Greatschools parent reviews on your school

[Anonymous]

While researching schools, I found some parent reviews at greatschool.net
I do not know how reliable these are, but it seems like some are said to be not better than public, a waste of money, have a high teacher turnover, not a great arts or music program.

What is your take on this. Have you found these ratings to be helpful?

[Anonymous]

I like the ratings on greatschools.net. I posted a comment there for our dc's school and found that the other comments were in line with our experiences--some were more positive, some were more negative, but I think overall they gave a good sense of the school.

[Anonymous]

Yes - I have found the comments to be accurate with respect to our old school.

[Anonymous]

I find them to be either overly supportive: Great school! Loving teachers! Super principal! Or someone with a bad experience that tries to cloud perceptions (ie an axe to grind). For the 2 schools I've had personal experience, I don't find them accurate at all.

[Anonymous]

I’ve left a negative review of a school not because I have an “axe to grind” but because I think I have good information to share. I wish greatschools.net was around when I was selecting schools for my kids.

In response to PP's comment “For the 2 schools I've had personal experience, I don't find them accurate at all” – everybody doesn’t feel the same about schools.

As opposed to the negative comments having an ulterior motive, I think some of the positive comments do. During one of my child’s school’s PTA session (private school) an officer asked people to write a positive review of the school to counter the negative comments, and the parents did.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone sent their child to a school that has had a bad review. I really like on private, but the reviews say it is not better than public, and don't believe what the schools web site says. And at the same time I have a co-worker that used to go there years ago and she loved it.

So will I be taking a big risk if I send my kid there?

[Anonymous]

No PP your judgement is better than anything written anonymously on the internet. I guess you can ignore what i'm saying right here too!

[Anonymous]

When there are a lot of comments, you can start to take it seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone sent their child to a school that has had a bad review. I really like on private, but the reviews say it is not better than public, and don't believe what the schools web site says. And at the same time I have a co-worker that used to go there years ago and she loved it.

So will I be taking a big risk if I send my kid there?

What's the school? If it's in the DC area I'm sure some more anonymous people would be happy to pipe in...

[Anonymous]

I agree that more opinions makes a difference. Its kind of like judging at the olympics, you throw out the high and the low and average the rest. But greatschool has few opinions on most of the schools and they are very incomplete. So it is more like one liners than real information. Trip advisor is an example of a website of anonymous opinions that seems to be quite helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone sent their child to a school that has had a bad review. I really like on private, but the reviews say it is not better than public, and don't believe what the schools web site says. And at the same time I have a co-worker that used to go there years ago and she loved it.

So will I be taking a big risk if I send my kid there?

What's the school? If it's in the DC area I'm sure some more anonymous people would be happy to pipe in...

It was Holy Child. Bullis does not do too well either. The JDS apparently has a high staff turnover.

[Anonymous]

Here is the word on the street:
JDS: lots of social issues, bratty kids who have to learn to behave when they go public, money in families.

Bullis (from a Bullis teacher): no better than public, maybe worse.
Bullis (from a student): no different than Whitman.
Bullis (from a parent): it was a waste of money.

[Anonymous]

My children’s private school has negative reviews (not worth the money, spoiled kids), but I wasn’t convinced the negative reviews were written by parents who have enrolled their children at the school. I’m often confronted by public school parents that bash private schools. I could easily see one of those parents writing a negative review. Unless the negative review states that they actually enrolled a child in the school, I don’t put much value in the review. BTW, I am very happy with my kid's school.