<p>I am planning to buy a new house. I have a few choices. My current home high school is an average high school of API of 786. My question is : do Colleges give more weight to students scoring high in an average school or to average score in a great high school? My D has huge dreams of going to a Harvard/ Stanford/ Princeton. She is very good (she is still a 6th grader but is placed for Advance math). Scored 100% in math (3 years and going) and science in CST test. I really need help deciding whether to stay in our current house or move to a better high school area.</p>
<p>almost all schools say they take into account the difficulty of getting grades at a given high school. exactly how that will play out will depend on the college, the high school, the grades, and what else the kid did at the school.</p>
<p>In general, our strong impression was that going to a very challenging high school was an advantage private Us BELOW the level you are talking about. And that at state Us that go more by formulas, and that need to have geographic diversity within their state, it can hurt. </p>
<p>For Ivies, MIT, Stanford its VERY HARD for EVERYONE, and there really is no way to plan for it. Living one lifes to try to get into them is very often a waste.</p>
<p>IMO unless that new school has ties to an Ivy (like Exeter or some others) it’s not worth it from a College Entrance aspect. Your child will be evaluated in the context of the class. Now it might be worth it for a more challenging HS education but that’s not the question you asked…</p>
<p>Whatever the effect on college admission, the great high school is likely to offer better academic preparation for college.</p>
<p>According to my three sons most of their friends at both Cornell and MIT have come from either really good Magnet or Private highschools. Most of my friends are the parents of my sons friends and their kids have all gone off to either Ivy’s or MIT, Stanford etc… and each of those kids have said the same thing. It does seem that top schools are familiar with these schools and understand the level of work that they are doing. </p>
<p>However a standout kid will be a standout kid anywhere, but the consideration must be given to the peers and the opportunies the school has for advancement and participation in interesting academic and personal ECs. In our home district the schools are ranked high but we were very familiar with what the limitations were in regard to like minded peers and the importance to going above the norm. It seemed to us that sports were more of a priority in our town than the type of things our sons’ were interested in. Our home town did’nt even have the sport that my kids excelled in which really cemented our notion of finding a better alternative.</p>
<p>As an above poster pointed out if you want to make the move to give your child an environment that is more in lign with the way you see things than make the move for that reason. I don’t think you should do this just to have “a better chance” at getting into a top school. Do it to give your child an education that you feel he/she should have.</p>
<p>Erins dad…I know that my kids highschool was very well known to the colleges they went to. I do not believe it was represented on their campus’ or their friends campus’ by accident.</p>
<p>My daughter just graduated HS here in California and the question you asked is one parents in our district have discussed at length. So here’s my take-away.</p>
<p>A new’sh HS (six years old) nearby a more established HS recently attained higher API scores yet had far fewer students admitted to top East Coast colleges this year.</p>
<p>The HS’s are only a couple miles apart, have roughly similar enrollment, and draw from the same households. There are some differences. The newer HS originally emphasized the Arts. The older HS is a sports powerhouse. </p>
<p>The consensus on this, fwiw, is that the older HS’s reputation and ranking is already well known to admission offices. </p>
<p>The newer HS, even with what are now higher API scores, without a proven track record of excellence, was a relative disadvantage when it came to applying to top OOS schools.</p>
<p>If a friend or relative asked your question I would suggest they check to see which of two HS have had the most success getting applicants into the type of schools you’re considering.</p>
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<p>Whose dream? What does a sixth grader know about colleges? How can she possibly know whether any of those schools will be the best fit for her seven years from now?</p>
<p>So anyway, you make your housing decision based on what you think will optimize your kid’s chances of getting into one of the super-selective colleges. She goes to the high school, excels, great grades, great ECs, great test scores, great recs, all-around great kid. Then she doesn’t get in to any of those schools (because most even very qualified candidates don’t) and has to settle for, say, a Pomona. Was it worth it?</p>
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<p>Now that’s a valid reason for moving to a better school district, IMO. And who knows? It might improve her chances of getting into the school you’re dreaming about.</p>
<p>@ annasdad: You will be surprised at what the kids know these days. My D and her friends had been having this conversation for the past two years. As soon as they get time, the first thing they do is research universes and colleges. My D makes all her educated decisions herself. I provide her knowledge. 
