Georgetown Prep?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, if you've concluded that GP is one of the most prestigious schools in the country, you've got some more research to do. St. Albans, Landon, Gonzaga, and St. Anselm's (for academics anyway), are all stronger schools.

I don't know of anyone who applied to St Anselm's and the other 4 or a combination thereof. Why the slams at GP? Do you have boys in high school?

Can we please take St. Anselm's off?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The idea that GP is as tough on academics as STA and St Anselms is silly. GP has been known as a jocks school for decades. St Anselms is not supposed to be a school for any kid. Very smart, academic oriented kids. Great to have that option in town. Gonzaga and GP are no doubt better sports schools than STA. Both are larger and focus on that. I do point out that STA generally has a better baseball team than Gonzaga at least. STA is a much smaller school than the large Catholic boys schools. It has no desire to be DeMatha, etc. Nothing wrong with that either.

My point is that STA,Gonzaga and GP has a more holistic approach to education while placing kids in great colleges. GP is not showing up to be some jock school with these kids getting into good schools thereafter. It is about as jock as Gonzaga and that means serious about sports. Just because someone is good at sports doesn't mean that they can't have a well rounded mentality enough to maintain sports and academics. GP is likely a boy school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The idea that GP is as tough on academics as STA and St Anselms is silly. GP has been known as a jocks school for decades. St Anselms is not supposed to be a school for any kid. Very smart, academic oriented kids. Great to have that option in town. Gonzaga and GP are no doubt better sports schools than STA. Both are larger and focus on that. I do point out that STA generally has a better baseball team than Gonzaga at least. STA is a much smaller school than the large Catholic boys schools. It has no desire to be DeMatha, etc. Nothing wrong with that either.

DO YOU OR DON'T YOU HAVE A CHILD THERE? No offense but I don't want to discount the fact that you may be speaking from some kind of experience.

[Anonymous]

There are some illusions being promoted. GP may be a great school. Sending half of its kids to GT, BC and ND is certainly terrific. But GP is not in the same league academically as STA, Sidwell or Potomac. Not even close. Those schools probably send a third of their kids to the Ivies and their equivalents such as Stanford and Little Three. Let's get real. GP has been around a long time and a has terrific traditions that attract many families. But those qualities to not place it in the same league as the above schools in terms of academics. Sports is obviously a different matter. Now GP can be legitimately criticized for having failed to improve its academic standing despite its money and the growth in MC over the last 20 years as a PP noted.

[Anonymous]

This is becoming a weird thread since it is obvious that some posters do not have sons in high school. Nor do they have sons with friends at these schools.

It appears that some people resent the fact that OTHER peoples children can be intelligent and athletic simultaneously. Prep is a fine school .

[Anonymous]

Gotta admit, I don't have kids that go to GP. However, the kids (and their parents) that I know (more than a few) are obnoxious people. Some have lots of $$ and others want to look like they have lots of $$. That's the value system. That's the front. There is nothing behind it. All about outer appearance. I get stuck listening and paybacks are ugly. It's good to be anonymous!

[Anonymous]

I am a PP who is looking at Saint Anselms. Why does everyone say it is ALL academics? They have sports, just not some of the big sports, and they play in a different league b/c they are smaller. If a boy doesn't want to be recruited for a college for athletics, but just plays sports for fitness and fun, isn't he still well-rounded?

[Anonymous]

