2023 Niche results: Basis McLean #1 in VA in 3 categories: best private HS in VA, best college prep…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[the reality is they are out there and there is a huge market for it

What is your evidence that there is a "huge market" for the Niche rankings? I never heard of any other parents talk about rankings when we were applying to GDS, or at the private school we were at before that.

Think about how many applicants there are to K-12/K-8 private schools vs. applicants to colleges in any given year. We live in a country where over 90 percent of kids attend public school.

My evidence is about the same as yours. Myself and a circle of parents we discussed potential options with when we were looking. No, Niche is not THE data point, but it is one of many we used for consideration, just like the comments on this forum whose posters are hoping their comments would serve as (otherwise, why are people so committed to the endless discussions). The fact that so many parents with school aged children know Niche alone proves there are enough users out there that dissenters feel the need to discredit, deservingly or not. My only point is, yes, there is a market for it and they’ve been around for a while to serve that market.

[Anonymous]

Basis Mclean is on a PR overdrive. Suddenly there are “Love being a BIM family” lawnsigns everywhere. Don’t know much about the school but there is obviously an effort to get the word out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basis Mclean is on a PR overdrive. Suddenly there are “Love being a BIM family” lawnsigns everywhere. Don’t know much about the school but there is obviously an effort to get the word out.

The word is indeed being spread far and wide, including in videos encouraging international students to come. The video lists a few colleges that no BIM student has been accepted to, even though many have tried. They know they will never get enough families here so they are hoping to convince students to come from China.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basis Mclean is on a PR overdrive. Suddenly there are “Love being a BIM family” lawnsigns everywhere. Don’t know much about the school but there is obviously an effort to get the word out.

This is done every year. I know as I am a parent of a child in the early learning program. If you are seeing more signs, it indicates there are more BIM students in your area (or wherever you are seeing the signs). And yes it is advertising, as is everything in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis Mclean is on a PR overdrive. Suddenly there are “Love being a BIM family” lawnsigns everywhere. Don’t know much about the school but there is obviously an effort to get the word out.

This is done every year. I know as I am a parent of a child in the early learning program. If you are seeing more signs, it indicates there are more BIM students in your area (or wherever you are seeing the signs). And yes it is advertising, as is everything in the US.

Agreed. Also a parent here. PP makes it sound like the school owns all these houses and yards and are plastering people with their ads involuntarily. These are homes of parents and they are apparently happy (contrary to the same negative posters on this forum) to put the signs up on their own yard. So that point kind of backfired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis Mclean is on a PR overdrive. Suddenly there are “Love being a BIM family” lawnsigns everywhere. Don’t know much about the school but there is obviously an effort to get the word out.

This is done every year. I know as I am a parent of a child in the early learning program. If you are seeing more signs, it indicates there are more BIM students in your area (or wherever you are seeing the signs). And yes it is advertising, as is everything in the US.

Agreed. Also a parent here. PP makes it sound like the school owns all these houses and yards and are plastering people with their ads involuntarily. These are homes of parents and they are apparently happy (contrary to the same negative posters on this forum) to put the signs up on their own yard. So that point kind of backfired.

My point as the PP was not to pass judgement on the school. But hey there are many privates in the area. Don’t see too many families posting signs saying how they love being part of the XYZ school family. It like the guy who holds a 4 foot tall teddy bear with a heart in International arrivals to express his love. I am sure it works for people but is a little out of step with everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis Mclean is on a PR overdrive. Suddenly there are “Love being a BIM family” lawnsigns everywhere. Don’t know much about the school but there is obviously an effort to get the word out.

This is done every year. I know as I am a parent of a child in the early learning program. If you are seeing more signs, it indicates there are more BIM students in your area (or wherever you are seeing the signs). And yes it is advertising, as is everything in the US.

Agreed. Also a parent here. PP makes it sound like the school owns all these houses and yards and are plastering people with their ads involuntarily. These are homes of parents and they are apparently happy (contrary to the same negative posters on this forum) to put the signs up on their own yard. So that point kind of backfired.

My point as the PP was not to pass judgement on the school. But hey there are many privates in the area. Don’t see too many families posting signs saying how they love being part of the XYZ school family. It like the guy who holds a 4 foot tall teddy bear with a heart in International arrivals to express his love. I am sure it works for people but is a little out of step with everyone else.

Same reason politicians do it. Yard signs look positive and bright; they don't come with the clutter of scandal and turmoil that one might find if they read up on a given candidate (like several in this fall's elections).

Unvarnished rah rah is needed to offset documented records of turbulence like BIM has had since it opened. The wave of teacher and staff departures in 2022 just reinforces that need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis Mclean is on a PR overdrive. Suddenly there are “Love being a BIM family” lawnsigns everywhere. Don’t know much about the school but there is obviously an effort to get the word out.

This is done every year. I know as I am a parent of a child in the early learning program. If you are seeing more signs, it indicates there are more BIM students in your area (or wherever you are seeing the signs). And yes it is advertising, as is everything in the US.

