Reputation of St. John's College HS and other "normal" privates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SJC is mentioned quite a bit, so not sure what you are talking about.

I assume you know it and other WCAC schools are considered sports powerhouses, so don't think your kid can just show up and play many sports if not recruited.

Solid academically, but not crazy amounts of homework. Produced 2 NMSFs this year vs. anywhere from 6-10 at GDS, Sidwell, STA just to give you some benchmark.

Good size...1200 kids total vs. 300 at STA, 600ish at Sidwell/GDS.

I’m chiming in to provide accurate information about Sidwell. Sidwell produced 11 NMSFs this year (the highest # I’ve seen at Sidwell, in recent memory, was 16). Sidwell has ~500 students in the US.

Sidwell has about 125 in the senior class with 11 NMSF for 2024-2025. That is 8%.

BIM has 24 in the senior class with 3 NMSF for 2024-2025. That is 12.5%

If you are looking for a great private school in the DMV, consider BIM. The school has been rated as the #1 private school in the DMV (Sidwell is #2).

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

I don’t put much stock in Niche rankings (for obvious reasons). However, out of curiosity, what was BIM ranked in 2023? 2022 and earlier?

If you want to send your child to a bargain basement for-profit school (with a public charter pedigree), I’ll leave you to it. It appears that only about 25 families/year are interested in that…interesting experiment.
I wonder why? Actually, I don’t.

I believe BIM was still ranked #1 in those year and as far back as 2021

No, that’s incorrect.

GDS was ranked #1 in 2022 (Sidwell #2), after Sidwell had held that spot “for at least the past two years.” BIM didn’t even crack the top 5 that year.

https://theaugurbit.com/2021/10/23/gds-tops-sidwell-in-new-rankings-arousing-school-pride/

Btw, Niche’s 2025 rankings have Sidwell ranked #1 as the best private high school in the DMV. BIM is #2.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

Kudos to Sidwell!

They finally dethroned BIM.

Relax, BIM. You don’t have to worry about Sidwell parents posting this meaningless #1 ranking in every random, unrelated thread.

Your moment in the sun may come again. **TRY** to act like you’ve been there before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GDS was ranked #1 in 2022

No one at GDS took the Niche rankings seriously, even when they were "ranked" #1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GDS was ranked #1 in 2022

No one at GDS took the Niche rankings seriously, even when they were "ranked" #1.

Really, they wrote an article about it in the student newspaper. Have other schools done that?

[Anonymous]

Did you actually read the article? GDS students who were quoted all used it to light-heartedly bash Sidwell. The then-HS principal basically said she gave it no value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you actually read the article? GDS students who were quoted all used it to light-heartedly bash Sidwell. The then-HS principal basically said she gave it no value.

Mmmkay

[Anonymous]

Cope harder.

[Anonymous]

While Sidwell may have edged BIM for the #1 slot, at least GDS has sunk to #4 behind #3 Madeira.

We have Harvard and Yale, Oxford and Cambridge, and now Sidwell and BIM.

Here was the reaction from GDS when the beat Sidwell for the #1 slot three years ago:

GDS took the title for the best high school in the D.C. area in a 2022 list released last month by the rankings website Niche. The announcement has reinvigorated GDS’ rivalry with Sidwell Friends School, which was ranked first for at least the past two years but now holds the runner-up spot.

GDS also ranked as the 27th best high school nationally, down three spots from Niche’s 2021 rankings. The D.C.-area list ranked Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia, third. The all-girls National Cathedral School followed in fourth place.

Director of High School Admissions Amanda Deringer said that GDS’ Niche ranking might help attract new students. “Once information gets out on the Internet,” she said, “it’s easy for students and parents to do a quick search and see what the top high schools are.”

Niche appears on Google as one of the most prominent results for D.C. high school rankings. The company’s 2022 list also garnered coverage in local news outlets, such as the WTOP radio station and Washingtonian magazine....

Principal Katie Gibson said she was excited about GDS’ new ranking ....

GDS students have been celebrating their school’s victory in a variety of ways. Last week, members of the varsity volleyball team sent poems in all-school emails to encourage students to attend their game against Sidwell.

One poem by senior Pallavi Bhargava, a captain of the team, promised to “keep the Foxes on a leash” and “crush the 2nd best school according to Niche.” Photos from the game showed GDS students holding signs reading “GDS is #1” and “Midwell is #2,” using a pejorative nickname some GDS students have adopted to suggest Sidwell is mediocre.

When asked her thoughts on GDS students’ jokes about Sidwell, Gibson laughed and said that “a little fun banter between two competitor schools is a natural part of the high school experience.”

Many students at GDS, such as sophomore Cole Huh, have taken part in that banter with friends who attend Sidwell....

