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06.12.08, 17:18 PM General Topics
33 replies
Curious: what defines a "top tier" school. What makes it so great? [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
General Topics 06.12.08, 05:18 PM Flag
 

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College exmissions. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:21 PM Flag
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also, smarter peer group (though there are very smart kids at non-TTs, TTs have a greater % of smart kids in each class) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:25 PM Flag
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yes this is true, not so much necessarily in the early elementary years but beginning in about 3rd grade and up, kids who struggle academically are counseled out....hence another reason they have good college admissions. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:29 PM Flag
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Every year, there are moms who come to UB and say how they sent their dc's to 2nd tier or whatever bec they loved the school even though their kids had 99erb, etc., but they realized school is catering to kids who need help and not provide what their dc's need (more advanced, faster paced curriculum)... [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:34 PM Flag
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Not any more or less than a district G&T program really. Maybe even less smart of a peer group as a whole in each grade. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:33 PM Flag
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OP: I would think the exmissions are pre-determined based on the parent population that can afford the TT schools. And the ultimate view, then, is that Ivy League schools are the best colleges? So it's all based on a very narrow view of "success" and "education" then. What will a kid in a TT private school learn that a kid in public or a 2nd tier not learn? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:00 PM Flag
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Well, all private schools (TT or not) are made of parents who are very wealthy. College exmission is not based on Ivy alone, they look at non-ivy but excellent schools like Stanford, MIT, small liberal arts colleges like Amherst, Wellesley, etc. 2nd tiers are good, too, of course. Not sure why but TTs attract a greater number of smart kids (however defined) and they can go more into depth/go faster with curriculum. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:04 PM Flag
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If you look at the exmissions, it's many of the 2nd tier schools like Fieldston who exmit to the liberal arts colleges, rather than the TT schools. The TT schools seem to be more university (pref Ivy, Stanford or Duke) oriented. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:09 PM Flag
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with the TT schools, for a lot of the high society types, it's about prestige and wanting your dc around children of people in your social circle. It's not just about the education [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:05 PM Flag
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Plenty of high society types (maybe more) at non-TTs. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:07 PM Flag
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Honestly, IMO, kids in TT schools are not any smarter nor do they "learn" more than kids at a 2nd tier or a good public school HS. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:07 PM Flag
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Top performers at 2nd tiers apply out to TTs for MS or HS later on, though. Not all, but many do. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:10 PM Flag
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In the K-8s, of course they do. As for the K-12 2nd tiers, I'm mostly thinking of Fieldston, Nightingale, St Ann's, for example, and I don't really know how many transfer to a more TT school. The families and kids I know are happy at those schools through HS. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:17 PM Flag
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np. What do you mean the parent population that can afford the TT schools? These schools aren't any more expensive than most of the other NYC privates; they're nearly all in the $30k ballpark now. And whether or not you think the Ivies are "the best", it's a fact they have the most competitive admissions. That a school like Collegiate can send such a huge proportion of its graduates to these ultra-competitive schools is impressive. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:44 PM Flag
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generally it's the schools that send the highest % of kids to ivy colleges...it has less to do with the actually education thought then the 'connection' factor of the high society blue blooded NYers who have been sending their dcs to those particular schools for generations (and then to ivies for generations). [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:22 PM Flag
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Of course both Dalton and HM were decades ago more known for the more newly wealthy, rather than the blue bloods. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:27 PM Flag
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yes because the blue bloods were sending their dcs to single sex schools back then [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:30 PM Flag
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no, it was because dalton and hm were the 2 schools that accepted jews; the blue blood schools did not (or had very strict quotas to limit jewish students). [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:42 PM Flag
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there were plenty of jews and blue bloods at brearley back in the day. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:50 PM Flag
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brearly was the only single-sex school that sort of welcomed jews, that's how they got the rep of having the brainy girls. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:56 PM Flag
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20 years ago it was school with a good reputation for teaching and for getting kids into desirable universities. Today is a different story. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:07 PM Flag
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In what way? I think it's still about colleges. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:10 PM Flag
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Not all parents and children are only concerned about what college they get into. Some actually enjoy the process of learning and being educated. Moreover, not everyone desires to go to Harvard. From what I have seen, all of the privates actually teach children exceedingly well - though some stress testing more than others. "Good college placement" depends on where the child wanted to go - which may be very different than your choice or your choice for your child - or even your child's choice if she should be so lucky as to be allowed to choose. Not meaning you personally there . . . [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:18 PM Flag
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Oh, I agree. I'm saying that the UB TT 7 are those 7 schools because they have the best college exmissions. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:20 PM Flag
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^^^Best exmissions to the Ivies of course + other top schools. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:21 PM Flag
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"Best" how? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:24 PM Flag
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This is in reply to the "Best how?" question above. By percentage of senior class who goes to the 7 Ivies + whatever other schools. The WSJ published a list of the top schools, as did Worth Magazine (many years ago). [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:25 PM Flag
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^^^Oops - 8 Ivies. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:26 PM Flag
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You seem to be missing the point that not every child wishes to go to an Ivy. My highschool girls do not even like college football. And Brown, etc. is not really going to get my eldest an engineer job. The point of the original post, I believe and original poster please correct me if I am wrong, is that 20 years ago the college choices were rather different than they are today. 20 years ago the entree into the market place was much narrrower than it is today. It takes a bit more than a Harvard history degree or a Yale English lit degree to land job without connections. Further, though connections will get you a job, they will not keep that job; and someone from Conn U. who majored in web-based marketing will take it. The Ivies are dead. Unless Mr. President can help bring up their reputation. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:40 PM Flag
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I was really just trying to make the point that just beacuse 20 years ago they were the only school choices does not mean that they are any better than any of the newer schools. Naturally, the newer schools have less history university placements but, per chance, this is not the only tesst of a school. Wild thought I know. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:47 PM Flag
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heresy! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:57 PM Flag
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Quite frankly, I think you are the one missing my point. I totally agree with you in that not everyone wants Ivy. I believe that you can get a better undergraduate education at a liberal arts college. My ONLY point is that those 7 schools are called Top Tier only because of their exmissions to the Ivies & other top ranked colleges. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 10:11 PM Flag
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there's a little bride couple on the roof. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:52 PM Flag
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