Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 19:50     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Why is that false?


Because there is no magic loophole whereby your (likely average) white kid suddenly gets into Yale because they deigned to go to a poor, predominantly black school. Relatedly, sending your white kid to Eastern doesn’t actually turn them into an academic superstar just because they are white. And the affluent schools in fact have resources that in some respects makes the education better (better teachers, more focused on college prep, better labs, etc). people who believe this have some strange belief in the power of whiteness - “my kid’s whiteness will excel anywhere without any effort!”


I think many people genuinely underestimate the resources that E-H and Eastern have, because they’re not something that you would see in CAPE scores.


Does Eastern offer calculus? I don't see it listed in the courses on the Eastern website. It's debatable that affluent schools have better teachers. In fact, I think that teaching in a non-affluent school is harder. What's less debatable is that affluent schools generally offer much more rigorous courses and class sequences, including a math sequence that includes calculus.

It's a real risk IMO to send a kid to a predominantly poor school that doesn't offer a rigorous pathway of classes in the hopes of gaming the system.



Wow, it has got to offer Calculus, no? I mean this is a standard track in most schools. It is not even anywhere remotely advance.


Very few kids are at grade level, but there's also the IB program, which has a different set of math classes.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 18:58     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Why is that false?


Because there is no magic loophole whereby your (likely average) white kid suddenly gets into Yale because they deigned to go to a poor, predominantly black school. Relatedly, sending your white kid to Eastern doesn’t actually turn them into an academic superstar just because they are white. And the affluent schools in fact have resources that in some respects makes the education better (better teachers, more focused on college prep, better labs, etc). people who believe this have some strange belief in the power of whiteness - “my kid’s whiteness will excel anywhere without any effort!”


I think many people genuinely underestimate the resources that E-H and Eastern have, because they’re not something that you would see in CAPE scores.


Does Eastern offer calculus? I don't see it listed in the courses on the Eastern website. It's debatable that affluent schools have better teachers. In fact, I think that teaching in a non-affluent school is harder. What's less debatable is that affluent schools generally offer much more rigorous courses and class sequences, including a math sequence that includes calculus.

It's a real risk IMO to send a kid to a predominantly poor school that doesn't offer a rigorous pathway of classes in the hopes of gaming the system.



Wow, it has got to offer Calculus, no? I mean this is a standard track in most schools. It is not even anywhere remotely advance.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 17:11     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Why is that false?


Because there is no magic loophole whereby your (likely average) white kid suddenly gets into Yale because they deigned to go to a poor, predominantly black school. Relatedly, sending your white kid to Eastern doesn’t actually turn them into an academic superstar just because they are white. And the affluent schools in fact have resources that in some respects makes the education better (better teachers, more focused on college prep, better labs, etc). people who believe this have some strange belief in the power of whiteness - “my kid’s whiteness will excel anywhere without any effort!”


I think many people genuinely underestimate the resources that E-H and Eastern have, because they’re not something that you would see in CAPE scores.


Does Eastern offer calculus? I don't see it listed in the courses on the Eastern website. It's debatable that affluent schools have better teachers. In fact, I think that teaching in a non-affluent school is harder. What's less debatable is that affluent schools generally offer much more rigorous courses and class sequences, including a math sequence that includes calculus.

It's a real risk IMO to send a kid to a predominantly poor school that doesn't offer a rigorous pathway of classes in the hopes of gaming the system.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 17:06     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Why is that false?


Because there is no magic loophole whereby your (likely average) white kid suddenly gets into Yale because they deigned to go to a poor, predominantly black school. Relatedly, sending your white kid to Eastern doesn’t actually turn them into an academic superstar just because they are white. And the affluent schools in fact have resources that in some respects makes the education better (better teachers, more focused on college prep, better labs, etc). people who believe this have some strange belief in the power of whiteness - “my kid’s whiteness will excel anywhere without any effort!”


I think many people genuinely underestimate the resources that E-H and Eastern have, because they’re not something that you would see in CAPE scores.



