<p>After reading a majority of these chances posts I have noticed that many of them come from those who attend public schools. However, a B at a private school is equivalent to an A at public school. I was wondering how colleges compare candidates from public schools vs private schools. For example a 3.8 at a Public School vs a 3.4 at a Private school, which student would have the better chances?</p>
<p>depends on the level of the course. public schools do offer honors and ap courses which will look a lot better than just normal classes.</p>
<p>So a B at Bronx Academy of Science is equivalent to an A at a local Catholic High school. What an over-generalization!</p>
<p>However, students from more rigorous (not nessacerily private) Schoo will be looked at as stronger canidates. However, sometimes (not that often) the need for diversity will tip the balance in favor of a public school students.</p>
<p>Also, if you go to a poor quality school it is very easy to have a very good class rank.</p>
<p>i think if 2 students one in a private and one in a public have the same gpa scores and sat scores...they should be looked upon the same...and based on other things...but im not sure how its done</p>
<p>Sorry I didnt mean to offend anyone or overgeneralize. However the question still stands, how does a student coming from Private school with a VERY strong academic record compare to someone coming from public school.</p>
<p>Morgan- I would give the student from private school the edge because his courseload is probably a lot more rigorous.</p>
<p>To answer you question, the student will look better.</p>
<p>The question makes no sense. There are private schools that have average students all over the Country. Then you have a few in urban areas and the top boarding preps that are almost as hard as ivies to get into. Some people call parochial schools private, many score below their local publics.</p>
<p>Look at amazing publics like TJ , Stuy and Bx Science. None could be compared to an average american high school by a mile. Average SAT 1100 or 1400. And TJsis higher than any private!</p>
<p>There is a hugh range from public to public and private to private.</p>
<p>I go to a prep boarding school btw.. and I want to compare that to the "great" public high school that I could be going to.
In the end does it all come down to how well your target university knows your school? I am wondering this because had I gone to public school my stats would be MUCH higher than they are.</p>
<p>In the end, it all comes down to your teachers, course offerings, study abroad opportunities,peers....I don't think there's a great comparison gto a classic boarding school.</p>
<p>colleges look at your performance in comparison to your school, not just to other kids</p>
<p>Do you go to private school? Just because mommy and daddy overly paid for school doesn't make one get further in life, it just means my mommy and daddy had more money to spend on my car than theirs. Thats a stereotype that you have all wrong, richer kids aren't smarter. Richer kids can afford to pay someone to make sure they get good grades. If you look at the today's greatest leader's and ceo's, they started out of their garage, not their college prep school</p>
<p>Well, ummmm, Bill Gates and many of his peers did start at at private preps. Many resent presidents and candidates spent time in the halls of the best boarding sxhools. So let's not start this idiotic thread again, success can come from anywhere, but money and connections never hurt.</p>
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<p>But aren't there other factors? Just because the course was more rigorous doesn't mean it was harder for the student...private schools usually have smaller class sizes creating more teacher support, which means this student may not be as independently astute as, say, a kid from a very large public school who had to basically learn the stuff on his/her own. College, especially large sized universities, probably want independent learners more than those who have grown a dependence on the teacher hand feeding them.</p>
<p>Baclava- I do attend a private boarding school,
"Richer kids can afford to pay someone to make sure they get good grades"- I find this statement to be a stereotype, as its not true, atleast in my case an the case of many people at my school. Also out of my school the majority of students attend universities in the top 20, however at my local public school the majority attend state uni. </p>
<p>311Griff- Private schools do have smaller classes however this does not mean that the teachers baby the student, in many cases the students are expected to teach themselves.</p>
<p>A B at a private school is equivalent to an A at a public school, that's such bull.</p>
<p>I have a friend who came from a private school where he made mostly A's, and now he's making B's here.</p>
<p>Ya.. this is kind of a touchy issue on here.. lots of public schoolers start pms'ing and then call the private school kids snobby and arrogant.. </p>
<p>Getting into ivies shouldn't be your prime objective when you are applying to private schools. Sure, some feeder schools send over 10 students a year to harvard, but the competition there will be much fiercer.</p>
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Ya.. this is kind of a touchy issue on here.. lots of public schoolers start pms'ing and then call the private school kids snobby and arrogant..
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<p>People also start pmsing at the mention of Affirmative Action, and whining how it's "sooo unfair", when almost everyone (literally) is affected in a positive way from it.</p>
<p>But i changed the subject, sorry. Do continue</p>
<p>Private/independent schools are not automatically better, especially since just about anyone can open a new school these days. There is no guarantee that someone who attends a private is better prepared academically. It just means that mummy and daddy can dish out the $$$ for a private school education.</p>
<p>In Silicon Valley, a parent's annual investment in a good private school can range from $10k at Bellarmine College Preparatory to $24k at Harker Academy...per child! The public school investment ranges from $6k-$7k in Silicon Valley, with only a couple of super-affluent communities (Palo Alto, Saratoga, Los Gatos) in the $8k-$9k-$10k range. The numbers for public school are misleading though, because the cost of accommodating a special ed child can reach $50k-$75k a year!</p>
<p>We also have to be conscious that private schools can be selective about who actually attends their school. Publics have to pretty much accept anyone who lives inside the school's attendance boundaries. Privates can be very specific about what academic opportunities are available but publics have to try to accommodate the needs of every student (language issues and other learning disabilities) in the school's attendance area.</p>
<p>The quality of AP and Honors courses really very in public schools, where James Lick HS and San Jose High Academy, located in sccio-economically challenged neighborhoods, simply are not on the same level as Lynbrook, Gunn and Saratoga HSs which are in the most affluent areas of Silicon Valley. Not all students are even allowed to take AP and Honors courses. Some school policies require that students be recommended by a GC or other school staff person, which sometimes lead to discriminatory practices.</p>
<p>This is why adcoms can never look exclusively at the GPA or SAT scores, even among publics in the same school district.</p>
<p>They compare students based on the individual school they attend. Obviously, a student at Harker Academy in Cali, who has probably already taken Queuentory Mathematics and Multivariable Calculus, will be a step up from another, "average" private school or really good public school.</p>
<p>However, there are several public schools (one of which I'm fortunate enough to attend), who regularly send 20-40 students to Ivy Leagues every year. They compare the individual to the opportunities presented to him.</p>