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Westchester County had 3 of the top 100 schools on Newsweek's yearly list: Rye (63), Bronxville (64) and Harrison (73). Although this is not a comprehensive way to select a school district and measure its performance, it is part of the picture. Newsweek bases its ranking on the numbers of students taking AP and IB exams and does not rank on SAT scores alone.
By contrast, US News and World Report calculates its rankings which consist of three stages, the first two of which factor in economically disadvantaged students, and the third which assesses the degree to which schools prepare students for college-level work.
Interesting to note that schools such as Irvington, Horace Greeley (Chappaqua), Scarsdale and Edgemont (Scarsdale) which have higher SAT scores than Rye didn't make the list. In fact, Harrison's SAT scores show to be 1071, which is 27th out of 44 Westchester school districts.
I thought it was a bit flawed as it is only based on a ratio of how many advanced placement course graduating seniors take and not much more unless I'm missing something. Some districts don't hold value in AP classes. For example, Scarsdale is getting rid of AP course altogether in favor of their own advanced classes. But then again everyone has their own metrics on what makes a school district the best. And it is nice to see Westchester in there. Thanks op.
Newsweek uses a lot of criteria that is different from the standard. Last year Yonkers HS was the only Westchester school in the list, so that should tell you something.
By eliminating AP courses from its HS, Scarsdale is doing something quite radical, experimental - even drastic? - and thereby removing itself from a key metric used by the majority of colleges and universities in the admissions process.
It's still a top think tank and if anything, kids will still come out as masters of thought, if not slightly renegade.
Newsweek uses a lot of criteria that is different from the standard. Last year Yonkers HS was the only Westchester school in the list, so that should tell you something.
What should it tell you? Is Yonkers the only city in Westchester with an IB program?
What should it tell you? Is Yonkers the only city in Westchester with an IB program?
No (and this is in support of what you've said about this in the CT forums), that (and I actually like this aspect) Newsweek is looking beyond simply "who is the most elitist public school out there". I know it didn't come out right, but I was saying that in praise of the Newsweek pool, not against it. I'm actually a bit disappointed that they're not on the list this year.
Newsweek uses a lot of criteria that is different from the standard. Last year Yonkers HS was the only Westchester school in the list, so that should tell you something.
Last year both Yonkers HS and Dobbs Ferry HS were in the top 100 with IB programs.
Yonkers is on the list this year but slid a little from its #82 spot in 2008. Besides, these numbers always bounce around from year to year so it's best to look for some degree of consistency within a reasonable range and history.
Also, if a school can remain in the top 250-300 of the 27,000 or so public schools in the U.S. then that should give some perspective right there. We're still talking the top 1-2% of public high schools that accomodate a an "open" enrollment of students, ie: where there's no SSAT prerequisite like there is for say Stuyvesant HS or Bronx Science.
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