Saw the latest Niche ranking. Was surprised to see Choate at #3, although the school seems to have a lot of momentum and has been receiving more applications relative to some of its peers (Deerfield, Hotchkiss). Still, find it hard to see Loomis ahead of Hotchkiss, and Groton all the way down at #10, below Noble.
Any thoughts on this list? What has happened to SPS’ traditionally high SAT scores?
Niche 2019 (School website for 2017-2018 SAT/ACT scores, not the self-reported scores from Niche)
These are all good schools and “Best” lists are always suspect, especially Niche rankings. In this case, Niche methodology weights 25% of their ranking on students who attend their own self-reported Niche Best Colleges ranking which you may or may not agree with. The methodology also places 10% weight each on self-reported cultural diversity and self-reported parent-student surveys of the overall experience. 15% is based on objective data on 4 year college enrollment but this is practically useless here since every school sends virtually all of their students to 4 year colleges. The SAT and ACT data that you provided, weighted at 30%, is as close to the only meaningful objective data point here but out of context what does that tell you about a school? Student – Teacher ratios weighted at 10% may have some minor influence in the ranking but most will have very low ratios. These are all good schools as are many others not included here but the bottom line is which school is best for your student? That is the only ranking that matters.
@BordDuLac In answer to your question regarding St. Paul’s School average SAT scores: NICHE reports 1410 SAT & 32 ACT. St. Paul’s website reports 1406 average SAT scores for most recent class.
Does SPS website even report ACT scores ? If so, I could not find it.
I think that you need to recheck your numbers (SAT & ACT) for several schools listed in your original post in this thread.
ERW = 686 Math = 676 Total average SAT = 1362 for Choate Rosemary Hall.
Choate’s ACT average scores are: E = 31.8; M = 29.8 ; R = 31.3 ; S = 29.6
Choate’s website reports an average ACT composite score of 30.8.
Several boarding schools, possibly including Andover although not clear, appear to be reporting only the middle 50% results of standardized test scores rather than a true average or mean score.
IMHO Niche rankings mean next to nothing. Displaying statistics like “100% of students say X” based on less than 10 unverified rankings shows that either Niche has no understanding of statistics and data analysis - or they just don’t care about reporting meaningful information.
I think the best use of Niche is as a way to figure out, based on comments from users, what questions you might want to ask.
Beyond that, you really need to find the right fit. Is the teaching style right? Do they have activities and sports that matter to you? Is it nurturing or sink or swim? Structured or lots of freedom? And so on.
As for SAT scores, what does that actually tell you? That they admitted only kids who did well on the SSAT and are good test-takers? That they moved kids from the 70% percentile to the 90% one? If the latter, through the regular curriculum or test prep (or a culture where parents pay for tons of test prep?)
All of these schools are excellent, but they aren’t all the same. An important part of visiting and talking to folks there is to determine what the school is and where your kid will do best. It can be a great opportunity to develop self-knowledge if approached that way.
These rankings are absurd and perpetuate old reputations. In addition, Niche included day schools like Nobles: they have one dorm of five-day boarders. If Niche wants to get serious (and gain credibility), they need to get real numbers from schools on attrition, participation numbers for annual fund, and build bigger samples.
Bottom line: do your own research.
Niche really isn’t that accurate at all. Other posters have cited how they determine their ranking. Frankly, diversity has nothing to do with academic standing. Yes, it’s great for kids to learn about the world and other people who are different but it isn’t really something that is as critical as academics/SATs or anything that is weighed in these scores. Some care about it, some don’t. Likewise, some care quite a bit about test scores and some on this board think they don’t matter at all. Determine what is best for you/your child in terms of meaningful categories and then decide. When we were making decisions we had a spreadsheet and ranked each school (gave it a grade after a visit) Strangely enough, since they interview both the kid and the parent, the rankings when compared were usually very similar. ( My kiddo often gave the school a lower rank than I did).
The way Niche determines rank elevates schools with a high % of diverse students and self reported love. And it pushes down schools which have a strong academic bent. If you look at their public school rankings schools who are located in cities with high diversity score far higher than those in suburbs with none even with higher scores. Take it for what it’s worth, IMO, little. But realize that it is used by others.
Show a ranking to anyone and they’re interested. 10 best this, top 20 universities, most romantic restaurants etc. It’s a surefire way to get eyes and a nearly useless data point in selecting a school for your adolescent child.
Every time an organization does a “ranking”, they change the criteria or weigh the factors differently so they can publicize a list that looks different than the one they publicized the year before. I should know. I’ve been hired to publicize these kinds of lists before
This is like public school rankings in New England–schools districts with low diversity numbers are penalized. Diversity may be desired as an positive factor but it has nothing to do with overall quality of education. Loomis over Hotchkiss? Thats a laugh.
Diversity is important, unless a quality education = Preparing students so they can grow up to collaborate with, manage, govern, and market only to/with people who look, sound, and think just like them…
@CaliMex thats not the point. diversity may be of a general value but it does have nothing to do with the quality of the education and should not be an element of ranking other than a nice to know…
I would argue that diversity does have something to do with the quality of education. While I don’t know that it brings anything to the table with respect to math or science, it’s relevant to the humanities. If students are to think critically about a subject, doesn’t having classmates from a variety of different backgrounds aid in that endeavor? While a student can read about different perspectives from a book or article, I think discussing or debating the issue with someone who can articulate and support a different or opposing view (perhaps because they’ve lived it and have been thinking about it most of their lives) is more valuable. In addition, these discussions may spill out beyond the classroom. While such discussions may fall outside of formally taught courses, I see it as part of the educational experience that I, at least, am pleased that my child is receiving. Of course, not everyone will agree.
I think that any ranking that considers anything more than a single empirical factor is essentially an opinion defined by its methodology. I don’t know that any one of us would have picked exactly the same factors, attributed each factor exactly the same weight, and measured each factor in precisely the same way as was done here. There are certainly some results that don’t align with my personal views, but I can say that for just about every ranking I’ve ever seen.
All rankings are suspect. These are complete and utter garbage.
You are doing yourself a disservice if you let Niche influence your perception of schools.
(full disclosure, I’m a huge fan of a school that should be high on this list and doesn’t appear).
I vote we let this thread sink into oblivion.
Definitive…no. Trash…no. One subjective piece of information for new families to the whole boarding school process to use the get familiar with schools…sure. Many schools tend to cluster between various rankings and methodologies. It’s unlikely that #300 is actually meant to be #1. Sport scouts cannot only discriminate based on participant trophies…like it or not, rankings provide a starting point and it’s up to the user to do their homework.