It doesn’t matter what resources or facilities. What matters is being challenged academically and being prepared for the next stage which is college.

Parents will choose academics everyday over a school with less resources and facilities. Case in point charters no matter how many millions DCPS puts into extra programming or facilities.



typo more not less
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 17:05     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Why is that false?


Because there is no magic loophole whereby your (likely average) white kid suddenly gets into Yale because they deigned to go to a poor, predominantly black school. Relatedly, sending your white kid to Eastern doesn’t actually turn them into an academic superstar just because they are white. And the affluent schools in fact have resources that in some respects makes the education better (better teachers, more focused on college prep, better labs, etc). people who believe this have some strange belief in the power of whiteness - “my kid’s whiteness will excel anywhere without any effort!”


I think many people genuinely underestimate the resources that E-H and Eastern have, because they’re not something that you would see in CAPE scores.



It doesn’t matter what resources or facilities. What matters is being challenged academically and being prepared for the next stage which is college.

Parents will choose academics everyday over a school with less resources and facilities. Case in point charters no matter how many millions DCPS puts into extra programming or facilities.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 16:35     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Why is that false?


Because there is no magic loophole whereby your (likely average) white kid suddenly gets into Yale because they deigned to go to a poor, predominantly black school. Relatedly, sending your white kid to Eastern doesn’t actually turn them into an academic superstar just because they are white. And the affluent schools in fact have resources that in some respects makes the education better (better teachers, more focused on college prep, better labs, etc). people who believe this have some strange belief in the power of whiteness - “my kid’s whiteness will excel anywhere without any effort!”


I think many people genuinely underestimate the resources that E-H and Eastern have, because they’re not something that you would see in CAPE scores.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 15:36     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

i think the original eastern college post was just a troll post
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 15:18     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Me too. I've never understood this thinking. It betrays a real lack of knowledge about college admissions.


I think it is adjacent to the yucky grievance culture surrounding hypercompetitive college admissions in this area. “If we had sent Larlo to the IB HS in rural North Dakota he totally would have gotten into Yale. so unfair!”


Absolutely. It stems from a sense of entitlement for their kids to spots at highly competitive schools and the disbelief that anyone else might actually *earn* those spots over their (often middle of the road, perfectly smart but not particularly standout) kids.

Regarding the actual thread topic, we are IB for Stuart-Hobson but giving E-H a look because it might be a better personality fit for our kid, who is on the quiet side. We know a bunch of kids at both schools and the ones at E-H seem more like our kid. It's also more convenient to our house, not sure if we have a proximity preference or not but it would be a mildly better commute for her.


Just as an FYI, having experience with both schools. I think this is the opposite of true. SH's path for good students is much more developed than EH's, so you don't need to be particularly self-motivated to make it work. At EH, a shy kid who goes with the flow and doesn't stand out a ton academically is much more likely to end up left behind.


PP and thank you for this, it's really good feedback. Our impression was that SS is larger and felt a bit busier and more outgoing with all the extra curricular options, and EH literally just felt quieter.

Now I am contemplating if shy is the wrong word to describe my kid. She can self-advocate in a calm environment but struggles in a more chaotic one, which I think is what I was responding to. But she's also very academic and wants to be pushed academically. We are also looking at charters and privates.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 15:10     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Me too. I've never understood this thinking. It betrays a real lack of knowledge about college admissions.


I think it is adjacent to the yucky grievance culture surrounding hypercompetitive college admissions in this area. “If we had sent Larlo to the IB HS in rural North Dakota he totally would have gotten into Yale. so unfair!”


Absolutely. It stems from a sense of entitlement for their kids to spots at highly competitive schools and the disbelief that anyone else might actually *earn* those spots over their (often middle of the road, perfectly smart but not particularly standout) kids.

Regarding the actual thread topic, we are IB for Stuart-Hobson but giving E-H a look because it might be a better personality fit for our kid, who is on the quiet side. We know a bunch of kids at both schools and the ones at E-H seem more like our kid. It's also more convenient to our house, not sure if we have a proximity preference or not but it would be a mildly better commute for her.