... the new rankings have sparked increased school pride ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SJC is mentioned quite a bit, so not sure what you are talking about.

I assume you know it and other WCAC schools are considered sports powerhouses, so don't think your kid can just show up and play many sports if not recruited.

Solid academically, but not crazy amounts of homework. Produced 2 NMSFs this year vs. anywhere from 6-10 at GDS, Sidwell, STA just to give you some benchmark.

Good size...1200 kids total vs. 300 at STA, 600ish at Sidwell/GDS.

I’m chiming in to provide accurate information about Sidwell. Sidwell produced 11 NMSFs this year (the highest # I’ve seen at Sidwell, in recent memory, was 16). Sidwell has ~500 students in the US.

\

Huge eye roll. So unnecessary.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see SJC mentioned much at all here. I wonder if it's because it's not one of the top schools, is affordable for normies, and doesn't carry the pretense some of the other more famous privates do. Is that right? We are not from the area and feel a little lost navigating the world of private schools. Both went to fairly elite private schools back home where everyone just kinda intutively knows which schools are the "rich kid schools", the "smart kid schools", "the artsy kid schools", etc. I fantasize sometimes about sending my kids to one of the cathedral schools, for example but I think financially, it's just not gonna be in the cards for us. I am trying to explore what I think of as the second tier schools like Gonzaga, possibly SJC, etc. I don't mean to denigrate any of these schools in any way; I don't know enough about any of them to have much to say positively or negatively. Just talking about tuition alone. Based on what I can gather, we would not qualify for aid but at the same time, $50k+ per child would be pretty uncomfortable for us. I ask about SJC specifically because we live nearby and I just saw on their website that tuition could be doable for us. But I'm really interested in learning about the general reputations of any schools outside of the STA/NCS, Sidwell, GDS, realm where the doctors, lawyers, and otherwise elite send their kids.

If you are on the MD side, B-CC is just as good or better. JR is a mixed bag with DCPS. We felt SJC was just a public school and way to focused on athletics. Very big difference b/t the athletic facilities and rest of the school.

There are lots of kids from Bethesda in bounds for Whitman, BCC, Churchill, etc. that attend SJC. I don't believe they are all athletes (but I am sure some are athletes).

Lots from Olney and that area as well which I never quite understood because Good Counsel is right there...but the ones I know were recruited athletes...though again, never understood it as I assume Good Counsel would also recruit them as well.

SJC has 1,300 students. I'd be willing to bet that at least 60% of them come from Montgomery County with a high concentration from towns that are served by BCC, WJ, Whitman, etc, etc.

That's 800 families who choose SJC instead of one of the Montgomery County high schools. That's a lot of people who apparently don't agree that BCC and similar schools are "better". That the supporters of the public schools don't understand why, doesn't matter.

17% of all kids in Montgomery County don't attend the public schools. In the western part of the County, it's probably 25% or more.

You're wrong.
In fact, you're wrong on all the numbers you posted.

NP. Not all, and not either of the numbers presented as fact.
SJC has about 1300 students (source: https://www.stjohnschs.org/userfiles/sjchsmvc/documents/College%20Counseling/School%20Profile.pdf )
83% of Montgomery County students are in public, therefore 17% are not (source: https://www.publicschoolreview.com/maryland/montgomery-county#google_vignette ).
PP presented the 60% and 25% as estimates/guesses. Do you have sources to indicate those percentages are likely wrong?

You want to show me where at least 60% SJC are from MoCo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see SJC mentioned much at all here. I wonder if it's because it's not one of the top schools, is affordable for normies, and doesn't carry the pretense some of the other more famous privates do. Is that right? We are not from the area and feel a little lost navigating the world of private schools. Both went to fairly elite private schools back home where everyone just kinda intutively knows which schools are the "rich kid schools", the "smart kid schools", "the artsy kid schools", etc. I fantasize sometimes about sending my kids to one of the cathedral schools, for example but I think financially, it's just not gonna be in the cards for us. I am trying to explore what I think of as the second tier schools like Gonzaga, possibly SJC, etc. I don't mean to denigrate any of these schools in any way; I don't know enough about any of them to have much to say positively or negatively. Just talking about tuition alone. Based on what I can gather, we would not qualify for aid but at the same time, $50k+ per child would be pretty uncomfortable for us. I ask about SJC specifically because we live nearby and I just saw on their website that tuition could be doable for us. But I'm really interested in learning about the general reputations of any schools outside of the STA/NCS, Sidwell, GDS, realm where the doctors, lawyers, and otherwise elite send their kids.

If you are on the MD side, B-CC is just as good or better. JR is a mixed bag with DCPS. We felt SJC was just a public school and way to focused on athletics. Very big difference b/t the athletic facilities and rest of the school.

