Transitioning from Catholic school to competitive privates (like STA/NCS/Sidwell) - advice needed?

[Anonymous]

My child has been thriving at a parochial school, which does an excellent job preparing students for the top Catholic high schools in our area. However, we're starting to think those schools might not be the right fit and are considering non-Catholic private options. The challenge is that our current school has no experience with placement at these schools.

While my child has strong grades, I'm concerned the curriculum may not be rigorous enough for a competitive application or smooth transition to a top-tier private school. For example, my kid gets all A's with minimal homework, and the assignments seem less challenging than I remember from my own experience at this grade level. I'm unsure whether this reflects my child's abilities or gaps in the curriculum, but looking at his writing assignments, I worry they wouldn't meet the standards expected at more competitive schools.

Questions for parents who've made this transition:

--If your child went from Catholic elementary/middle school to schools like STA, NCS, Sidwell, or Maret, were they well-prepared by their Catholic school curriculum? Did you supplement their education in any way?
--Any advice on successfully applying to and thriving at competitive DC private schools when coming from a parochial background?

Thanks for any insights you can share!

[Anonymous]

I don’t have that specific experience of having a child transitioning out of Catholic school, but have personal and family experience with public, Catholic, and private schools. Generally speaking, Catholic schools are pretty good at teaching writing and work ethic. Math is usually below the level of private and public schools. That’s not to say that they are below grade level, just that they usually don’t offer the level of acceleration that other schools can. My child’s Catholic school uses Saxon math for much of elementary and middle, which is pretty traditional math, and if we want to push forward as we join public or private high school we would have to supplement above grade level outside of school.

[Anonymous]

Academically the academically rigorous catholic schools and the academically rigorous independent schools are roughly equivalent.

[Anonymous]

I taught at a big 3 and many kids coming from parish schools could not write essays at the level expected for 9th are read critically for English and history. Also some of their math skills were weak, especially with word problems. I would do an algebra 1 book over the summer if going into geometry.

[Anonymous]

I would suggest doing a prep year. Many local students do that. Or hire a tutor or enroll in summer classes at the schools you are considering.

[Anonymous]

DC went from Catholic k-8 and was at the top of her class and ended up at a big 3. She was not prepared at all. The courses in her k-8 just did not cover the material in such a deep way as big 3. No major research paper or as many English essays and math was more superficial. I wish I had done a summer prep course beforehand in math and maybe in English. But she wanted a more rigorous curriculum than what the Catholic high schools offered. It took her awhile to adjust but she enjoyed the more rigorous academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC went from Catholic k-8 and was at the top of her class and ended up at a big 3. She was not prepared at all. The courses in her k-8 just did not cover the material in such a deep way as big 3. No major research paper or as many English essays and math was more superficial. I wish I had done a summer prep course beforehand in math and maybe in English. But she wanted a more rigorous curriculum than what the Catholic high schools offered. It took her awhile to adjust but she enjoyed the more rigorous academics.

Major research papers? SHE wanted rigor?


BS

[Anonymous]

A college friend who went from being top of her class at a Catholic high school to an ivy league college said the hardest part of the transition was learning that memorization wasn't sufficient -- the level of expected analysis was much greater. I don't know if that has changed in a generation.

[Anonymous]

OP, there's no need getting too in the weeds about it until your DC has been admitted somewhere.

[Anonymous]

to

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:to

To what?

[Anonymous]

We did this and found DC was behind in math, but we knew that would be the case because DC had the same ineffective math teacher for three years in middle school at the parochial. Otherwise, I think DC experienced the usual growing pains associated with transitioning to a rigorous high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC went from Catholic k-8 and was at the top of her class and ended up at a big 3. She was not prepared at all. The courses in her k-8 just did not cover the material in such a deep way as big 3. No major research paper or as many English essays and math was more superficial. I wish I had done a summer prep course beforehand in math and maybe in English. But she wanted a more rigorous curriculum than what the Catholic high schools offered. It took her awhile to adjust but she enjoyed the more rigorous academics.

Major research papers? SHE wanted rigor?


BS

Yes. Wanted rigor. I guess you just don’t have a kid that likes to learn. Worked out for my DD bc got into a T20 college. Had to work twice as hard to catch up initially but made it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academically the academically rigorous catholic schools and the academically rigorous independent schools are roughly equivalent.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academically the academically rigorous catholic schools and the academically rigorous independent schools are roughly equivalent.

+1