St. Albans acceptance rate = 25 to 30%?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Judging from the kids at Beauvoir, NCS and St. Albans, admissions can’t be that selective. The whole exclusive thing is a myth created to separate fools from their money..

I still can't get over the fact that Business Insider bothered to write about this or cares at all. I suppose the writers ran out of non-Covid stuff to write about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's only logical that some STA boys are unhappy and many people have expressed this on DCUM and in other settings. Whether it's the pressure, the academics, the athletics, the social issues, being there for their parents and not for themselves, or the fact that they have been in the same Close environment their whole lives and are over it. Whatever the reason, there are boys who are unhappy or dissatisfied with their experience. Not sure why the STA booster so unwilling to understand this reality, but it's true.

teenage boys unhappy at school. what a revelation.

exactly. why is this even a topic of discussion. the case is true at all private and public schools. some joining in HS at StA are thrilled to be there btw. just like any other place, there is diversity of experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew a bunch of STA boys who graduated about ten years ago. They never amounted to much. Just lived off -do you know who my father is? Some had total failure to launch - living at home after college. The most successful one opened a bar

sounds like you knew all the less academically minded ones? the boys i know of who are there now or have recently graduated are very academically minded and interested in neuroscience and that sort of thing. none of them have father's to name drop about either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think these stats are readily available, yet this is the percentage quoted in Business Insider's list of selective schools. Given it's the only source I've ever encountered, I question its veracity.

True or not? And would that statistic roughly apply to NCS and Beauvoir as well? Seems high...

Actually it was below 10 perfect last year and closer to 8% but this is not something they announce. They and a ton of applicants the past few years and many did not get accepted. We know of several.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's only logical that some STA boys are unhappy and many people have expressed this on DCUM and in other settings. Whether it's the pressure, the academics, the athletics, the social issues, being there for their parents and not for themselves, or the fact that they have been in the same Close environment their whole lives and are over it. Whatever the reason, there are boys who are unhappy or dissatisfied with their experience. Not sure why the STA booster so unwilling to understand this reality, but it's true.

teenage boys unhappy at school. what a revelation.

exactly. why is this even a topic of discussion. the case is true at all private and public schools. some joining in HS at StA are thrilled to be there btw. just like any other place, there is diversity of experience.

As usual, anything negative (unhappy boys, vaping, sexist comments about students at sister schools) is attributed to all kids that age in any school but all the positives are because the school and the students and the parents are just so exceptional and wonderful and just outstanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Judging from the kids at Beauvoir, NCS and St. Albans, admissions can’t be that selective. The whole exclusive thing is a myth created to separate fools from their money..

St. Albans has a special relationship with Beauvoir as it is a fellow Cathedral Close school so, typically, they accept about 31-35 of the 45 boys into C form from Beauvoir BUT if there are strong academic concerns or strong behavioral concerns they will inform the Beauvoir family - -that it is a no go. In addition, every year about 3-4 Beauvoir boys have parents who prefer Sidwell, Maret or GDS and can actually get in to those options.

Hence the 33-35 going to STA.

That leaves 10 spots- for kids from throughout the entire rest of DMV for non-Beauvoir kids to enter in C form ( 4th Grade). So, yes, that is very competitive. So much so that some parents are willing to pay 37K a year in Beauvoir tuition just to avoid the shut out that comes later.

HS Admission to Saint Albans is extremely competitive. I think 10 % or less, but ask the AD.

Best of luck to your DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging from the kids at Beauvoir, NCS and St. Albans, admissions can’t be that selective. The whole exclusive thing is a myth created to separate fools from their money..

St. Albans has a special relationship with Beauvoir as it is a fellow Cathedral Close school so, typically, they accept about 31-35 of the 45 boys into C form from Beauvoir BUT if there are strong academic concerns or strong behavioral concerns they will inform the Beauvoir family - -that it is a no go. In addition, every year about 3-4 Beauvoir boys have parents who prefer Sidwell, Maret or GDS and can actually get in to those options.

Hence the 33-35 going to STA.

That leaves 10 spots- for kids from throughout the entire rest of DMV for non-Beauvoir kids to enter in C form ( 4th Grade). So, yes, that is very competitive. So much so that some parents are willing to pay 37K a year in Beauvoir tuition just to avoid the shut out that comes later.

HS Admission to Saint Albans is extremely competitive. I think 10 % or less, but ask the AD.

Best of luck to your DC.

I heard 8% last year for 9th grade admission.

[Anonymous]

What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

AA not so much Hispanic (very underrepresented), Persian, Indian, or Asian

[Anonymous]

I know a few AA candidates who were WL at St. Albans. It's hit or miss. Should we be preparing our children a year in advance for the test?

[Anonymous]

For those going to Indiana University from STA, they may be going to Kelley Business, which is in the top 10 of undergrad business schools. You really have to look at programs within a university before dismissing it as not top 25 or whatever!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s probably no more easily manipulated statistic than Admission rate.

The school can manage this number by aggressively encouraging applications including from those who have little chance of being accepted. No one is ever told they have only a slim chance or that they probably won’t get the financial aid they would need as the school makes every attempt to maximize the number of applicants.

Another bit of sleight of hand is determining who exactly is an applicant. Does this include anyone who was interviewed? Anyone who visited the campus? Don’t laugh. As dishonest as this seems, I have seen numbers of applicants inflated by slightly changing the definition of Applicant. Keep in mind, there are no standard definitions and no one who can dispute the numbers given by the Admissions people. And they have every reason to do this including how their department is viewed internally and how “exclusive” their school is seen to be.

The higher acceptance rate suggested here is more likely to be correct. These schools serve a very narrow
slice of the population. Not that many people are qualified, can afford it and want to go.

Do as you please and believe what and who you want. But, I put little stock in these numbers.

Just occasionally there’s some actual wisdom on this forum.

It’s disappointing that so few people will read it and understand it.

Instead we’ll be treated to the same dumb questions and conversations over and over again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think these stats are readily available, yet this is the percentage quoted in Business Insider's list of selective schools. Given it's the only source I've ever encountered, I question its veracity.

True or not? And would that statistic roughly apply to NCS and Beauvoir as well? Seems high...

I think that high rate might be limited to 4th grade and reflects the high percentage of BVR boys who apply and are accepted.

I think in DC's 4th grade class there were about 12 boys accepted from all of DC/MD/NOVA area who applied for 4th ( non- BVR)

In 9th, I think its about 10 % accept rate.

Easiest track into STA is via BVR, provided your child is smart enough to do the work and well behaved. BVR parents generally know when their kid cannot handle STA and they don't apply so some years STA may take more than 10-12 in 4th, but really that number reflects how well BVR chose 5 years prior.