I have a boy in one of these schools and I've lived in DC almost my whole life. "Story Lady" -- who is a little odd, if you ask me, first claining to be new to the area and then spouting all sorts of opinions about the various schools, seems primarily interested in Catholic schools, and that's fine. But, I don't think you can compare most of the Catholic schools with the other major privates because you're talking about a different kind of parent body, a different school culture (conservative, which is a turnoff for a lot of folks around here), and a whole different approach to education. Sure, the Catholic schools do very well in sports, and some of them are solid academically (Gonzaga, for one). But, with the exception of St. Anselm's (where my son was accepted but did not choose to attend), they're just not as strong academically as St. Albans and Landon and the other co-ed schools like GDS, Sidwell etc. So if you're only interested in Catholic Schools and REALLY interested in sports, sure, GP might be a fine choice, but don't fool yourself that its academics are as strong as other places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a boy in one of these schools and I've lived in DC almost my whole life. "Story Lady" -- who is a little odd, if you ask me, first claining to be new to the area and then spouting all sorts of opinions about the various schools, seems primarily interested in Catholic schools, and that's fine. But, I don't think you can compare most of the Catholic schools with the other major privates because you're talking about a different kind of parent body, a different school culture (conservative, which is a turnoff for a lot of folks around here), and a whole different approach to education. Sure, the Catholic schools do very well in sports, and some of them are solid academically (Gonzaga, for one). But, with the exception of St. Anselm's (where my son was accepted but did not choose to attend), they're just not as strong academically as St. Albans and Landon and the other co-ed schools like GDS, Sidwell etc. So if you're only interested in Catholic Schools and REALLY interested in sports, sure, GP might be a fine choice, but don't fool yourself that its academics are as strong as other places.

Story Lady here again. I have been here a year and I studied the schools in the area nearly a year before we came here and this is the reason I feel comfortable commenting on just about anything regarding the schools in the area however, after being here for nearly a year I have to agree with you that nothing beats being FROM the area. The area (DC) is pretty transient. So far, I have known several families who have come and gone from here. I like some Catholic schools. My prior posts indicate that I like Gonzaga,GP and if looking at certain sports Good Counsel and I like them because i believe they are as good as STA in every way. Someone mentioned DeMatha in an earlier post. That was not me. I do not like DeMatha. I totally respect St. Anselms, need to make that clear. It just doesn't seem like a balance. In my mind, a variety of sports is missing. In the end St. Anselm's is not a good fit for my son who is musical,athletic and academically competitive. He puts as much effort in all of these areas eqaully. I gotta give it St. Anselm's, they are academic and for some that's all that counts. Honestly, I'm not that big of a sports fan. I just started watching sports a few months ago when my son actually "got pretty good" at basketball. Being here in DC made him improve tremendously. Sports is pretty much a new thing for him but it turned out to be something else he is taking seriously because it is part of his personality. THE NOTE IS TO ANYONE, IF YOU CAN GET YOUR SON TO GO TO ST. ANSELMS AND BE OK WITH IT DO IT. I just think my son is growing towards serious sports. Serious as in he will want to play in hs. He will probably make the team where ever he goes, get a jersey and not ride the bench too much at this point. He clearly knows he aint's goin' to no' pros. He just wants to have fun playing. His grades are his prize and he knows.. If you look on the DC Archdioces page it pretty much indicates which schools are set apart from the traditional admission practices. I know about the other privates and their good. Real good. I just think that GP,St. Anselms and Gonzaga are more prep like. Thanks for warning me about being too conservative around here. That is important to know.

[Anonymous]

Story Lady,

I am going to assume you are a real person and being honest with your prior posts and respond to you as such. I think that Georgetown Prep is a fantastic school and if I ever have a son I'd be extremely proud and excited to send him there. Here's my reasoning:
I'm AA and my husband is AA and Latino. We are in our 30's both grew up in PG County. My husband graduated from GP went on the the Naval Academy and then law school. Prior to prep he went to his local Catholic school in Lanham, MD. I went to the Potomac School, Groton School and then Harvard. DH education at GP was definitely equivalent to mine (schools often labeled more prestigious on this board) and in some ways superior.

In every way, I have been consistently amazed by the quality and breadth of education my husband received at GP. In my mind GP is definitely equivalent to most of the aforementioned schools and, for many boys, sports are a huge part of their high school development. It probably is an aggressive, sink or swim environment and not suited to all boys. That's a fair comment from PP. DH played basketball at GP and Navy and was a special forces Marine -- GP was great for him but, like any school, not the best fit for everyone. GP is also not an ivy or little ivy feeder like STA, Sidwell or Potomac, so if that's a concern for you, do look at the last 5 years exmissions data.