. If it was for me, I will send her to state colleges and help my pocket :-D. But she saves every nickel and penny she gets and dreams of using it towards her college tuition. It will be heart breaking, if I do not support her and her dreams. So like any good parent, I am trying to be there for her. Please do not call it my dream 'Cos its not mine.</p>
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<p>The poor kid. She’s what, 11?</p>
<p>Yes, she is. And yes that’s what the world had become these days. The teachers are talking about college all the time. I feel the same way. In our days we had so much fun. The other day I met a grand mom of one of my D’s friends, she said, “what ever you want to be you have to decide in next year or so, or else it is too late.” I know what you mean. But we live in S.F bay area and there is cut throat competition here. That’s what these kids see around them.</p>
<p>Here’s what she may be setting herself up for:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1204328-shelby-steele-ivy-league-admissions-6.html#post13159898[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1204328-shelby-steele-ivy-league-admissions-6.html#post13159898</a></p>
<p>Not that I’m advocating it, but I’ve heard that the best college admissions strategy is to send your kids to a tippy top school through 8th grade, and then to a mere above average school for high school. </p>
<p>When you say your local high school is average, do you really mean average? I don’t know what API refers to. Is your D able to be challenged at her current school? Are houses more expensive or otherwise less convenient (e.g. longer commute) in the better school districts? You need to consider everything in deciding where to live.</p>
<p>I’m personally glad that my kids have attended “above average” public schools throughout their schooling. I’ve heard a few bad stories about families moving out of the tippy top school districts because the competition level was having a negative impact on their kids, and the stress level was too high.</p>
<p>I have no idea if this is true, but what I was told once, was that top colleges will only take so many from the same demographic, they want balance. In a top high school, a lot of kids will be applying to the top colleges, and only a few will get in. But in a somewhat lower level high school, the few kids who apply to the top colleges have a better chance.</p>
<p>Before enrolling your kid(s) in a tippy top API school, I recommend you watch Race to Nowhere and then go ask some pointed questions about suicide rates and other mental health issues.</p>
<p>“And yes that’s what the world had become these days. The teachers are talking about college all the time.” - Yikes! At 11? Hopefully that only happens in small, isolated pockets. That’s way too young to be hyperfocusing on college. </p>
<p>I agree with other posters. It doesn’t make sense to plot a path to the Ivies. It does make sense to look for a district with high school that will keep your bright kid challenged (being wary of caveats from mihcal1). </p>
<p>HS is about learning and maturing and having fun. Not GPA. If OP’s D really is Ivy material, she’ll end up with a high GPA at any school… but still, only a small fraction of student Ivy-qualified get accepted.</p>
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<p>My daughter graduated from Cornell last May. She knew very few people there from private schools. There were plenty of kids from magnets (she was one of them) and top suburban high schools, but Cornell does not seem to attract a particularly large proportion of prep school kids. </p>
<p>I think prep school kids who can’t get into Harvard or other ultra-selective schools tend to prefer smaller liberal arts colleges over large universities like Cornell.</p>
<p>Of course, the trend may be different for prep school kids with an interest in engineering.</p>
<p>As long as your kid will do well in a great high school. From our local high schools, the one with API=911 has sent many grads to Cornell and Princeton, while the one with API=880 sent a few grads(one or two per year) to Cornell and Princeton. The strength and reputation of the high school makes a difference. It’s better to be top 1% in the lower API school than top 20% in the higher API.</p>
<p>If you’re going to stay with public schools, I’d go with the average school as long as the house/neighborhood/friends/etc are fine. Your daughter has a far better chance at being at the very top of an average school. Spend the money you saved by not moving on tutoring and terrific summer programs, if she’s so inclined. It’s more impressive that a student does well and has high stats coming from a less advantaged school. It’s really a family decision of how you want to live, but moving just for a better school isn’t always the best decision.</p>
<p>My daughter transferred last year from one of “best” school in the state, based on SAT scores to an below average performing school. Best decision. She went from being one of many, many very good students who often got overlooked in favor of the superstars to being a tippy top student. (This was NOT our intention with the transfer, just a pleasant byproduct.) </p>
<p>Earlier this week, I attended the new school’s open house. What a lovely experience! The teachers were far more relaxed and genuine with the parents. At her former school, parents were often agressive and obsessed about homework, tests, grades, class rank, etc. Unfortunately, fewer parents attended the OH at the new school. </p>
<p>As long as the “average” school offers AP/IB or other challenging classes for your student, she should be fine.</p>
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This is the best advice you’ve received.</p>