Middle Schools: Grisham, Four Points, or Canyon Vista?

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by A-Tex

You can't really compare those raw number totals. Some of those schools are significantly smaller than others, making the actual percentage of Semifinalists lower.

So share the raw numbers.

Every school on the list is 6A (except for St. Stephens (which is private) & LASA - which is charter). I wasn't going to even include these two, but thought people would be interested.)

The other Raw numbers are there for all to see. It's not too complicated.

& here's a different take. If one's goal is to become "Top 10%" in a graduating class.....& there's 600 kids in your grade......& 62 kids in your grade are NMS SFs, then you'll need to be a NMS SF (or as smart as a NMS SF) in order to be in the top 10%.

But I don't see the problem (because I didn't feel the need to have my kid go to UT - just like his dad did). Training, working or studying with the best is a good thing. My kid got a lot out of this academic environment (just as he has attending high level USTA paid for tennis camps thru the years).

Competing with and/or against the best is good. I suspect my kid values things that requires hard work and doesn't come easy......much more than say, a free snow cone and a participation trophy.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by hound 109

So share the raw numbers.

Every school on the list is 6A (except for St. Stephens (which is private) & LASA - which is charter). I wasn't going to even include these two, but thought people would be interested.)

The other Raw numbers are there for all to see. It's not too complicated.

& here's a different take. If one's goal is to become "Top 10%" in a graduating class.....& there's 600 kids in your grade......& 62 kids in your grade are NMS SFs, then you'll need to be a NMS SF (or as smart as a NMS SF) in order to be in the top 10%.

But I don't see the problem (because I didn't feel the need to have my kid go to UT - just like his dad did). Training, working or studying with the best is a good thing. My kid got a lot out of this academic environment (just as he has attending high level USTA paid for tennis camps thru the years).

Competing with and/or against the best is good. I suspect my kid values things that requires hard work and doesn't come easy......much more than say, a free snow cone and a participation trophy.

Because listing them as numbers implies that one is number one etc. For instance, the percentage of Semifinalists at LASA is close to 20% and the percentage at WW is around 9%. Those numbers are both obviously impressive, but again, the raw number doesn't tell the full story.

Kids who are performing on that level on the SAT and grades-wise will likely get admitted to UT even if they aren't in the top x% at their school. There are just more hoops to jump through versus an auto-admit. Many brilliant kids do not thrive in that kind of pressure cooker competitive environment. In fact, it can be detrimental. All of our kids have genius level IQs, but we didn't treat them the same way regarding their schooling because they were individuals with very different learning styles and personalities. They all ended up at minimum Semifinalists. That likely wouldn't have happened if they'd been in the same school environment. Of course we didn't care much about the UT auto-admit rankings since both their parents are Ivy grads and the kids had other goals.

By the way, LASA is not a charter school. It is a highly selective public magnet school within the Austin Independent School District.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by hound 109

That's because the achievement scores (not the low bar scores, but the achievement scores) are much higher at CRMS than it is at FPMS. FP has more apartment dwellers feeding into it. The "highs are higher" at CR, and the "lows are lower" at FP.

Not sure why people would suggest otherwise, when the stats don't lie.

Plenty of apartment dwellers at CRMS, with three VERY large complexes feeding into it. Also have all of the homes (including a trailer park) at the end of Quinlan Park Road that feed into it. If I had to venture a guess, it would be that no one ones to deal with the traffic nightmare that is 620/2222 to get to Four Points MS (no buses provided for those who choose to go). Not enough of a difference to deal with an hour-long drive to get your kid there.

[PrimusPilus]

Here's the 2018 list of NMS semifinalists from TX. The cutoff this year was 221 (up from last years's 220)

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by hound 109

So share the raw numbers.

Every school on the list is 6A (except for St. Stephens (which is private) & LASA - which is charter). I wasn't going to even include these two, but thought people would be interested.)

The other Raw numbers are there for all to see. It's not too complicated.

& here's a different take. If one's goal is to become "Top 10%" in a graduating class.....& there's 600 kids in your grade......& 62 kids in your grade are NMS SFs, then you'll need to be a NMS SF (or as smart as a NMS SF) in order to be in the top 10%.

But I don't see the problem (because I didn't feel the need to have my kid go to UT - just like his dad did). Training, working or studying with the best is a good thing. My kid got a lot out of this academic environment (just as he has attending high level USTA paid for tennis camps thru the years).

