Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, topic is academics. Not college admissions. Start up a new thread.

They aren't inter-related??

Not as much as you think they are. I’m sure all these private schools have crew and lacrosse teams for “enrichment”. It’s really just a back-door way to get into Ivy schools. Also, donut hole families have turned away from expensive private colleges to focus on merit aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surely many kids who attend privileged schools are legacy applicants at top universities. And some parents boosters too.

Surely many kids who attend public schools are legacy applicants at top universities. And some parents boosters too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surely many kids who attend privileged schools are legacy applicants at top universities. And some parents boosters too.

Surely many kids who attend public schools are legacy applicants at top universities. And some parents boosters too.

Impossible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, topic is academics. Not college admissions. Start up a new thread.

If kids are being admitted to T20 from all these schools, academics don’t matter to the degree you think they do. APs are no longer a thing. Smart kids will do well no matter where they go. Please tell what you’re using to measure “academics”

Why would you use college admission to measure academic excellence of a high school? Are you suggesting that a kid who choses a full scholarship to a lower ranked school got a worse education in high shcool than the lacrosse player who was an Ivy legacy and went to Princeton? You have no idea what kinds of decisions kids are making about college. If you think all kids choose to attend the "best ranked" college they got into, you are making a poor assumption. And if you are coupling that mistake with a judgment about the high school education received, then you are not thinking clearly. A kid who chose a scholarship to niche college that suits him best over Dad's Ivy is the same kid and got the same high school education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uh, topic is academics. Not college admissions. Start up a new thread.

Besides highschool education is more important in setting the core of how a person writes, speaks, presents themselves. Can tell a well educated private school person within a minute of speaking to them even if both attended the same college. So I would rather my kids attend a better more elite highschool for their foundations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cathedral Schools
Sidwell
GDS
Potomac
Holton

NCS/STA
St. Anselms
Sidwell
GDS
Holton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, topic is academics. Not college admissions. Start up a new thread.

Besides highschool education is more important in setting the core of how a person writes, speaks, presents themselves. Can tell a well educated private school person within a minute of speaking to them even if both attended the same college. So I would rather my kids attend a better more elite highschool for their foundations.

Foundational education is essentially covered off by every private school in this area. What are you talking about?? You think there is much difference in foundational education between the supposed top of the list and everyone else? If you woudl have argued for niche skill developement around a curriculum, maybe I woudl buy it. But writing, speaking, presentation?? You have drunk the kool-aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, topic is academics. Not college admissions. Start up a new thread.

They aren't inter-related??

Not as much as you think they are. I’m sure all these private schools have crew and lacrosse teams for “enrichment”. It’s really just a back-door way to get into Ivy schools. Also, donut hole families have turned away from expensive private colleges to focus on merit aid.

If my child could back-door his way into an Ivy and he wanted to go, god bless him!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, topic is academics. Not college admissions. Start up a new thread.

Besides highschool education is more important in setting the core of how a person writes, speaks, presents themselves. Can tell a well educated private school person within a minute of speaking to them even if both attended the same college. So I would rather my kids attend a better more elite highschool for their foundations.

Foundational education is essentially covered off by every private school in this area. What are you talking about?? You think there is much difference in foundational education between the supposed top of the list and everyone else? If you woudl have argued for niche skill developement around a curriculum, maybe I woudl buy it. But writing, speaking, presentation?? You have drunk the kool-aid.

No kool aid just being honest about my experience. Distinct difference in speech, accent (usually more educated don’t have an accent even if from the south), etc…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, topic is academics. Not college admissions. Start up a new thread.

Besides highschool education is more important in setting the core of how a person writes, speaks, presents themselves. Can tell a well educated private school person within a minute of speaking to them even if both attended the same college. So I would rather my kids attend a better more elite highschool for their foundations.

Foundational education is essentially covered off by every private school in this area. What are you talking about?? You think there is much difference in foundational education between the supposed top of the list and everyone else? If you woudl have argued for niche skill developement around a curriculum, maybe I woudl buy it. But writing, speaking, presentation?? You have drunk the kool-aid.

Not covered well at some.
With all the new age experimental math and reading attempts, foundational education is not covered well at some private schools here. Buyer beware.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just look at matriculation lists. That's the only metric.

Don't lose sight of the plot...ie getting your child into the school that they want to go to, whether it a state school or an Ivy doesn't matter, only where the kid wants to go. IF the private school is too caught up in their own brand and doesn't help that mission, it isn't worth it.

Lot of noise there given legacy donators, URM preferences, no testing the last few years.

May as well go to top public. Those are academic and grads in our neighborhood went to top colleges, found it easy and now are at top internships and full time jobs across a range of disciplines.

Agree. Some may want jesuit education, smaller class rooms, broad or narrow curriculum, single sex etc. There are plenty of reasons to want to go private. My only point is that I would chose a place that best helps my kid get into a university they want to go to and is happy.

Nobody cares where one go's to HS once you get to college (unless you live in Baltimore..subtle joke). I want my kids to be prepared, yes, but not killed, by academics and the culture of the school...and also be happy. I have seen plenty of unhappy, idiots out of the Big 3 and plenty of super successful, happy people out of PS 120.

Why the hostility to private? Who cares that you prefer public? This thread is about which are the top PRIVATE schools in DMV. Conversely, to your point- I have seem plenty of unhappy idiots out of public school and plenty of super successful happy people out of private. this means nothing in terms of what the OP is asking. Rank academics for privates.
Here goes based on rigor and recent college admissions:

Sidwell
GDS
St Albans
NCS
Holton
Maret

If those are the metrics then it's Sidwell, GDS, STA/NCS, Potomac, Holton

Nope. College admissions? I would put STA and GDS out front and the rest tied.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, topic is academics. Not college admissions. Start up a new thread.

Besides highschool education is more important in setting the core of how a person writes, speaks, presents themselves. Can tell a well educated private school person within a minute of speaking to them even if both attended the same college. So I would rather my kids attend a better more elite highschool for their foundations.

This is highly delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no consideration for campus, sports, location, etc

Cathedral Schools
Sidwell
GDS
Holton Arms
Potomac

I'd replace a bunch of these with st..Anselm's

[Anonymous]

I find it a bit disheartening that only St Albans and St Anselms Abbey require 4 years of math. Girls and co-Ed schools keep it at 3 years. I’m sure many students go over the graduation requirements, but perhaps the bottom 20% of the class is weaker in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Basis bots earning their yuans on this thread. Likely a meaningless thread started by them as well to bring Basis in the conversation

+1

Looks like the Basis marketing team is using the DCUM channel. Jeff needs to look at this.

I am a former parent. Academic rigor is second to none. Amazing how Basis police control remains active and any positive observation is always treated as illegitimate.

Fetch isn't going to happen.

I love it. Basis bots still gonna try though to make Basis happen.