Agreed. Also a parent here. PP makes it sound like the school owns all these houses and yards and are plastering people with their ads involuntarily. These are homes of parents and they are apparently happy (contrary to the same negative posters on this forum) to put the signs up on their own yard. So that point kind of backfired.

My point as the PP was not to pass judgement on the school. But hey there are many privates in the area. Don’t see too many families posting signs saying how they love being part of the XYZ school family. It like the guy who holds a 4 foot tall teddy bear with a heart in International arrivals to express his love. I am sure it works for people but is a little out of step with everyone else.

Right. So instead of being like bumper car stickers with the school names or banners/flags of the schools on front porches, it’s more like a guy holding a 4 foot tall teddy bear. /s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis Mclean is on a PR overdrive. Suddenly there are “Love being a BIM family” lawnsigns everywhere. Don’t know much about the school but there is obviously an effort to get the word out.

This is done every year. I know as I am a parent of a child in the early learning program. If you are seeing more signs, it indicates there are more BIM students in your area (or wherever you are seeing the signs). And yes it is advertising, as is everything in the US.

Agreed. Also a parent here. PP makes it sound like the school owns all these houses and yards and are plastering people with their ads involuntarily. These are homes of parents and they are apparently happy (contrary to the same negative posters on this forum) to put the signs up on their own yard. So that point kind of backfired.

My point as the PP was not to pass judgement on the school. But hey there are many privates in the area. Don’t see too many families posting signs saying how they love being part of the XYZ school family. It like the guy who holds a 4 foot tall teddy bear with a heart in International arrivals to express his love. I am sure it works for people but is a little out of step with everyone else.

Right. So instead of being like bumper car stickers with the school names or banners/flags of the schools on front porches, it’s more like a guy holding a 4 foot tall teddy bear. /s

And there is nothing wrong with that. Some serenade with subtlety and others with 4 feet teddy bears. Different strokes for different folks. It works for you and that is great. Nothing to argue about.

[Anonymous]

I will never understand the parade of people who come on these forums to bash and/or pump up BIM. It is a great school for what it tries to do and for families who are interested in their product.

It does not offer a particularly well-rounded experience but your child will leave very advanced, especially in STEM fields, and will probably have enough college credit through AP exams to skip 2-3 semesters.

The middle school is a phenomenal place to get ready for TJ but if you're looking for deep activities options or a social life, it ain't gonna happen. Early Learning and Primary are probably the strongest programs that they have to offer relative to those in the area.

Worst thing about it is that instead of charging you up front and providing a full-service experience like many other privates in the area, you get nickel-and-dimed constantly for things like books, trips, and activities. It's like going on a discount airline and then having to pay to carry on a bag or to use the overhead compartment or for a bottle of water.

BIM is what it is and it's a great option for some families and a terrible option for others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand the parade of people who come on these forums to bash and/or pump up BIM. It is a great school for what it tries to do and for families who are interested in their product.

It does not offer a particularly well-rounded experience but your child will leave very advanced, especially in STEM fields, and will probably have enough college credit through AP exams to skip 2-3 semesters.

The middle school is a phenomenal place to get ready for TJ but if you're looking for deep activities options or a social life, it ain't gonna happen. Early Learning and Primary are probably the strongest programs that they have to offer relative to those in the area.

Worst thing about it is that instead of charging you up front and providing a full-service experience like many other privates in the area, you get nickel-and-dimed constantly for things like books, trips, and activities. It's like going on a discount airline and then having to pay to carry on a bag or to use the overhead compartment or for a bottle of water.

BIM is what it is and it's a great option for some families and a terrible option for others.

Those families deserve a full airing of the management chaos and high staff and student turnover since the school opened in 2016. Pretending it's a top school all around that is excelling on all fronts is just PR BS. That's what dissenters here object to and try to counter with real information and experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand the parade of people who come on these forums to bash and/or pump up BIM. It is a great school for what it tries to do and for families who are interested in their product.

It does not offer a particularly well-rounded experience but your child will leave very advanced, especially in STEM fields, and will probably have enough college credit through AP exams to skip 2-3 semesters.

The middle school is a phenomenal place to get ready for TJ but if you're looking for deep activities options or a social life, it ain't gonna happen. Early Learning and Primary are probably the strongest programs that they have to offer relative to those in the area.

Worst thing about it is that instead of charging you up front and providing a full-service experience like many other privates in the area, you get nickel-and-dimed constantly for things like books, trips, and activities. It's like going on a discount airline and then having to pay to carry on a bag or to use the overhead compartment or for a bottle of water.

BIM is what it is and it's a great option for some families and a terrible option for others.

Those families deserve a full airing of the management chaos and high staff and student turnover since the school opened in 2016. Pretending it's a top school all around that is excelling on all fronts is just PR BS. That's what dissenters here object to and try to counter with real information and experience.

A full airing would include the fact that things were much worse in the first half of the school's history to date and that they've improved significantly since then. It is certainly not excelling on all fronts but some of the crap that I see on here is not warranted given what is actually going on on the ground there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand the parade of people who come on these forums to bash and/or pump up BIM. It is a great school for what it tries to do and for families who are interested in their product.

