School Ratings site ( Niche/SchoolDigger/GreatSchools)

SAP
76Pgh4REd

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Amazon
 76Pgh4REd
Jul 27, 2020 9 Comments

Folks- I'm looking to buy a house ( bay area, California) and good schools are key criteria for me. After reading many posts at blind and google search I figured out following 3 main sites to get schools ratings

1. Niche: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-public-elementary-schools/
2. SchoolDigger: https://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/schoolrank.aspx
3. GreatSchools: https://www.greatschools.org/

It looks, all have different parameters ( apart from test scores) to come up with school ranking and differs quite a lot for few schools.

So, people who value school ratings and consider key aspect when buying a house, which site do you trust/use for ratings? or do you use any other resource for your decision? Any inputs would help....

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 TOP 9 Comments
  • Google
    yQnA87

    Go to company page Google

    yQnA87
    The reality is none of these apps are really that good, at least not when it comes to the future of your children. The data they have is too limited and skewed to be useful.

    You need to do intense, personal research. Go to the schools and look at them IRL. Chat up local parents. Contact administrators and ask for info on their programs, college acceptance rates, and more. Look up niche programs and what schools support them. Good schools will have programs for esoteric interests like obscure sports, music, debate, theatre, etc.

    Good luck!
    Jul 27, 2020 3
    • Google
      yQnA87

      Go to company page Google

      yQnA87
      Go to local parks and chat people up. Ask friends of friends. Search on social media sites like Reddit. There are lots of ways to connect with local parents.

      Schools will share info if you ask nicely. You just need to be diplomatic. If you call and say “HELLO PLZ SHARE UR STATS CUZ MY SON IS GOING TO HARVURD” obviously you won’t get anywhere but you’d be surprised what bored school administrators will leak if you schmooze them.

      Source: best friend works at a school
      Jul 27, 2020
    • Lyft
      lolhowwww

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      lolhowwww
      Make sure you ask TC when you chat people up at parks too
      Jul 28, 2020
  • Apple
    cjfjfjfjfj

    Go to company page Apple

    cjfjfjfjfj
    My personal advice is not to focus on the school too much. Of course don't send your kid to some dangerous sketchy school with lots of drugs gangs etc, but basically as long as it is a fairly safe environment with no crime issues, it should be fine. I've grew up here and I've attended schools across numerous kinds of school districts both meh and the super competitive top kind due to moving around and honestly the difference in actual experience quality of teaching is not as much as you may think. Good schools have good students largely because a lot of the kids have parents pushing them paying for tutors etc the school itself doesn't help as much as you think. Especially if your kid is not even in high school age yet then it really doesn't matter that much. Ultimately it will largely fall on you to help your kids if they are having some troubles. My experience is that at these public schools in general most of the teachers are kinda just going through the motions and waiting for retirement, with a few good ones here and there but this is true even at the top competitive kind of high schools. Iwould really focus more on getting a good house that fulfills your other needs and conveniences like good size or commute etc.
    Jul 28, 2020 0
  • Oracle
    z38cFdr

    Go to company page Oracle

    z38cFdr
    If you are searching mostly online and not physically??

    Also which area you looking at. I am trying to search around Seattle In similar fashion.

    My experience. Remember to search by zip code of the schools. Zillow uses great schools and allows you option to search via school reach. Try to compare niche and great schools. Agents do mention about school district if it is very good.

    DM we can discuss the idea more.
    Jul 27, 2020 1
    • Google
      yQnA87

      Go to company page Google

      yQnA87
      Fyi if you’re in Seattle...they are infamous for bussing, and also for changing their policies every 5 years. So the great district you think you’re in now might not be so great by the time your kids are actually going to school.
      Jul 27, 2020
  • GS is the criteria
    Jul 29, 2020 0
  • It is a good starting point, but it gives more a rating on the socioeconomic of the neighborhood. First, look at what makes the rating ... In California, we have exams. The exams in english and math are fairly easy. So, lots of kids would really get top grades. The really deciding factor is not the top students, but how many weak students you have in your school. The strong achool have less weak students.... Secondly, it doesn’t give any insight in all the other programs. What are the sports offered, art programs, sciences... It is really a difficult decision, but I don’t think those web sites would help you select the school. Once you have a couple neighborhood in mind, go on site and do your research.
    Jul 27, 2020 0