The output pretty much equals the input. A student enters high school with a certain set of attributes of brain, character, talent, privilege, etc. A good school makes the most of all of these attributes, and college placement reflects this in a general way. Smart, talented, privileged students from top high schools with great college counseling go to good colleges. Duh. If they are smarter and/or more talented and/or extra-privileged, they have a better chance at most selective colleges, if that’s where they want to go. I know we often go around and around on this topic, because we are all wondering how our own kids will do in the rat race, but is there really anything left to say?
There would be several possible ways to measure high school performance. Unfortunately, there is almost no way for anyone outside the school (or even inside) to accurately track and post those measurements.
First, there is value in keeping the good input students on track so that the 8th grade junior astrophysicists/super students end up being able to go anywhere they want by the time they leave high school. No burnout, no drug problems, still academically oriented, etc. A school that can do that more often might be viewed as better at doing the school thing than one that cannot, at least for the good input students.
For other people, the true value in a BS education might come from seeing what the school does with the lesser input student. Does it take kids with lower SSATs and turn them into students with higher than equivalent SATs? Does it take indifferent students, or students who are smart but not laser-focused, and lead them into developing true passion for learning or a particular subject?
If only these sorts of metrics could be analyzed, we might be able to compare schools looking at output, for academics, anyway. Still wouldn’t be able to tell which ones can better develop an athlete, help kids to develop good moral character, to live independently, and so on and so on.
You can’t measure what a good education - or a good experience while becoming educated - does for a person. But that’s outside the topic of this thread…
I would agree, not to look at Ivy or any other college Matriculation data and create assumptions. As it was pointed out to me, legacy is a factor as well as “recruited athletes,” and other factors in elite college admissions. Believe in your student and build on their strengths and interests; look for opportunities, and stop chasing prestige. Prestige doesn’t necessarily equate with “success” no matter how you define it.