Anonymous
09/11/2025 11:14
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt, USC, if ECs really compelling REA Stanford
lol. now you're just making crazy sh&*t up. Vanderbilt and Stanford are not taking middle of the class kids, even at top privates, certainly not top DC privates. For example, Stanford rejected our Big3 valedictorian REA this year.
None of the DC privates are top 20 privates so there is that. Of the top 20 privates, I know one that sent 14 to Harvard in 2024 and over 50 to an Ivy and several to Stanford. You are comparing apples to oranges.
Are we not talking about DC schools on a DC board? I am so confused.
This isn't a DC college board. Sorry to break it to you.
Dp, but yes it is. A few randoms from other parts of the country doesn’t change that.
Nope. The rest of the country has taken over. No one gives a hoot about random public schools in Montgomery County with your weird weighted GPA calculations or Thomas Jefferson (nerd fest!) or your other DC-centric concerns.
Agree. And new to this thread and also not in DC!!!
Bet there are more than a few dozen of us.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 11:07
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt, USC, if ECs really compelling REA Stanford
lol. now you're just making crazy sh&*t up. Vanderbilt and Stanford are not taking middle of the class kids, even at top privates, certainly not top DC privates. For example, Stanford rejected our Big3 valedictorian REA this year.
None of the DC privates are top 20 privates so there is that. Of the top 20 privates, I know one that sent 14 to Harvard in 2024 and over 50 to an Ivy and several to Stanford. You are comparing apples to oranges.
Are we not talking about DC schools on a DC board? I am so confused.
This isn't a DC college board. Sorry to break it to you.
Dp, but yes it is. A few randoms from other parts of the country doesn’t change that.
Nope. The rest of the country has taken over. No one gives a hoot about random public schools in Montgomery County with your weird weighted GPA calculations or Thomas Jefferson (nerd fest!) or your other DC-centric concerns.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:59
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this Horace Mann? They send a lot of kids to Chicago.
Yup - I think they had 20+ kids go to Chicago a year or two ago. I guess those kids really like the color maroon.
HM is super rigorous and definitely where fun goes to die, so if you’re chasing brand name and can’t get into Ivies, Chicago would feel like home
Don’t put all ivies in one basket and think they are all alike. The bottom 4 ivies - low and lying- are so so..nothing to write home about.
Which are the bottom 4 ivies?
Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown are the bottom three ivies. Not sure of the 4th. It used to be Penn back in my day, but Wharton has made it rise.
I think its Columbia. And it may be the very bottom one.
Dream on
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:57
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt, USC, if ECs really compelling REA Stanford
lol. now you're just making crazy sh&*t up. Vanderbilt and Stanford are not taking middle of the class kids, even at top privates, certainly not top DC privates. For example, Stanford rejected our Big3 valedictorian REA this year.
None of the DC privates are top 20 privates so there is that. Of the top 20 privates, I know one that sent 14 to Harvard in 2024 and over 50 to an Ivy and several to Stanford. You are comparing apples to oranges.
Are we not talking about DC schools on a DC board? I am so confused.
This isn't a DC college board. Sorry to break it to you.
Dp, but yes it is. A few randoms from other parts of the country doesn’t change that.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:48
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this Horace Mann? They send a lot of kids to Chicago.
Yup - I think they had 20+ kids go to Chicago a year or two ago. I guess those kids really like the color maroon.
HM is super rigorous and definitely where fun goes to die, so if you’re chasing brand name and can’t get into Ivies, Chicago would feel like home
Don’t put all ivies in one basket and think they are all alike. The bottom 4 ivies - low and lying- are so so..nothing to write home about.
Which are the bottom 4 ivies?
Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown are the bottom three ivies. Not sure of the 4th. It used to be Penn back in my day, but Wharton has made it rise.
I think its Columbia. And it may be the very bottom one.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:47
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So it’s one of these top 20 high schools?
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/
Non-boarding day school list:
https://thebestschools.org/rankings/k-12/best-private-schools/
At any of these schools, this kid gets into Brown level schools ED. Provided not a lot of other hooked peers EDing.
No.
