Lake Park High School (Chicago, Roselle: best schools, universities, stats)

[potter]

Any feedback, both positave or negative, regarding Lake Park High School,which Itasca,Roselle,Medinah, and part of Bloomingdale utilizes.
Are there any known gangs issues at the school? Is the school overcrowded? What future does the school hold academically,etc?

[chet everett]

On the plus side, the school has had some major money go into recent expansion / renovation. The campus is in a nice quiet location.

Negative: It does not make "make the cut" as far as USNews' analysis of the high schools in DuPage County, but surprisingly few do:
http://www.usnews.com/directories/hi...ty/detail+more

[tcs1366]

LP is a decent school. I went thru it, so did my husband and both my kids.

as Chet mentioned, they were recently renovated, and additions put on, so over crowding is not an issue like it used to be.

I think it's a good school district, and no real gang issue - as far as i know of.... though i'd be naive to believe there is none, as i think there is some in all schools.

Lake Park High School - Roselle, Illinois - IL - School overview

one thing where LP differs from other districts is.... Freshman and Sophomore student go to East Campus in Medinah and Jr's and Sr's go to West Campus in Roselle.

Some people like this... some dont. It didn't bother me at all.

as for the Ratings... i don't think it rates as high as it used to ... but i also feel you get as good as an education as the effort you put forth.

Hope this helps,

tcs

[tcs1366]

oh... here is their web site if you want to explore it
http://lphs.org

[knitgirl]

I graduated from Lake Park many years ago, so I don't have any insight into conditions there now, but I think sometimes on this board there is too much obsession with the absolute best schools in the area. People act like it is unthinkable to send your kids to an "average" school district. Every child's experience is going to differ and what is the "best" school in the burbs may not be best for your kid. I was a smart kid, took regular classes, got my degree from the University of Chicago. I was also accepted at Northwestern. It may actually have been easier for me to get in from Lake Park than if I'd gone to New Trier.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

I graduated from Lake Park many years ago, so I...t may actually have been easier for me to get in from Lake Park than if I'd gone to New Trier.

A long time ago colleges relied on a report card, some standardized test scores, and an essay. College admission are FAR more competitive today than they have EVER been. And rightly so, as the difference between schools have never been greater.

Kids thats go to schools that are "known quantity" in terms of having a broad selection of AP courses, skilled counselors, and a variety of activities are easy for the admissions people to evaluate. Schools that are less familar may have outstanding candidates, but the evaluation is very different -- those students have to be much more "special".

In a way this is not all that suggesting that one would be better off getting a sports scholarship if one moved to some podunk town that the college recruiters never heard of -- it happens with REAL super stars, but most kids get recruited from schools that have a history of good coaches & athletic directors, successful teams, in competive conferences...

[Lookout Kid]

Chet, I think you're overestimating the impact of a "top tier" high school on college admissions chances. Of all of the Ivy Leaguers I've known in my life, very few of them went to any sort of "super school" at the high school level. In fact, more than one were valedictorians of small town podunk schools. Different types of students flourish in different environments, and it's not unreasonable to assume that some students do better in "lesser known" schools where there is less competition for the top spots in the class.

[chet everett]

Valedictorian == "super star" as long as they ALSO volunteered at the right charities, have all the right experience on school activities and such.

And realize too that while the Ivies are generally drawing on a national pool of talent, so to are MANY other schools several tiers down. Kids in the top tenth of so of a large successful school may have very different ideas of where they'd like to go to college compared to kids at a weaker school.

The books that summarize college admissions stats from The College Board or Fiske's spell out where the applications come from and who gets in. While pretty much all colleges say that want a "student body that broadly represents the most qualified applicants" those applicants are coming PREDOMINANTLY from very successful schools.

There is definite economic component at work too -- many kids that are Valedictorians are automatically offered financial awards to attend highly selective schools. Students with financial challenges at a high school that has a long history of sending students on to selective colleges can get those awards extended to needy kids a few pegs down. Students at high schools with no such relationship are much more "on their own"...


Middle-of-the-pack kids at weaker schools are in even worse situation. If they attended a respectable high school at least there are good odds they won't have to take remedial classes. If they did graduate from a less-than-stellar high school yet managed get accepted at a better than mediocre college they may end up spending more time and money taking courses to get them to an acceptable level of competence.

All-in-all the arguements for going to the best school one can are hard to refute.

It is not merely a game to get into a good college, it is decision to work up to ones potential, surrounded by others that will challenge students as opposed to merely getting by...

[tcs1366]

>>it is decision to work up to ones potential, surrounded by others that will challenge students as opposed to merely getting by...

Exactly!!

I had a friend that i had known and went to school with since Kdg
She always stated what a horrible education she thought she got ... and i said to her
"Well, you hardly ever went... " [she was quite lackadaisical about going to school]
while i felt I got a good education.... but i went every day and put forth an effort to do the best of my ability.

Also - her oldest daughter was a straight A student at LP... but she applied herself. ...something her mother never learned how to do.

[Mamama Mia]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Chet, I think you're overestimating the impact of a "top tier" high school on college admissions chances. Of all of the Ivy Leaguers I've known in my life, very few of them went to any sort of "super school" at the high school level. In fact, more than one were valedictorians of small town podunk schools. Different types of students flourish in different environments, and it's not unreasonable to assume that some students do better in "lesser known" schools where there is less competition for the top spots in the class.

I agree. The "big fish in a small pond" has worked out well for many of my students who have been accepted to top tier colleges and universities.