St. Patrick’s vs NPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t comment on St. Pats but have experience at NPS. We did not have a good experience. When you have classes of 12-14 kids, you are stuck with the social dynamics which might be good or might be bad. It is luck of the draw. Your kid has maybe 5 options for friends of the same gender in the classroom. If you get placed in a class with a troublemaker or bully, they dictate friendships. Last year, we learned 8 kids left one of the middle grades. I know so many families that have pulled kids out of there over the years due to bullying or just not feeling like it was worth the price. We came in with such high hopes and were so disappointed by the reality.

Current NPS parent. Yes the sizes are 12-14 but 3 classes that do recess amongst other things together. Never had an issue with bullying and what grade had 8 kids leave? I have kids in 3 grades and this doesn't seem real. However, to each is own. We have had a great experience and also great success this year with applying out for 7th grade.

Goodluck. Both schools are good options!

8 kids left 3rd grade last year. It’s hit or miss. I know families that have had a great group of classmates and other years where there are lots of problems. You don’t always know what you are going to get. Hope you get lucky.

And you don't think this is true everywhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

[Anonymous]

These boards are not the place to get a true picture of these two schools -- I feel like the vast majority of people who post just want to tear something down for the fun of it. Go to the schools, ask for Outplacement statistics for the past few years, get a feel for the educational philosophy, the classroom culture, the other parents. Try not to give unwarranted weight to hearsay or vengeful, one-sided rants on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t comment on St. Pats but have experience at NPS. We did not have a good experience. When you have classes of 12-14 kids, you are stuck with the social dynamics which might be good or might be bad. It is luck of the draw. Your kid has maybe 5 options for friends of the same gender in the classroom. If you get placed in a class with a troublemaker or bully, they dictate friendships. Last year, we learned 8 kids left one of the middle grades. I know so many families that have pulled kids out of there over the years due to bullying or just not feeling like it was worth the price. We came in with such high hopes and were so disappointed by the reality.

Current NPS parent. Yes the sizes are 12-14 but 3 classes that do recess amongst other things together. Never had an issue with bullying and what grade had 8 kids leave? I have kids in 3 grades and this doesn't seem real. However, to each is own. We have had a great experience and also great success this year with applying out for 7th grade.

Goodluck. Both schools are good options!

8 kids left 3rd grade last year. It’s hit or miss. I know families that have had a great group of classmates and other years where there are lots of problems. You don’t always know what you are going to get. Hope you get lucky.

This is a little misleading. That class had several kids who had parents who were teachers at other independent schools and they left to go to their parent’s schools at an entry year. Another child left to join a sibling at a K-12 and one kid moved out of the area. The current 4th grade class is a really nice class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

How do they compare to beauvoir kids? We are trying to decide between NPS And beauvoir. Thank u!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t comment on St. Pats but have experience at NPS. We did not have a good experience. When you have classes of 12-14 kids, you are stuck with the social dynamics which might be good or might be bad. It is luck of the draw. Your kid has maybe 5 options for friends of the same gender in the classroom. If you get placed in a class with a troublemaker or bully, they dictate friendships. Last year, we learned 8 kids left one of the middle grades. I know so many families that have pulled kids out of there over the years due to bullying or just not feeling like it was worth the price. We came in with such high hopes and were so disappointed by the reality.

Current NPS parent. Yes the sizes are 12-14 but 3 classes that do recess amongst other things together. Never had an issue with bullying and what grade had 8 kids leave? I have kids in 3 grades and this doesn't seem real. However, to each is own. We have had a great experience and also great success this year with applying out for 7th grade.

Goodluck. Both schools are good options!

8 kids left 3rd grade last year. It’s hit or miss. I know families that have had a great group of classmates and other years where there are lots of problems. You don’t always know what you are going to get. Hope you get lucky.

Almost everyone who left 3rd grade (now in 4th) did so because of a parent who worked at or is affiliated with another school, so it made sense. The above post is misleading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

This is an ongoing problem that has been talked about, but not addressed, for years. However, I would really doubt the situation is better at STP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

How do they compare to beauvoir kids? We are trying to decide between NPS And beauvoir. Thank u!

It's not a fair comparison. 6th grade ex-missions is different than 3rd grade ex-missions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

Unless this is a teacher at a top DVM school taking time out of their Tuesday mid-afternoon classes to post on DCUM(!), then it's one NPS parent's ridiculously bias opinion. Obviously you are trying to feel good about sending your child to NPS, but don't slander an entire school's graduation population to make yourself feel better. Plus, if what you said was even remotely true, outplacement statistics would show it. Schools like GDS, Maret, Sidwell, the Cathedral Schools, etc. continue to accept STP students every year (as they did again THIS year) because they are well prepared and can handle it.