NCS, Sidwell, and Gilman are all on the list. Not for 3.5 gpa kids.
I thought gpa was 3.7/3.75uw?
Did OP say that? I must have missed it. The title says middle of the class, which is typically 3.5 in a top private that does not inflate.
Since rigorous privates have competitive admission, they can usually choose strong/A students coming in from middle school so there are few average students academically. That said, from my experience a middle 50% gpa at a rigorous private would be around 3.6 due to the lack of inflation. Top half ranges from just below an A- (very high B+) to an A average. Ofc, rigor matters a lot!
Not at our top private. No one gets a solid A average. 2 A, 2 A- and 1 B+ would put you in top 25%. Last year a core subject teacher gave majority of her class C’s in the final.
Same at our private. And my kid got into T10 with that grade…
Got into T10 with what grade?
B-
this didn't happen. Not even for a multi-million donor.
There’s one really hard grader at our private. Never gives an A. Most get B or B-. Occasionally a few B+ but no more than 2-3.
Many pf these kids at T10. Yes a well known non-DC private. Colleges know all about this class. Best prep for college tbh.
My kid is a B-. Attending a T10.
Your kid had a B-, or is a B-?
Had a B- in one class is drastically different from being a B- kid.
“is a B-“ means average gpa is 2.8. That would not make it at T10.
No one had a 2.8. Read the thread responding to.
Kid Had a B-. Also had a B in one other class I think. 3.8uw gpa. Private HS.
Read the original. It’s not about all As at rigorous privates or even close to a 4.0:
“Not at our top private. No one gets a solid A average. 2 A, 2 A- and 1 B+ would put you in top 25%. Last year a core subject teacher gave majority of her class C’s in the final. ”
So let's get this straight: you think your school is so special and your kid is so great that only going there and/or being your kid can get you into a top 10 college with a single B-?
I got news for you -- it's not the special. My kid got into a top 10 from a public school with a C.
I’m not PP but wow, what triggered you so badly? When did that poster say her school is so special or you have to go to her school to get into T10?? I’m another poster who posted above about our non-DC private; I thought I was trying to share info b/c OP asked. Parents come on here to share real experiences to try to support other parents; it sounds like some of those experiences are different than yours. What’s the harm to just listen and broaden your perspectives? I have been on the receiving end and really appreciate things I have learned here.
Thank you. Agree 100%
Why can't we just share out experiences??? Everyone knows it's all HS specific anyway?
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:46
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt, USC, if ECs really compelling REA Stanford
lol. now you're just making crazy sh&*t up. Vanderbilt and Stanford are not taking middle of the class kids, even at top privates, certainly not top DC privates. For example, Stanford rejected our Big3 valedictorian REA this year.
None of the DC privates are top 20 privates so there is that. Of the top 20 privates, I know one that sent 14 to Harvard in 2024 and over 50 to an Ivy and several to Stanford. You are comparing apples to oranges.
Are we not talking about DC schools on a DC board? I am so confused.
This isn't a DC college board. Sorry to break it to you.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:43
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this Horace Mann? They send a lot of kids to Chicago.
Yup - I think they had 20+ kids go to Chicago a year or two ago. I guess those kids really like the color maroon.
HM is super rigorous and definitely where fun goes to die, so if you’re chasing brand name and can’t get into Ivies, Chicago would feel like home
Don’t put all ivies in one basket and think they are all alike. The bottom 4 ivies - low and lying- are so so..nothing to write home about.
Which are the bottom 4 ivies?
I'm guessing PP thinks top 4 are HYP + [ivy i got into]. LOL
Bottom 4 are obviously (not in order)
Brown
Cornell
Penn
Dartmouth
Penn is the only one having a sub-5% acceptance rate among these four.
All ivies are very difficult to get in, with Cornell slightly easier.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:34
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this Horace Mann? They send a lot of kids to Chicago.
Yup - I think they had 20+ kids go to Chicago a year or two ago. I guess those kids really like the color maroon.
HM is super rigorous and definitely where fun goes to die, so if you’re chasing brand name and can’t get into Ivies, Chicago would feel like home
Don’t put all ivies in one basket and think they are all alike. The bottom 4 ivies - low and lying- are so so..nothing to write home about.
