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

Above is the most amusing post I have seen on DCUM this week. Thanks for the laugh and smile.

Anonymous wrote:Generally college admissions are much easier from public schools. This thread has it backwards.

Exactly. Christopher Rim, a professional college admissions consultant, told this to the NY Post.: https://nypost.com/2023/11/16/lifestyle/kids-ditching-prep-schools-for-public-to-get-into-the-ivy-league/

The truth is that for any elite school, you need to be near the top of your class and have near-perfect grades if you want the most coveted colleges (HYPSM). Though an elite private may send 8 kids to Harvard, 3 of those may be legacy, 2 recruited athletes, 2 urms, leaving one or two spots for unhooked students. Ivy League schools use prep schools to fulfill their institutional priorities. If you're an unhooked kid at the median, you're going to Tulane or Indiana, or something.

Rim says that most families are much better off going to a medium-tier public school, because you won't have to battle against legacies, athletes, super-smart URMs, or children of celebrities, donors, etc. It's far easier to be the lone Harvard-quality superstar at West Podunk Township High School than it is at St. Albans or Sidwell.

Generally college admissions are much easier from public schools. This thread has it backwards.

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?

Are we pretending public schools don't inflate grades. I can name several public schools that allow for unlimited test retakes, unlimited extra-credit, and have very low standards for getting an "A" on their essays.

I've known students that have gone through Sidwell/STA/NCS. The work that would get a "B" there would easily get an "A" in most publics.

How do you know that? Do you have any evidence that grading is more lenient in public than in private? Not saying it’s not possible but your argument derived from some students “you’ve known” has absolutely no value.

I know this because I've seen many, many students make the switch, and they almost always take a GPA hit when they go to one of the prestigious DC-area privates. The most elite private schools are selectively screening for students that score above the 85th percentile of the SSAT, usually higher. The work given is typically tougher and the standards are higher.

Just look at the grading policies at NCS for example: https://ncs.cathedral.org/academics/overview/upper-school#:~:text=NCS%20uses%20a%20standard%2C%20unweighted,GPA%20and%20reported%20to%20colleges.

The work that would qualify for a "B" at NCS, would easily get an A at any public school. Depending on the teacher, even "C" work at NCS would get an A at a public school.

Again, how do you know that?

You offer some anecdotal evidence of “many, many” students you’ve “seen” taking a
GPA hit. How would you actually know the GPA of said students is a mystery.

Privates do screen to some degree, but so do magnets, so you’d have to be a bit more specific about what you’re comparing.

I’d argue that a good comparison for grades and course rigor would be the results on AP exams, but privates stopped offering AP courses and exams.

If indeed the grade inflation is rampant in public schools it would be straightforward to compare regular grades with the passing rate on the AP exams. What you’ll find is that some schools do well and others not so much.

Regardless, it’s silly to claim that a B at NCS would easily get at A at any public.

It's not silly at all if you've seen the quality of NCS-level work.

This article is pretty old, but it details how difficult a lot of these schools actually are. You can take a bright kid, give him an army of tutors, and still not come out with straight-A's. You certainly cannot say the same for most standard public schools.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2011/10/09/snowplow-parents-and-the-pressure-at-top-private-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?

Are we pretending public schools don't inflate grades. I can name several public schools that allow for unlimited test retakes, unlimited extra-credit, and have very low standards for getting an "A" on their essays.

I've known students that have gone through Sidwell/STA/NCS. The work that would get a "B" there would easily get an "A" in most publics.

How do you know that? Do you have any evidence that grading is more lenient in public than in private? Not saying it’s not possible but your argument derived from some students “you’ve known” has absolutely no value.

Because these schools will routinely get 90%+ of a class to a 5 on the AP exam and yet only give 10% of the class an A in the course.
It is not unusual to have 80 kids in a course and only give 5-8 A's as final grades.
It is quite typical to get a B or B+ and then a 5.

Reference that 90% of a class gets a 5 on the AP exam. Seriously, most privates don’t even offer AP classes and AP exams anymore, are you not aware of this?

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?

Are we pretending public schools don't inflate grades. I can name several public schools that allow for unlimited test retakes, unlimited extra-credit, and have very low standards for getting an "A" on their essays.

I've known students that have gone through Sidwell/STA/NCS. The work that would get a "B" there would easily get an "A" in most publics.

How do you know that? Do you have any evidence that grading is more lenient in public than in private? Not saying it’s not possible but your argument derived from some students “you’ve known” has absolutely no value.

