Anonymous wrote:I went to a highly selective LAC (AWS), and found that the students who went to excellent independent schools (not parochial schools) were far better prepared academically than the kids who went to public schools for the first year or so of college. Many of the public schools kids had never written a paper longer than 5 pages or had to read a novel a week. Many of the independent school kids (including the BS ones) had already written at least a couple of 20-page papers, used to 4-6 hours of homework nightly, and were fast readers. HOWEVER, by the end of four years, you could not tell the difference.

I find it odd that so many posters were paying such close attention to where their classmates went to high schools
and thus how academically prepared they were for college. I'm sure that this is not a subject I gave a second's thought to when I was in college.

I think it's so funny that people think DC privates are on the same level as selective BSs. No one outside of DC has even heard of these local schools. You're wasting your money.

Poster with the story here. Back in college, I did believe that BS kids were more likely to be slackers with inflated SAT scores. Now it has become clear that the BS taught my roommate how to survive in the real world with the least effort. Colleges know that BS students have learned this efficiency and every year they seek out and admit a group of student who are really good at this skill. They want these really efficient "slackers" to kick the #$%#$# out of sheltered grinds like I was in college so the grinds can reach higher levels than they would by only working harder.

"Do you have comprehension issues? It's clear the point was that BS kids are a bunch of slackers who can prep for an SAT but can't function in college STEM classes."

I went to a highly selective LAC (AWS), and found that the students who went to excellent independent schools (not parochial schools) were far better prepared academically than the kids who went to public schools for the first year or so of college. Many of the public schools kids had never written a paper longer than 5 pages or had to read a novel a week. Many of the independent school kids (including the BS ones) had already written at least a couple of 20-page papers, used to 4-6 hours of homework nightly, and were fast readers. HOWEVER, by the end of four years, you could not tell the difference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, the reason parents spend $40k/year for a top private school is the education they receive K-12, not future college admissions. And the students who do the best are "intellectual" in ways that run-of-the-mill public schools just don't even try to meet. The basic public school curriculum just doesn't come close to the humanities and social science at my DC's school.

No, frankly the reason parents chose to spend $40k for private is to make "connections" and separate their children from the unwashed masses.

While I'm not paying anywhere near $40K a year, I'm sending my kids to private HS for a variety of reasons, the very least of which is to make connections and separate from the unwashed masses. But a top reason is the first face they see upon entering school every morning is not that of the school's resource officer.

What's a resource officer?

We're at a public school and all the adults welcoming kids into the school are really nice. The Principal stands in the entrance, greets everyone and shakes hands.

School Resource Officer (SRO) is a law enforcement officer who is attached to the school or a group of schools. At our public HS, it's a county police officer and he is dedicated FT to our HS. He has an office by the principal's office.

Sounds like your public HS and ours are very different. Glad yours is welcoming and doesn't have the need for an SRO's broad presence.

Went to an ivy. The kids who had gone to elite prep and boarding schools were in general much better prepared for the rigor of the school. If money is not an issue, I think most people would jump at the opportunity to send their kids to an elite ivy feeder. It doesn't guarantee entry into an ivy, but it ensures a top preparation for college success.

Anonymous wrote:What is a BS, as in top 5 BS?

I presume he/she was talking about boarding school.

And used an anecdotal experience with one graduate of a boarding school to make a blanket assumption of all boarding school kids.

And now I will offer mine. I went to a private school. Went to Ivy. Roommate was from a public school. I was far better prepared and basically taught her how to write proper essays and research papers. If it weren’t for me she’d have flunked out. Therefore public schools are terrible and should be avoided at all costs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, the reason parents spend $40k/year for a top private school is the education they receive K-12, not future college admissions. And the students who do the best are "intellectual" in ways that run-of-the-mill public schools just don't even try to meet. The basic public school curriculum just doesn't come close to the humanities and social science at my DC's school.

I don't disagree with this re the humanities , but privates don't match the publics in the sciences. Hence, the paltry admissions to MIT, and anemic almost nonexistent presence in Intel/Siemens.

Yep, this is true, roughly speaking. Math and science are usually better in the publics, social science and literature are usually better in the privates.

What is a BS, as in top 5 BS?

Not this again. People choose a public or a private school for a myriad number of reasons. No one school is going to be a great fit for every child. Just do what you think is best for your child and stop judging other people's decisions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think most people send their kids to selective private in hopes of securing admission to elite colleges.

They send them seeking a better education than they would have received in public school and hope that education will prepare them to succeed at whatever college they attend.

Ok, so, my kid is at a HYP. She went to a middle of the road public school. Her current roommate went to a top 5 BS. DD has been tutoring her in both Calculus and Chem…she is NOT prepared for the scions whatsoever. Anecdotal, yes, but don't think that private HSs are good at everything, bc they are not necessarily better than your local public

Oh bullshit

Anonymous wrote:Private (or elite magnet) k-12 produces a more confident and polished, sophisticated kid.

Yeah, your kid might be top dog at their backwater public, but even if they grind into an elite college, they'll feel like an outsider lacking the social and cultural capital to REALLY thrive.

Wrong. Kids who are raised "rich" with an entitlement mindset go through life expecting others to do as they want. This is what we associate with successful people. It's not the school. You find these type of kids all over the place, not just in Private schools.

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, the reason parents spend $40k/year for a top private school is the education they receive K-12, not future college admissions. And the students who do the best are "intellectual" in ways that run-of-the-mill public schools just don't even try to meet. The basic public school curriculum just doesn't come close to the humanities and social science at my DC's school.

Ha ha ha!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP do you actually have a QUESTION?

Actually I do:

Are you the DCUM police?

Ha ha ha! Put her in her place..

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, the reason parents spend $40k/year for a top private school is the education they receive K-12, not future college admissions. And the students who do the best are "intellectual" in ways that run-of-the-mill public schools just don't even try to meet. The basic public school curriculum just doesn't come close to the humanities and social science at my DC's school.

No, frankly the reason parents chose to spend $40k for private is to make "connections" and separate their children from the unwashed masses.

While I'm not paying anywhere near $40K a year, I'm sending my kids to private HS for a variety of reasons, the very least of which is to make connections and separate from the unwashed masses. But a top reason is the first face they see upon entering school every morning is not that of the school's resource officer.

What's a resource officer?

We're at a public school and all the adults welcoming kids into the school are really nice. The Principal stands in the entrance, greets everyone and shakes hands.