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MRVATL, you have no idea what you are talking about. Tons of very well-to-do families send their kids to ITP middle and high schools. Grady, Chamblee and Decatur High kids dramatically outperform their suburban counterparts on the SAT - to the tune of nearly a 100 point difference in some cases if you adjust for demographics and compare similarly advantaged kids.
Here are the numbers - comparing similar kids...(math and verbal only)
There are some great suburban schools, but there are also some great urban schools. It is important to give folks accurate information rather than gossip.
Keep in mind, both Grady and Chamblee have Magnet program so they get students from much larger pool. Also, the sample size in Grady and Chamblee are so much smaller than Northview high.
In general, Grady and Chamblee have very awesome magnet programs if your kids can get in. Their regular classes are just ok.
Grady, Chamblee and Decatur High kids dramatically outperform their suburban counterparts on the SAT - to the tune of nearly a 100 point difference in some cases if you adjust for demographics and compare similarly advantaged kids.
The point is that he is looking for the best schools, not schools that look good after adjusting for demographics. If you want to get the most accurate snapshot of how a school compares, you should not adjust for demographics! Also, your quote seems to imply that Grady, Chamblee, and Decatur have less "advantaged kids" than their suburban couterparts - usually this is not a good indicator of being a top school. Grady is not one of the best schools - I do not think that you will get much disagreement on that point.
Having said that, I grew up in Atlanta and always thought that the East Cobb schools have had the best reputation (Walton, Pope, and Lassiter - probably in that order). I also think that the Alpharetta and some of the Gwinnett schools are also good choices (I think that those commutes to Downtown would be worse though).
Also, $500K in any of the Atlanta suburbs should get you a pretty decent place (maybe not brand new, but still nice).
Forsyth County schools are among the best IMO. We live in South Forsyth and I could not be happier with the school the children go to (Johns Creek Elementary) but if you're going to be spending a lot of time in the city, You don't want to be this far north as I 85 is AWFUL. It used to be just during commute times, but now with construction it can be bad at ANY time! Johns Creek is great but the traffic is AWFUL. It used to take me 30-40 minutes to drive 3 miles from work to home on McGinnis Ferry!
Also, your quote seems to imply that Grady, Chamblee, and Decatur have less "advantaged kids" than their suburban couterparts - usually this is not a good indicator of being a top school. Grady is not one of the best schools - I do not think that you will get much disagreement on that point.
OK,... I'll bite......
I consider diversity to be an important factor that makes a school "tops." Logic tells me that a school that can challenge everyone and get results with a mixed bag of kids most likely has better teachers and more innovative programs than a school that gets good results with only upper middle class kids.
I know many "less advantaged" kids who are bright, funny and generally amazing kids. I understand that not everyone wants diversity. It makes a lot of people nervous. However, every race is going to be a minority by the time that our kids are adults so some families think it is not a bad idea to give their kids some exposure to the real world before adulthood.
I agree that Walton, Northview and the like are fabulous schools and a kid can get an amazing education there. They are truly top notch schools. We almost moved to North Fulton ourselves for the schools. I'm just saying that you can get an equally good education at Grady or Chamblee or Lakeside or Decatur. You just have to be able to tolerate having some folks around that are different from you.
My best friend from college is an admissions counselor at Ga Tech (her kids go to Catholic school). She has been reviewing applications, interviewing kids and making admissions decisions for 10 years. I have talked to her at great length about public high schools. You would definitely "get much disagreement" from her about whether Grady was a top school. She says that Decatur and Grady kids in particular are some of the most creative, quirky and interesting kids that she interviews. She says that she could spot them in an interview without even looking at their application because they stand out so much.
Grady, Decatur, Lakeside, etc. are not the best schools for everyone. Northview and Walton aren't the best schools for everyone either. It all depends on what you are looking for in a school.
I just get irritated when folks make blanket comments like "everyone ITP sends their kids to private school" It's just not true. Comments like that make suburban folks look bad, and I hate to see anyone making themselves look bad.
