Anonymous wrote:Despite 10 pages of concerns, highly selective colleges have no trouble choosing excellent kids and building a great class.

Their problem is the opposite: choosing whom to reject from the large number of qualified kids.

Your concern that these issues, whether real or imagined, are causing colleges to select kids that are unqualified and incapable is just not borne out by evidence.

I think colleges have more trouble figuring out which kids are most qualified due to grade inflation and de-emphasis of standardized test scores.

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Anonymous wrote:Between MCPS absolutely ridiculous grading scale and the fact that they are not allowed to administer final exams, it’s a wonder those kids are prepared for college. And it’s absurd that MCPS students are compared to students from schools that have strict grading scales, no test retakes, homework graded for accuracy and no weighting for honors/AP classes.

But amazingly, they are. Ask the ones in college now. At least the students hat took college-bound classes (AP/IB etc) feel that they are more than adequately prepared for their classes, even if they received As for an 89.5 in high school - or, horrors, a B for a 79.5.

That's the thing, and my DCs didn't even have the unweighted 4.0s, yet both are in college with an MCPS education, feeling better prepared than peers. Oldest was recruited to work in the campus writing center, she sees how younger students cope as they hit their research papers and portfolio requirements. Youngest is the only freshman in one of his math courses, covering material I didn't see until grad school.

This board is so obsessed with finding a number on a scrap of paper that settles things once and for all, but it can't be done.

Why so defensive? Great your kid managed to get something out of MCPS. When did they graduate? That makes a big difference as well because things are getting progressively worse. Also it depends what institution they are in...doubtful it is a top school based on your statements.

Defensive, how? just agreeing, and satisfied with MCPS and the grading policy--parent of 2019 and 2022 grads. Yes, in the past (eg when my parents were in HS) grades were used to pit individuals against each other. The current thinking is instead grades indicate degree of mastery by the end of the course.

In other words...equity. Equity in terms of academics is destroying public school outcomes.

Fox news has entered the chat room.

Nah. They are bang on. Let’s hide NMF/SF awards because we don’t want other kids to feel bad about themselves. In Arlington, they wouldn’t teach any new material for 6 months during Covid because it wouldn’t be fair to the 5% that didn’t have reliable home intern (instead of working with then separately for a solution). Let’s just dumb everyone down and teach to the lowest common denominator.

And letter grades?? Oh no, no, no. APS is doing away with these in favor of standards based learning. You meet expectations -yay!

Education in 2023 is very different than it was even 10 years ago.