Being honest, from what he's told me, as an AA student my husband was not a part of the "in crowd" or "cliques" that seemed to form pre-GP (mostly at mater dei). He had plenty of great friends, many of whom he's still in contact with today and was class president for 2 years. Realistically, for many AA kids, this kind of social isolation is likely to be the case at any independent school. Its critically important to maintain contact with a community of AA friends, family and potential dates outside of your private school. Some of this is definitely achieved through "mixers" with other AA kids at DC independent schools.

PG County is a hard decision. When I was growing up it was a different place. I wish I could be surprised by PP comments about sub-par schools, community facilities, falling home prices and crime -- but she's dead on. At the same time, I drive out of DC every day and take my almost 2 y/o DD to Mitchellville to daycare because I LOVE my tiny AA home daycare where the other families and teachers share my culture and values. There are a lot of very hard-working, intelligent, education focused AA families in PG county (many of whom end up in private schools). Unfortunately, I just don't think PG is what it used to be so I personally am more likely to move to MoCo and work hard to find AA friends for my DD. Based on the number of AA I see around Bethesda, that seems to be getting less hard!

If you are serious about GP definitely ask to speak with some current AA families and grads.

Best of luck to you and your son!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Story Lady,

I am going to assume you are a real person and being honest with your prior posts and respond to you as such. I think that Georgetown Prep is a fantastic school and if I ever have a son I'd be extremely proud and excited to send him there. Here's my reasoning:
I'm AA and my husband is AA and Latino. We are in our 30's both grew up in PG County. My husband graduated from GP went on the the Naval Academy and then law school. Prior to prep he went to his local Catholic school in Lanham, MD. I went to the Potomac School, Groton School and then Harvard. DH education at GP was definitely equivalent to mine (schools often labeled more prestigious on this board) and in some ways superior.

In every way, I have been consistently amazed by the quality and breadth of education my husband received at GP. In my mind GP is definitely equivalent to most of the aforementioned schools and, for many boys, sports are a huge part of their high school development. It probably is an aggressive, sink or swim environment and not suited to all boys. That's a fair comment from PP. DH played basketball at GP and Navy and was a special forces Marine -- GP was great for him but, like any school, not the best fit for everyone. GP is also not an ivy or little ivy feeder like STA, Sidwell or Potomac, so if that's a concern for you, do look at the last 5 years exmissions data.

Being honest, from what he's told me, as an AA student my husband was not a part of the "in crowd" or "cliques" that seemed to form pre-GP (mostly at mater dei). He had plenty of great friends, many of whom he's still in contact with today and was class president for 2 years. Realistically, for many AA kids, this kind of social isolation is likely to be the case at any independent school. Its critically important to maintain contact with a community of AA friends, family and potential dates outside of your private school. Some of this is definitely achieved through "mixers" with other AA kids at DC independent schools.

PG County is a hard decision. When I was growing up it was a different place. I wish I could be surprised by PP comments about sub-par schools, community facilities, falling home prices and crime -- but she's dead on. At the same time, I drive out of DC every day and take my almost 2 y/o DD to Mitchellville to daycare because I LOVE my tiny AA home daycare where the other families and teachers share my culture and values. There are a lot of very hard-working, intelligent, education focused AA families in PG county (many of whom end up in private schools). Unfortunately, I just don't think PG is what it used to be so I personally am more likely to move to MoCo and work hard to find AA friends for my DD. Based on the number of AA I see around Bethesda, that seems to be getting less hard!

If you are serious about GP definitely ask to speak with some current AA families and grads.

Best of luck to you and your son!

