Why are grades lower in private school than in public school?

Question

I go to a private school. I have all my life. I am grateful that my parents care about me so much that they sent me there event though they have to pay a lot of money. It is hard though. Things that a 7th grader learns in private school is what students in 10th grade are learning in public school! And a B in public school is a C in my school. An A in public school is a B in my school. Get it? Anyways I am MAD. I would have gotten all A's and B's if it wasn't for my math grade. I got a C, which means I technically got a B in public school! My parents are mad at me. Saying I am not trying my hardest. D*** it all. Why?! AP plus lower grades?! So unfair.

Answer 1

Private schools demand excellence.  Public schools just look for funding, so they  pass kids on whether they learn or not.

Answer 2

Keep in mind that just because you try your hardest does not mean you're putting forth an adequate effort. This is exactly how it works in real life and this private school is teaching you how to accept defeat, improve yourself, and attack another problem. I know it sounds stupid, but you are probably getting a much better education with your C because they make you work harder in order to get a higher grade. If you work harder, you ARE helping yourself later on. Concepts that seem difficult now will eventually be easy for you by the time everyone else gets around to learning them. I learned a lot of stuff in high school that people I knew had to take in college. There's nothing like being ahead of the curve.

Most important thing here is this: don't give up. Try to study in new ways. Try to attack problems in different ways. This is the foundation of an intelligent person. Intelligence, after all, is just a function of how hard you've worked to UNDERSTAND concepts. Understand what you need to know conceptually and you will do extremely well.

Also, again, I know it sounds stupid, but life isn't fair. It's how you react to the things that are unfair that determine how smart you really are. If you tell yourself "Yes, this is unfair, but unfair things happen to a lot of people, so since I'm smarter than everyone else, I can come out on top of this."

Have confidence in your intelligence.

Answer 3

Hey, I'm in sixth grade and I also go to a private school. I get straight As. I know what you feel like TRUST ME. Just keep telling yourself its worth it. If you can get through that you can accomplish so much more in life. Every time you finish a hard assignment tell yourself your a fighter. You can do it!! Reward yourself for doing your best.

Answer 4

It may be that public school doesn't have as high a standard as private schools, i certainly found that when I moved to a private school. Think about the type of work you used to do to get an A and then think of what you have to do now. See a difference? If you do, look at different ways to study and plan out your school work so that you can get it done better; private schools tend to want more but it is worth it!

Hope this helps and goodluck!

Answer 5

If you're having trouble specifically in math, why not ask your teacher for help?

You could arrange to meet your teacher at lunch.  

By the way, not all private schools are harder than public.  Some are very academics oriented, and some have other focuses.

Answer 6

I went to a private school, so I understand what you are worried about.  A couple of things to consider...

Your grades in middle school aren't going to show up on your transcript and none of your school grades are ever going to be on a resume.

If your school really is advanced, then they should calculate your GPA accordingly, so that it reflects accurately when you are applying to colleges.

If you are really concerned, then I suggest you talk to a trusted teacher, counselor or the principal of the school.  Explain, WITHOUT COMPLAINING, why you are worried and then LISTEN to the explanation you are given.

You could also talk with seniors in your school to see if the school's grading structure and advanced classes have helped or hindered their college application process.

I think you will find that things will get sorted out, but it will take an effort from you to do it.

Good luck!

: )  P

Answer 7

Well, first of all, your 7th grade scores aren't going to make it onto any sort of record that any college will see; your transcripts for college start at grade 9.  

Grades are more stringent at your school because the standards are higher, pure and simple.  They aren't interested in teaching you how to pass the absurd NCLB tests - they're interested in actually *teaching* you, and they expect you to achieve.  This is what education is supposed to be.

The thing about a C in math equalling a B in public school math is a cop-out though - who cares what your grade in another school would have been?  I'm not saying you didn't try - believe me, I completely tanked in math all through school - but don't try to justify it with "if I went to a crappy school my grades would be higher because they wouldn't expect anything out of me."  :)

If you need help in math, get help.  Tell your teacher you'd like tutoring, either from them or from a peer tutor.  Tell your parents you're trying, but you just don't get it.  They obviously care about your education - I know the feeling, I used to spend a mortgage payment on my son's private school tuition each month - but if they don't know you need help and then all of a sudden see a C on your report card, what are they supposed to think?  The logical conclusion would be that you didn't try.

So, talk to them.  Let them know you're sorry you didn't come to them before, but you need help in math.  Tell them that you'd like to get better grades, and you're really trying, but this is a subject that you're weak in.  See what they say - they might just surprise you and have a solution.  :)

One big thing to learn from this, though:  confront your weaknesses head on.  Don't justify with "what could be" somewhere else - do your best where you are.  You're being given some incredible opportunities, but if you pull an "it's not fair" attitude every time you don't do a wonderful job, you're never going to reach the goals you want to achieve.  Do you think Harvard and Yale are going to let you off with "it's not fair" if you don't do well in a class?  They're going to expect you to ask for help, and to take that help for all it's worth.

I know that it's hard, that a lot of things are expected of you, but you're being given a lot in return.  You're being given an education that most kids would give their left thumb for, and it sounds like your parents trust you to do everything you can with it.  Instead of deciding that it sucks, and that you're mad, take advantage of what you're offered.  Eek out every little bit of opportunity that you can from it and use it to get where you want.

