Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: There are some other mid-tier schools (not many) that seem to be in fierce competition for students, and they nevertheless withhold data as well. I suppose some of them might just be poor marketers. But I suspect some also have a philosophical objection to releasing data, and I find that very impressive because their philosophical beliefs are trumping their marketing needs.

That assumes they have impressive test scores and exmissions. Odds are, they don't. If they have a great program and have had less-than-selective admissions, then the way to attract better students is not to publicize SAT/college stats that will steer high-achievers away. Focus on facilities, programs (# of APs, distinctive course offerings), awards, faculty credentials, etc.

You're probably right for some schools. However, some of the ones I was thinking about were GDS, Potomac, and Stone Ridge. I believe all three are excellent schools, and I suspect they have very impressive data on college admissions and SAT scores, but none seem to publicize that data. I find that impressive because I believe they compete for students with several other top-notch schools.

Anonymous wrote: There are some other mid-tier schools (not many) that seem to be in fierce competition for students, and they nevertheless withhold data as well. I suppose some of them might just be poor marketers. But I suspect some also have a philosophical objection to releasing data, and I find that very impressive because their philosophical beliefs are trumping their marketing needs.

That assumes they have impressive test scores and exmissions. Odds are, they don't. If they have a great program and have had less-than-selective admissions, then the way to attract better students is not to publicize SAT/college stats that will steer high-achievers away. Focus on facilities, programs (# of APs, distinctive course offerings), awards, faculty credentials, etc.

Anonymous wrote:I asked Sidwell directly for the college matriculation list. They said they would not give out the information to anyone. It is rather strange that they would not even give out the average scores of SATs. I would not want to pay $35,000,00 a year tuition to the school which does not give out such an important informationa like that.

I think you're approaching the real issue here. I suspect that for many schools, providing detailed data like college admissions, mean SAT scores, and NMSF numbers is a necessary evil. It's a pain to gather up that data, QC it, and then package it for parents/websites. I suspect that many schools (and parents of kids at those schools) might prefer not to open themselves up to the rubber-necks on DCUM. If given the choice, they'd rather not do it. But many schools feel they must do that work and circulate that data because they are competing for students. Sidwell (for better or worse) is in a strong enough position that the school doesn't need to market its academic rankings in that way. PP might refuse to pay $30k for a Sidwell education without first obtaining detailed data, but she seems to be in a pretty small minority.

In addition, the school seems to have a philosophical objection to comparing/competing/bragging by releasing such data. Personally, I really respect that attitude and find it impressive. Happily for the school, its philosophical beliefs correlate to its lack of any need to market itself. There are some other mid-tier schools (not many) that seem to be in fierce competition for students, and they nevertheless withhold data as well. I suppose some of them might just be poor marketers. But I suspect some also have a philosophical objection to releasing data, and I find that very impressive because their philosophical beliefs are trumping their marketing needs.

BTW, the schools I find suspicious are those that provide only partial data. For example, if a school says something like this -- "Our graduates attend many fine colleges. In the past five years more than fifteen students have attended Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and other Ivy League schools." -- that makes me suspect puffery. That might mean that a handful of students managed to sneak into Cornell a few years ago, even though no one has gone in recent years, and most graduates go to the local community college.

Hypothetically, say you wanted to attract families to your school based on things like curriculum, pedagogy, and environment -- things you actually have control over and things that affect your students on a daily basis. Say you thought primary and secondary education were important in and of themselves and not simply waystations/means to an end. Wouldn't it make sense not to post SAT scores and matriculation data on your website? And to resist other peoples' attempts to rank schools on that basis?

And I wouldn't want to pay $35,000 to a school that did.

To each their own.

I asked Sidwell directly for the college matriculation list. They said they would not give out the information to anyone. It is rather strange that they would not even give out the average scores of SATs. I would not want to pay $35,000,00 a year tuition to the school which does not give out such an important informationa like that.

Would you want information about your kid being given to strangers?

I am missing the issue here.

Anonymous wrote:Well since you want the information so badly, Ms. Wannabe Conspiracy Theory, why don't you just go ahead and ask the school directly?

