Best Places for good schools and race diversity in Dallas? (Plano: homes, safe neighborhoods)

[HockeyDadof2]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

It's not as easy as you think to get into the top 10%, which would be around the top 25. There are probably more than 100 good candidates vying for those spots - they have come up together at Lakewood and Stonewall and have very involved parents who have instilled a highly competitive nature into their children. I know they have to go back to first grade to determine class rank sometimes...

But it's a lot easier then getting into the top 10% in a class of 2,200 in Plano, I dare say.

That doesn't make sense, in a class of 2,200 you have 220 that are the top 10 % so the statistical ease would be the same as 25 in a class of 250....

[GoPadge]

Originally Posted by HockeyDadof2

That doesn't make sense, in a class of 2,200 you have 220 that are the top 10 % so the statistical ease would be the same as 25 in a class of 250....

I agree.

If you really wanted a better chance of a good student getting into the top 10%, you'd want to send them to a poor performing school. Of course there are drawbacks to that plan a well....

[Lakewooder]

Yes, but you forget we have some of the lower achievers and economic classes at the bottom. It's almost like a small private school for the high achievers so there is a lot of jockeying, parent and teacher influence, legacy stuff, etc...

[HockeyDadof2]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Yes, but you forget we have some of the lower achievers and economic classes at the bottom. It's almost like a small private school for the high achievers so there is a lot of jockeying, parent and teacher influence, legacy stuff, etc...

So that make it's sound as if being in that top 25 would be more difficult with all the jockeying, parent and teacher influence, legacy stuff, ect....??

[Lakewooder]

Well, what I am trying to say is that we have a class of 250, which includes different economic and ethnic groups - so you will have maybe 100 kids or so who are not college bound, whereas at some schools you would have 90 something percent college-bound.

It's a bit like a small town high school - only our bottom dwellers are mostly those who can't speak English well (many languages are spoken, not just Spanish). But an advantage is that even if they are not college bound at least they can speak a couple of languages (or close). Personally I am glad I was exposed to different groups of people. I can work with and enjoy the company of almost anyone.

[HockeyDadof2]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Well, what I am trying to say is that we have a class of 250, which includes different economic and ethnic groups - so you will have maybe 100 kids or so who are not college bound, whereas at some schools you would have 90 something percent college-bound.

It's a bit like a small town high school - only our bottom dwellers are mostly those who can't speak English well (many languages are spoken, not just Spanish). But an advantage is that even if they are not college bound at least they can speak a couple of languages (or close). Personally I am glad I was exposed to different groups of people. I can work with and enjoy the company of almost anyone.

So your original statement is less about the fact that it's a 2200 person class in Plano than it is the socioeconomic status and ethnicity of those 2200 families?

[Lakewooder]

Well, what's the percentage of college bound students in Plano? Will you get to know someone who can roof your house or repair your roadster?

[HockeyDadof2]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Well, what's the percentage of college bound students in Plano? Will you get to know someone who can roof your house or repair your roadster?

I am not actually sure what the percentage of college bound students in Plano is, I would assume it's fairly high.

I am not sure what point you are trying to make with the second part of your question though? I found it ironic that someone who points to the lower socioecomonic members of his community as the reason it's easier to get into the top 10% of a graduating class, would attempt to say that I am guilty of some sort of classism. You clearly have a mistaken preconceived notion as to the type of people that live in Plano, you assume that I am a snob which couldn't be further from the truth though I don't particularly care what you think as no matter what I could say here would change that. Having said that however, I will answer that question. Yes, I would get to know someone who could repair my roof, if I had a roadster I would also be willing to get to know the person that could repair it. I am less likely to care to get to know someone with a closed mind, and who buys into stereotypes.

To get back to my original point..... 10 % of any number, 250, 2200, 36 whatever, is still 1 in 10. Sheer numbers do nothing to change that FACT.

[Lakewooder]

Gee I was just asking!

[Lakewooder]

Well I would think you would agree that no matter what the numbers it would be easier to get in the top 10% if one school has a lower percentage of college-bound students than another.

What I am trying to say is that it is still no cakewalk at Woodrow as some seem to imply, e.g. North Dallas would be much easier.