Wow! You have covered everything I had been digging for. I never expected my son to run around in GP cliques but I did expect him to have a healthy social lifestyle while at GP or some school like it. We are extremely involved in our church. For a lot of AA families that is where we find other families with similar profiles. We have freinds all over the country at this point. I will look at STA,Landon, Sidwell and etc. Everyone can count on that. One of my biggest concerns is that my son will be going to the 9th grade. I also thought it would be a good idea to start fresh with all ninth graders however, my goal is to seek out the best possible education I can get for him. I will dig more and look more into the most recent data. I had sincerely hoped that there was some way to connect with other AA families and embrace the school wholeheartedly at the same time. Your post carries significant weight but so do a few others. I have been thinking about digging more for a couple of days now. I woke up to STA believe it or not.

Thanks a million for your input,
Story Lady

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gotta admit, I don't have kids that go to GP. However, the kids (and their parents) that I know (more than a few) are obnoxious people. Some have lots of $$ and others want to look like they have lots of $$. That's the value system. That's the front. There is nothing behind it. All about outer appearance. I get stuck listening and paybacks are ugly. It's good to be anonymous!

Good for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Story Lady,

I am going to assume you are a real person and being honest with your prior posts and respond to you as such. I think that Georgetown Prep is a fantastic school and if I ever have a son I'd be extremely proud and excited to send him there. Here's my reasoning:
I'm AA and my husband is AA and Latino. We are in our 30's both grew up in PG County. My husband graduated from GP went on the the Naval Academy and then law school. Prior to prep he went to his local Catholic school in Lanham, MD. I went to the Potomac School, Groton School and then Harvard. DH education at GP was definitely equivalent to mine (schools often labeled more prestigious on this board) and in some ways superior.

In every way, I have been consistently amazed by the quality and breadth of education my husband received at GP. In my mind GP is definitely equivalent to most of the aforementioned schools and, for many boys, sports are a huge part of their high school development. It probably is an aggressive, sink or swim environment and not suited to all boys. That's a fair comment from PP. DH played basketball at GP and Navy and was a special forces Marine -- GP was great for him but, like any school, not the best fit for everyone. GP is also not an ivy or little ivy feeder like STA, Sidwell or Potomac, so if that's a concern for you, do look at the last 5 years exmissions data.

Being honest, from what he's told me, as an AA student my husband was not a part of the "in crowd" or "cliques" that seemed to form pre-GP (mostly at mater dei). He had plenty of great friends, many of whom he's still in contact with today and was class president for 2 years. Realistically, for many AA kids, this kind of social isolation is likely to be the case at any independent school. Its critically important to maintain contact with a community of AA friends, family and potential dates outside of your private school. Some of this is definitely achieved through "mixers" with other AA kids at DC independent schools.

PG County is a hard decision. When I was growing up it was a different place. I wish I could be surprised by PP comments about sub-par schools, community facilities, falling home prices and crime -- but she's dead on. At the same time, I drive out of DC every day and take my almost 2 y/o DD to Mitchellville to daycare because I LOVE my tiny AA home daycare where the other families and teachers share my culture and values. There are a lot of very hard-working, intelligent, education focused AA families in PG county (many of whom end up in private schools). Unfortunately, I just don't think PG is what it used to be so I personally am more likely to move to MoCo and work hard to find AA friends for my DD. Based on the number of AA I see around Bethesda, that seems to be getting less hard!

If you are serious about GP definitely ask to speak with some current AA families and grads.

Best of luck to you and your son!

I do see your point. STA, Potomac and Sidwell are a different animal. They are really putting out to some great colleges. STA seems fairly welcoming. I had studied them before but felt it was too much like St. Anselms. After studying for the past few days I think it might be a decent fit for my son. It is worth an application. It also sort of looks like a school for the well connected. Lets face it, there are no senators here. At the end of the day, I just like GP. It might be that it is the only one that I spent a nearly an entire day visiting. STA,Potomac and Sidwell provide a clear shot to an Ivy if you do decent there. I think my boy can handle it. I mean STA. I do trust GP to get him where he needs to go without a doubt. Heck their all good information overload! I hope your friends in Montgomery County have electricity. It has been an awful storm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Story Lady,