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I have long wondered why Sidwell doesn't post a list of colleges and the number of students who have been admitted to, or have matriculated at, each in the past [number] of years. Other top schools do that, with no problem of violating their students' privacy.

My theory as to why Sidwell doesn't publish the data is that their silence builds mystique and lets them stand out from the other schools. People are left to assume that their exmissions record must be stellar, when in fact they do no better than the other two of the "Big 3." This refusal to publish is rationalized as comporting with the Quaker idea that "we draw strength from silence," as stated in the school philosophy.

Please do not read "conspiracy" where it is not alleged.

I have asked for the list, and the answer was no. They said that the list is not made public. The school apparently will not give the list to anyone but current families and alumni.

Well since you want the information so badly, Ms. Wannabe Conspiracy Theory, why don't you just go ahead and ask the school directly?

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I have long wondered why Sidwell doesn't post a list of colleges and the number of students who have been admitted to, or have matriculated at, each in the past [number] of years. Other top schools do that, with no problem of violating their students' privacy.

My theory as to why Sidwell doesn't publish the data is that their silence builds mystique and lets them stand out from the other schools. People are left to assume that their exmissions record must be stellar, when in fact they do no better than the other two of the "Big 3." This refusal to publish is rationalized as comporting with the Quaker idea that "we draw strength from silence," as stated in the school philosophy.

I actually respect that Sidwell doesn't share that kind of data. It's frankly none of my (or our) damn business where their students go to college or how they do on standardized tests.

And I don't buy the they-must-be-hiding-something argument. Their students post the best percentages in the DC region on Nat'l Merit Semifinalists and Presidential Scholar Semifinalists, so I'm pretty sure they're competitive with all the other schools.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I have long wondered why Sidwell doesn't post a list of colleges and the number of students who have been admitted to, or have matriculated at, each in the past [number] of years. Other top schools do that, with no problem of violating their students' privacy.

My theory as to why Sidwell doesn't publish the data is that their silence builds mystique and lets them stand out from the other schools. People are left to assume that their exmissions record must be stellar, when in fact they do no better than the other two of the "Big 3." This refusal to publish is rationalized as comporting with the Quaker idea that "we draw strength from silence," as stated in the school philosophy.

How long have you wondered this? They used to publish the college list in the alumni magazine every year. Haven't looked in the last year or two to see if they still do. When I was there kids announced acceptances in homeroom in the morning. And posted rejections on the wall of shame. And the graduation program included the college for each student. Not that much silence to draw strength from.

Yes, I have long wondered why Sidwell doesn't post a list of colleges and the number of students who have been admitted to, or have matriculated at, each in the past [number] of years. Other top schools do that, with no problem of violating their students' privacy.

My theory as to why Sidwell doesn't publish the data is that their silence builds mystique and lets them stand out from the other schools. People are left to assume that their exmissions record must be stellar, when in fact they do no better than the other two of the "Big 3." This refusal to publish is rationalized as comporting with the Quaker idea that "we draw strength from silence," as stated in the school philosophy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school = not public domain.

Except that many privates voluntarily share the data; what do the others have to hide?

It's odd that this is described as "hiding" the information. Information about where seniors are going (not about numbers of admits) is available to families at the school and to alumni. My take is that Sidwell, and several other local schools, choose not to participate in the "college admissions arms race". They also choose not to rank the students in their senior class. Given the current threads on whether kids at Sidwell have too much work, or can have a life, this seems to me to be a good decision.

My guess is that there are actually very few private schools that still rank their students. Rankings handicap students during the college admissions process. It's odd that supposedly-prominent schools would not want to post matriculant data on their websites, if only for prospective families to consider. Names could simply be withheld.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school = not public domain.

Except that many privates voluntarily share the data; what do the others have to hide?

It's odd that this is described as "hiding" the information. Information about where seniors are going (not about numbers of admits) is available to families at the school and to alumni. My take is that Sidwell, and several other local schools, choose not to participate in the "college admissions arms race". They also choose not to rank the students in their senior class. Given the current threads on whether kids at Sidwell have too much work, or can have a life, this seems to me to be a good decision.

Anonymous wrote:Private school = not public domain.

Except that many privates voluntarily share the data; what do the others have to hide?