Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

Fifth highest, wow! Come on. Still quite low. Look, I love the idea of an arts magnet and am 1000% on board with the idea that SATs and academics aren't everything. But this is not a flex.

Who said it was a flex? Not me. High schools don’t exist so we can flex on each other on DCUM.

Telling me my kid will surely get into one of four not-that-great schools doesn't make me feel any better.

I am confused by this. DC has 700,000 people and the lowest ranked of the top 5 is a HS that's just outside of the top 5 percent of all public US HS. For a city with less than half a percent of the country's population.

We need to significantly improve by right neighborhood HS in DC. Period. Everyone regardless of neighborhood should be getting better upper school (and all grade) education without having to drive or commute an hour. But the way people discuss good HS on here is often completely out of touch with reality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

OK...but does anybody attend Duke because that was the best academic school they were accepted and are not attending for its unique Arts and other curricula?

I mean, you have the schools you mention above...I assume Macarthur will likely show higher SAT scores than Duke...and you also have DCI, Basis and Latin.

I also bet the Eastern IB track kids are probably at higher test scores.

Yes, exactly! Walls, Banneker, JR, McKinley, MacArthur, Duke, DCI, Basis, Latin, Eastern IB—it sounds like you think it’s a problem that there are so many decent high schools in DC. I think it’s great!

I don't think it's a problem...but you would place Duke last on this list for academics if you are basing this on average SAT scores (which is what PP was using).

Honestly, I wouldn't even have it on the list if you are looking for academic high schools...but it would be #1 by a long shot of literally any school in the DMV if I wanted an Arts high school (and it is the one school that a number of non-DC residents are willing to pay to attend for that reason).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

OK...but does anybody attend Duke because that was the best academic school they were accepted and are not attending for its unique Arts and other curricula?

I mean, you have the schools you mention above...I assume Macarthur will likely show higher SAT scores than Duke...and you also have DCI, Basis and Latin.

I also bet the Eastern IB track kids are probably at higher test scores.

Yes, exactly! Walls, Banneker, JR, McKinley, MacArthur, Duke, DCI, Basis, Latin, Eastern IB—it sounds like you think it’s a problem that there are so many decent high schools in DC. I think it’s great!

We have done our children a terrible disservice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

OK...but does anybody attend Duke because that was the best academic school they were accepted and are not attending for its unique Arts and other curricula?

I mean, you have the schools you mention above...I assume Macarthur will likely show higher SAT scores than Duke...and you also have DCI, Basis and Latin.

I also bet the Eastern IB track kids are probably at higher test scores.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

OP here. Agree with this post and is making the point I was trying to. I was not trying to comment on how great the application HS are. Not looking for TJ-like experience for my child. I recognize many want this. Our family is not one of them.

But for those who are zoned for schools that are really nonstarters, many on this forum make out like the only option is to move to MoCo. We ended up applying to so many schools fretting for months about our chances of getting into one of them. I wish I had known that it isn’t that difficult. I could have spared myself the stress.

OP, I'm in a similar place. When my child told me he wanted to go to a DC public high school, I was a little bit worried, but needn't have been as there are many options acceptable to my family. Middle school can be harder, but most find an acceptable spot as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

What people want is solid by right high schools and then truly selective application magnets. Not a bunch of failing by right high schools and some application schools that aren't even selective of applicants but are basically used to screen for kids who try and have parents who give a damn.

Alsoamy people don't want an arts or STEM magnet. They just want an academically strong school. But if you just rank Walls and Banneker, you may be shot out.

The 1st paragraph by PP above sums it all up.

Absolutely! NP here and I second that! My DC got into the application high school of their choice, but the level of stress we went through leading to the results day was so high simply because of the lack of acceptable feeder high schools.
And yes, we are still compromising and lowering the overall standards in DC for what selective and magnet public high schools mean, yet the solution is to focus on building a solid foundation from the grounds up starting with a solid elementary program and a system that would prepare the students for advanced and challenging high schools with higher standards than what we currently see in selective high schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

Fifth highest, wow! Come on. Still quite low. Look, I love the idea of an arts magnet and am 1000% on board with the idea that SATs and academics aren't everything. But this is not a flex.

