"Big fish in an Average pond" or "average fish in top pond"? (college, school)

[syracusa]

Assuming the child tends to perform in the approx. 5-10 percentile of the general population on a variety of standardized tests (ability and achievement) ..which option would you support if a parent were to ask your advice?

By "big fish in an average pond" I mean a child who tends to stand out in his school as one of the best, and the school itself is good to very good, but not necessarily "the best". The alternative would be the "average fish in a top-pond" where the child would probably be pretty average in the school context, because many other children excel there, usually because they come from highly educated, professional, overachiever type families.
This is what some people call "pressure cookers" while others see them as environments where "peer pressure" would encourage a solid education.

Which scenario would you favor for your child and why ? I refer to public k-12 education.

Thank you so much.

[Pitt Chick]

Whichever is the best fit for the individual kid, in regards to academics, cost, feel of the campus, etc.

[kitkatbar]

Really depends on the personality of the kid. Some do better when they have better influences around them. Others with shakier self-esteem may feel they aren't particularly smart by comparison. You have to do what works best for your child's particular personality.

[Cheektowaga_Chester]

My choice would be average fish in a top pond: Advantages of peers, connections, culture of high performance, typically nicer neighborhoods.

[Momma_bear]

I would prefer that my kids be surrounded by high achieving peers even if it meant that they were not at the top of the heap. I think that kids do better in an environment where success is a normal part of life. The downside of that can be a pressure cooker type environment.

[Cheektowaga_Chester]

Originally Posted by Momma_bear

The downside of that can be a pressure cooker type environment.

The upside of that can be a pressure cooker type environment - just like a rigorous college academic program will be.

[vmaxnc]

Not that it matters to the thread, but the phrase is "big fish in a little pond".

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by Cheektowaga_Chester

The upside of that can be a pressure cooker type environment - just like a rigorous college academic program will be.

I think it's like many things. The best thing about something can also be the worst.

[randomparent]

Originally Posted by Cheektowaga_Chester

My choice would be average fish in a top pond: Advantages of peers, connections, culture of high performance, typically nicer neighborhoods.

Ditto.

[syracusa]

Originally Posted by vmaxnc

Not that it matters to the thread, but the phrase is "big fish in a little pond".

I know that, but I "adapted" it.