FAQ: What is the "Big 3"? (or "Big 5", or "Big 10", etc)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Big 9 DC Area Private High Schools in Alphabetical Order: Georgetown Day (C)oed), Georgetown Prep (U)nisex), Holton (U), Landon (U), Maret (C), National Cathedral (U), Potomac (C), St Albans (U), Sidwell (C)

Some would eliminate a couple from this list. Some would add their own institutions.

And in ranked order (arguable contenders):

1) Sidwell (St. Albans / NCS)
2) St. Albans / NCS (GDS)
3) GDS (Maret)
4) Maret (Georgetown Prep)
5) Georgetown Prep (Potomac)
6) Potomac (Holton / Landon)
7) Holton / Landon (Flint Hill / Episcop / St. Stephens St. Agnes / School without Walls)
8) Flint Hill / Episcop / SSSA / SWOW

I think we can pretty clearly say that anyone who includes SWOW on a list of top private schools is not an expert.

[Anonymous]

Niche rankings 2021/2022

1. GDS
2. Sidwell
3. NCS
4. Holton
5. St Albans

[Anonymous]

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

[Anonymous]

https://www.lotusprep.com/best-high-schools-dc/

"The magnet public high school Thomas Jefferson, known for its STEM emphasis, outranked every school in the DC metro area. Sidwell Friends, known for its scions of famous families, ranked #2. The all-girls National Cathedral School rounded out the top 3."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

Madeira over Potomac or Maret. Um...no. What a wacky list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

Madeira over Potomac or Maret. Um...no. What a wacky list.

Funny how posters will use a source (Niche) until it goes against what they think…then it’s wacky. Last year, totally fine…

[Anonymous]

The poster at 23:26 who noted that "Lotus..." rated the top three schools to be:

1. TJ
2. Sidwell
3. NCS

First, let's remember that TJ is changing its admission policies to a lottery process due to the fact that its makeup has been 72% Asian and 18% white. That leaves only 10% for students of other nations and colors including Black, Hispanic, Native American, etc...Due to this new process, I don't think that TJ will stay at the top.

Sidwell - I toured this school with my DD and had the application to fill out (so long). Besides regular stuff, you needed to answer questions to basically prove that you belonged to and raised your children in a Quaker church and/or Quaker lifestyle. You think, "Isn't this a non-denominational school? But, then you read the app with a entire page of religious questions about how you follow the "Society of Friends" philosophies in your home."
Sidwell is a school made up of children who belong to rich and/or VERY famous and well-known parents (every president since the Carter admin has sent their kids here [except Trump], legacies, and very smart kids who are also great at a sport or a musical instrument.

3. Holton - DD goes to Holton and started in 6th and completing public elementary school. We applied to Potomac, NCS, Sidwell, St. Stephens/St. Agnes and Georgetown Day.
Holton was the only school to admit DD, and she graduated #1 in her class. For fun (fun for us and to make sure that DD was at the RIGHT school), before 11th grade we applied to NCS and GDS. DD received interview invitations right away and easily got admission offers. Of, course she stayed at Holton. If you child wants to focus on any kind of writing in college (English, Creative Writing, any major towards that focus... ) pick NCS. People say NCS is for the DDs who are into the arts, but during our individual tour we asked visited the large ceramics room. DD loves to take art class when her schedule allows. The NCS ceramics room was very large, filled with lots of light, and had ~ 8-10 pottery wheels for students. I and DD were impressed; however, when I asked if they had a kiln to fire the pottery, l was told "no." I was very surprised. Holton has a kiln even though they are focused on math and science.

[Anonymous]

Seems like the Whittle- Maret pipeline has cleared Maret from any sort of contention in the Big X.