Which are the bottom 4 ivies?
Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown are the bottom three ivies. Not sure of the 4th. It used to be Penn back in my day, but Wharton has made it rise.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:34
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this Horace Mann? They send a lot of kids to Chicago.
Yup - I think they had 20+ kids go to Chicago a year or two ago. I guess those kids really like the color maroon.
HM is super rigorous and definitely where fun goes to die, so if you’re chasing brand name and can’t get into Ivies, Chicago would feel like home
Don’t put all ivies in one basket and think they are all alike. The bottom 4 ivies - low and lying- are so so..nothing to write home about.
Which are the bottom 4 ivies?
I'm guessing PP thinks top 4 are HYP + [ivy i got into]. LOL
Bottom 4 are obviously (not in order)
Brown
Cornell
Penn
Dartmouth
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:30
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt, USC, if ECs really compelling REA Stanford
lol. now you're just making crazy sh&*t up. Vanderbilt and Stanford are not taking middle of the class kids, even at top privates, certainly not top DC privates. For example, Stanford rejected our Big3 valedictorian REA this year.
None of the DC privates are top 20 privates so there is that. Of the top 20 privates, I know one that sent 14 to Harvard in 2024 and over 50 to an Ivy and several to Stanford. You are comparing apples to oranges.
Are we not talking about DC schools on a DC board? I am so confused.
Just read the posts. Not hard to follow. Regardless, several of the top 20 privates are boarding schools where DC area students attend.
Dp, but agree. It’s silly to expect meaningful advice for non DC schools here, especially when one is not even willing to identify the school or geographical area one is talking about. But that hasn’t stopped op.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 10:11
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this Horace Mann? They send a lot of kids to Chicago.
Yup - I think they had 20+ kids go to Chicago a year or two ago. I guess those kids really like the color maroon.
HM is super rigorous and definitely where fun goes to die, so if you’re chasing brand name and can’t get into Ivies, Chicago would feel like home
Don’t put all ivies in one basket and think they are all alike. The bottom 4 ivies - low and lying- are so so..nothing to write home about.
Which are the bottom 4 ivies?
I'm guessing PP thinks top 4 are HYP + [ivy i got into]. LOL
Anonymous
09/11/2025 09:59
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So it’s one of these top 20 high schools?
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/
Non-boarding day school list:
https://thebestschools.org/rankings/k-12/best-private-schools/
At any of these schools, this kid gets into Brown level schools ED. Provided not a lot of other hooked peers EDing.
No.
NCS, Sidwell, and Gilman are all on the list. Not for 3.5 gpa kids.
I thought gpa was 3.7/3.75uw?
Did OP say that? I must have missed it. The title says middle of the class, which is typically 3.5 in a top private that does not inflate.
Since rigorous privates have competitive admission, they can usually choose strong/A students coming in from middle school so there are few average students academically. That said, from my experience a middle 50% gpa at a rigorous private would be around 3.6 due to the lack of inflation. Top half ranges from just below an A- (very high B+) to an A average. Ofc, rigor matters a lot!
Not at our top private. No one gets a solid A average. 2 A, 2 A- and 1 B+ would put you in top 25%. Last year a core subject teacher gave majority of her class C’s in the final.
Same at our private. And my kid got into T10 with that grade…
Got into T10 with what grade?
B-
this didn't happen. Not even for a multi-million donor.
There’s one really hard grader at our private. Never gives an A. Most get B or B-. Occasionally a few B+ but no more than 2-3.
Many pf these kids at T10. Yes a well known non-DC private. Colleges know all about this class. Best prep for college tbh.
My kid is a B-. Attending a T10.
Your kid had a B-, or is a B-?
Had a B- in one class is drastically different from being a B- kid.
“is a B-“ means average gpa is 2.8. That would not make it at T10.
No one had a 2.8. Read the thread responding to.
Kid Had a B-. Also had a B in one other class I think. 3.8uw gpa. Private HS.