There are lots of kids from Bethesda in bounds for Whitman, BCC, Churchill, etc. that attend SJC. I don't believe they are all athletes (but I am sure some are athletes).

Lots from Olney and that area as well which I never quite understood because Good Counsel is right there...but the ones I know were recruited athletes...though again, never understood it as I assume Good Counsel would also recruit them as well.

SJC has 1,300 students. I'd be willing to bet that at least 60% of them come from Montgomery County with a high concentration from towns that are served by BCC, WJ, Whitman, etc, etc.

That's 800 families who choose SJC instead of one of the Montgomery County high schools. That's a lot of people who apparently don't agree that BCC and similar schools are "better". That the supporters of the public schools don't understand why, doesn't matter.

17% of all kids in Montgomery County don't attend the public schools. In the western part of the County, it's probably 25% or more.

You're wrong.
In fact, you're wrong on all the numbers you posted.

One of us is wrong. And it turns out it's you. See the citation in the above Post. (Get a clue!)

You want to show me where at least 60% are from MoCo?
Get a clue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SJC is mentioned quite a bit, so not sure what you are talking about.

I assume you know it and other WCAC schools are considered sports powerhouses, so don't think your kid can just show up and play many sports if not recruited.

Solid academically, but not crazy amounts of homework. Produced 2 NMSFs this year vs. anywhere from 6-10 at GDS, Sidwell, STA just to give you some benchmark.

Good size...1200 kids total vs. 300 at STA, 600ish at Sidwell/GDS.

I’m chiming in to provide accurate information about Sidwell. Sidwell produced 11 NMSFs this year (the highest # I’ve seen at Sidwell, in recent memory, was 16). Sidwell has ~500 students in the US.

Sidwell has about 125 in the senior class with 11 NMSF for 2024-2025. That is 8%.

BIM has 24 in the senior class with 3 NMSF for 2024-2025. That is 12.5%

If you are looking for a great private school in the DMV, consider BIM. The school has been rated as the #1 private school in the DMV (Sidwell is #2).

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

I don’t put much stock in Niche rankings (for obvious reasons). However, out of curiosity, what was BIM ranked in 2023? 2022 and earlier?

If you want to send your child to a bargain basement for-profit school (with a public charter pedigree), I’ll leave you to it. It appears that only about 25 families/year are interested in that…interesting experiment.
I wonder why? Actually, I don’t.

I believe BIM was still ranked #1 in those year and as far back as 2021

No, that’s incorrect.

GDS was ranked #1 in 2022 (Sidwell #2), after Sidwell had held that spot “for at least the past two years.” BIM didn’t even crack the top 5 that year.

https://theaugurbit.com/2021/10/23/gds-tops-sidwell-in-new-rankings-arousing-school-pride/

Btw, Niche’s 2025 rankings have Sidwell ranked #1 as the best private high school in the DMV. BIM is #2.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

So BIM was ranked #1 for 2023 and 2024, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fascinating how Sidwell dominates so many conversations about schools in the DC Metro (both on DCUM and IRL). For example, this thread is supposed to be about SJC’s reputation, but even the OP can’t resist name checking Sidwell in the first post. That rarely happens in the reverse (unless the discussion is about sports).

Sidwell must love the consistent free publicity. As Oscar Wilde once said, “There’s only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”

Well the OP also mentioned STA/NCS, GDS but you don't see parents from these schools make an a$$ out of themselves and try to "correct" what don't need to be corrected.
Sidwell parents are so insecure.

No, that’s not it. Someone (or a handful) of BIM boosters often post on other schools’ threads about its recent Niche ranking. In response, parents routinely call it a joke ranking and say BIM is an undesirable school.

There’s a very different energy when Sidwell parents post almost anything positive about their school. I’m not trying to argue this point. I’m not a Sidwell parent, but I see the difference. It’s ok if you don’t agree.

Yes, it's. No one had mentioned BIM at that point, but insecure Sidwell parent(s) felt the need to "correct".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SJC is mentioned quite a bit, so not sure what you are talking about.

I assume you know it and other WCAC schools are considered sports powerhouses, so don't think your kid can just show up and play many sports if not recruited.

Solid academically, but not crazy amounts of homework. Produced 2 NMSFs this year vs. anywhere from 6-10 at GDS, Sidwell, STA just to give you some benchmark.

Good size...1200 kids total vs. 300 at STA, 600ish at Sidwell/GDS.

I’m chiming in to provide accurate information about Sidwell. Sidwell produced 11 NMSFs this year (the highest # I’ve seen at Sidwell, in recent memory, was 16). Sidwell has ~500 students in the US.

Sidwell has about 125 in the senior class with 11 NMSF for 2024-2025. That is 8%.