I know this because I've seen many, many students make the switch, and they almost always take a GPA hit when they go to one of the prestigious DC-area privates. The most elite private schools are selectively screening for students that score above the 85th percentile of the SSAT, usually higher. The work given is typically tougher and the standards are higher.

Just look at the grading policies at NCS for example: https://ncs.cathedral.org/academics/overview/upper-school#:~:text=NCS%20uses%20a%20standard%2C%20unweighted,GPA%20and%20reported%20to%20colleges.

The work that would qualify for a "B" at NCS, would easily get an A at any public school. Depending on the teacher, even "C" work at NCS would get an A at a public school.

Again, how do you know that?

You offer some anecdotal evidence of “many, many” students you’ve “seen” taking a
GPA hit. How would you actually know the GPA of said students is a mystery.

Privates do screen to some degree, but so do magnets, so you’d have to be a bit more specific about what you’re comparing.

I’d argue that a good comparison for grades and course rigor would be the results on AP exams, but privates stopped offering AP courses and exams.

If indeed the grade inflation is rampant in public schools it would be straightforward to compare regular grades with the passing rate on the AP exams. What you’ll find is that some schools do well and others not so much.

Regardless, it’s silly to claim that a B at NCS would easily get at A at any public.

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?

Are we pretending public schools don't inflate grades. I can name several public schools that allow for unlimited test retakes, unlimited extra-credit, and have very low standards for getting an "A" on their essays.

I've known students that have gone through Sidwell/STA/NCS. The work that would get a "B" there would easily get an "A" in most publics.

How do you know that? Do you have any evidence that grading is more lenient in public than in private? Not saying it’s not possible but your argument derived from some students “you’ve known” has absolutely no value.

Because these schools will routinely get 90%+ of a class to a 5 on the AP exam and yet only give 10% of the class an A in the course.
It is not unusual to have 80 kids in a course and only give 5-8 A's as final grades.
It is quite typical to get a B or B+ and then a 5.

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?

Are we pretending public schools don't inflate grades. I can name several public schools that allow for unlimited test retakes, unlimited extra-credit, and have very low standards for getting an "A" on their essays.

I've known students that have gone through Sidwell/STA/NCS. The work that would get a "B" there would easily get an "A" in most publics.

How do you know that? Do you have any evidence that grading is more lenient in public than in private? Not saying it’s not possible but your argument derived from some students “you’ve known” has absolutely no value.

I know this because I've seen many, many students make the switch, and they almost always take a GPA hit when they go to one of the prestigious DC-area privates. The most elite private schools are selectively screening for students that score above the 85th percentile of the SSAT, usually higher. The work given is typically tougher and the standards are higher.

Just look at the grading policies at NCS for example: https://ncs.cathedral.org/academics/overview/upper-school#:~:text=NCS%20uses%20a%20standard%2C%20unweighted,GPA%20and%20reported%20to%20colleges.

The work that would qualify for a "B" at NCS, would easily get an A at any public school. Depending on the teacher, even "C" work at NCS would get an A at a public school.

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?

Are we pretending public schools don't inflate grades. I can name several public schools that allow for unlimited test retakes, unlimited extra-credit, and have very low standards for getting an "A" on their essays.

I've known students that have gone through Sidwell/STA/NCS. The work that would get a "B" there would easily get an "A" in most publics.

How do you know that? Do you have any evidence that grading is more lenient in public than in private? Not saying it’s not possible but your argument derived from some students “you’ve known” has absolutely no value.

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

Are we pretending public schools don't inflate grades. I can name several public schools that allow for unlimited test retakes, unlimited extra-credit, and have very low standards for getting an "A" on their essays.

I've known students that have gone through Sidwell/STA/NCS. The work that would get a "B" there would easily get an "A" in most publics.

ITT: people with absolutely no comprehension of statistics.

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?

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.

Wrong. You don’t “buy” your grades at private school. You get what you earn. My kid has gotten a few 60s in different classes for different assignments. I’m glad they are actually learning something and having their papers actually graded. In public, they never wrote research papers or multi-page English papers because teachers couldn’t grade all the papers and provide feedback.

Anonymous wrote: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

That seems made up. First why would you talk about your niece like that, and second most people getting into Harvard are definitely amazing in some way. Being in private won’t significantly change the odds.

This thread sounds like copium justifying the money spent on tuition. There are legitimate reasons for going to private, but the advantage to college admissions is not one of them.

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?

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.

Not true. It's just that, if you don't maintain a C, you don't get to stay. So those who actually manage to graduate have a C or better.

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.

Not ours. The average stats, comparing GPAs to SATs and AP scores, make this very obvious.