Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 19:11     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:affluent high school.

Background: I went to a high school that has a 3/10 on GreatSchools in the rust belt. The average SAT was in the 900s. The school had no dedicated “college counselors”; no lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball or golf teams; no Calc BC, AP Physics C, AP foreign languages or AP Art; and no academic clubs like Science Olympiad or internships. No one could afford club sports to be recruitable for athletics, not that there were many club teams nearby anyway. We had to use clear backpacks everyday and wear uniforms. The guidance counselors knew absolutely nothing about applying to top colleges. Once every three years or so, the valedictorian would go to a school like the Ivy located in our state.

It’s beyond insulting that someone would think that students at such a school have an “advantage” in applying to elite schools. Students from high schools like these are few and far between at top colleges. The kids who do get in from such schools are busting their butts organizing their whole lives themselves.

So spare me.

+1
AMEN! Thank you for saying this!
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 16:13     Subject: Re:I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:35 years ago??
things have changed.


OP here. Much fewer years ago than that, and I am familiar with the school’s current offerings. Not much has changed; everything I listed in my original post is up-to-date.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 16:00     Subject: Re:I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:35 years ago??
things have changed.


You’re right, class mobility is lower than it was 35 years ago.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 16:00     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:affluent high school.

Background: I went to a high school that has a 3/10 on GreatSchools in the rust belt. The average SAT was in the 900s. The school had no dedicated “college counselors”; no lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball or golf teams; no Calc BC, AP Physics C, AP foreign languages or AP Art; and no academic clubs like Science Olympiad or internships. No one could afford club sports to be recruitable for athletics, not that there were many club teams nearby anyway. We had to use clear backpacks everyday and wear uniforms. The guidance counselors knew absolutely nothing about applying to top colleges. Once every three years or so, the valedictorian would go to a school like the Ivy located in our state.

It’s beyond insulting that someone would think that students at such a school have an “advantage” in applying to elite schools. Students from high schools like these are few and far between at top colleges. The kids who do get in from such schools are busting their butts organizing their whole lives themselves.

So spare me.


Maybe this was the case years ago?

A crappy school in our area with C grade in Niche offers more APs than our private school, at least a dozen of clubs and 14 kinds of sports.


How is it crappy, then? Just too many brown kids?


77% qualify for free lunch and 64% AA if you want to know

22% are proficient in math and 27% are proficient in reading and overall "C" rating
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 15:59     Subject: Re:I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
35 years ago??
things have changed.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 15:58     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:affluent high school.

Background: I went to a high school that has a 3/10 on GreatSchools in the rust belt. The average SAT was in the 900s. The school had no dedicated “college counselors”; no lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball or golf teams; no Calc BC, AP Physics C, AP foreign languages or AP Art; and no academic clubs like Science Olympiad or internships. No one could afford club sports to be recruitable for athletics, not that there were many club teams nearby anyway. We had to use clear backpacks everyday and wear uniforms. The guidance counselors knew absolutely nothing about applying to top colleges. Once every three years or so, the valedictorian would go to a school like the Ivy located in our state.

It’s beyond insulting that someone would think that students at such a school have an “advantage” in applying to elite schools. Students from high schools like these are few and far between at top colleges. The kids who do get in from such schools are busting their butts organizing their whole lives themselves.

So spare me.


Maybe this was the case years ago?

A crappy school in our area with C grade in Niche offers more APs than our private school, at least a dozen of clubs and 14 kinds of sports.


How is it crappy, then? Just too many brown kids?


22% are proficient in math and 27% are proficient in reading and overall "C" rating
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 15:56     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:affluent high school.

Background: I went to a high school that has a 3/10 on GreatSchools in the rust belt. The average SAT was in the 900s. The school had no dedicated “college counselors”; no lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball or golf teams; no Calc BC, AP Physics C, AP foreign languages or AP Art; and no academic clubs like Science Olympiad or internships. No one could afford club sports to be recruitable for athletics, not that there were many club teams nearby anyway. We had to use clear backpacks everyday and wear uniforms. The guidance counselors knew absolutely nothing about applying to top colleges. Once every three years or so, the valedictorian would go to a school like the Ivy located in our state.

It’s beyond insulting that someone would think that students at such a school have an “advantage” in applying to elite schools. Students from high schools like these are few and far between at top colleges. The kids who do get in from such schools are busting their butts organizing their whole lives themselves.

So spare me.


Maybe this was the case years ago?

A crappy school in our area with C grade in Niche offers more APs than our private school, at least a dozen of clubs and 14 kinds of sports.


DP but the school I went to that had 0 AP classes offered then still has 0 today.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 15:55     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:affluent high school.

Background: I went to a high school that has a 3/10 on GreatSchools in the rust belt. The average SAT was in the 900s. The school had no dedicated “college counselors”; no lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball or golf teams; no Calc BC, AP Physics C, AP foreign languages or AP Art; and no academic clubs like Science Olympiad or internships. No one could afford club sports to be recruitable for athletics, not that there were many club teams nearby anyway. We had to use clear backpacks everyday and wear uniforms. The guidance counselors knew absolutely nothing about applying to top colleges. Once every three years or so, the valedictorian would go to a school like the Ivy located in our state.

It’s beyond insulting that someone would think that students at such a school have an “advantage” in applying to elite schools. Students from high schools like these are few and far between at top colleges. The kids who do get in from such schools are busting their butts organizing their whole lives themselves.

So spare me.


Maybe this was the case years ago?

A crappy school in our area with C grade in Niche offers more APs than our private school, at least a dozen of clubs and 14 kinds of sports.


How is it crappy, then? Just too many brown kids?
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 15:51     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:affluent high school.