I am going to assume you are a real person and being honest with your prior posts and respond to you as such. I think that Georgetown Prep is a fantastic school and if I ever have a son I'd be extremely proud and excited to send him there. Here's my reasoning:
I'm AA and my husband is AA and Latino. We are in our 30's both grew up in PG County. My husband graduated from GP went on the the Naval Academy and then law school. Prior to prep he went to his local Catholic school in Lanham, MD. I went to the Potomac School, Groton School and then Harvard. DH education at GP was definitely equivalent to mine (schools often labeled more prestigious on this board) and in some ways superior.

In every way, I have been consistently amazed by the quality and breadth of education my husband received at GP. In my mind GP is definitely equivalent to most of the aforementioned schools and, for many boys, sports are a huge part of their high school development. It probably is an aggressive, sink or swim environment and not suited to all boys. That's a fair comment from PP. DH played basketball at GP and Navy and was a special forces Marine -- GP was great for him but, like any school, not the best fit for everyone. GP is also not an ivy or little ivy feeder like STA, Sidwell or Potomac, so if that's a concern for you, do look at the last 5 years exmissions data.

Being honest, from what he's told me, as an AA student my husband was not a part of the "in crowd" or "cliques" that seemed to form pre-GP (mostly at mater dei). He had plenty of great friends, many of whom he's still in contact with today and was class president for 2 years. Realistically, for many AA kids, this kind of social isolation is likely to be the case at any independent school. Its critically important to maintain contact with a community of AA friends, family and potential dates outside of your private school. Some of this is definitely achieved through "mixers" with other AA kids at DC independent schools.

PG County is a hard decision. When I was growing up it was a different place. I wish I could be surprised by PP comments about sub-par schools, community facilities, falling home prices and crime -- but she's dead on. At the same time, I drive out of DC every day and take my almost 2 y/o DD to Mitchellville to daycare because I LOVE my tiny AA home daycare where the other families and teachers share my culture and values. There are a lot of very hard-working, intelligent, education focused AA families in PG county (many of whom end up in private schools). Unfortunately, I just don't think PG is what it used to be so I personally am more likely to move to MoCo and work hard to find AA friends for my DD. Based on the number of AA I see around Bethesda, that seems to be getting less hard!

If you are serious about GP definitely ask to speak with some current AA families and grads.

Best of luck to you and your son!

I do see your point. STA, Potomac and Sidwell are a different animal. They are really putting out to some great colleges. STA seems fairly welcoming. I had studied them before but felt it was too much like St. Anselms. After studying for the past few days I think it might be a decent fit for my son. It is worth an application. It also sort of looks like a school for the well connected. Lets face it, there are no senators here. At the end of the day, I just like GP. It might be that it is the only one that I spent a nearly an entire day visiting. STA,Potomac and Sidwell provide a clear shot to an Ivy if you do decent there. I think my boy can handle it. I mean STA. I do trust GP to get him where he needs to go without a doubt. Heck their all good information overload! I hope your friends in Montgomery County have electricity. It has been an awful storm.

Oh one other thing if you don't mind. What do you think of these Honors Programs at the regular catholic schools? Does anyone have a comment on that? I mean, at St. John's Catholic School there is a highly ranked program called the De La Salle program. Does that ring a bell? The program only accepts about 25 freshmen out of a class of 200. Pretty selective. They all got into the Ivies last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, if you've concluded that GP is one of the most prestigious schools in the country, you've got some more research to do. St. Albans, Landon, Gonzaga, and St. Anselm's (for academics anyway), are all stronger schools.

On what do you base this? Is US News and World Report running prep school rankings? Gonzaga and St. Ans--huh?? These are safety schools for GP applicants. Landon? Where boys are routinely held back a year to gain athletic advantage over peer schools--real academic powerhouse. Sounds like a sour grapes parent of an unsucessful GP applicant.