Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions is much more about a holistic body of work than which high school you attended. In actuality, going to a lesser quality (or even gasp - traditional DCPS) and performing well may look better on your application. We want kids that are motivated, involved in their community, and have other interests outside of education. Your child must demonstrate a certain grasp of knowledge in their coursework; however, attending Basis or Latin makes no difference.

- signed former Admissions Officer at one of the referenced "snobby/elitist" schools

So, let's say I am about to send my child to an IB, unimpressive high school. I want my child to get into a top tier college. What MUST he/she achieve for you not to throw his/her application into the trash can? What do you personally need to see to consider an application holistic? My tendency is to send me child somewhere where at least the environment facilitates academic excellence. To say sending a child to such a school "makes no difference..." are you saying parents are out of their minds to try so hard? I have a sister who went to an IB HS instead of a magnet school. She went to Stanford after that.Yes. But she was the ONLY kid in her school who went to an elite college, and only because she scored perfect on her SATs. I, on the other hand, went to a school with a really good reputation. Most of my friends went on to elite colleges after that. So my sister and I are from the same gene pool. But I went to a school that launched more kids into better schools later on.

To sum it up... you REALLY mean it when you say it doesn't matter where they go to school???

I'm not PP, but that's exactly what I'd confirm statistically speaking (I'm also working in admissions) and indeed your story comes to confirm it. Assuming your sister and you come from similar backgrounds and have a similar set of abilities. It looks to me like you're saying you both got into good schools despite the fact that one of you went to a school that traditionally sends kids to good schools, the other not so much. What research tells you is exactly that: "One and the same kid" (hard to prove but you and your sister come close) will do pretty much the same in different contexts.

Then there are all the exceptions... and there are those who defy predictions. But statistically speaking the person you address your question to is right.

Thanks, that is thoughtful feedback. I do have extra data to throw in... My sister and I started out in the same school (early education) that provided an exceptional, really first class childhood for us. Those formative years really built us up. My brother went to a different elementary school (weaker), and his path was not as measurably stellar, but he is a great human being with his own achievements. I think school cultures do form you, even if their names may not. I hope everyone finds a community within which they thrive!

I'm the PP with a child in Latin's MS (the PP who posted about doubling up on math). What the list of schools says to me is that there is a wide range at Latin, which I think is terrific! It is a truly diverse place in all aspects. I agree that there are many schools on that list where I wouldn't be thrilled to have my child go, but guess what? They won't go to those places if we're not happy with them! There are lots of schools on that list that I'd be delighted with: Brown, William and Mary, Cornell, Wesleyan, Haverford, McGill, Georgetown, UCLA, UMD College Park, U Wisconsin Madison. (There are probably others but I didn't scrutinize the entire list carefully.) On what planet are those schools "mediocre"? Wow.

Also, I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that every year more high achievers are staying from MS and entering the high school, so if the trend continues, I am completely confident that the college acceptances will reflect that more as time goes on.

Anonymous wrote:I went to an Ivy, and the degree has probably helped me get places, but I think I might have been a lot happier at a smaller private liberal arts college. College admissions have changed a lot since I went to school, and now some of my older friends' brilliant kids who I would have thought of as Ivy League shoo-ins have opted for smaller colleges that really excite them rather than big ones that are supposedly more prestigious. I also notice that, among my own friends, plenty of the ones who went to less-known colleges have ended up having more interesting and exciting careers. The idea of judging a school purely by the prestige level of the colleges it gets its students into is astonishing to me, and repugnant. I can see it can be a factor, but much of this thread makes it sound as if this is the only noteworthy criterion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that list isn't going to impress anyone. This is college acceptance season and my niece who goes to a very large public high school, 3000+, outside San Diego got into UC Berkeley and Davis. She has a 3.96 out of a 5 point scale (APs) in the top 1/5 of her class. A friend of hers who maybe #1 got into Harvard, Yale and Stanford.

While Latin is a much smaller school, it Is disappointing to see this list of acceptances for a high school that some consider one of the public best in DC. So where does the #1 or a top 20% student from Latin go to college?

Obviously a public school in California is going to send more students to UC Berkeley and UC Davis (and all the other UCs) than a public school in DC. It's easier to get in, cheaper, and closer to home.

And a suburban school outside San Diego has totally different demographics than a school in DC.

The point is that many "regular" public high schools most anywhere, not magnets, can send their #1 or kids in the top 20% into Ivies and top tier public universities. So where does Latin send their #1 and their top 20%? Sounds like they mostly go to small private second tier liberal arts schools.

Anonymous wrote:I went to an Ivy, and the degree has probably helped me get places, but I think I might have been a lot happier at a smaller private liberal arts college. College admissions have changed a lot since I went to school, and now some of my older friends' brilliant kids who I would have thought of as Ivy League shoo-ins have opted for smaller colleges that really excite them rather than big ones that are supposedly more prestigious. I also notice that, among my own friends, plenty of the ones who went to less-known colleges have ended up having more interesting and exciting careers. The idea of judging a school purely by the prestige level of the colleges it gets its students into is astonishing to me, and repugnant. I can see it can be a factor, but much of this thread makes it sound as if this is the only noteworthy criterion.