[Anonymous]

Is The Heights school a “big 10”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The poster at 23:26 who noted that "Lotus..." rated the top three schools to be:

1. TJ
2. Sidwell
3. NCS

First, let's remember that TJ is changing its admission policies to a lottery process due to the fact that its makeup has been 72% Asian and 18% white. That leaves only 10% for students of other nations and colors including Black, Hispanic, Native American, etc...Due to this new process, I don't think that TJ will stay at the top.

Sidwell - I toured this school with my DD and had the application to fill out (so long). Besides regular stuff, you needed to answer questions to basically prove that you belonged to and raised your children in a Quaker church and/or Quaker lifestyle. You think, "Isn't this a non-denominational school? But, then you read the app with a entire page of religious questions about how you follow the "Society of Friends" philosophies in your home."
Sidwell is a school made up of children who belong to rich and/or VERY famous and well-known parents (every president since the Carter admin has sent their kids here [except Trump], legacies, and very smart kids who are also great at a sport or a musical instrument.

3. Holton - DD goes to Holton and started in 6th and completing public elementary school. We applied to Potomac, NCS, Sidwell, St. Stephens/St. Agnes and Georgetown Day.
Holton was the only school to admit DD, and she graduated #1 in her class. For fun (fun for us and to make sure that DD was at the RIGHT school), before 11th grade we applied to NCS and GDS. DD received interview invitations right away and easily got admission offers. Of, course she stayed at Holton. If you child wants to focus on any kind of writing in college (English, Creative Writing, any major towards that focus... ) pick NCS. People say NCS is for the DDs who are into the arts, but during our individual tour we asked visited the large ceramics room. DD loves to take art class when her schedule allows. The NCS ceramics room was very large, filled with lots of light, and had ~ 8-10 pottery wheels for students. I and DD were impressed; however, when I asked if they had a kiln to fire the pottery, l was told "no." I was very surprised. Holton has a kiln even though they are focused on math and science.

Hilariously fun and random post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simple: Federer. Nadal. Djokovic.

The big three.

Jack, Arnie and Gary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The poster at 23:26 who noted that "Lotus..." rated the top three schools to be:

Sidwell - I toured this school with my DD and had the application to fill out (so long). Besides regular stuff, you needed to answer questions to basically prove that you belonged to and raised your children in a Quaker church and/or Quaker lifestyle. You think, "Isn't this a non-denominational school? But, then you read the app with a entire page of religious questions about how you follow the "Society of Friends" philosophies in your home."
Sidwell is a school made up of children who belong to rich and/or VERY famous and well-known parents (every president since the Carter admin has sent their kids here [except Trump], legacies, and very smart kids who are also great at a sport or a musical instrument.

You thought that a Friends school was non-denominational? That's on you. Friends schools are Quaker, and Sidwell is no different. In practice, this means four things. First, Quaker values are baked into classes -- to be specific, what they call SPICES -- simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. Second, kids attend Meeting for Worship once a week, which consists of everyone sitting quietly until someone feels moved to speak about something, which they are free to do. Rinse and repeat until time is up. Third, the head of school must be Quaker. Last, the board has a minimum of some number of Quakers. (I can't remember if the last two are by rule or practice, but they are what they are.)

No denying that there's tons of money at Sidwell. One of the most unfortunate things about the current head of school is that he has consistently pushed the school's financial goals higher-and-higher. There are still kids whose parents stretch to send them, as well as some who receive partial of full financial aid. But if you want financial diversity, it's not the place for you. As for fame, each class has a handful of famous parents. But they aren't a dime a dozen. And few of them are "VERY" famous. Some tv news stars are usually kicking around, as well as some political people, although mahy of the latter aren't well known outside of DC.

[Anonymous]

New Niche Rankings...
BASIS??? - what do people think about this? This school seemed to come out of nowhere.

1) BASIS
2) Sidwell
3) GDS

[Anonymous]

Basis independent McLean is 2024 top private school acc to niche ranking?

[Anonymous]

the best 2023:

https://247wallst.com/special-report/2023/12/19/the-50-best-private-high-schools-in-america-2/