<p>I found the following on The Hill’s website. I found that it succinctly expressed many of the sentiments that have been expressed through various postings on this site and that it might be nice to have it in one spot. You’ll find SPS director of college advising and the president of NAIS quoted at length.</p>
<p>Responses to school rankings articles</p>
<p>The National Association of Independent Schools, The Hill School, and numerous other organizations are adamantly opposed to the “ranking” of schools, as we firmly believe that the “best” schools are the ones that most fully meet the needs of their particular youngsters, encouraging them to succeed at college, in their careers, and in all aspects of their lives. Rankings do not, for example, reflect points such as how well The Hill nurtures students’ values. Similarly, judging schools, whether high schools or universities, using narrow, formulaic criteria may cause families to disregard many outstanding schools that may be wonderful matches for their children’s talents and aspirations. </p>
<p>According to the five-year College Advising goals stated in The Hill School’s 2007-12 Strategic Plan, The Hill School “experience assures each student sound preparation for college and a well-informed process of applying to college.” Furthermore, the Strategic Plan asserts that in ensuring “appropriate college choices for our students” the School will: manage an excellent application process; maintain strong working relationships with colleges; and support students to be accepted by colleges appropriate to their interests and abilities. </p>
<p>In a November 2007 message by Toby Brewster, director of college advising for St. Paul’s School and a representative of the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools, he states on behalf of the ACCIS that it regards “any attempt to rank our institutions as inappropriate.” His message was written in response to a Wall Street Journal article (November 30, 2007) that attempts to rank secondary schools based on matriculation to eight colleges. </p>
<p>Brewster adds: "The education at independent secondary schools goes well beyond college matriculation lists, and any attempt to assign a specific rank based on matriculation to [a small number of specific colleges] completely misses all the educational merits of our institutions. Our focus is on educating and developing the whole child for life-long learning, and when we assist our students in the college process, we focus on ‘fit’ and not prestige.</p>
<p>“As pointed out by ACCIS, ‘The long-standing but misguided effort by US News and World Report to assign a rank to colleges has fallen far short in evaluating the true quality of their experiences for students.’ Similarly, a secondary school ranking [like the one that appears in the November 30, 2007 WSJ] undermines the efforts of experienced professionals across the country and devalues our students’ journey and their learning process.” </p>
<p>The letter below was written by Patrick F. Bassett, president of the National Association of Independent Schools, in response to a previous Wall Street Journal article that ranks high schools based on the colleges and universities attended by their graduates. Mr. Bassett’s letter is posted here with the permission of the NAIS. </p>
<p>As noted by Mr. Bassett of the NAIS: </p>
<p>"In ‘The Price of Admission’ (4-2-04), the Wall Street Journal ranks high schools based on their purported success in helping students get into a short list of 10 highly selective colleges and universities. Not only is this article misguided and reductive, it misleads consumer-minded parents about the factors that should be considered in the complex process of choosing a school. Paying for a great high school is like paying for a membership in great health club. You can spend a lot for access to state-of-the-art equipment and expert trainers, but if you don’t exercise, you won’t get results. Students who fail to apply themselves will find their college choices limited, regardless of the quality (or cost) of their high school. </p>
<p>"Independent school graduates are attractive to a wide range of colleges and universities because independent schools provide challenging academics within intimate learning environments. The culture nurtures creativity, self-discipline, self-confidence, and critical thinking skills. Independent school students also participate in an extraordinary range of academic and extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities, and such participation tracks well with success in college and thereafter. </p>
<p>"What’s most misguided about the WSJ article, however, is the simplistic and erroneous notion that there is a small group of prestigious colleges and only a slightly larger group of independent schools and elite public schools that cater to them. Truth be told, good schools, public and private, succeed not when they make someone’s arbitrary ‘Top Ten’ list but when they match their graduates with the appropriate colleges where the students will flourish. " </p>
<p>~ Patrick F. Bassett President, National Association of Independent Schools Washington, DC</p>