<p>The number of AP courses is incredibly misleading, since some schools choose not to list a course as an AP course so they can cover the material they feel most necessary - many students are considered “prepared” for the AP exams and do quite well after these courses, but the courses themselves are not APs. For example, Phillips Exeter in NH doesn’t offer any AP courses, which would hurt them quite a bit in rankings such as these, even though Exeter is generally seen as one of the strongest schools in the area.</p>
<p>No Exeter…? These rankings are stupid cuz even though Exeter doesn’t offer AP courses cuz their courses are not only better, but they also prepare you for the AP courses.</p>
<p>I find it ridiculous they included schools like CATHEDRAL and holyoke catholic but not Wilbraham & Monson or Williston Northampton; or even NMH!!! From experience cathedral and holyoke are DEFINITELY not ANY better than the 3 aforementioned schools. in fact i’d go as far to say there is definitely no comparison whatsoever.
Well, this is what happens when you trust Boston…(IMO,JS)</p>
<p>FellsMom-
I can honestly say that Commonwealth is unlike other schools in that if they do “brag” about their ranking, it is completely qualified. Year after year Commonwealth not only turns out the most Merit Scholars in MA, but also well-rounded and intellectually curious and kind students. Did you go to the Open House? If you did you saw that clearly, the Boston magazine ratings were carefully thought out and well awarded.</p>
<p>It was this list in a magazine lying on a cofee table when I was hanging out with friends that got me to google prep schools. Amazing really seeing how it has changed my life.</p>
<p>This ranking means nothing. It’s comparing apples and oranges. Of course Commonwealth is going to have insane scores. There are only 200 kids in the school and the admissions at Commonwealth looks only at intelligence and grades in the selection process. No athletics or social skills whatsoever. On the other hand, Andover is a school of over a thousand students, made up of not only scholars but also athletes. It’s a more well rounded school. Don’t reference these rankings when truly comparing schools. It’s useless.</p>
<p>Please render my previous comment irrelevant. It was posted out of rude spontaneity. I apologize if it offended anyone. There is no way of deleting posts, but I would do so if there was.</p>
<p>Everybody knows Boston magazine is a joke. I called their consultant who put together the list. The consultant said that the list published in the magazine was not the list the consultant prepared. It was modified by the magazine. The magazine also modifies the public school list they prepare. Anybody who knows anything about these schools would put them in tiers. Tier one is RL, Groton, Nobles, Andover, Exeter, St Paul’s, windsor, maybe Milton. Tier two is BBN, bel hill, mx. Lawrence and governors are at the bottom of the isl, along with st sebs and tabor. Commonwealth is a tier 1/2 school. Bu academy and concord academy are tier 2/3. The other isls are tier 3. Newton country day is clearly tier 3. The other schools in the BM so called list of top dozen are tier 3 at best. Just ask any parent who tries to get their kids in to these schools. Ask any parent from Fessy or meadowbrook which schools are best. They will tell you exactly what I just did because these parents know.</p>
<p>Quick correction- Deerfield is obviously also tier 1. I never heard of Montrose or waring they are clearly BM “plants” and don’t belong in the top 30.</p>
<p>Just putting it out there that although a lot of this list can be confusing, some schools didn’t give as much info as the other schools. That caused school like RL, which is obviously top tier, to be sent down to lower rankings. </p>
<p>Also, this is mostly a day school list. If you are in Boston looking at day schools, like I was, then you have heard of most of these schools. A lot of these schools, although perhaps not top tier, are actually well known in Boston and the Boston suburbs. Just thought I would put that out there since CC is mostly boarding school based, people may have different ideas of what should’ve been on this list. </p>
<p>I think that there is no point in insulting a list made about 2 or 3 years ago, if you don’t plan on using it. Not trying to be offensive, that’s just my opinion.</p>