You can do it - if you couldn't, your parents wouldn't shell out the cash to send you there.  I know that low grades are discouraging, but you're being given a chance to fix this before it shows up on anything permanent.  (Heck, my 7th grade records don't even exist anymore!)  Take that opportunity to get the help you need in math and raise your grades.  A few more years of hard work will help you get into whatever school you want to.  :)

Answer 8

i've been having the same problem! The only thing that i have found to help some what is to look at review books like McGraw Hill, Barons, Spark notes, etc.  It's not very fun but sometimes information is presented differently then how ap teacher's explain things. i completely agree with the grades, part of the problem is in many private schools there is no grade curve for being in ap or honors as there are in public. It is truly an unfair representation. Unfortunately, parents tend to ignore the fact so the only thing to do is just hang in there =]

Answer 9

r u freakin kidding me? i'd kill to go to a private school, anyways, its not that bad, you actually sound pretty smart

Answer 10

In some private schools grades are lower than in public schools.

People in charge of the admissions at the universities know which schools ( private and public ) are more stringent.

Answer 11

That sucks...but think of it this way, you'll probably have an easier time getting into universities than most public school students.  

It believe you that the work is 10x harder than public school but it's a silly excuse to say something like an A in public school is worth a B in private school.  Whether you live in America or Canada or even most countries, they have marking policies that they have to follow and it's the same for public or private schools.  Just try hard and graduate and you'll be fine!

Answer 12

Private school choose to excel you.

I went to a private school all of high school.

With all the grades being on a 7 Point scale makes you work.

Public school kids are less prepared for college, and it will hit them much harder be happy.

Answer 13

As this is actually the home school section, here's my two cents worth.  I don't think it's right for seventh graders to be doing hours and hours of homework.  I also don't think it's right for kids your age to be so stressed about grades.  I'd rather have my kids enjoy being children than be all worried about the grades they'll need to get into Yale or Harvard.  As it stands now, my three homescooled kids are at least two grade levels ahead. I don't push them.  They're just being allowed to progress at their own pace.  We only have to school in the mornings, so their afternoons are used for music, sports, outings, field trips, play arrangements, volunteering and workshops, all with other homeschooled kids.  There is no "homework", so their evenings and weekends are completely free.  I am watching my kids enjoying their youth and education, which is a luxury many kids will unfortunately never know.

Answer 14

Hey, I know what you mean. I also go to private school. And I think its great (the other kids suck though), but I'm somehow managing to get by. I'm an 8th grader and here exams are VERY important. 30% of ur grade. I think ur parents are getting mad at u because they care about u. Like u said, they sent u to PRIVATE school, so they want the best for u. When first got to private school i had a 60% average. (Thats a C-) Now after one year of hard work, I'm now top in my class with a 90% avg. (Thats an A.) It will take some time to adjust to it. But ull get used to it. Just work really hard for ur exams and ull make ur parents proud.

By the way, I read ur question about the Abercrombia and Hollister and I totally agree with u. (I'm well off in money, very well off) And I don't get why these blonde b*tches wanna look alike. (No offense to blondes.)

Answer 15

I averaged less two years per school by the time I went to college.  The longest time I ever spent at any given school was in fact college.  

What I learned is that each school is very different and paying for it does not necessarily mean you are getting what you pay for.  I attended exceptional private and public schools.  I also attended some pretty bad ones too.

Be glad that your school is presenting a challenge to you.  It appears that math presents a significant challenge to you.  The single best way to improve in math is to do practice problems.  Do each type until it becomes second nature.  If you are stuck on a concept, see the teacher for extra help and be persistent until the light bulb finally goes off.

Answer 16

Hmmm

My kids go to a private school that doesn't actually give grades!  They get performance reviews at the end of each semester and they take the CAT test once a year.  It takes the pressure off of them and they still learn everything they need to.  Granted they are only in the 2nd and 4th grades.  Well they just completed 1st and 3rd but anyway my daughter tested 11.6 on reading 12+ on vocab 8.0 on math 9.0 on science 11.3 on social studies...you get the point my son tested 9.3 on reading 10 on vocab 6.7 on spelling 7 on math and so forth.  The school is small 200 total K-12 with 22 kids per class.  The classes are two grades combined through the 6th grade (1&2, 3&4, 5&6) with 2 teachers per class.  The school operates at a learn at their pace philosophy for the math and reading portions and breaks it into "units" for things like social studies, science, art, and athletics.  Spending a month learning about specific cultures, art forms, sports, and aspects of science.  It is housed in a 19th century building so even the learning environment promotes no stress.  In middle school the students begin to work on their own more and transition into receiving grades.  In high school the kids do receive grades but the school still operates on a "no stress" basis learning at their own pace.  Of course by this time most of the kids are going to the local college campus to take math and science courses and we have some professors that visit for our units on poetry, psychology, current events, and history.  Our kids have one of the highest college acceptance rates in the country and test out of most of their freshman courses.  Also they usually spend their senior year of high school doing a senior project.  This means they get credit doing a humanitarian act like working in an orphanage in Taiwan for 3 months, or learning to bake bread in San Francisco, or cleaning up oil spills in Korea, or creating a prototype automatic composter, or converting a gasoline car to run on cooking oil.  It is one of the only programs like this in the US.  Anyway my point is maybe your parents should look for an alternative school program.  Here is the link to our school.  It also operates the National School Reform Program and has started a national movement to create more schools like it across the United States.  There is one in Hawaii and in DC and New Jersey I think.  

http://www.harmonyschool.org/

http://www.nsrfharmony.org/

Answer 17

Don't be mad. Be thankful. In most private schools the standards are much higher than in a public school. Your classes are much more advanced than a public school student in your same grade level.

Be thankful that your parents care enough and can afford to send you to a school where you will get a much better education.

This is not the case at all private schools I know. But most have very high standards and are typically "college prep" schools. Hang in there.