Woodberry Forest Private School

[Anonymous]

Can anyone give me an opinion on this private high school? I'm considering moving my 10 grade son out of FCPS to a private and was considering Woodberry. How difficult is it to get in? What are the kids like that go there? ....etc. thanks

[Anonymous]

It is in Woodberry VA

http://www.woodberry.org/default.aspx

[Anonymous]

It is pretty competitive for admissions. The campus is beautiful. We know two boys - one a graduate and the other about to graduate. Both loved it and thrived there. They both came from private middle schools. One was waitlisted and entered sophomore year. The other went as a freshman - was a little homesick at first - but then just embraced the whole experience. It has a great reputation.

[Anonymous]

I think it has a good local/Southern reputation but is not seen as anywhere close to the equal of New England boarding schools. It has a bit of the reputation of the boys' equivalent to a finishing school, honestly -- turning affluent Southern boys into polished social Southern Gentlemen.

You might also look at Episcopal as a co-ed boarding option in this area; great facilities and some very strong faculty. Students not the equal as at the top Metropolitan DC private day schools, but pretty good overall.

[Anonymous]

Woodberry does not have the best academic reputation, and this is coming from a former college admissions counselor that evaluated many Woodberry boys. It is very conservative (that may be what you're looking for, who knows) and definitely has a southern good ole boys feel to it. Compared to New England boarding schools (even the lesser ones), Woodberry is very provincial and not as rigorous.

[Klements]

Wow. I'm hearing chips on shoulders in these last two comments, but especially so in the last one.

I am a graduate of a New England BS. We have two daughters at two other New England BS (not the one I attended); one is at a "St. Grottlesex" school. Our son is in his senior year at Woodberry. I would hardly characterize Woodberry's academic reputation as weak. Indeed, as an alum admissions rep for an Ivy, I was impressed when 7 Woodberry seniors were admitted to my college two years ago; 3 chose to matriculate while the remaining 4 went to other Ivies, Stanford, and UCLA.

Does that sound like a finishing school to you?

Cheers

[Anonymous]

The third-tier status of Woodberry Forrest is borne out by its high acceptance rate (66%), unimpressive avg SAT scores (approx 1850), and intensely underwhelming published college matriculation record, which is heavy on schools like Wofford and Hampden Sydney: http://www.woodberry.org/podium/default.aspx?t=5005

Cheers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The third-tier status of Woodberry Forrest is borne out by its high acceptance rate (66%), unimpressive avg SAT scores (approx 1850), and intensely underwhelming published college matriculation record, which is heavy on schools like Wofford and Hampden Sydney: http://www.woodberry.org/podium/default.aspx?t=5005

Cheers!

Looking at WF's 3-year college matriculation snapshot, for a 3-year period with about 300 total students, only 8 total went to Ivies/Stanford. I'm sure it is a lovely place, but those figures don't match up to either the DC area day schools or the better New England boarding schools.

[Anonymous]

If your school search criteria are low admissions rates and "tiers," WFS may not be your best fit. If you prefer day schools, WFS's 100% boarding environment also won't suit.

The bulk of boys at Woodberry did not matriculate in hopes of attending Harvard, Amherst, Stanford, etc. The choices of two 2011 grads speak volumes: one elected Georgia over Brown, and the other, UNC over Yale. I discussed their choices with them, and they simply answered that neither they nor their families felt comfortable "up North." They didn't know folks who had gone to these universities, and they had not been charmed by Providence & New Haven. Yes, the majority of each WFS senior class goes to UVA and UNC.

The above said, does this exchange require maligning the school ("third-tier" & "unimpressive" & "intensely underwhelming"), and by extension, those affiliated with it?

Let's keep this conversation civil and in good sport. As someone who has personally straddled the New England prep world and that of WFS, I understand that priorities differ.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

let's also remember that not everyone's child is in the top 5% on test scores or even ability, and that there is still a need for excellence in education and a well-rounded environment for "just smart" kids or even "just normal" kids ... the other 95% deserve it too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your school search criteria are low admissions rates and "tiers," WFS may not be your best fit. If you prefer day schools, WFS's 100% boarding environment also won't suit.

The bulk of boys at Woodberry did not matriculate in hopes of attending Harvard, Amherst, Stanford, etc. The choices of two 2011 grads speak volumes: one elected Georgia over Brown, and the other, UNC over Yale. I discussed their choices with them, and they simply answered that neither they nor their families felt comfortable "up North." They didn't know folks who had gone to these universities, and they had not been charmed by Providence & New Haven. Yes, the majority of each WFS senior class goes to UVA and UNC.

The above said, does this exchange require maligning the school ("third-tier" & "unimpressive" & "intensely underwhelming"), and by extension, those affiliated with it?

Let's keep this conversation civil and in good sport. As someone who has personally straddled the New England prep world and that of WFS, I understand that priorities differ.

Cheers

I think your post goes a long way towards answering the OP's question -- your example paints a picture of a fairly insular Southern school where choosing a comfortable Southern cultural fit for college may be prized over stretching oneself socially to attend a world class institution like Yale, if one wants to put it negatively, or where the fit for the student is valued more than a knee-jerk search for academic prestige, to put it positively. Your post is honest and thus very helpful, and I think probably gives readers a good sense of whether or not Woodberry Forest is for them. It sounds like a distinct place and culture that will be loved by some and would not be the right fit for others, and that is fine.

[Anonymous]

Never would have opened this thread if I hadn't met an international student hoping for a scholarship to WF. No dog in this race, as the saying goes.

However, it seems to me that only someone with a fairly insular experience would suggest that the University of Virginia is not a world class school.

-A Northerner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never would have opened this thread if I hadn't met an international student hoping for a scholarship to WF. No dog in this race, as the saying goes.

However, it seems to me that only someone with a fairly insular experience would suggest that the University of Virginia is not a world class school.

-A Northerner

I think the poster in question was referring specifically to the provided example of choosing Georgia over Yale.