To the future BVR parent. Your kid will graduate in 3rd grade so this is even more comparing apples to oranges. Although, I'm sure the above poster would love to point out that your DC in 3rd grade will not be as remotely prepared for presentations and group projects as their NPS sixth grade graduates . . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

Unless this is a teacher at a top DVM school taking time out of their Tuesday mid-afternoon classes to post on DCUM(!), then it's one NPS parent's ridiculously bias opinion. Obviously you are trying to feel good about sending your child to NPS, but don't slander an entire school's graduation population to make yourself feel better. Plus, if what you said was even remotely true, outplacement statistics would show it. Schools like GDS, Maret, Sidwell, the Cathedral Schools, etc. continue to accept STP students every year (as they did again THIS year) because they are well prepared and can handle it.

To the future BVR parent. Your kid will graduate in 3rd grade so this is even more comparing apples to oranges. Although, I'm sure the above poster would love to point out that your DC in 3rd grade will not be as remotely prepared for presentations and group projects as their NPS sixth grade graduates . . . .

And much worse at math. Although possibly at an equal level in Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

Unless this is a teacher at a top DVM school taking time out of their Tuesday mid-afternoon classes to post on DCUM(!), then it's one NPS parent's ridiculously bias opinion. Obviously you are trying to feel good about sending your child to NPS, but don't slander an entire school's graduation population to make yourself feel better. Plus, if what you said was even remotely true, outplacement statistics would show it. Schools like GDS, Maret, Sidwell, the Cathedral Schools, etc. continue to accept STP students every year (as they did again THIS year) because they are well prepared and can handle it.

To the future BVR parent. Your kid will graduate in 3rd grade so this is even more comparing apples to oranges. Although, I'm sure the above poster would love to point out that your DC in 3rd grade will not be as remotely prepared for presentations and group projects as their NPS sixth grade graduates . . . .

And to add alot of kids who don't get accepted to NCS/STA after BVR are often told to apply to NPS and reapply for NCS/STA for 7th. This has happened quite often. I have 2 girls at NCS; 2 kids from this years class wanted to apply but guess what..... NPS had no openings for 4th. They are going to St. Pats. Two very good options

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

How do they compare to beauvoir kids? We are trying to decide between NPS And beauvoir. Thank u!

Our experience has been that the Beauvoir kids are well prepared, well rounded, adjust well, etc. It’s a little bit harder to tell academically bc 4th grade is a lot less rigorous than 7th or 9th, but truly the st pats kids stand out and not in a good way! Again, this is just my perspective from having 3 kids at a k-12 and living in nw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

Okay you seemed to have missed the part about the kids saying st pats upper school is more demanding academically vs 9th grade at the big 5. I know 6 kids from last years class that are getting straight A’s at the big 5. They all say st pats upper school prepared them well and they find the work pretty easy. I guess grade in 9th grade do not figure in to your analysis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS bc 6th is a better time to apply out, the upper grades at st Patrick’s are weak, and do you really want to be stuck w/ some of those st pats parents for 10 years? There are some awful families that dominate the social scene

You do not know what you are talking about. St pats had great admissions from 8th last year- Sidwell, both Cathedral schools, Maret, etc. The kids say the new schools are intense but not as hard as st pats upper school.

I am not referring to the outplacement. I’d say they are fairly equal. I am referring to how well prepared these kids do at their next stop. Speaking from experience, the NPS grads at our k-12 are incredibly well prepared in everything except Spanish, are often in advanced math, etc. It’s in sharp contrast to the kids who come from st pats. They’re very social, often good athletes, but are at a different level academically. They’re not well prepared for presentations, group projects, etc. If all you care about are ex-missions, I’d say they’re probably equal, but I’d talk to some graduates and see how their high school or MS experiences have been.

How do they compare to beauvoir kids? We are trying to decide between NPS And beauvoir. Thank u!

Our experience has been that the Beauvoir kids are well prepared, well rounded, adjust well, etc. It’s a little bit harder to tell academically bc 4th grade is a lot less rigorous than 7th or 9th, but truly the st pats kids stand out and not in a good way! Again, this is just my perspective from having 3 kids at a k-12 and living in nw.

I would not believe a word of this because our experience has been the opposite of this. The lifers(the ones who started in k) struggle academically to keep up with the new admits in the class. This is true at any of the highly selective schools. The kids(excluding siblings) coming in 9th are academic all stars because there is so much competition for the limited spots. The kids from St Pats at our “big 3” are like all the other 9th grade admits -well prepared and excelling.

I mean thing about it. Why would Sidwell, GDS, STA, NCS, Holton, Maret, Potomac, a bunch of highly selective boarding schools continue to take multiple kids every year from a school that was not up to their standards?