SPS, at least when my kids went there, only had placement tests for foreign language. Additionally, selective colleges do consider rigor in addition to grades when looking at transcripts and evaluations. Sounds like a losing game to me to shortchange your education.
math and language for many: math can play into science placement. some do it for GPA boosting -some for other strategic reasons.
We’re still new the game, but I’m surprised that any kids who might be doing this were not moved up a level in the first couple weeks of school. DC witnessed a fair number of other kids moving in view of their knowledge and ability in the Fall. I suppose kids (and/or their parents) could resist the move, but DC feels that kids generally want to move up to the highest level possible.
Agree, @CaliPops. At my kids’ school, there was movement both up and down the first few weeks to find the right level.
It must differ from school to school, then, because I did not catch a whiff of it, nor did my kids, and given the school’s methods of placing students, I think it would be hard to game. Plus as I mentioned, colleges do consider the level of rigor. Most students I knew - and their parents - were looking to maximize their rigor level while also doing well grade-wise. I saw more students/families trying to argue for higher placement not lower placement.
If it does go on at some schools, shame on the parents because that is where it is stemming from.
Course rigor makes all the difference in college acceptances, IME, especially at very competitive high schools the colleges know well. That scam will have limited impact.
This just helps show why class ranking, particularly ranking based solely on GPA, doesn’t make sense at schools in which the students have dramatically different coursework.
Commonplace in your experience. My experience differs. If anything, many students would cram in the hopes of advancing a level higher which their past courses would indicate would be appropriate.
And probably why many top boarding schools don’t rank.
Ways to try to game the system that were apparent in some cases:
Families paying for private evaluations to get accommodations (extended timing) on testing , more for the standardized tests than class work.
Families having kids “diagnosed” so they could take performance altering prescription drugs.
I doubt it is just a boarding school thing, though. Just those with too much money and too much focus on status. Again, I blame the families for misguided values. What kind of message does it send to your children? What kind of pressure does that place on them?
@doschicos @twinsmama @Center. Yup, Imagine…it happened.
@Skieurope many of my daughters high class mates never took more than honors in math and science not even AP AB Calc, yet they were admitted to Harvard. They were hooked multi generational Harvard kids.
I told my kids - “you are ORM, unhooked, need full need based aid, only thing you have is your persistence and ability to think.” I told my kids that You are still better than many kids who have no parental support and sometime do not have place to sleep and food to eat, yet they persevere and still achieve their dreams." If these kids despite so much odds against can do it, I told my kids you can do it too. I told them story about Rockefeller when they were young. And I think this is the reason America is a land of opportunity and every person wants to come here
[bold] Life is not fair. [/bold]. Learn how to swim or be drowned.
@nynycasino1234 I’m not sure why I’m tagged on the above comment, since I was not quoting you. However, my answer still applies: that is your experience; mine differed.
You are right you never quoted me. I was out of line. But I am still grateful to prep school for giving my kids chance. The only way I will count my kids succeeded if they return the favor back to school by donating tonnes of money so in future more kids like mine can be admitted who needs money. Non Sibi is very important tradition that has been drilled into us.
One thing that I should mention that the kids who were good in humanities were very good in humanities even though they never took higher level math and higher level science. And they did matriculate in humanities subject.
@nynycasino1234 I’m glad you are sharing your experiences so openly and freely. Its good to hear some unique voices. It’s true that we all don’t have the same experience, so I value hearing other opinions here. How quick are we to state, that’s not my experience…and so we each have our own vantage point. When all we see are rosy pictures, its hard for me to identify, so I’m happy to see some disparate opinions. thanks
@skieurope yes everyone’s experiences are different and exposure to information varies wildly–you were a student not a parent correct? The competitive world of college admissions with consultants writing essays and preparing applications has changed dramatically even in the last 3 years, 5 years and 10 years. More than a few top schools I am familiar with have nearly half their student bodies with some accommodations. (Students tend not to discuss this stuff with each other and are often in the dark–parents often learn much more in conversations with school faculty and other parents)
@doschicos Please be careful about what you say regarding extra time accommodations and learning disabilities. While I’m sure there are people who do cheat the system- and there always will be those people in life- many people (including myself) truly do have diagnosed learning disabilities and genuinely need accommodations such as extra time on tests. And no, my parents did not try to game the system and pay their way into me getting accommodations for my learning disabilities. Please be careful in the ways you phrase things and the way you generalize- I’m sure you didn’t intend to be hurtful but it could come across that way. Thanks.
@cababe97 I’m well aware that many students have legitimate LDs that warrant accommodations. Those aren’t the students I am talking about of course. Sorry if you felt attacked by the comment. It wasn’t my intention to project that it encompassed the entirety of those seeking accommodations. However, it is an angle which some families do work to gain an unnecessary perceived advantage.
@cababe97
I adore @doschicos but was about to post something similar.
SPS rents school space close to campus for tutoring needs. It has become that widespread. Students can get extended time on SAT/ACT as well as all school work if they have documentation–i.e a formal diagnosis. And its easy to get. Nearly every school accepts and accommodates diagnosed disabilities from ADD to ADHD to word processing and so forth. Its the new strategy --none of it is discloseable to colleges under HIPPAA. So HYP etc doesn’t know that an applicant got twice as long on all their tests and SATS.
“SPS rents school space close to campus for tutoring needs.”
To clarify, there is an independent tutoring company that many parents hire near campus. It is not part of the school. SPS has plenty of space on campus to accommodate any services it wishes to provide. They wouldn’t need to rent it. But yes, it is used by some SPS students and is within easy walking distance to campus.