Riverdale

[Anonymous]

What's the deal with Riverdale? Why was it considered 2T (not as academic, not as high quality, not as smart/serious kids, not as hard to get into, something else?) and how much has that changed in the past few years (seems like it's very hard to get into now but has anything else changed for the better?).

How is the workload, culture etc? And how does that compare to other TT coeds?

Is it common to transfer to HM/Trinity for high school?

[Anonymous]

I think some parents may find Fieldston too liberal and Horace Mann too intense. Very wealthy student body, I imagine it’s hard socially. Also, it would be very weird to switch from Riverdale to Horace Mann for high school.

[Anonymous]

I do know a kid who switched from one hill school to another. Do not know the circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Only a few in-person touch points with Riverdale but it didn’t feel like one would find many friendly, diverse, down to earth people there. Kind of an insiders only vibe. Did not get the sense that they’re necessarily looking for smart, hard working kids.

[Anonymous]

We looked at it and were told by a few families there that it is a very dog-eat-dog place, kids really need to advocate for themselves, not very nurturing. Which, while good preparation for the real world, is a bit extreme.

[Anonymous]

2T is still a great school. Riverdale’s exmissions have improved to close to TT. Who knows why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2T is still a great school. Riverdale’s exmissions have improved to close to TT. Who knows why?

Rich, well-connected families who would be getting into those schools if their kids went to the Central Des Moines School of Cosmetology?

[Anonymous]

It’s almost certainly not worth the fight to get in at this point - 10 or 15 years ago it was the weakest of the Hill schools and its current status is more a product of Fieldston declining than of Riverdale getting that much better.

[Anonymous]

Wasn’t there a thread or post about bullying problem there?

[Anonymous]

I know a few high-achieving HS-ers who chose Riv over options mostly due to its “rising star” and much-talked-about exmissions particularly post-Covid. But I gotta think socially it’s tough for them there.

[Anonymous]

Wow, was not expecting responses to be this bleak!

[Anonymous]

DS was in a position to choose between Riverdale and HM, and he ultimately chose HM. He really connected with the Riverdale AO who interviewed us and led our tour (he really was fantastic), but DS just wasn't feeling it after the visiting day. HM gave him the warm fuzzies, which I know sounds weird, but he knew it was the right choice for him.

Riverdale is a great school, and DS has friends who love it there. Academically, HM has an edge, but it's really a "six of one" situation when it comes to that and to outcomes. If your DC is choosing between the two, I'd say to focus on fit and not on whether it's "2T" and what outsiders think about it.