Read the original. It’s not about all As at rigorous privates or even close to a 4.0:
“Not at our top private. No one gets a solid A average. 2 A, 2 A- and 1 B+ would put you in top 25%. Last year a core subject teacher gave majority of her class C’s in the final. ”
So let's get this straight: you think your school is so special and your kid is so great that only going there and/or being your kid can get you into a top 10 college with a single B-?
I got news for you -- it's not the special. My kid got into a top 10 from a public school with a C.
I’m not PP but wow, what triggered you so badly? When did that poster say her school is so special or you have to go to her school to get into T10?? I’m another poster who posted above about our non-DC private; I thought I was trying to share info b/c OP asked. Parents come on here to share real experiences to try to support other parents; it sounds like some of those experiences are different than yours. What’s the harm to just listen and broaden your perspectives? I have been on the receiving end and really appreciate things I have learned here.
+100
Anonymous
09/11/2025 09:51
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So it’s one of these top 20 high schools?
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/
Non-boarding day school list:
https://thebestschools.org/rankings/k-12/best-private-schools/
At any of these schools, this kid gets into Brown level schools ED. Provided not a lot of other hooked peers EDing.
No.
NCS, Sidwell, and Gilman are all on the list. Not for 3.5 gpa kids.
I thought gpa was 3.7/3.75uw?
Did OP say that? I must have missed it. The title says middle of the class, which is typically 3.5 in a top private that does not inflate.
Since rigorous privates have competitive admission, they can usually choose strong/A students coming in from middle school so there are few average students academically. That said, from my experience a middle 50% gpa at a rigorous private would be around 3.6 due to the lack of inflation. Top half ranges from just below an A- (very high B+) to an A average. Ofc, rigor matters a lot!
Not at our top private. No one gets a solid A average. 2 A, 2 A- and 1 B+ would put you in top 25%. Last year a core subject teacher gave majority of her class C’s in the final.
Same at our private. And my kid got into T10 with that grade…
Got into T10 with what grade?
B-
this didn't happen. Not even for a multi-million donor.
There’s one really hard grader at our private. Never gives an A. Most get B or B-. Occasionally a few B+ but no more than 2-3.
Many pf these kids at T10. Yes a well known non-DC private. Colleges know all about this class. Best prep for college tbh.
My kid is a B-. Attending a T10.
Your kid had a B-, or is a B-?
Had a B- in one class is drastically different from being a B- kid.
“is a B-“ means average gpa is 2.8. That would not make it at T10.
No one had a 2.8. Read the thread responding to.
Kid Had a B-. Also had a B in one other class I think. 3.8uw gpa. Private HS.
Read the original. It’s not about all As at rigorous privates or even close to a 4.0:
“Not at our top private. No one gets a solid A average. 2 A, 2 A- and 1 B+ would put you in top 25%. Last year a core subject teacher gave majority of her class C’s in the final. ”
So let's get this straight: you think your school is so special and your kid is so great that only going there and/or being your kid can get you into a top 10 college with a single B-?
I got news for you -- it's not the special. My kid got into a top 10 from a public school with a C.
I’m not PP but wow, what triggered you so badly? When did that poster say her school is so special or you have to go to her school to get into T10?? I’m another poster who posted above about our non-DC private; I thought I was trying to share info b/c OP asked. Parents come on here to share real experiences to try to support other parents; it sounds like some of those experiences are different than yours. What’s the harm to just listen and broaden your perspectives? I have been on the receiving end and really appreciate things I have learned here.
Anonymous
09/11/2025 09:41
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt, USC, if ECs really compelling REA Stanford
lol. now you're just making crazy sh&*t up. Vanderbilt and Stanford are not taking middle of the class kids, even at top privates, certainly not top DC privates. For example, Stanford rejected our Big3 valedictorian REA this year.
S is different from HYPM. PP said IF ECs are really compelling. There is a chance for S.
Different poster: I know 2 Olympic pre-trial athletes who got into Stanford last 5 years. Both 3.5-3.7 type students; my DC was in class with one of them (gymnast); the other was a boy (rower) everyone in our neighborhood knows, he’s freakishly tall. Both missed a ton of school, didn’t actually make it to the Olympics, but got into S anyway.