Background: I went to a high school that has a 3/10 on GreatSchools in the rust belt. The average SAT was in the 900s. The school had no dedicated “college counselors”; no lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball or golf teams; no Calc BC, AP Physics C, AP foreign languages or AP Art; and no academic clubs like Science Olympiad or internships. No one could afford club sports to be recruitable for athletics, not that there were many club teams nearby anyway. We had to use clear backpacks everyday and wear uniforms. The guidance counselors knew absolutely nothing about applying to top colleges. Once every three years or so, the valedictorian would go to a school like the Ivy located in our state.

It’s beyond insulting that someone would think that students at such a school have an “advantage” in applying to elite schools. Students from high schools like these are few and far between at top colleges. The kids who do get in from such schools are busting their butts organizing their whole lives themselves.

So spare me.


Maybe this was the case years ago?

A crappy school in our area with C grade in Niche offers more APs than our private school, at least a dozen of clubs and 14 kinds of sports.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 14:44     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
I agree with OP. I also hate to see all the complaints about the "advantage" first generation students have. I was first generation and believe me, it was no advantage when trying to figure out how to apply to college. My parents had no idea what a SAT or ACT was, much less that it was required. I came to my parents asking them to let me sign up for it. There were no spring breaks spent visiting colleges. I visited exactly one school - the school of a co-worker of mine - when he invited me to join him for class one day and lunch on campus. I remember scouring books at the library with lists of scholarships to apply for because no one in my family knew how to pay for college. It may be an advantage on the application to be a first generation, but getting to that point is a huge lift for a kid without any guidance.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 14:29     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
I don’t know, it depends.

Our local public schools are horrible 3/10 like yours. However, there are special programs available for the over achievers (as in top 1%). They are generally for the entire county, as no one school has enough highly advanced students to support offering these classes at individual schools. But these special programs offered are better and more rigorous than top private school offerings, because the kids seeking them out are truly qualified to be there and to learn at that level.

Plus, it is easy to be on sports teams and be the captain or be on student council and be president, etc. because so few kids are interested. In other words, the over achieving kids at these schools truly shine as where they would be one of many at a top private school and it would be much harder to distinguish themselves
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 12:39     Subject: Re:I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:To me the issue isn’t admissions. Whatever. All the Ivy hypesters are missing what’s going on in reality. Those schools have lost their edge. But that isn’t the point. THE issue is the fact my kids, after having the best thrown at them in high school are going to absolutely thrive at whatever college they go to. They are prepared so well that that isn’t fair. I would pay a bit more for college to provide kids who have not had those advantages with some extra help.


That’s great, PP. You know that you can actually do that. You could donate to the FA fund at whatever college(s) your kid(s) go to. You can donate to any college. You can donate to Harvard or UDC or Slippery Rock. They will take your money and give it to a truly disadvantaged student. So go ahead, write that check!

BTW, how much do you donate to get poor kids into your kids’ private school? Are there any poor kids there?

Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 12:33     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I went to an inner-city high school and got into a good college, although I shouldn't have -- I was wholly unprepared. I probably had a 3.5 gpa and got a 1050 on the SAT (this was 35 years ago), but I was considered in the top 10% of my high school class. My kids attend(ed) a high SES high school, and they were/have been rejected from all (even remotely) elite universities. One is currently at a T100 state school and the other is headed to another T100 state school. High gpa and SAT for both.


A curse, in the sense that they don't stand out in their school. HOWEVER, they are very prepared for college (unlike I was), so I don't really care where they go.


Exactly this. I was a rural diversity admit to an Ivy, though my town had more wealth than OP because of a local factory, but similar stats with no SAT prep, NMS without prepping; etc. but I was so completely unready and insecure at college, and honestly I was so poor compared to everyone but back home I had felt medium to well off (my dad was a teacher so had steady paycheck, we owned a home; I had many friends who lived in trailers for example, etc). But some with a $45k HHI at an Ivy, 😂


What is your point, exactly? Colleges will continue to admit students from disadvantaged schools.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 11:42     Subject: I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I went to an inner-city high school and got into a good college, although I shouldn't have -- I was wholly unprepared. I probably had a 3.5 gpa and got a 1050 on the SAT (this was 35 years ago), but I was considered in the top 10% of my high school class. My kids attend(ed) a high SES high school, and they were/have been rejected from all (even remotely) elite universities. One is currently at a T100 state school and the other is headed to another T100 state school. High gpa and SAT for both.


A curse, in the sense that they don't stand out in their school. HOWEVER, they are very prepared for college (unlike I was), so I don't really care where they go.


Exactly this. I was a rural diversity admit to an Ivy, though my town had more wealth than OP because of a local factory, but similar stats with no SAT prep, NMS without prepping; etc. but I was so completely unready and insecure at college, and honestly I was so poor compared to everyone but back home I had felt medium to well off (my dad was a teacher so had steady paycheck, we owned a home; I had many friends who lived in trailers for example, etc). But some with a $45k HHI at an Ivy, 😂
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2023 11:42     Subject: Re:I can’t stop laughing at the posts on here about what a “curse” it is to have gone to a really
Anonymous wrote:To me the issue isn’t admissions. Whatever. All the Ivy hypesters are missing what’s going on in reality. Those schools have lost their edge. But that isn’t the point. THE issue is the fact my kids, after having the best thrown at them in high school are going to absolutely thrive at whatever college they go to. They are prepared so well that that isn’t fair. I would pay a bit more for college to provide kids who have not had those advantages with some extra help.


That is exactly the kinds of things that the very high tuition (see other threads about donut hole) covers. There is a much more personalized support at colleges than when I was there in the early 80s.