<p>I don't assume that all students at private schools are "the same" ... except that they can afford to attend private schools, and private schools often can provide classes and ECs that many public schools cannot. My daughters very rural school offers no advanced science or math classes other than AP Calc senior year. Ours is the only school in our county, and the only school within a thirty mile radius with an orchestra. Language classes begin in 7th grade, and we only offer Spanish and French (they just dropped German). And our public school is considered the most affluent in the county ... I don't mean any disrespect, IzzyD, when I suggest that you read Jonathan Kozol to get a sense of the terrific variance in public education. Yes, there are large, wealthy, public schools with little diversity. But there are also many, many underfunded schools largely populated by minority students or economically disadvantaged students of all backgrounds ... schools which wouldn't exist in the private school realm. There are all kinds of diversity, and I think you are missing the point of the kind of diversity I'm talking about. And perhaps the LACS who have a higher percent of public school students aren't tapping into the kind of diversity I'm talking about either. Maybe using percent of students who are awarded Pell Grants combined with public schools would be better. </p>
<p>I apologize for seeming to put you in a box. Nonetheless, unless you can show me data to the contrary, I will continue to think that there is a much greater variance in public education students and their experiences (in the aggregate) than students at private schools (again, in the aggregate). And I think it is high time that students attending private schools at any level understand that they are privileged. Just to be clear, I desperately wanted to send my daughter to a private boarding school, and I am sending her to Carleton. I understand the value of education, and I am thankful to be able to afford to makle this opportunity available. At the same time, I am aware that we are being offered something that others, many others, won't ever experience.</p>
<p>Interesting note, though not completely relevant to the conversation here: There are several private schools in and around our community that range in cost from $4,000 to $18,000 per year. Combined, they'll have anywhere from 300-to-400 graduating high school seniors each spring. Last year, my daughter's public high school--with kids from nearly every cultural background, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, etc., and a graduating class of 425--produced 15 National Merit Finalists. Two other public city schools produced 16 NMFs. That's a total of 31 NMFs. Our local private schools combined for ... one. I was amazed when I read this, so I checked data from past years. It sure seems to be the norm here. If I'd spent big money to send my daughters to a private school, I would have expected something so much better. I know are plenty of wonderful private schools turning out high achievers and future scholars, but they've fallen pretty flat in my part of the world.</p>
<p>Vossron- I haven't heard or read that, but don't know that I would. Looking back at the past few years of CDS, it seems that Carleton get lots more apps from women than men - 25% in '07/08; 32% in '06/07. They admitted 10 and 6% more, respectively. No way we can tell whether that's because the guys who applied were stronger candidates or because Carleton was using gender as a factor in aiming for a balanced class or some combo of the two. I looked but didn't find any trend in yields. In '06/07 (32% more women apps; 6% more women admitted; and the class ended up with 17% more women - the yield among guys was quite a bit lower (24% vs 38%). However, '07/08 had a slightly higher yield among men. Ees one of life's many meesteries:)</p>
<p>Treeman:
None of the other factors you cited trigger my alarm or dismay in the least. I think you have clearly misunderstood me. </p>
<p>My intention wasn't to begin an argument. I wouldn't want to be at an imbalanced institution either. I was just surprised that Carleton wasn't slightly off-balance in the other direction if in any. I am not defending similar inflation of men's standing in the applicant pool at any other institution, either. It's a problem without a solution; gender imbalance is undesirable but it's pretty unfortunate that women have such a difficult time getting into school relative to their peers. </p>
<p>I'm not sure what whoever made the comment was trying to insinuate, but many liberal arts colleges appear to have extremely competitive sports programs for men and women alike.</p>
<p>tomjones: what was the point of reviving this thread, exactly, if you’re so annoyed by “speech and debaters”? (which isn’t even what this is, but that’s a bit beside my point)</p>