BIM has 24 in the senior class with 3 NMSF for 2024-2025. That is 12.5%

If you are looking for a great private school in the DMV, consider BIM. The school has been rated as the #1 private school in the DMV (Sidwell is #2).

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

I don’t put much stock in Niche rankings (for obvious reasons). However, out of curiosity, what was BIM ranked in 2023? 2022 and earlier?

If you want to send your child to a bargain basement for-profit school (with a public charter pedigree), I’ll leave you to it. It appears that only about 25 families/year are interested in that…interesting experiment.
I wonder why? Actually, I don’t.

I believe BIM was still ranked #1 in those year and as far back as 2021

No, that’s incorrect.

GDS was ranked #1 in 2022 (Sidwell #2), after Sidwell had held that spot “for at least the past two years.” BIM didn’t even crack the top 5 that year.

https://theaugurbit.com/2021/10/23/gds-tops-sidwell-in-new-rankings-arousing-school-pride/

Btw, Niche’s 2025 rankings have Sidwell ranked #1 as the best private high school in the DMV. BIM is #2.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

So BIM was ranked #1 for 2023 and 2024, right?

I don’t think so because there would have been cringey BIM parents posting about a #1 ranking for twice as long. However, I’m not going to bother looking it up.

Let us know if you locate the link to the 2023 rankings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see SJC mentioned much at all here. I wonder if it's because it's not one of the top schools, is affordable for normies, and doesn't carry the pretense some of the other more famous privates do. Is that right? We are not from the area and feel a little lost navigating the world of private schools. Both went to fairly elite private schools back home where everyone just kinda intutively knows which schools are the "rich kid schools", the "smart kid schools", "the artsy kid schools", etc. I fantasize sometimes about sending my kids to one of the cathedral schools, for example but I think financially, it's just not gonna be in the cards for us. I am trying to explore what I think of as the second tier schools like Gonzaga, possibly SJC, etc. I don't mean to denigrate any of these schools in any way; I don't know enough about any of them to have much to say positively or negatively. Just talking about tuition alone. Based on what I can gather, we would not qualify for aid but at the same time, $50k+ per child would be pretty uncomfortable for us. I ask about SJC specifically because we live nearby and I just saw on their website that tuition could be doable for us. But I'm really interested in learning about the general reputations of any schools outside of the STA/NCS, Sidwell, GDS, realm where the doctors, lawyers, and otherwise elite send their kids.

If you are on the MD side, B-CC is just as good or better. JR is a mixed bag with DCPS. We felt SJC was just a public school and way to focused on athletics. Very big difference b/t the athletic facilities and rest of the school.

There are lots of kids from Bethesda in bounds for Whitman, BCC, Churchill, etc. that attend SJC. I don't believe they are all athletes (but I am sure some are athletes).

Lots from Olney and that area as well which I never quite understood because Good Counsel is right there...but the ones I know were recruited athletes...though again, never understood it as I assume Good Counsel would also recruit them as well.

SJC has 1,300 students. I'd be willing to bet that at least 60% of them come from Montgomery County with a high concentration from towns that are served by BCC, WJ, Whitman, etc, etc.

That's 800 families who choose SJC instead of one of the Montgomery County high schools. That's a lot of people who apparently don't agree that BCC and similar schools are "better". That the supporters of the public schools don't understand why, doesn't matter.

17% of all kids in Montgomery County don't attend the public schools. In the western part of the County, it's probably 25% or more.

You're wrong.
In fact, you're wrong on all the numbers you posted.

NP. Not all, and not either of the numbers presented as fact.
SJC has about 1300 students (source: https://www.stjohnschs.org/userfiles/sjchsmvc/documents/College%20Counseling/School%20Profile.pdf )
83% of Montgomery County students are in public, therefore 17% are not (source: https://www.publicschoolreview.com/maryland/montgomery-county#google_vignette ).
PP presented the 60% and 25% as estimates/guesses. Do you have sources to indicate those percentages are likely wrong?

You want to show me where at least 60% SJC are from MoCo?

Do you want to show me where it says otherwise? As I said, pp presented the 60% as an estimate, and was correct in both numbers they presented as fact. You’re the one saying they are wrong about all of it. Well, they’re right about 2 of the 4, and you were wrong about 2 of the 4. So far, I’m inclined to believe pp has a better sense of the numbers than you do. Feel free to demonstrate otherwise.

[Anonymous]

As a current parent of two SJC students, I think the comments already made about SJC in general are fair. It is definitely worth a look, especially if you live close to the school. As for the sports aspect of the school, just because it is competitive doesn't mean it is all good. The boys soccer program is a disaster, but soccer is not a priority, so nothing changes.