<p>I agree with Geezermom. What is the point of ranking HS? Are we trying to have a BCS-HS championship series (say using something like Jeopardy)? In most cases being able to attend a rated HS is a matter of where you live or luck, more applicatants than spots and quotas are used to keep gender and ethnic balance. Result is many very qualified student head to private schools, and often the pool accepted is not as good as those who have not made it due to a quotas or chosen not to even apply. For example, in Phila, a local mag ranked the pub and priv HS in the area. The first pub HS on the list came in at #20 (all priv 1-19). Interestingly it was not the ones in the top 100 (i.e., #53, or #79) on the UNWR list. These sorts of lists drive administrators to focus on moving up on the list and gaming the criteria. All of which may look good, but not be in the best interest of the students. The BWeek ranking of MBA programs has done the same, and finally Wharton (U of Penn, and Harvard among others) are refusing to give information – though they rank them anyway.</p>
<p>As a country, you would think all of our HS should be at parity so that there would be no point in ranking them. In the end it is a sad commentary on our government institutions who have failed the kids in monumental fashion.</p>
<p>For the curious: S went to Pub – Sty in NYC, D is in priv.</p>