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They seem decently ranked online - but they are definitely challenged pushing out National Merit Semifinalists and well behind Iolani and Punahou
That seems a pretty useless measure of a school's quality. It is based on a single standardized test (PSAT), that a lot of students don't care that much about. The only real thing they are useful for is to get some merit scholarship money at less competitive schools.
Most people sending their kids to HPA, or similar schools are not worried about merit scholarships.
I have no idea if HPA is competitive with the Oahu schools you mention, but NMSQT scores is a pretty poor way to assess that.
They seem decently ranked online - but they are definitely challenged pushing out National Merit Semifinalists and well behind Iolani and Punahou
The point was that you indicated that neighbor schools don't come close to competing with Oahu private schools. This is simply incorrect. In relative terms of endowment, faculty and notable graduates, HPA is exceptional. IMHO, it exceeds Iolani. Of course, once must pay for that exceptionalism, the yearly tuition
at HPA is probably the highest in the state.
By what metric? If you don't like National Merit Semifinalists - which one then?
I am not going to school you (pardon the pun) on how NMS's are selected. You can look it up, however you should ask yourself the question if comparing the number of NMS's at a school with a student population of Punahou versus HPA's is valid metric.
A better 'metric' would be asking your well educated kama'aina neighbors or other associates. I am pretty certain you will learn that everyone knows Hawai'i Preparatory Academy in Kamuela as being one of the best private schools in Hawai'i, and has relatives or friends whose children attended.
I am rather surprised you appeared completely oblivious to HPA's existence. It's very well known here in Hawai'i.
A better 'metric' would be asking your well educated kama'aina neighbors or other associates. I am pretty certain you will learn that everyone knows Hawai'i Preparatory Academy in Kamuela as being one of the best private schools in Hawai'i, and has relatives or friends whose children attended.
I am rather surprised you appeared completely oblivious to HPA's existence. It's very well known here in Hawai'i.
I live on Oahu - people on Oahu are going to send their kids to the best on Oahu or the Mainland. HPA is not in their radar.
But you'd think if they were so highly educated at HPA they'd at least kick out more national merit scholars.
If I had the money to send my kid to Punahou or HPA, however, I'm not sure which school I'd choose. There are pluses and minuses of each, IMO.
There are more students in Punahou than the other private schools. So it is not surprising that there are more national merit scholars in Punahou.
More often I look at the students' admission into top universities (Ivy + MIT + CIT + Stanford) divided by the number of graduating seniors. The higher percentage the better the school is. In Mainland, some schools have 40-50% of their senior class going into these top universities. In Hawaii's private schools, usually 10-20%, some less.
More often I look at the students' admission into top universities (Ivy + MIT + CIT + Stanford) divided by the number of graduating seniors. The higher percentage the better the school is. In Mainland, some schools have 40-50% of their senior class going into these top universities. In Hawaii's private schools, usually 10-20%, some less.
For the last year I see published numbers, 2017-18 - a very healthy number of students do attend Ivy League schools (18 to Harvard, 17 to Cornell, etc) as well as 11 at MIT and and 23 at Stanford - not surprising, many stay local at UH (likely many on scholarship) but also very West Coast leaning and other top schools like Cal Poly and other top University of California schools. The West Coast lean shouldn't be surprising given our location.
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