Well my niece just got in early decision at Harvard (non-legacy) and goes to private. Would not say she’s particularly a stand out when I think of everyone else I know who got into undergrad there. Totatally think it helped get her in

It has been posted numerous times on this forum, don’t go to privates hoping for a huge leg up in college admissions or you’ll be hugely disappointed particularly if you barely afford privates and make tough sacrifices to put your kids through. Do it because it’s a good fit for your child.

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

Don’t be absurd this is not true

Waste you money on religious privates you get crap admissions

Sure you may look on some instagram page where 3 kids out of 50 from one private go to Ivy League and compare with the huge public school of 500 students where “only” 15 get that outcome. You’d have to control for other factors like family education, income, etc to be able to draw a conclusion that privates have better admissions.

There are studies that actually look at this:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272775710001196

The benefit is equivalent to getting 20 point more on the SAT, and it’s mostly driven by better admissions outcomes for girls and low income students. It’s statistically significant but not exactly huge.

University of California published data that shows there’s some small benefit for privates for admission over the entire UC system, but
no significant benefit for admission to UC Berkeley or UCLA.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2023/uc-admissions-acceptance-rates/

Privates may offer some small advantage in admissions, but are definitely not the golden ticket some claim. Also keep in mind the cost of that advantage in tuition over 4 years.

Compare the college profiles between some DC area private and public schools. You’ll see the grade inflation in the public schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

In order to engage on this, I really need to understand what you mean by "their inflated grades".

Public schools are the ones with inflated grades.

Sorry to bust your bubbles, but no. Grade inflation is 3x higher in private schools.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/17/easy-a-nearly-half-hs-seniors-graduate-average/485787001/

Actually, they said, the upward creep is most pronounced in schools with large numbers of white, wealthy students. And its especially noticeable in private schools, where the rate of inflation was about three times higher than in public schools.

Out of date. That’s pre-pandemic, and everything has changed post-pandemic. Now publics are the ones with vastly inflated grades, because teachers were under massive pressure not to fail anyone during virtual learning while private schools were back in person.

Like you said, "out of date". That was like 3 years ago. Publics have been in person for 3 years now.
Grade inflation is still higher in private schools.

Not at our school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

In order to engage on this, I really need to understand what you mean by "their inflated grades".

Public schools are the ones with inflated grades.

Sorry to bust your bubbles, but no. Grade inflation is 3x higher in private schools.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/17/easy-a-nearly-half-hs-seniors-graduate-average/485787001/

Actually, they said, the upward creep is most pronounced in schools with large numbers of white, wealthy students. And its especially noticeable in private schools, where the rate of inflation was about three times higher than in public schools.

Out of date. That’s pre-pandemic, and everything has changed post-pandemic. Now publics are the ones with vastly inflated grades, because teachers were under massive pressure not to fail anyone during virtual learning while private schools were back in person.

Like you said, "out of date". That was like 3 years ago. Publics have been in person for 3 years now.
Grade inflation is still higher in private schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like the magnet program my child is in does much better than any private and was certainly less expensive. My thought is comparing public and private isn't a fair comparison. Most private kids want to go to college whereas many public school kids have little or no interest. This affects the stats.

I would expect students at a competitive, test-in magnet school to do best of all in college admissions.

Assuming any of these still exist, of course.

Only progressive areas like DC and NYC are abolishing their public test-in schools. The rest of the country still believes in lifting up talented students.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The rich students in MCPS have the same advantages. It’s really a rich vs poor issue not a private vs public issue. But yes, it is really unfair!

It's actually not. Private schools have the benefit of lower student to college counselor ratios. And it helps. I have a niece at an expensive but middling private high school in Montgomery County. Proportionally, the college matriculation stats at this school are mind boggling and I know her peers aren't taking the amount of AP classes, say, kids in the 'W' zoned schools are taking and their standardized tests scores are likely not better. But their college counseling admissions staff really pounds the pavement for these kids - 85% of their graduating students received merit scholarships. And given the income level of these parents, those kids don't even need the money.

So, 85% of their students ended up at lower tier schools where they are really standing out above the crowd? I don't think that's what "W" zoned families find ideal.

Speak for yourself, maybe—I find paying 60% or less of sticker price at a school that’s not top 20–but also not in the bottom 2500–pretty darned close to ideal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like the magnet program my child is in does much better than any private and was certainly less expensive. My thought is comparing public and private isn't a fair comparison. Most private kids want to go to college whereas many public school kids have little or no interest. This affects the stats.

I would expect students at a competitive, test-in magnet school to do best of all in college admissions.

Assuming any of these still exist, of course.

Anonymous wrote:It seems like the magnet program my child is in does much better than any private and was certainly less expensive. My thought is comparing public and private isn't a fair comparison. Most private kids want to go to college whereas many public school kids have little or no interest. This affects the stats.

I would expect students at a competitive, test-in magnet school to do best of all in college admissions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

In order to engage on this, I really need to understand what you mean by "their inflated grades".

Public schools are the ones with inflated grades.

Sorry to bust your bubbles, but no. Grade inflation is 3x higher in private schools.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/17/easy-a-nearly-half-hs-seniors-graduate-average/485787001/

Actually, they said, the upward creep is most pronounced in schools with large numbers of white, wealthy students. And its especially noticeable in private schools, where the rate of inflation was about three times higher than in public schools.

Out of date. That’s pre-pandemic, and everything has changed post-pandemic. Now publics are the ones with vastly inflated grades, because teachers were under massive pressure not to fail anyone during virtual learning while private schools were back in person.

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

No, actually I haven't. I think, if anything, it's the other way around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

In order to engage on this, I really need to understand what you mean by "their inflated grades".

Public schools are the ones with inflated grades.

Sorry to bust your bubbles, but no. Grade inflation is 3x higher in private schools.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/17/easy-a-nearly-half-hs-seniors-graduate-average/485787001/

Actually, they said, the upward creep is most pronounced in schools with large numbers of white, wealthy students. And its especially noticeable in private schools, where the rate of inflation was about three times higher than in public schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

You MUST be joking with your talk about inflated grading when your kid goes to Montgomery County. You can get an A one semester and a D another and get a B for the final grade. MCPS also gives full credit for homework if there is a “good faith effort.” - no points taken off for accuracy or completeness. Also, you can’t get below a 50%. My kid at private doesn’t have any of this nonsense. She earns her grades.

Why are you so upset about this? If a student had a 92 A one semester and a 68 D the second semester, that would average to an 80, which is in fact a B.

Everyone starts with a 50, so you are almost guaranteed a D. Plus, most Ds averaged with a A are, in fact, a C or a B-. What’s wrong with just getting the grade you deserve? Average the two numbers and be done. But that’s not how equity/MCPS works.

Well in private school, you start with a C. No one is paying money for anything less.