Re: Private Schools Seek to Stick to Their Own Standards

["George K. Cunningham" <gkc@LOUISVILLE.EDU>]

We have already had some discussion of this topic on this list.  Monty and
the position of Fairtest is that these coaching programs can raise scores
substantially.  My review of recent research in refereed journals suggests
that it can't.  Those $200 an hour tutors put me in mind of some ideas of
P.T. Barnum.

George K. Cunningham
University of Louisville
----- Original Message -----
From: Raymond Larrabee <rlarrabee@MEDIAONE.NET>
To: <ARN-L@listsrva.CUA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 1999 7:09 PM
Subject: Re: Private Schools Seek to Stick to Their Own Standards


> I recall reading an article in the New York Times Sunday Magazine about
high
> priced tutors for the SAT. I think these companies charged $200. an hour
for one
> on one tutoring, guaranteed to raise scores. This might be an effect that
income
> has on SAT scores.
> Ally
>
> Deborah Meier wrote:
>
> > Gerald's point re the impact of prestigious schools is interesting.
This
> > confirms my anecdotal impression re high schools and SATs (and I think I
> > also once saw data on it):  that income, not school, was the primary
> > determiner of student SAT scores.  But to then say that this proves that
> > the school doesn't matter is assuming the SAT or any of these
standarized
> > tests are measuring genuine achievement--or genuine anything else but
> > family background!    I don't believe they are.  And in "academic" and
> > "intellectual" and "aethetic"  terms I do think the good NYC independent
> > schools provide a much stronger and more engaging intellectual fare,
have
> > kids do more writing, read more books, study more in depth, provide
serious
> > arts education, have more seminars of high quality, and offer young
people
> > more seriousand respectful relationships with serious adults,  etc.   It
> > stands to reason given that they have at least twice as much to spend on
> > each kid and can select their kids.   But what's interesting is that it
> > doesn't translate into higher SAT scores.  That's a fascnating fact.
Kids
> > deprived of most of those extras but who come from equally advantaged
> > families score just as well.  I want what those independent schools
provide
> > for all kids--even if it doesn't elevate their SATs either.   That's
what
> > we need to take away from this interesting data.    Deborah  .  p.s.  I
> > haven't seen the Krueger study, Gerald.  Where has it been written
about?
> > I missed it!
> >
> > >Maybe there'll be a little less of this bragging in the future:  Allen
> > >Krueger's work has gotten a lot of play in the popular press.  In crass
> > >terms, e.g., income, Alan finds it doesn't matter where you go to
school.
> > >His is the most carefully controlled study using three large samples
> > >beginning in the 1950's.  He tracked students who were admitted to
selective
> > >schools and went and students who were admitted to selective schools
but
> > >chose less selective.  Thus the samples are matched in terms of where
they
> > >could have gone and differ in terms of where they went.  The Big Ten
can
> > >always beat the Ivy League in football, but it now looks like they can
at
> > >least hold their own in the dollars their alums bring down.
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: Ted Nellen <tnellen@IRIS.HOST4U.NET>
> > >To: <ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU>
> > >Sent: Sunday, November 28, 1999 9:41 AM
> > >Subject: Re: Private Schools Seek to Stick to Their Own Standards
> > >
> > >
> > >> On Sat, 27 Nov 1999, Deborah Meier wrote:
> > >> > specific;  (3)  in fact most private schools do know their kids SAT
> > >> > scores, and most  private schools do brag about them; , but mostly
they
> > >> > brag aout the "real" thing--the colleges their kids get into, their
> > >future
> > >>
> > >> and in more cases than not, the privtae school had little to do with
this
> > >> since the majority go to the school of the father or the mother if
they
> > >> can't traqde up.  alma mater has a big part of where the kids go.
> > >>
> > >> TedN
> > >>
> >
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> >
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