I would love comparisons for Gonzaga and SFS too! |
My child made the choice, even with me asking a bunch of times if they were sure and dragging my feet to notify the private. The school is big but very quickly they make friends, and the size quickly is a feature not a flaw. At Blair, the 9th grade is cohorted, so first semester they cohort with 25 kids for 4 classes. The second semester they are cohorted for 2 classes, so it's another way they get their bearings. If your child plays a fall sport, or plans to do concert band or the like, they have practices in August before school starts and that also helps the transition. But within a few weeks, it really was pretty easy. They have a bunch of very active clubs - like dozens - that all meet during the hour lunch. Classes have been very good to great - none have been bad, and more than a few have been amazing. That was the most reassuring to me - when we did the accepted kids' event - I was so impressed with the teachers. Most have been teaching for 20+ years and are so engaged in their subjects - a far cry from the way public school teachers are often portrayed on this board. Your child will have to learn to be self-directed in finding what things excite them, especially the extracurricular stuff. Unlike the privates, the counselors are not able to be that helpful. I miss the community of a private school, I will say that. But that is a me thing, not a my kid thing. My kid has a community and is quite happy. |
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As someone with a kid at a top private, it stings when the kid continually gets weaker instruction in a particular subject and you're paying all that money. Would probably hurt less at a magnet.
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What subject do you think is weak at your school? |