Just as an FYI, having experience with both schools. I think this is the opposite of true. SH's path for good students is much more developed than EH's, so you don't need to be particularly self-motivated to make it work. At EH, a shy kid who goes with the flow and doesn't stand out a ton academically is much more likely to end up left behind.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 14:22     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fine for UMC white families perhaps, but ambitious black families can’t risk it.


if a white UMC kid graduates eastern, they will likely get into the college of their choice


False. I wish people would stop saying this.


Me too. I've never understood this thinking. It betrays a real lack of knowledge about college admissions.


I think it is adjacent to the yucky grievance culture surrounding hypercompetitive college admissions in this area. “If we had sent Larlo to the IB HS in rural North Dakota he totally would have gotten into Yale. so unfair!”


Absolutely. It stems from a sense of entitlement for their kids to spots at highly competitive schools and the disbelief that anyone else might actually *earn* those spots over their (often middle of the road, perfectly smart but not particularly standout) kids.

Regarding the actual thread topic, we are IB for Stuart-Hobson but giving E-H a look because it might be a better personality fit for our kid, who is on the quiet side. We know a bunch of kids at both schools and the ones at E-H seem more like our kid. It's also more convenient to our house, not sure if we have a proximity preference or not but it would be a mildly better commute for her.


I think there's a bit of truth to the dynamics. A bunch of these parents *were* the kids from rural Idaho or small town Mississippi or whatever who went to HYP. It is harder for their kids to get in the same schools from DC.


Yes but there is no reason for bitterness about it. If you were the kid from rural Idaho who got straight As and nailed the SAT despite being from a place that most people don't leave and where academics aren't necessarily a focus, then you were special in a way that a school like HYP likely recognized and rewarded.

If you then move to DC and give your child every advantage and start angling for their admission to an Ivy when they are in 5th grade, thinking you can recreate what made you special as an applicant by sending your kid to an inner city high school with very low test scores and a low college matriculation rate, HYP *should* see through that because it's just not the same thing at all.

Your kids have lived a different life than you did. They are different people. Maybe they should go to different schools. Maybe HYP wouldn't be a good fit even if they could get in. Maybe you should just make education decisions based on your kid and what makes sense for them and works for your family and not with an eye towards ensuring your kid can attend the same college you did.


I don’t think anyone actually does this. It’s just stupid sh*t people say on DCUM. That said I think the converse is sort of true - if you have a truly brilliant and special and self motivated kid and a reason to stay in DC and they are happy at Eastern, then their trajectory is not going to be harmed in any way. I like many parents don’t have that kid, so have to make a more considered decision…
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 14:09     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a rural kid who went to a bad public high school and then HYP, I cannot recommend the strategy. Because it doesn't really work that way, and because it's a high price to pay for uncertain results.


I would never do this because I think about how much I struggled socially and in some ways academically as someone at a top college and law school who had only gone to weak public schools beforehand. I never, ever felt like I belonged there. Not even once. Don't do that to your kid.


1000% this. It wasn't better. I nearly failed out. I would rather have gone to a good high school and then a SLAC or the state flagship. Because when I got to HYP for law school (well, not P), it was chock full of state flagship kids. And now that I hire, I go for state honors grads over HYP every time. Much harder workers.

And if you're just moving there for a year or two, admissions officers will see right through it, so it won't work. You have to actually be *from* there, not just attended 12th grade. You have to have had a rural upbringing. And what about your jobs? Are you going to send your younger kid to crap schools for even longer? There's a reason people don't do this. It doesn't work and the tradeoffs are significant.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 13:39     Subject: Signs indicate that Eliot-Hine is…

Anonymous wrote:As a rural kid who went to a bad public high school and then HYP, I cannot recommend the strategy. Because it doesn't really work that way, and because it's a high price to pay for uncertain results.


I would never do this because I think about how much I struggled socially and in some ways academically as someone at a top college and law school who had only gone to weak public schools beforehand. I never, ever felt like I belonged there. Not even once. Don't do that to your kid.