Anonymous wrote:I know a family whose kid attended prestigious private in area for high school, after spending all of PK through 8 in another private. High SATs, sports, good grades, etc. Turned down or waitlisted at most of their first choice colleges, which really shocked the family. Finally committed to another very good school that offered significant merit aid, but one that hadn't been among the top choices. They then found out that child of another friend whose kid went to DCPS PK through 12 got into the same school. Didn't get the aid offer, but still...it was a tough pill to swallow in some ways...DCPS kid eventually chose another college to attend.

Many families choose private schools and are willing to spend the money because it is the right place for their child, or maybe it's just their family tradition. My point is, if you're doing it primarily because you think it will enhance your chances of getting into the best or "right" colleges/universities, that's not always the case, and you may wonder whether spending 30-40K a year for 12 years was really worth it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA grad going to Indiana, is he going for music? If so, should not be a disappointment, IMO.

There's one or two STA grads going to Indiana as far as I know.

Some parents didn't come from a private school background and/or attended a large, public school themselves and hoped for a different outcome for their son. They may or may not have expected that as a STA graduate their son would attend a more prestigious college than they, perhaps in hindsight they're feeling right now that he could have had this college admission outcome after attending a public school.

Man, you people know nothing. One of the guys going to Indiana is attempting to walk on to the football team (and is thrilled for the chance). Why would you opine about things you know nothing about?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Going to Indiana from STA is a disappointment.

Apparently, this STA parent is privately disappointed with their son's college placement. Didn't the school's counselor tell you it's a great fit for your son and a wonderful school? The way everyone here from the community is raving, Indiana-Bloomington is brag worthy, why the letdown, PP?

Anonymous wrote:I know a family whose kid attended prestigious private in area for high school, after spending all of PK through 8 in another private. High SATs, sports, good grades, etc. Turned down or waitlisted at most of their first choice colleges, which really shocked the family. Finally committed to another very good school that offered significant merit aid, but one that hadn't been among the top choices. They then found out that child of another friend whose kid went to DCPS PK through 12 got into the same school. Didn't get the aid offer, but still...it was a tough pill to swallow in some ways...DCPS kid eventually chose another college to attend.

Many families choose private schools and are willing to spend the money because it is the right place for their child, or maybe it's just their family tradition. My point is, if you're doing it primarily because you think it will enhance your chances of getting into the best or "right" colleges/universities, that's not always the case, and you may wonder whether spending 30-40K a year for 12 years was really worth it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any schools that doesn't provide a matriculation list that identifies where students actually end up is risking disappointment. Schools have tricks to improve the appearance of the matriculation list, such as
" in the past five years students have been ADMITTED to the following schools . . ." to allow listing of all top schools that the one or two superstars were admitted to. Another trick is vague (unverifiable) stats referring to percentages being accepted in to some undefined category of elite schools.

These "tricks" create the impression that the school offers a ticket to a better school than the DC might otherwise qualify for. A list that identifies students by name a school attending provides a far more realistic snapshot and real bench-marking. BUT parents of students attending the less impressive schools are sometimes humiliated by such lists.

I mostly agree with this too. I think a bigger problem with the list of students linked to their schools is that the students maybe humiliated or puffed up, which seems particularly unfair to the kids when admission to the top schools depends so much on luck. Imagine the backbiting: "X only got in because he's a legacy/dumb jock". And the humiliation: "I knew Y was applying to HYP, he must have been rejected from all three." Ick!

Maybe one solution is to provide a list of colleges where kids are matriculating (not the acceptances). Something like Princeton (1), Cornell (2), U Chicago (2)....

Anonymous wrote:Any schools that doesn't provide a matriculation list that identifies where students actually end up is risking disappointment. Schools have tricks to improve the appearance of the matriculation list, such as
" in the past five years students have been ADMITTED to the following schools . . ." to allow listing of all top schools that the one or two superstars were admitted to. Another trick is vague (unverifiable) stats referring to percentages being accepted in to some undefined category of elite schools.

These "tricks" create the impression that the school offers a ticket to a better school than the DC might otherwise qualify for. A list that identifies students by name a school attending provides a far more realistic snapshot and real bench-marking. BUT parents of students attending the less impressive schools are sometimes humiliated by such lists.