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It matters because the better the high school, the more kids are being challenged and the more well rounded they are. Most high schools high on lists (or maybe its low… I'm trying to say, the best ones) have great community service programs, plenty of AP and honors courses, good graduation and college entry rates, good standardized test results, and good individual GPAs. My high school (I only graduated a few years ago - I am pretty young ) was 13th in the state when I graduated - and it showed. It's moved down to 30-something now, because of the way special education students are factored in as my district was always excellent with special ed children and their programs (they stay until they're 21, affecting graduation rates and testing results, therefore lowering our high school's level on the list), but students from my school did and still do exceptionally well as we have great programs, and are likely to get into better colleges than lower rated schools.
Getting straight A's in an okay district could mean the student is very smart - but it could also mean that the school's quality isn't the greatest. Maybe programs are too easy, teachers too lax, students aren't being challenged enough, etc. On the other hand, getting straight A's at the better school with tougher classes and programs means the student is very smart and the staff is supportive, competent, and effective.
The quality of education can vary greatly depending on the school district. The better the high school the better prepared your child will be for college in terms of his or her time management, skill set, and ability to cope with the work load. Obviously finances play a role and not everyone can afford a home in an area with high preforming schools.
If I could help it I would not want my child to attend a school with metal detectors, high drop out rates, and violence so yes it does matter.
The quality of education can vary greatly depending on the school district. The better the high school the better prepared your child will be for college in terms of his or her time management, skill set, and ability to cope with the work load. Obviously finances play a role and not everyone can afford a home in an area with high preforming schools.
If I could help it I would not want my child to attend a school with metal detectors, high drop out rates, and violence so yes it does matter.
Duh, no one is asking that. We're not comparing both extreme ends of the spectrum. The question is, does it matter if it's Ridgewood vs Spotswood.
We thought the same thing...and pulled our child out of public school because he was a straight A student all through 1-8 grade. Thought he wasn't challenged enough in his classes. But, after already enrolling in prep school, he scored 100 on the NY algebra regents before venturing off. Then, we tried the NJ prep school and at the beginning of sophmore year, was honored as valedictorian. There are aspects of both environments that are great and not so great. We afforded the prep school and all of the 'extra' costs...but, do we really know if the teachers from one school are actually better than the other? Like someone else said, I think there's good and bad every where. Don't like the prep school mentality that they can say/do what they please even if it is ethically wrong, just because they can. It's not professional for teachers to curse at students or play head games with grades just to see how an 'A' student reacts to failure, and then says 'only kidding' and changes the grade to where it should be. Where's the practicality in assigning 40-50 geometry problems every night? Be realistic, and the concepts will sink in! After experiencing both environemnts, as long as your child is/can stay focused and be studious, they'll be fine. Prep schools do a dis-service to the student by announcing class rank during early high school years. Besides aiming to do well in school work, our kids need to enjoy life, not be hung up on all the competition. High School years were my best years, fondest memories. As long as my child is working to his potential, I'm happy. I don't want to raise a hypocondriac.....grades are not everything! What college you go to is not everything...later in life, it's the experience you have and how you apply it....and networking!
All of this doesn't explain how Asian immigrants that goes to any public schools can get into top rated colleges including Ivy Leagues if their parents could afford it.
I think school safety is more important because you don't want to send you kid to a school in a tough neighborhood even though I went to Brooklyn Tech and it was in a tough neighborhood but it's nothing compared to school shootings today. In 4 years I was a BK Tech only twice I remembered someone was caught with firearms because they were carrying it for their own protection but nothing like today with all these emo kids.
All of this doesn't explain how Asian immigrants that goes to any public schools can get into top rated colleges including Ivy Leagues if their parents could afford it.
you think asian immigrants going to a crappy nyc school will go to top rated colleges at an equal rate to those asian immigrants going to a top rated nj high school?
I have seen a bunch of these "Town A vs. Town B" threads over the years here and understandably, one criteria for choosing a town to buy a home in is whether or not it has a good school district.
My question isn't about what makes high school A better than high school B, but rather it is about whether any of it really matters.
If your child gets straight As in a school with a "bad" rep like Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, NJ (sorry), will you still get into Harvard? If yes, then, to me, that makes Dwight Morrow High a very good school.
What's the point in sending your kids to Tenafly High School if they'll just be a small fish in a big pond with other straight A kids. It's possible they may end up being a very smart kid who happened to get straight Cs, and the kid from Hackensack with straight As, who may not be as smart, will end up in a better college.
I guess my real question is this. Does high school reputation really matter in the college admissions process? Is it worth moving to Ridgewood or Tenafly even if it means the competition is higher than say Hackensack or Paterson or even Fort Lee High or Ridgefield High?
Unless the high school is so rough to the point that its distracting to kids comfortability in public (we are talking schools in the hood here) then I really don't see any kind of logic in playing it by the rankings. Keep in mind that NJ high schools change order every year based on things like test scores. If you were to play it by the book and move your family every year based on rankings, then you'd be insane.
I really do think that success in school really starts out with decent family life in the home. That's what really matters. A lot of these public schools only care about test scores and the top 10 percent anyway -- and if you aren't there, don't expect to get any special kind of treatment.
I can't tell you how many 'smart' kids bottomed out once they got to college and how many average kids were sleepers and found their way into decent careers after H.S. A lot of these 'smart' kids are just that -- books. Many can't juggle life once they are on their own. Just proves the fallacy of how great public schools are in NJ.
Last edited by Freshflakes757; 11-10-2014 at 01:37 PM..
Reason: spelling
I can't tell you how many 'smart' kids bottomed out once they got to college and how many average kids were sleepers and found their way into decent careers after H.S. A lot of these 'smart' kids are just that -- books. Many can't juggle life once they are on their own. Just proves the fallacy of how great public schools are in NJ.
this is the kind of stuff people that arent very smart say. high school is a mix of various intelligence levels because it is made up of people in a geographic location. college is different because they are selective so you get people within a range of intelligence levels (sure some people study like crazy and perform above their natural level or vice versa but we are talking in generalities here). if you look back at my friends from high school and my friends from college; it is blatantly obvious that my college friends are doing much better financially. they have professional jobs with above average incomes while my high school friends are a mix up and down the spectrum. sure, many smart kids dont do so wonderful but in general; they do better.
this is the kind of stuff people that arent very smart say. high school is a mix of various intelligence levels because it is made up of people in a geographic location. college is different because they are selective so you get people within a range of intelligence levels (sure some people study like crazy and perform above their natural level or vice versa but we are talking in generalities here). if you look back at my friends from high school and my friends from college; it is blatantly obvious that my college friends are doing much better financially. they have professional jobs with above average incomes while my high school friends are a mix up and down the spectrum. sure, many smart kids dont do so wonderful but in general; they do better.
Oh Really? Could you expand on how my point was "not very smart?" Or you just being a contrarian for the hell of it?
Gee I thought NJ public schools were so good that they were supposed to prepare you for the real world? Or is the idea to graduate from a highly rated high school and then live at home with your parents for the next 30 years?
Wow....just...wow
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) was 13th in the state when I graduated - and it showed. It's moved down to 30-something now, because of the way special education students are factored in as my district was always excellent with special ed children and their programs (they stay until they're 21, affecting graduation rates and testing results, therefore lowering our high school's level on the list), but students from my school did and still do exceptionally well as we have great programs, and are likely to get into better colleges than lower rated schools. 
Could you expand on how my point was "not very smart?" Or you just being a contrarian for the hell of it? 