It does not offer a particularly well-rounded experience but your child will leave very advanced, especially in STEM fields, and will probably have enough college credit through AP exams to skip 2-3 semesters.

The middle school is a phenomenal place to get ready for TJ but if you're looking for deep activities options or a social life, it ain't gonna happen. Early Learning and Primary are probably the strongest programs that they have to offer relative to those in the area.

Worst thing about it is that instead of charging you up front and providing a full-service experience like many other privates in the area, you get nickel-and-dimed constantly for things like books, trips, and activities. It's like going on a discount airline and then having to pay to carry on a bag or to use the overhead compartment or for a bottle of water.

BIM is what it is and it's a great option for some families and a terrible option for others.

Those families deserve a full airing of the management chaos and high staff and student turnover since the school opened in 2016. Pretending it's a top school all around that is excelling on all fronts is just PR BS. That's what dissenters here object to and try to counter with real information and experience.

A full airing would include the fact that things were much worse in the first half of the school's history to date and that they've improved significantly since then. It is certainly not excelling on all fronts but some of the crap that I see on here is not warranted given what is actually going on on the ground there.

Would that include the departures of the HS and MS directors days before the school year started and the departure this year of several key faculty who started with the school when it opened? How about the spring 2020 plan to sublet half the building? How about the late 2020 departure of the HoS six months before his contract ended?

BIM is barely pulling itself back together. Several recently departed faculty left specifically because of the new management. The current acting directors of HS and MS have very little management experience of any kind.

No, it's not something years in the past. It's now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand the parade of people who come on these forums to bash and/or pump up BIM. It is a great school for what it tries to do and for families who are interested in their product.

It does not offer a particularly well-rounded experience but your child will leave very advanced, especially in STEM fields, and will probably have enough college credit through AP exams to skip 2-3 semesters.

The middle school is a phenomenal place to get ready for TJ but if you're looking for deep activities options or a social life, it ain't gonna happen. Early Learning and Primary are probably the strongest programs that they have to offer relative to those in the area.

Worst thing about it is that instead of charging you up front and providing a full-service experience like many other privates in the area, you get nickel-and-dimed constantly for things like books, trips, and activities. It's like going on a discount airline and then having to pay to carry on a bag or to use the overhead compartment or for a bottle of water.

BIM is what it is and it's a great option for some families and a terrible option for others.

A former employee will never let it go. Sigh

Those families deserve a full airing of the management chaos and high staff and student turnover since the school opened in 2016. Pretending it's a top school all around that is excelling on all fronts is just PR BS. That's what dissenters here object to and try to counter with real information and experience.

A full airing would include the fact that things were much worse in the first half of the school's history to date and that they've improved significantly since then. It is certainly not excelling on all fronts but some of the crap that I see on here is not warranted given what is actually going on on the ground there.

Would that include the departures of the HS and MS directors days before the school year started and the departure this year of several key faculty who started with the school when it opened? How about the spring 2020 plan to sublet half the building? How about the late 2020 departure of the HoS six months before his contract ended?

BIM is barely pulling itself back together. Several recently departed faculty left specifically because of the new management. The current acting directors of HS and MS have very little management experience of any kind.

No, it's not something years in the past. It's now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand the parade of people who come on these forums to bash and/or pump up BIM. It is a great school for what it tries to do and for families who are interested in their product.

It does not offer a particularly well-rounded experience but your child will leave very advanced, especially in STEM fields, and will probably have enough college credit through AP exams to skip 2-3 semesters.

The middle school is a phenomenal place to get ready for TJ but if you're looking for deep activities options or a social life, it ain't gonna happen. Early Learning and Primary are probably the strongest programs that they have to offer relative to those in the area.

Worst thing about it is that instead of charging you up front and providing a full-service experience like many other privates in the area, you get nickel-and-dimed constantly for things like books, trips, and activities. It's like going on a discount airline and then having to pay to carry on a bag or to use the overhead compartment or for a bottle of water.

BIM is what it is and it's a great option for some families and a terrible option for others.

A former employee will never let it go. Sigh

Those families deserve a full airing of the management chaos and high staff and student turnover since the school opened in 2016. Pretending it's a top school all around that is excelling on all fronts is just PR BS. That's what dissenters here object to and try to counter with real information and experience.

A full airing would include the fact that things were much worse in the first half of the school's history to date and that they've improved significantly since then. It is certainly not excelling on all fronts but some of the crap that I see on here is not warranted given what is actually going on on the ground there.

Would that include the departures of the HS and MS directors days before the school year started and the departure this year of several key faculty who started with the school when it opened? How about the spring 2020 plan to sublet half the building? How about the late 2020 departure of the HoS six months before his contract ended?

BIM is barely pulling itself back together. Several recently departed faculty left specifically because of the new management. The current acting directors of HS and MS have very little management experience of any kind.

No, it's not something years in the past. It's now.

A former employee just won’t let it go. Sigh