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Is it lower simply because of the numbers ... as in the better ranking high schools send MORE applicants than the lower ranking high schools send to top colleges or does the "brand" value of the better ranking high school make the top colleges choose students from that school over a lower ranking high school?
Good point. The data I have seen would not allow that question to be answered nor estimated. If schools opened up their Naviance subscriptions that would be a treasure trove of data to compare schools and decide how much weight the brand value of the school has.
From my own personal experience as a parent of a college applying teen I think it is mind-boggling the number of graduates Jericho and Manhassett send to HYPS, equivalent to Groton, Exeter, etc... I am sure some of it is a result of more discretionary income applied to test preparation and tutoring, but having a child who has gone through the SAT process those expenditures only buy you so much.
Good point. The data I have seen would not allow that question to be answered nor estimated. If schools opened up their Naviance subscriptions that would be a treasure trove of data to compare schools and decide how much weight the brand value of the school has.
From my own personal experience as a parent of a college applying teen I think it is mind-boggling the number of graduates Jericho and Manhassett send to HYPS, equivalent to Groton, Exeter, etc... I am sure some of it is a result of more discretionary income applied to test preparation and tutoring, but having a child who has gone through the SAT process those expenditures only buy you so much.
Don't forget about family and other connections. Parents who went to HYPS themselves are more likely to be living in areas like Jericho and Manhasset, and their kids, as legacies, have a significant leg up in the admissions process at those schools.
Don't forget about family and other connections. Parents who went to HYPS themselves are more likely to be living in areas like Jericho and Manhasset, and their kids, as legacies, have a significant leg up in the admissions process at those schools.
Legacy is a factor but not a major one. Almost all colleges provide very detailed information about their applicant pool and acceptances.
Legacy doesn't matter that much anymore, unless that legacy comes with a "brand" name and purse strings to match. I also don't think you can look at acceptanes at HPY as a methodology for determining how good a HS is. However, if you widen that up to % of students accepted at top 50 universities, you can get a very good indication of the educational climate of a particular HS. Which HS is best for your child is still dependant on so many independant factors. You make the best choices you can at the time and then maximize your opportunities from then on.
I went to one of the worst school districts on Long Island, and I and all of my friends from high school are successful professionals* - no one has less than a Master's, and many of us are graduates of Ivy League and similar caliber schools. If you're cultivating an educational environment at home, they'll succeed regardless of the district, and your kids will be better off having a diversity of experiences that come with having some disposable income to do things like enroll them in science camp or violin lessons or whatever they're into. (Also, from a college admissions standpoint, the kid who's valedictorian of Middle Country is much more likely to get attention from select programs then the kid who's only top 25% at a place like Three Village - your kid is better off being a rockstar in a mediocre district, rather than a mediocre kid from a rockstar district, in that sense.)
Last issue to think about - how old are your kids? A friend of mine was relocated to a neighboring "blue ribbon" district for high school, and had an extremely difficult time socially because of how the other kids treated her for being from "bad" area. The negative repercussions of that have followed her into adulthood. If your kids are happy and thriving in Middle Country, I'd say leave it alone.
*This, of course, wasn't the "average" outcome for everyone in the district, my friends were honors students, but the point is, anyone I know of who came from a home with parents who were involved and placed a premium on education did just fine.
Forgive me for being so forward but, I'm just curious what school district did you grow up in?
Education starts at home young man. Your answer lies in your second paragraph.
100% agree. If you are doing right by your children at home and raising good kids, then an average school will be fine and you'll be able to provide more financially for your family. That's always better than struggling. Also a district like middle country is not a significant drop off from one like Three Village. Yes, Three Village is very good but MC is not the bottom of the barrel in anyone's eyes.
I've said in a few other threads it also matters who their peers are (influence by peers with like-minded responsible parents) and what their extracurricular opportunities are also. Better school districts are better in those regards. What it comes down to is giving your kids the best chance to succeed as long as you are still living comfortably. Otherwise you may as well go elsewhere and escape the high COL.
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