National Cathedral School vs Phillips Andover

[Anonymous]

My daughter has interest in both of these schools, and we are applying to them among many. However, these are her top two preferences. How is NCS's rigor compared to Andover? Her cousin went to Andover, and it was very stressful and very rigorous. Is NCS similar or is it more laid back than Andover?

[Anonymous]

NCS is very rigorous as well. The most rigorous day school in the DC area. Lots of work, fairly stressed out atmosphere. The main differences between Andover and NCS are boarding and COED.

If you want less rigorous but in the DC area, look at Maret, Field, Burke, and the Catholic schools.

For less rigorous boarding, Madeira, Foxcroft, Episcopal, etc.

[Anonymous]

I cannot imagine either Andover or NCS being used in a paragraph with the phrase "laid back", unless preceded with the word "not".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NCS is very rigorous as well. The most rigorous day school in the DC area. Lots of work, fairly stressed out atmosphere. The main differences between Andover and NCS are boarding and COED.

If you want less rigorous but in the DC area, look at Maret, Field, Burke, and the Catholic schools.

For less rigorous boarding, Madeira, Foxcroft, Episcopal, etc.

Another big difference is size. NCS has about 80 to 90 girls per grade in the Upper School. Andover has at least 3X those numbers per grade. OP, what kind of environment is your DD looking for?

[Anonymous]

Why not apply for both and think about which one is better after being accepted by both? Neither will be laid back but experience could be very different.

[Anonymous]

I’d go with the coed choice and the place with better leadership. Andover.

[Anonymous]

The NCS endowment is very low compared to other privates in the area. I honestly believe it's because fewer people are interested in the unnecessary rigor, stress, and harsh grading at NCS. Enrollment overall is very low. NCS needs to focus on the joy of learning and reduce stress among the students if it wants to remain competitive, and increase its endowment. Otherwise, smart girls, like yours will choose schools like Andover instead. Without a culture shift, NCS is going to fall behind.

[Anonymous]

I don’t see how these two schools are remotely comparable.

[Anonymous]

There have been a number of recent posts seeking to compare the top DC privates with the elite NE boarding schools. I think they’re troll posts.

[Anonymous]

It's classic DC anxiety that everyone assumes NE boarding schools are lightyears beyond our local privates. It's not true.

NCS is rigorous and so is Andover. Both will push your kid. Andover will have more courses and a different experience, but college placement will likely look the same for DD at either place.

The difference between the two isn't rigor - it's the experience of boarding, being in a larger school with a more expansive course catalog, broader peer group etc.

Go tour both and come back to let us know what you think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There have been a number of recent posts seeking to compare the top DC privates with the elite NE boarding schools. I think they’re troll posts.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The NCS endowment is very low compared to other privates in the area. I honestly believe it's because fewer people are interested in the unnecessary rigor, stress, and harsh grading at NCS. Enrollment overall is very low. NCS needs to focus on the joy of learning and reduce stress among the students if it wants to remain competitive, and increase its endowment. Otherwise, smart girls, like yours will choose schools like Andover instead. Without a culture shift, NCS is going to fall behind.

Is this statement of low enrollment supported by any statistics? Not sure about endowment but heard my child say it is definitely less than that of STA...

[Anonymous]

Let’s see. Good school in DC versus one of the top schools in the world. It’s not even a competition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The NCS endowment is very low compared to other privates in the area. I honestly believe it's because fewer people are interested in the unnecessary rigor, stress, and harsh grading at NCS. Enrollment overall is very low. NCS needs to focus on the joy of learning and reduce stress among the students if it wants to remain competitive, and increase its endowment. Otherwise, smart girls, like yours will choose schools like Andover instead. Without a culture shift, NCS is going to fall behind.

Is enrollment low? Wasn’t it just last year parents were complaining that their girls couldn’t get into core science classes because there were too many students and the school hadn’t hired another teacher?

[Anonymous]

In terms of alumni network, Andover is hands down the better choice. I think the boarding experience lends itself to a tight knit and loyal alumni group. My best friend from law school is an Andover grad and it probably helped him make partner at his law firm (multiple other Andover graduates in the partnership).

NCS being smaller and all female likely limits the value of its alumni network some, unfortunately.