Best high school in the area/favorite things to do? (Charlotte: private school, university)

[twingles]

Originally Posted by TarHeelNick

Looks like OP is all over the map in her inquiries; Triangle, Charlotte, Dallas, and Boston.

Probably need to narrow some stuff down first.

"Anywhere but here" syndrome. Northeast, no doubt!

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by TarHeelNick

Looks like OP is all over the map in her inquiries; Triangle, Charlotte, Dallas, and Boston.

Probably need to narrow some stuff down first.

I was kinda thinking that narrowing it down partially based on finding a job before totally relocating would be a good idea.

[ncdust]

Wilmington or Charleston?

[mbfam]

Originally Posted by Sal_M

Can I ask what district you are in now? I came from LI but I did not love it. You do not sound as if you want to move and that will be bigger issue than anything else. FWIW, I do not believe that you need a private school to get a good education here. My kids are in WCPSS and we are pleased. Also, new kids are not an issue here. On LI they are a rarity, here it is commonplace and I believe that makes it an easier adjustment.

Thank you.

What is WCPSS?

I do not think I can get her in a private school so fast? Don't they have tests and such plus I need financial aid or I cannot afford it. Thank you.

[mbfam]

Originally Posted by cheapdad00

Also, if you move into one of the coveted Western Wake county school districts, admission to the local universities is cutthroat with many highly qualified students being wait listed or rejected from UNC or NC State.

So who do they take? Kids from other areas in NC? I have read that someplace else kids who have almost a perfect SAT score and 95 average cannot get into the state NC college.

[Stringbender]

WCPSS is Wake County Public School System.

High demand for both UNC Chapel Hill and NCSU. UNC shows about a 25% acceptance rate, NCSU around 50%

Here are links to the basic data of those who got accepted. Of course, just like most Universities, I’m sure there are “unwritten” factors that go into who and how they choose to accept.

https://www.collegesimply.com/colleg...ill/admission/

https://www.collegesimply.com/colleg...igh/admission/

Also, keep in mind wherever you decide to move, you will have to establish residence to receive in-state tuition. Here they will want to see that you established yourself in the state for at least 12 months, and you plan on staying.

[Sal_M]

Originally Posted by mbfam

Thank you.

What is WCPSS?

I do not think I can get her in a private school so fast? Don't they have tests and such plus I need financial aid or I cannot afford it. Thank you.

Wake County Public School System

[cheapdad00]

Originally Posted by mbfam

So who do they take? Kids from other areas in NC? I have read that someplace else kids who have almost a perfect SAT score and 95 average cannot get into the state NC college.

They are state schools so they are required to pull from the entire state and have a program in place to increase enrollment from less economically advantaged counties (so the bottom 80 counties out of the 100 in NC). The statement about competition is two-fold, 1 UNC and NC State are difficult to get into and reasonably priced and 2) the academic profile of a student at a Western Wake high school is well above average for the state as a whole. My son just graduated Panther Creek and in reading and counting the graduation brochure, over 30% of the senior class had a GPA over 4.25 (that's ~200 people out of 600+ in the senior class). I would expect similar profiles at the other Western Wake high schools, which increases the risk that the child becomes just a number for college admissions processes.

As a data point my son had 1B in 4 years of high school, took 10 APs and had a 1500 SAT/34 ACT, he got into UNC (and both his parents are alums). His girlfriend had a couple of Bs in high school (still above 4.25), slightly lower SAT/ACT got into NC state, but was wait listed at UNC (and had a more well rounded resume with more iobs/leadership stuff than he had - parents not alums, but a sibling currently attending).

[Stringbender]

Originally Posted by cheapdad00

They are state schools so they are required to pull from the entire state and have a program in place to increase enrollment from less economically advantaged counties (so the bottom 80 counties out of the 100 in NC). The statement about competition is two-fold, 1 UNC and NC State are difficult to get into and reasonably priced and 2) the academic profile of a student at a Western Wake high school is well above average for the state as a whole. My son just graduated Panther Creek and in reading and counting the graduation brochure, over 30% of the senior class had a GPA over 4.25 (that's ~200 people out of 600+ in the senior class). I would expect similar profiles at the other Western Wake high schools, which increases the risk that the child becomes just a number for college admissions processes.

As a data point my son had 1B in 4 years of high school, took 10 APs and had a 1500 SAT/34 ACT, he got into UNC (and both his parents are alums). His girlfriend had a couple of Bs in high school (still above 4.25), slightly lower SAT/ACT got into NC state, but was wait listed at UNC (and had a more well rounded resume with more iobs/leadership stuff than he had - parents not alums, but a sibling currently attending).

Awesome information! Thanks for sharing your experience cheapdad. Just the real life info I’ve been looking for.

[twingles]

I heard from a reliable source that State took exactly zero kids off the wait list this year.