Don't have legacies AND many at Hunter/Stuy need a lot of FA. Kids get recruited for a sport, get tons of merit aid, etc. and that weighs heavily in their decisions.
It's not just the legacies. Our private school has tons of legacies, but the college placement is nowhere near Brearley's. It's more than just that. It's a catch 22. The school attracts great teachers and students. It has a great reputation. Because of the reputation, they get great teachers and students. With great teachers and students, they get a great reputation.
Anonymous
Dec 02, 2020
Agree. It's a combination of factors. Every private school from Brearley down to Dwight costs $55k and every single one is filled with legacies. Brearley gets the results that it does because of: (i) selective admissions; (ii) counseling out of underperformers; (iii) a small class (so if you place 5 at Harvard then that's 10% of the class); (iv) a rigorous program with high quality teachers; (v) faculty and administration that provides significant college admissions support + connections; and yes, (vi) legacy families. But it's not just that last factor.
As for comparison between the private schools and Hunter, it's hard to follow what the Hunter parents are saying. Because typically they will tell you that HCES is basically the same as a private school and there are tons of families that could have done private, and everyone who people know from HCES is an Ivy grad etc. etc. But then when it comes to explaining their exmissions, it's because it's a group of impoverished and underprivileged kids who make decisions based on merit scholarships. In reality, there are plenty of legacies (though not money) at HCES who end up at HCHS. The reason that the school underperforms its talent pool (and the kids are just as talented if not more than at Brearley or any other private) is that it lacks the administrative support that the private schools have. The selling point of Hunter has been and always will be the peer group; everything else about it is lackluster, and that is on full display right now.
@anonymous HCHS parent - DC started in 7th - and I don't feel like it's a private school crowd at all. I can only think of 2 kids in our grade (out of 200+) who switched from a K - 12 private (am discounting Speyer in this, since it's not the typical private). Our UWS public ES was on the whole a much wealthier group of parents.
Also, aside from the PSC drama, I think HS parents are pretty happy with how Hunter has handled remote learning.
Being a celebrity's daughter is not a "hook" on its own. Just ask Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin. And there are plenty of legacies and big donors at other schools. Brearley gets its results because of the combination of factors that another poster described.
We know a few Brearley girls since age 3 -- and I must say they are truly smart and driven and always were!
Do you all really think that they don't stock the class with legacies? Really?
100 %. Impressive matriculation are Hunters or Stuy who do not have the legacies...
Don't have legacies AND many at Hunter/Stuy need a lot of FA. Kids get recruited for a sport, get tons of merit aid, etc. and that weighs heavily in their decisions.
Are you saying that is more or less impressive for Hunter and Stuy?
It's not just the legacies. Our private school has tons of legacies, but the college placement is nowhere near Brearley's. It's more than just that. It's a catch 22. The school attracts great teachers and students. It has a great reputation. Because of the reputation, they get great teachers and students. With great teachers and students, they get a great reputation.
Agree. It's a combination of factors. Every private school from Brearley down to Dwight costs $55k and every single one is filled with legacies. Brearley gets the results that it does because of: (i) selective admissions; (ii) counseling out of underperformers; (iii) a small class (so if you place 5 at Harvard then that's 10% of the class); (iv) a rigorous program with high quality teachers; (v) faculty and administration that provides significant college admissions support + connections; and yes, (vi) legacy families. But it's not just that last factor.
As for comparison between the private schools and Hunter, it's hard to follow what the Hunter parents are saying. Because typically they will tell you that HCES is basically the same as a private school and there are tons of families that could have done private, and everyone who people know from HCES is an Ivy grad etc. etc. But then when it comes to explaining their exmissions, it's because it's a group of impoverished and underprivileged kids who make decisions based on merit scholarships. In reality, there are plenty of legacies (though not money) at HCES who end up at HCHS. The reason that the school underperforms its talent pool (and the kids are just as talented if not more than at Brearley or any other private) is that it lacks the administrative support that the private schools have. The selling point of Hunter has been and always will be the peer group; everything else about it is lackluster, and that is on full display right now.
Hunter parent here and completely agree! This year the school (particularly the ES) has felt like a meh public
@anonymous HCHS parent - DC started in 7th - and I don't feel like it's a private school crowd at all. I can only think of 2 kids in our grade (out of 200+) who switched from a K - 12 private (am discounting Speyer in this, since it's not the typical private). Our UWS public ES was on the whole a much wealthier group of parents.
Also, aside from the PSC drama, I think HS parents are pretty happy with how Hunter has handled remote learning.
Because Legacy, Super Donors, and girls like Tina Fey's daughters get into HYP
Right. Think they call that a "hook"...
So there are very few legacy, super donors, or celebrities at other privates that don't have nearly the same matriculation numbers as Brearley?
Being a celebrity's daughter is not a "hook" on its own. Just ask Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin. And there are plenty of legacies and big donors at other schools. Brearley gets its results because of the combination of factors that another poster described.
Brearley is a known Harvard feeder. if you are smart and a legacy you will likely get in