Competing with and/or against the best is good. I suspect my kid values things that requires hard work and doesn't come easy......much more than say, a free snow cone and a participation trophy.

One of the reasons we moved out of the westwood feeder area was because it was too competitive for academics. I have always had a balanced life and I want my kids to have one too. I went to a lasa equivalent and still only studied a few hours a night at the most. I want my kids to play outside, ride bikes, discover things they love to do, and take risks on their own, not spend every spare moment scheduled or studying.

The problem with the canyon vista/westwood chain is that the asian parents mostly only care about academics and virtually nothing else. In 3rd grade, some parents had their kids tutored and studying from after school until 9:00 at night. Very few kids played outside even at a young age because they were hyper-scheduled/studying. The first question at the laurel mountain kindergarten parents night was how do we get our kids into the talented and gifted programs.

I used to think I needed my kids to go to stanford/mit/ivy league. But Ive now realized it is pretty much pointless. Good for bragging rights, but unrelated to their true happiness. I have learned that happiness comes from within. Monetary success has nothing to do with happiness, but if it is an important measure, it comes from leadership skills not academic/technical prowess.

[sua2017]

Originally Posted by hound 109

So share the raw numbers.

Every school on the list is 6A (except for St. Stephens (which is private) & LASA - which is charter). I wasn't going to even include these two, but thought people would be interested.)

The other Raw numbers are there for all to see. It's not too complicated.

& here's a different take. If one's goal is to become "Top 10%" in a graduating class.....& there's 600 kids in your grade......& 62 kids in your grade are NMS SFs, then you'll need to be a NMS SF (or as smart as a NMS SF) in order to be in the top 10%.

But I don't see the problem (because I didn't feel the need to have my kid go to UT - just like his dad did). Training, working or studying with the best is a good thing. My kid got a lot out of this academic environment (just as he has attending high level USTA paid for tennis camps thru the years).

Competing with and/or against the best is good. I suspect my kid values things that requires hard work and doesn't come easy......much more than say, a free snow cone and a participation trophy.

LASA isn't a charter school, it is a magnet school. You have to be living in AISD to send your kids to that school while a charter school doesn't typically depend on your address.

[S6Sputnik]

Here is a raw number...My daughter came out of Vandy and went into ASU's honors college..She is kicking butt in school, and having the time off her life!

Really people don't argue little meaningless stuff these are all very good schools that will prepare your children well for their future careers!

[katiev111]

Originally Posted by S6Sputnik

Here is a raw number...My daughter came out of Vandy and went into ASU's honors college..She is kicking butt in school, and having the time off her life!

Really people don't argue little meaningless stuff these are all very good schools that will prepare your children well for their future careers!

hhaha well said...I went to a tiny little school with no college prep or anything of the likes..went to college, did well, and got a good job with the state of TX in the field I went to college for...I didn't go to the top schools at ALL and I'm very successful

[katiev111]

Originally Posted by Austin97

One of the reasons we moved out of the westwood feeder area was because it was too competitive for academics. I have always had a balanced life and I want my kids to have one too. I went to a lasa equivalent and still only studied a few hours a night at the most. I want my kids to play outside, ride bikes, discover things they love to do, and take risks on their own, not spend every spare moment scheduled or studying.

The problem with the canyon vista/westwood chain is that the asian parents mostly only care about academics and virtually nothing else. In 3rd grade, some parents had their kids tutored and studying from after school until 9:00 at night. Very few kids played outside even at a young age because they were hyper-scheduled/studying. The first question at the laurel mountain kindergarten parents night was how do we get our kids into the talented and gifted programs.

I used to think I needed my kids to go to stanford/mit/ivy league. But Ive now realized it is pretty much pointless. Good for bragging rights, but unrelated to their true happiness. I have learned that happiness comes from within. Monetary success has nothing to do with happiness, but if it is an important measure, it comes from leadership skills not academic/technical prowess.

Very true Austin97. Of course my parents wanted me to have a good education, but they realized long ago that the insane competition is so unnecessary, and it isn't required to get a good education or a good job. I went to a tiny high school, got decent grades...got into a good state school, got a degree, and got a job with the state of TX in my field. I agree that a lot of it is for bragging rights (not everyone of course) & I agree that people take WAYYYY too seriously. I would have been miserable if I was pressured to have perfect grades and get into an elite school. My parents wanted me to put in effort and try my hardest in school and to find success, but also be happy at the same time. And I'm grateful for the mindset that they had.