Anonymous wrote:Yes that is true.

But the kids have to want to apply to those schools. Unless you have access to Latin's Naviance data there's just no way to know if they applied and were rejected, or chose to apply elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions is much more about a holistic body of work than which high school you attended. In actuality, going to a lesser quality (or even gasp - traditional DCPS) and performing well may look better on your application. We want kids that are motivated, involved in their community, and have other interests outside of education. Your child must demonstrate a certain grasp of knowledge in their coursework; however, attending Basis or Latin makes no difference.

- signed former Admissions Officer at one of the referenced "snobby/elitist" schools

So, let's say I am about to send my child to an IB, unimpressive high school. I want my child to get into a top tier college. What MUST he/she achieve for you not to throw his/her application into the trash can? What do you personally need to see to consider an application holistic? My tendency is to send me child somewhere where at least the environment facilitates academic excellence. To say sending a child to such a school "makes no difference..." are you saying parents are out of their minds to try so hard? I have a sister who went to an IB HS instead of a magnet school. She went to Stanford after that.Yes. But she was the ONLY kid in her school who went to an elite college, and only because she scored perfect on her SATs. I, on the other hand, went to a school with a really good reputation. Most of my friends went on to elite colleges after that. So my sister and I are from the same gene pool. But I went to a school that launched more kids into better schools later on.

To sum it up... you REALLY mean it when you say it doesn't matter where they go to school???

I'm not PP, but that's exactly what I'd confirm statistically speaking (I'm also working in admissions) and indeed your story comes to confirm it. Assuming your sister and you come from similar backgrounds and have a similar set of abilities. It looks to me like you're saying you both got into good schools despite the fact that one of you went to a school that traditionally sends kids to good schools, the other not so much. What research tells you is exactly that: "One and the same kid" (hard to prove but you and your sister come close) will do pretty much the same in different contexts.

Then there are all the exceptions... and there are those who defy predictions. But statistically speaking the person you address your question to is right.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions is much more about a holistic body of work than which high school you attended. In actuality, going to a lesser quality (or even gasp - traditional DCPS) and performing well may look better on your application. We want kids that are motivated, involved in their community, and have other interests outside of education. Your child must demonstrate a certain grasp of knowledge in their coursework; however, attending Basis or Latin makes no difference.

- signed former Admissions Officer at one of the referenced "snobby/elitist" schools

So, let's say I am about to send my child to an IB, unimpressive high school. I want my child to get into a top tier college. What MUST he/she achieve for you not to throw his/her application into the trash can? What do you personally need to see to consider an application holistic? My tendency is to send me child somewhere where at least the environment facilitates academic excellence. To say sending a child to such a school "makes no difference..." are you saying parents are out of their minds to try so hard? I have a sister who went to an IB HS instead of a magnet school. She went to Stanford after that.Yes. But she was the ONLY kid in her school who went to an elite college, and only because she scored perfect on her SATs. I, on the other hand, went to a school with a really good reputation. Most of my friends went on to elite colleges after that. So my sister and I are from the same gene pool. But I went to a school that launched more kids into better schools later on.

To sum it up... you REALLY mean it when you say it doesn't matter where they go to school???

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Latin does not have a very impressive list of college acceptances either. No idea of basis and DCI is too new.

Here is the link: http://latinpcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/WLPCS-College-Acceptances-2015.pdf

As an upper middle class parent, I also think this list of colleges is unimpressive. There are only 8 colleges on that list that I would be ok (not thrilled) with for my children. However, this list of colleges is probably more than acceptable for children raised in poverty, or are first generation college students.

So Brown you'd be merely be ok with but "not thrilled" about? Northwestern? Cornell? UCLA? Maybe so, but just asking whether you saw these schools on the list--there are some very good schools here.

Latin only got one kid into Brown, and that was three years ago. Almost any halfway decent public high school can launch one or two Ivy League careers at some point in history. Latin steers most kids to small, 2nd tier liberal arts colleges. No judgement, but that's what they do. If Ivy League and "Little Ivy" (Middlebury, Bowdoin, Amherst, Williams etc.) admissions matter to you, and you want your kids in public school, I'd shoot for the MoCo test-in middle and high school magnets, or Arlington or Fairfax GT.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that list isn't going to impress anyone. This is college acceptance season and my niece who goes to a very large public high school, 3000+, outside San Diego got into UC Berkeley and Davis. She has a 3.96 out of a 5 point scale (APs) in the top 1/5 of her class. A friend of hers who maybe #1 got into Harvard, Yale and Stanford.

While Latin is a much smaller school, it Is disappointing to see this list of acceptances for a high school that some consider one of the public best in DC. So where does the #1 or a top 20% student from Latin go to college?

Obviously a public school in California is going to send more students to UC Berkeley and UC Davis (and all the other UCs) than a public school in DC. It's easier to get in, cheaper, and closer to home.

And a suburban school outside San Diego has totally different demographics than a school in DC.