session I doubt anyone is interested in this benchmark (these are outliers). But, the millions of dollars spent on test preparation and accommodations by the wealthy do garner the important 200 to 400 point gains (you acknowledge) that make the difference between Ivy and Podunk (this gain is real and a deal maker)!!

Cheers,

Ms Ball

Anonymous wrote:Wealthy communities in America have children who spend millions of dollars prepping for SAT, millions of dollars for SAT tutors, millions of dollars for SAT camps, millions of dollars on taking the PSAT and SAT multiple times before the 11 th grade, and millions of dollars for lawyers, psychologists and psychiatrists for the paperwork to get special privelages and accommodations when it comes to taking the SAT exam. All these have an impact on SAT scores least of which is the educational advantages of high SES.

Poor communities do not have these opportunities since they can't afford them.

If you prepare extensively in this manner, take the SAT exam multiple times and get special accommodations to sit for these SAT exams; the SAT scores will be higher and not lower. This is simple arithematic. It is not complicated. If a poor individual was only given the above, that SAT score will be higher -- independent of SES!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Oh please. All the tutoring in the world isn't going to get a kid a perfect or near-perfect SAT score.

There is a correlation between income and test results, but it's not because of test prep. Any sociologist will tell you that it's because of family environment -- hearing big words from an early age, being taken to museums, traveling, having lots of books in the house, the whole package.

Do not not believe the dumb sociologist you read. In every wealthy community in America the family environment includes lots of tutoring, test prep, Princeton and Kaplan review, summer test prep and multiple attempts at the SAT (besides travel, books and enrichment in school). In poor communities in America this type of prep and multiple attempts at SAT is not common. In addition, it is uncommon for folk from poor communities in America to get accommodations for taking the SAT. Accommodation for taking these exams (extra time, small rooms etc) is endemic in wealthy communities in America. The College Board will provide interested parties with this information ... not the out of touch sociologist.

Oh please. All the tutoring in the world isn't going to get a kid a perfect or near-perfect SAT score.

There is a correlation between income and test results, but it's not because of test prep. Any sociologist will tell you that it's because of family environment -- hearing big words from an early age, being taken to museums, traveling, having lots of books in the house, the whole package.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The high school was ranked #1 in the state of Maryland by US News and World Report last year. A drug house was busted by Montgomery County Police right across the street from the school last spring. Someone in the neighborhood was keeping the drug dealer busy enough to be located there.

Really? If there was indeed a "drug house" located "right across the street from the school" than one would think there'd be press coverage of such an event. Post a link that proves it happened. I'm betting we'll see Romney elected president before we see such a link.