Why Ranks Don't Matter

The article in Friday's New York Times pertains to college admissions. But it is relevant to the issue of ranking private schools as well. It seems that the college admissions offices are trying to get back to basics. Standardized test scores - SAT and ACT - were never originally supposed to be more than one benchmark against which potential applicants were measured. But colleges are ranked by such things as the SAT and ACT scores their accepted students have earned. Frankly that throws a lot of things out of whack as the article points out.

Private schools have traditionally circled the wagons when it comes to revealing SSAT/ISEE scores and other benchmarks for their applicants. That's why it is virtually impossible to rank private schools. Of course, everybody knows that Exeter, Andover and all the other top prep schools are some of the best in the world. But they are very, very selective and hard to get into.

So, what about all the other private schools? How do you know you have chosen the best school for your child if ranks do not matter? Because the best school for you will be the one which suits your needs better than other schools. In other words the best school for your child is the one which is the best fit.