Private Schools In Rhode Island (Coventry, Barrington: YMCA, middle school, colleges)

[ricitykid]

Well, As I said before, I want to go to Moses Brown. However, I was wondering about the other private schools in Rhode Island. How are their reps?

I live closer to Rocky Hill. However, Rocky Hill doesn't seem satisfactory. A couple of kids who went to my public school who got all Cs were accepted there in to repeat another grade there. There's also someone else I know who went to Rocky Hill in my school, who's earning grades in the D-F range. He says that Rocky Hill was a lot easier and that he earned all As there.

I'm not Christian or Catholic or Jewish and I do not wish to go to a catholic private school.

I want to end up going to a good college. Sadly, I'm afraid with the current public high school in my community, it's not going to happen.

I was also wondering how do private schools in RI base their scholarships on? I can't go to Moses Brown unless I get an almost full scholarship. My parents can't afford to pay 28,000 dollars a year.

Also, what scores you some better chances for getting into private schools? I have all As in every subject expect math. I volunteered at the local YMCA. What do they look for in students applying?

Do private schools tend consider the students applying to any other private schools more than the students just applying to that private schools?

Also for the entrance exams for private schools. Are they hard? I have to take the ISS soon and I was hoping for some pointers.

[leighland]

You might want to ask about Classical HS. Its not private but, when I went there, you had to have a certain minimum psat to get in. Now I graduated HS in the 80's (yikes I'm old!) so you need to research the current story on Classical. Good Luck.

[ricitykid]

Originally Posted by leighland

You might want to ask about Classical HS. Its not private but, when I went there, you had to have a certain minimum psat to get in. Now I graduated HS in the 80's (yikes I'm old!) so you need to research the current story on Classical. Good Luck.

I live in East Greenwich. So, I'm not sure if they supply a bus that goes to the school and back to EG like Moses Brown.

[traceyr13]

Okay, I saw this post after I responded to your other post. East Greenwich...not Barrington, but close enough.

I am definitely confused as to why you don't feel you can get into an Ivy League school from EG. I don't feel you have an accurate impression of what the college admissions process is, and also what your options are at EG. I have several colleagues at EG and it's an excellent school - a little more "traditional" and "back to basics" than Barrington or Lincoln, for example, but an excellent school.

Please don't feel that going to Moses Brown or another private school will give you some big "in" at an Ivy League that you wouldn't have elsewhere. Deciding to go to a private school, ESPECIALLY over a public school like EG, should have nothing to do with getting into the Ivy League and everything to do with what type of school environment you are looking for, and your personal needs.

[ricitykid]

Originally Posted by traceyr13

Okay, I saw this post after I responded to your other post. East Greenwich...not Barrington, but close enough.

I am definitely confused as to why you don't feel you can get into an Ivy League school from EG. I don't feel you have an accurate impression of what the college admissions process is, and also what your options are at EG. I have several colleagues at EG and it's an excellent school - a little more "traditional" and "back to basics" than Barrington or Lincoln, for example, but an excellent school.

Please don't feel that going to Moses Brown or another private school will give you some big "in" at an Ivy League that you wouldn't have elsewhere. Deciding to go to a private school, ESPECIALLY over a public school like EG, should have nothing to do with getting into the Ivy League and everything to do with what type of school environment you are looking for, and your personal needs.

I guess I was a little nervous.

I've had an unsatisfactory experience with the EG public systems myself. My parents moved to this town because the public school system is suppose to be good than most towns.

Well, their elementary math program stunk. They had this "Everyday Mathematics" system with books that was still teaching addition, subtraction, and division in 5th and 6th grade.

I was learning how to solve problems with variables on both sides by the end of 4th at the previous school I attended on the west coast. And that was a public school. They had advanced math classes by 3rd grade.

Here in EG, they have the everyday mathematics for all the kids, it's just the same level for everyone.

I wasn't learning anything new in elementry school.

In middle school, it got better, but the teachers confused me and couldn't stay after to show me.

Now, all the teachers are on strike and refuse to help any student until they get a contract.

I'm afraid colleges over look EG, because it seems so average. Most kids are nothing special. I've known really no one who's gone to an Ivy league college such as Harvard who graduated from EG.

[CoventryDude]

I don't have experience with Rocky Hills upper school (high school level) but the elementary and middle school programs are top notch. Academically my kids were way ahead of their peers who attend public and parochial schools, socially they had less negative peer pressure and the atmosphere was much more supportive. Field trips to NYC, New England area art & cultural museums museums, chances to sing publicly, etc., opportunities they simply wouldn't have had at other schools. RHS really opened the world up to them. It's just rather pricey (worth it, but pricey).

[traceyr13]

I have heard that Rocky Hill upper has come a long way in academics. Back when I was in high school (early 90s) it was considered to be much less rigorous than the other private schools - but my impression is that it has changed.

I have also heard that Prout high school has made huge strides - again, when I was in high school, it was considered "high school lite", but my brother has friends who attend there (he's a freshman in college/graduated Bishop Hendricken last year) and says that it's much more rigorous now than it used to be.

[CoventryDude]

Tracey,

Based on what I hear from my friends whose children attend Prout I agree with that assessment.

[ricitykid]

Originally Posted by CoventryDude

I don't have experience with Rocky Hills upper school (high school level) but the elementary and middle school programs are top notch. Academically my kids were way ahead of their peers who attend public and parochial schools, socially they had less negative peer pressure and the atmosphere was much more supportive. Field trips to NYC, New England area art & cultural museums museums, chances to sing publicly, etc., opportunities they simply wouldn't have had at other schools. RHS really opened the world up to them. It's just rather pricey (worth it, but pricey).

Rocky Hill was actually my first choice since it's really close to my house. However, two kids who went to my public school who I have a terrible relationship with, switched schools and started to attend Rocky Hill to repeat a grade since their parents were not happy with the grades they received in private schools. Encountering them there would probably ruin my social status there and would cause me to feel anxious.

Also, there's this kid I know that I attended Rocky Hill that was an excellent student there but is a terrible public school student here.

I wonder if Rocky Hill gives out a lot of financial aid?

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by ricitykid

I'm afraid colleges over look EG, because it seems so average. Most kids are nothing special. I've known really no one who's gone to an Ivy league college such as Harvard who graduated from EG.

You do realize that competition at the ultra-elite level is heavily dependent upon SAT score, right? Your diploma from a fancy private school will not overcome a lackluster SAT; conversely, an outstanding SAT score from a public school will go a long way to getting into a prestige school. Perhaps the second most important predictor (after SAT score) of elite college entrance is family alumni connection (i.e. your dad went to Cornell). And that's something that a private school can't offer, either.