One of the reasons that intown public school kids are quirky and creative is because they generally have parents who are. In communities where lots of people either move or send their kids to private schools to avoid the public schools, it is a certain "type" of parent who makes different choices. This rubs off on their kids.
Additionally, at schools like Northview and Walton which have become so large, it is much harder for a kid to find a way to shine. Decatur High had only about 770 students last year, Grady about 1300. At Druid Hills, I have a friend whose child sponsors a major charity event each year. Part of the reason she has been able to do this, without being the "it" girl, is because the school is small enough that it is still has a community feel to it and the administrator and teachers can really know the kids.
Northview -- 2561
Walton -- 2600
DeKalb County has seen a real uptick in the number of Gwinnett administrators (and teachers) looking to move to DeKalb schools. In part, this is directly correlated to school size. One administrator said she hadn't become a principal to NOT know the kids and left Gwinnett for smaller schools in DeKalb.
This I will say, though, at Chamblee and Grady outside the magnet program it is a different school. So, make sure, before buying or renting, that you understand the facts behind the scores.
Parts of Cherokee County, S. Forsyth County, extreme N. Fulton (Milton, W. Roswell), and Peachtree City That's about it that fits the profile you want.
I consider diversity to be an important factor that makes a school "tops." Logic tells me that a school that can challenge everyone and get results with a mixed bag of kids most likely has better teachers and more innovative programs than a school that gets good results with only upper middle class kids.
I just get irritated when folks make blanket comments like "everyone ITP sends their kids to private school" It's just not true. Comments like that make suburban folks look bad, and I hate to see anyone making themselves look bad.
I just want to respond that I agree with both of those points. I am sure that Grady, Decatur, and Chamblee have a much more diverse student body... however, as you said, it is a personal decision. Just something to point out as I am not sure what the original poster wants. Also, all people ITP do not send their kids to private schools (obviously).... there are many people in the top public school districts that also decide to send thier kids to private schools. Once again, it is a personal decision!
Also, your quote seems to imply that Grady, Chamblee, and Decatur have less "advantaged kids" than their suburban couterparts - usually this is not a good indicator of being a top school. Grady is not one of the best schools - I do not think that you will get much disagreement on that point.
OK,... I'll bite......
I consider diversity to be an important factor that makes a school "tops." Logic tells me that a school that can challenge everyone and get results with a mixed bag of kids most likely has better teachers and more innovative programs than a school that gets good results with only upper middle class kids.
I know many "less advantaged" kids who are bright, funny and generally amazing kids. I understand that not everyone wants diversity. It makes a lot of people nervous. However, every race is going to be a minority by the time that our kids are adults so some families think it is not a bad idea to give their kids some exposure to the real world before adulthood.
I agree that Walton, Northview and the like are fabulous schools and a kid can get an amazing education there. They are truly top notch schools. We almost moved to North Fulton ourselves for the schools. I'm just saying that you can get an equally good education at Grady or Chamblee or Lakeside or Decatur. You just have to be able to tolerate having some folks around that are different from you.
My best friend from college is an admissions counselor at Ga Tech (her kids go to Catholic school). She has been reviewing applications, interviewing kids and making admissions decisions for 10 years. I have talked to her at great length about public high schools. You would definitely "get much disagreement" from her about whether Grady was a top school. She says that Decatur and Grady kids in particular are some of the most creative, quirky and interesting kids that she interviews. She says that she could spot them in an interview without even looking at their application because they stand out so much.
Grady, Decatur, Lakeside, etc. are not the best schools for everyone. Northview and Walton aren't the best schools for everyone either. It all depends on what you are looking for in a school.
I just get irritated when folks make blanket comments like "everyone ITP sends their kids to private school" It's just not true. Comments like that make suburban folks look bad, and I hate to see anyone making themselves look bad.
You mentioned Peach Tree City. That is the Fayette County school district which is the best in the state and you can get a very nice house for $500K anywhere in Fayette county and a terrific school district, too boot. Also, being just south of "town" it is close to the airport and downtown AND traffic is not as horrendous as on the northside.
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