Private HS questions for possible downtown move

[goldens2]

I appreciate everyone's input. We have a lot of work to do!

[EDS_]

OP I just sent a link, name and phone number. So far as Ursuline's application timeline is concerned you are not really behind per se that said you need to hustle a bit.

All of the admissions folks at every school are helping other staff with college applications for Srs. right now. The Common Application for college has been a disaster this year. Most colleges that take the Common App have delayed their early admissions application deadline until this Friday as such many of the high school admissions folks are helping Srs right now - that's a long way of saying that it might take them a day or two to respond to you.

ETA - Find a way for your kiddo to take a couple of practice ISEE tests soon. The ISEE is very difficult, my son and daughter agree that the ISEE is more difficult than the SAT test. Every year perfectly bright kids who take the ISEE cold bomb it because they freak out when the realize they can't answer many of the questions.

Game theory time:
1. Take a practice ISEE or two. 2s and 3s aren't going to hack it no matter kiddo's grades, 4s and 5s - she has a chance, 5s 6s and 7s she's got a really good chance. Mix in an 8 or 9 and she's got a great shot. That's a long way of saying if your kiddo scores say 2s and 3s and add in a 4 she's more or less not going to get into UA.

2. Assuming her ISEE practice tests look strong - I'd apply to these schools.....

1. The usual suspects and assuming the money works - UA, Hockaday, Greenhill, ESD, Parish.

2. Add in Bishop Lynch. Disclaimer - I have no direct knowledge about BL as a parent, I have friends who teach there and a number of friends with kids who were or are students.

BL is its own worst enemy regarding academic reputation. BL without admitting it runs a school within a school for its brightest kids. BL also takes a number of kids from the area who simply would not qualify at the other catholic schools - UA and Jesuit do this too but not to the extent BL does. It's part of their mission, has been for decades, and simply the way it is-. So when one looks at BL's aggregate SAT scores they don't look great. When one looks at BL's scores for say it's top quintile of kids BL looks really great.

BL has the best dual-credit program I've ever seen or heard about. Anecdotally, an acquaintance's son graduated BL with just shy of 70 college credits. He went off to LSU finishing his electrical engineering degree in two years. The yield is this kid is 22 and a professional engineer with nearly two years of experience. BL knows which colleges accept dual credit and which don't and what career paths or areas of study do and don't make sense for dual credit.

[SVTRay]

Do they have people you can hire to help guide parents and their children in the right direction for certain private schools?

[CMC_TX]

This was a few years ago, but our good family friends live in Plano and their kids went to PISD until they graduated from Rice Middle School. They still live in Plano, but both parents didn't want their kids going to a HS as large as Jasper, so they sent the son to Jesuit for 9-12 and their daughter to Ursuline for 9-12. I don't recall them mentioning any overwhelming challenge getting them admitted to the schools, but again, that was a few years ago so maybe things have changed.

Each private HS has a different feel, so where you look should probably also depend on your daughter's personality, interests, etc. Obviously she is a good student, so you'd want somewhere challenging academically, but maybe socially she'd like one school over another instead of just making the objective any private school.

Ursuline is definitely one of the best options, but ESD is worth looking into as a co-ed alternative, as well as Parish. Aside from FBA being closer to the Farmer's Market area, I don't see how that's academically going to be any better than Dallas Lutheran School or any other smaller private school in the area.

Of course this all assumes that you're okay with the religious leanings of all of these options. I went to Christian high school and while we statistically had less students going to the most selective universities, I was still admitted to every school I applied to and entered college with extensive AP credit. (granted, I was applying to US News Top 40-Top 75 ranking range national universities). I think if you're a good student you can get into and be prepared for most colleges from any decent private high school. I think where the most prestigious private high school's make the difference is with your TOP 20 range colleges.

Just my two cents from personal experience!