Baltimore Private for Middle School
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Anonymous
| Perspectives needed! I have an out-going, well rounded, social daughter going into 4th grade next year. She currently goes to a highly regarded private school in the Annapolis area. We are considering switching her to Bryn Mawr, Roland Park or McDonogh for either middle and/or high school. I am intrigued with Bryn Mawr and Roland Park for middle school for an all girls experience. She was moved forward a grade a couple of years ago and has the personality of needing to feel 'challenged'. She has told me that she is still 'bored' in classes. She is athletic and plays multiple instruments as well. She is not a genius by any means but I feel the need to find an environment that can help her continue to develop more fully into whomever she will become. She is out-going and I think could adjust to almost any environment. She would have to take a bus which looks like it would be a good hour each way. Thoughts on the best fit? Thoughts on a girls school for middle school and then co-ed for highschool? Or all girls all the way through starting in middle? My goal is to support my daughter as a happy child who is confident and successful who can get into a great college (not Ivy league necessarily but the option sure would be nice). Open to any and all thoughts an ideas. Would love to hear from current parents at those 3 schools as well please! |
Anonymous
| She could do a lot of enrichment/tutoring/reading/language lessons/music practice in those two hours a day she would be spending on the bus. |
Anonymous
| Roland Park has very poor academics. I wouldn’t send her there. |
Anonymous
The bus between Annapolis and the Baltimore privates is more like 1.5 hours because it travels during rush hour and picks up students in multiple stops. The academic rigor of Bryn Mawr is hard to match (my dd is in the upper school but has attended since lower school). I wouldn’t put my kid on a bus for three hours to attend though. |
Anonymous
+100 |
Anonymous
Sorry. This doesn’t compare to the quality of education and myriad of opportunities she could get at Bryn Mawr or McDonogh. |
Anonymous
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People have done the Annapolis to Baltimore commute for private school. It's doable but long. Keep in mind that it will be hard to coordinate activities with friends on weekends. I'm not sure if McDonogh runs a bus out to Annapolis but they may.
No one goes to one school for middle and then switches to another for high school because you want a girls' school for middle and then coed for high school. RPCS and Bryn Mawr have shared classes with Gilman. I'd take another hard look at your current private before making any switch. I'm assuming you're at either Severn or Key? If it was really important to be at a Baltimore private I would also look into moving a lot closer to Baltimore. McDonogh gets many students from Howard County and has buses to Howard, which may work if you need to be closer to Annapolis for work reasons. But if you have WFH flexibility it may be worthwhile to move to Baltimore proper once you get into a school and after your daughter graduates, move back to Annapolis! |
Anonymous
It’s your funeral |
Anonymous
| Thanks for all of the input! Agree it is a long bus ride. We are willing to make the social/weekend structure work of the back and forth as needed to support her. Setting aside a looong bus ride, any comments on the overall experience for all 3 schools and key pros and cons of one versus another? |
Anonymous
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So I’ve had a child at both RPCS and Bryn Mawr. Bryn Mawr is just much much stronger academically. Really neat and creative classes, tons of writing. Welcoming kids. Really no comparison to Roland Park. That said, they’re getting a new middle school head next year, which should help. But really I’d do bryn Mawr without question if your daughter needs challenge.
Re all girls school, middle school is exactly the right time to do it. Read Carol Gilligan In A Different Voice. |
Anonymous
Where did you hear they are getting a new middle school head?! |
Anonymous
Bump |
Anonymous
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Where did you hear they are getting a new middle school head?! The new head is announced in the News and Events section of the school's website... |
Anonymous
The new head is announced in the News and Events section of the school's website... But I don’t see anything about a new head there. |
Anonymous
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Roland park is getting new head. Margaret Lofgren.
Amanda at BMS is not leaving, fortunately, as she is wonderful. |