Anonymous wrote:The theory is that private school admissions to college should be discredited due to legacy hooks. But if there are more legacies in public schools, why doesn't anyone discredit these admissions too?

Because they aren’t more legacies in public schools, per capita.

The theory is that private school admissions to college should be discredited due to legacy hooks. But if there are more legacies in public schools, why doesn't anyone discredit these admissions too?

Anonymous wrote:It's not an apples to apples comparison if you aren't discounting hooks for public school admits in the same way as private school ones.

- What about college admissions is “apples to apples”? It’s a deeply flawed and unfair process, like life. How would one even conduct such an analysis?

- “Discounting hooks for public schools.” What does that mean? As I said previously, it’s extremely snobbish to not recognize the incredible hooks kids at at least our local public high school — which admittedly is very wealthy. Recruited athletes & LOADS of legacies (Stanford, Harvard, Duke, UVA to name just a few). I get that there may be a few kids at our PS with real big money hooks but let’s be real, those are few and far between — max of 2-4 a class when you are taking about the kind of money necessary swing the admissions pendulum at these big name schools. Plus, loads of my public school parent friends now have an extra $200k they can offer up in donations .

It's not an apples to apples comparison if you aren't discounting hooks for public school admits in the same way as private school ones.

^this. To me, it is almost embarrassing (embarrassingly good) how many of the kids at Sidwell, STA, NCS, GDS are going to T25 or the very top LACs. Somewhere around half the class, in some cases more than half. And many more after that are going to very reputable schools such as BC. Even if there are a few hooks in there, it is still a wild success.
If public is doing even better, more power to them.

Anonymous wrote:College admissions are much better for the unhooked at DMV publics than privates.

Sending your unhooked kid to a Big 3 will just result in a suboptimal college outcome.

Hooked kids will gobble up scarce T20 slots, leaving your kid to gnaw on scraps.

False. Big 3 college placement is great! Sidwell STA and NCS. NCS college placement is amazing this year!!

The legacy hook is way overrated IMO because it’s useful for one or two colleges at most. Better to have or develop a hook that holds much broader appeal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the relevance of PP's statement about unhooked kids at Big 3 schools if there aren't many of them there in the first place?

If it's going to be a financial burden to send your kid to a Big3 and you don't already have hooks (likely a legacy hook) but you DO have hopes for them to go to a top college, you'll need to be realistic that their college prospects might be better elsewhere.

I am so confused by this nonsense that kids in public schools aren’t hooked. It’s like you all live in some insane bubble. In my rich people neighborhood in Nova we know parents who attended school at Harvard, Stanford, UVa, Michigan, USNA, Duke, etc. They all send their kids to our local public high school.

If you want your kids to have a better chance, move to Iowa or Mississippi or somewhere. But sending them to our local public school does not get them away from the hooks.

Anonymous wrote:What's the relevance of PP's statement about unhooked kids at Big 3 schools if there aren't many of them there in the first place?

If it's going to be a financial burden to send your kid to a Big3 and you don't already have hooks (likely a legacy hook) but you DO have hopes for them to go to a top college, you'll need to be realistic that their college prospects might be better elsewhere.

What's the relevance of PP's statement about unhooked kids at Big 3 schools if there aren't many of them there in the first place?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending your unhooked kid to a Big 3 will just result in a suboptimal college outcome.

It's cute that you think Big 3 schools are full of unhooked kids.

NP. I think your reading comprehension is off and it's not cute.

Anonymous wrote:Sending your unhooked kid to a Big 3 will just result in a suboptimal college outcome.

It's cute that you think Big 3 schools are full of unhooked kids.

Anonymous wrote:Been told by our college counselor that this year colleges are turning away from selecting most private high school kids because of their privileged education. That you now have a better chance coming from a public high school with good grades and top scores and activities. There’s no advantage anymore paying more money for private. None at all.

So for those of you looking to go private, don’t waste your money. Your private school kid, despite top gpa and test scores, will probably will be bumped in favor of someone from a good public school.

Regrets, regrets, regrets…

Bet

College admissions are much better for the unhooked at DMV publics than privates.

Sending your unhooked kid to a Big 3 will just result in a suboptimal college outcome.

Hooked kids will gobble up scarce T20 slots, leaving your kid to gnaw on scraps.

This particular forum is obnoxious on so many levels.