Holton Arms vs GT program
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Anonymous
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Hi!
There has been a good discussion topic on St. Andrew's vs a GT program for a gifted boy recently. Anyhow I would like to know if people have any opinions on what would be more academically rigorous for my daughter: Holton Arms or a GT program. She is currently in 3rd grade and we would like to apply to each of these for 4th. Also next year will there be any new spots at HA or just the ones that are freed up by 3rd graders that leave? She is an excellent student, reads 3+ grade levels above, math 2 levels above, dances, and is also in JH CTY. She's also very outgoing and carefree. She could use some help with her organizational skills and time management, but she's ok for an 8 yr old. We are middle class. Thanks for your help with this! It's a big decision to make and I appreciate your time helping us figure this out. |
Anonymous
| I'd recommend applying to both, seeing where she gets in, then if you have a choice, coming back here in March to ask this question again. There are lots of qualified kids for each GT slot, and we know some exceptional kids who didn't get in. If she does get into both HA and GT, that would be fabulous, but you'll still have time to seek helpful (and of course snarkily unhelpful) comments on DCUM next spring. |
Anonymous
This advice is basically sound (in the chicken counting sense) but IIRC the private school acceptances are beginning of March and the GT (in MD) are the end of March so it would be hard to do (at least without accepting HA?). |
Anonymous
| My DS is in AAP (GT) in Fairfax County, and is doing well. The cohorts in the class are fabulous and I have no complaints. The work he does is amazing - very advanced math, science, writing for that age. DD's class, coming up 2 years behind, was very different at the very same school and her cohorts were as well -- just a more difficult group, including in the AAP group. So we went to Holton and could not be more pleased. Who Holton is good for? A girl who is smart (not necessarily 99.5 percentile, but smart) AND who has a good presence -- IMO they are looking for intellectual capacity as well as some quality that might indicate leadership or self-motivation, be it in sports or other extracurricular activities, or a spunky personality. What is Holton good for? Small classes, incredibly engaged faculty, taking every girl and improving the skills she needs to work on while making her feel like a rock star about the skills she has mastered. Public GT programs, wit the large classes and churn cannot get that personal. My opinion after seeing both for several years? There isn't any other place I would put a girl student in DC besides Holton. It is very much about making girls into strong all-around scholars and members of society. Read what Christine LaGarde and Julia Louis Dreyfus have recently said about their experiences there. Check out the international education and STEM programs. Look at how they beat GT programs on It's Academic. Examine whether they have Olympians as sports coaches. Susanna Jones, head of the school, and Patrick Bane, head of lower school, are amazing. There is no Holton equivalent for boys or my DS would be there, instead of GT. |
Anonymous
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Thank you PP for your amazing reply. Your enthusiasm for Holton is infectious. My DD is a great child. In my heart I have been leaning towards Holton. We will still apply for both, but at least now I know which one we'll try a little harder for.
Will there be any spots for 4th grade next year? Do they open new spots or are they only there by attrition? |
Anonymous
| They add a class in 4th, so typically there are 15 or so places open. |
Anonymous
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My daughter did not even take the test for GT although I know she had a pretty good chance. The school she was going to be bused to was pretty far away and besides 2-3 other kids in her school, she wouldn't know anyone and it would be a long day with commute. Also, the school she was being sent to was not going to her middle school. I did not like, nor understood that rationale. Her friend got into it and went in 4th but came back to her home school in 5th and was much happier. She liked the academics/challenge of GT (although it was 29 kids in a class!) but did not like the atmosphere and kids at the school. There was bullying at recess.
I can honestly say there are some kids at Holton that are not as smart as some of those GT kids but then again, the school isn't about perfection. It really isn't. Lower school embraces the girls and teaches them to love learning in every capacity. It is cool to be smart! The musical, art and PE departments are fantastic. The core teachers are so enthusiastic. The head of lower school is amazing, nurturing, fun and engaging. He knows all the girls names within a week of school starting. The girls were so warm and welcoming to my daughter. She has just become so much more confident and is actually thinking/doing on her own. Because while they do nurture, they don't coddle. They inspire them to challenge themselves to be better students. It is an amazing transformation. I also love that they kept them in lower school for 6th while transitioning them to 7th grade. I think it is important to keep girls "girls" for as long as possible. She is completely ready for middle school now. Go to the Open House in the Fall but also, look around at other schools too. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Good Luck! |
Anonymous
Thank you! It's good to know that they'll have some spots for 4th! 
Holton sounds amazing....it's everything that I want for my daugther. She is extremely bright, but a little shy at times. I am a little concerned about her meeting/hanging out with boys. Is Landon their 'brother school'? How do girls meet boys? We are new to single-sex education and would appreciate knowing how the girls navigate this. |
Anonymous
+1 except it was wonderful for my 99.9 % DD. Good luck, OP. |
Anonymous
If you still look on this site.. Is your daughter going to Holton for 4th grade this coming fall? |
Anonymous
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This is an old thread, but we are faced with the same choice - Holton versus a GT program.
Any further thoughts on the matter? |
Anonymous
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When we were at the US accepted students reception they had a senior on the panel who was previously at Sidwell, left in high school to attend Blair. She said she found Blair too easy and left and went to Holton as a HS Sophomore.
I was surprised. She was impressive on the student panel - appeared very motivated. |
Anonymous
| We had girls at Holton who came from VA GT Programs and often were not the top students. |
Anonymous
| I think it's fair to say that Holton, like most independent schools, is looking for more than the very top performing students. Students need to be very strong, but they are looking for multi-dimensional girls. |
Anonymous
| I've been told that once a student is accepted into the AAP, you can defer admission each year. We don't know the results of AAP yet, but our plan is to defer AAP (as a backup). That will let us have a fall back, if Holton doesn't work out for some reason. |