Who said it was a flex? Not me. High schools don’t exist so we can flex on each other on DCUM.

Telling me my kid will surely get into one of four not-that-great schools doesn't make me feel any better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

Fifth highest, wow! Come on. Still quite low. Look, I love the idea of an arts magnet and am 1000% on board with the idea that SATs and academics aren't everything. But this is not a flex.

Who said it was a flex? Not me. High schools don’t exist so we can flex on each other on DCUM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

Fifth highest, wow! Come on. Still quite low. Look, I love the idea of an arts magnet and am 1000% on board with the idea that SATs and academics aren't everything. But this is not a flex.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

It’s hard to define success for Duke…it’s not particularly successful from traditional academic metrics…and the arts are a tough business.

So, if it produces Dave Chappell or other famous artists at all…I guess that’s success…but it’s still less than 1% of their grads (which is still much higher than the 0% of famous artists from 98% of all high schools).

By conventional academic metrics, Duke is “considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC.” That’s what I said and it’s objectively true. For example, Duke has the fifth highest average SAT score in DCPS, after Walls, Banneker, J-R, and McKinley Tech.

It’s like some of you want a trophy for living in the town with the most selective academic high school. Sorry, but as a parent I don’t care about that. I want decent schools that my kid can get into.

OP here. Agree with this post and is making the point I was trying to. I was not trying to comment on how great the application HS are. Not looking for TJ-like experience for my child. I recognize many want this. Our family is not one of them.

But for those who are zoned for schools that are really nonstarters, many on this forum make out like the only option is to move to MoCo. We ended up applying to so many schools fretting for months about our chances of getting into one of them. I wish I had known that it isn’t that difficult. I could have spared myself the stress.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

What people want is solid by right high schools and then truly selective application magnets. Not a bunch of failing by right high schools and some application schools that aren't even selective of applicants but are basically used to screen for kids who try and have parents who give a damn.

And if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. I have kids who need a high school education right now. You tearing apart a functional part of the current system because it doesn’t match some utopian ideal doesn’t do anyone any good. Instead, as OP said, it causes a lot of totally unnecessary stress to families who will be happy to land at one of the existing application schools.

Even if your goal is a general improvement of DC schools, the way to get there is by improving the schools we have, with the students we have, not waving some kind of magic wand that eliminates the kids who you seem to think aren’t good enough to be allowed to attend their own neighborhood high school, while also conjuring up hundreds of students not currently living in DC who you deem good enough to attend application high schools.

Anonymous wrote:Privates are even easier. Every single kid got into private.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

What people want is solid by right high schools and then truly selective application magnets. Not a bunch of failing by right high schools and some application schools that aren't even selective of applicants but are basically used to screen for kids who try and have parents who give a damn.

Alsoamy people don't want an arts or STEM magnet. They just want an academically strong school. But if you just rank Walls and Banneker, you may be shot out.

The 1st paragraph by PP above sums it all up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is "oxymoronic"? ALex.

This. If they aren't hard to get into, what is the point?

DCUM will never be satisfied.

If the application schools are hard to get into, it’s a crisis because “what if my kid doesn’t get into one?”

If the application schools are not so hard to get into, it’s “what’s the point?”

The fact is that Banneker, McKinley, and Duke are considerably more successful than most neighborhood high schools in DC. That’s the point.

What people want is solid by right high schools and then truly selective application magnets. Not a bunch of failing by right high schools and some application schools that aren't even selective of applicants but are basically used to screen for kids who try and have parents who give a damn.

Alsoamy people don't want an arts or STEM magnet. They just want an academically strong school. But if you just rank Walls and Banneker, you may be shot out.