Types of students at schools- stereotypes and personifications

Anonymous
Found myself in a discussion a few days ago with several parents with kids in various private schools as well as a few recent graduates from these same schools. Many people, myself included, noticed that there are several generalizations and "types" for the different schools we all love to discuss here.

I am a somewhat recent (past 10 years) graduate of a DC private school so I have a bit of personal experience here's what I've come up with...

The DC area private school scene...

ST. ALBANS/LANDON/G.PREP- The golden boys of the DC prep scene. STA is somewhat comparable to a class president with it's long-standing reputation and decent athletics. The men of STA are somewhat reserved in comparison to Landon and Prep. Landon is the obvious Jock school of the three. Despite a rough scandal- filled couple years Landon continues to thrive and has maintained its iconic status as the lacrosse power house of the Mid- Atlantic. Landon's student body is somewhat more conservative and preppy than the other two schools. Georgetown Prep is a bit of a curve ball in this mix. Both Landon and STA are located in extremely affluent and well- known areas (NW DC and Bethesda), Prep however is situated off a major road in the middle class area of Rockville. Academically, Prep falls slightly below STA and Landon however, the boarding option makes Prep extremely attractive to international students. The Landon/Prep lacrosse rivalry is a nation- wide phenomenon and like Landon, Prep has emerged as a top prep school partly because of its athletic program.


HOLTON/NCS- The queen bees. The two most academically rigorous, cutthroat all- girls schools in the mid- atlantic region. Holton girls are famously known for their 6+ hours of homework/night and both Holton and NCS boast extremely impressive matriculation reports with dozens of Ivy League acceptances per year. The girls at both these schools are classy, driven, passionate and focused. NCS girls are slightly less social, and the past few graduation classes have been slightly unmemorable. Holton is perhaps the most spirited girls school in the are. Sister school to Landon, the girls of Holton arms are fiercely loyal to their Bears and the Holton-Landon crowd is highly exclusive and it is not uncommon to spot Holton girls sporting a Landon lacrosse pinny or a car with both a Holton bumper sticker as well as a Landon one.

POTOMAC SCHOOL- the VA jock loners. Rarely associate with the other private schools in the area. Enormous emphasis on athletics and hardly any attention or appreciation for the arts. Academically strong but does not hold the same prestigious reputation as the single- sex prep schools mentioned previously. Large class sizes in comparison to other private schools.

SIDWELL- happily on the radar now that Obama's daughters are attending. Has a reputation of providing students with a superb academic education. Unfortunately the school is filled to the brim with anti- social students. To be blunt, the students at Sidwell have a reputation of being very smart yet very weird.

HOLY CROSS/HOLY CHILD- These are the schools that girls attend when they get rejected from every single other private school in the area. The academics at both schools are terrible and students are usually better off attending their local public school than either AHC or HC. Both schools are considered joke schools and are often not even included in lists of DC area private schools. Highly promiscuous student body and a reputation for being superficial and unintelligent. Bottom line- only send your daughter here is you hope for her to attend a mediocre state school and spend her high school years sleeping around with boys from STA/Landon/Prep.

MARET/GDS- alternative hipster wannabe schools. GDS lacks structure and their care-free attitude towards school results in a less than challenging academic experience. Maret is attempting to launch itself into the top tier of private schools. Unfortunately, Maret is unable to shake its reputation of being a last resort school and a place where students go if they were expelled from one of he other private schools.

BULLIS- there is nothing to say about Bullis. The co-ed version of Holy Cross or Holy Child.
Anonymous
Hmm, a 2:57 am post full of stereotypes.... I wonder whether it'll be ignored or spark a lively debate. (No, no my stereotype is better than yours! You must be from X! That hasn't been true for 20 years!)
Anonymous
A little late to the party: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/130649.page (Check out 16:10, OP, and learn from a master.)
Anonymous
spot on assessment of Bullis/Holy Child/ Holy Cross. None of these schools deserve to call themselves a DC prep school.


STA- class president, academics are primary focus

NCS- slightly annoying and obsessive over achiever but generally liked/accepted

HOLTON- Homecoming queen with elitist attitude but intelligence to back it up

LANDON- Jock (lacrosse in this case) obnoxious but will end up successful

GDS- Alternative weirdo. Doesn't mesh well with others and is so focused on being different (calling teachers by first names, PJs to class, etc) that they have tarnished their own rep.

SIDWELL- loners who have no social life/skills and are unable to function in social situation

HOLY CROSS/CHILD- the pregnant whores and std infested sluts

BULLIS- the juvenile detention center for the offspring of DC's elite disguised as a sad excuse for a DC prep school
Anonymous
I hope NO ONE takes these seriously as there are so many wrong things there it is hard to know where to start.

Somehow the writer has assumed that Potomac has no arts program or not very academic and likewise with Maret/GDS and even poor Bullis. This is unfair and just simply untrue.

Have you even been to any of these schools? Applied to any of them?

This is just so wrong and not even funny. It would be one thing if it were at least satirical or funny but it is just wrong.
Anonymous
I agree. Much of the above is simply incorrect. Potomac has a very strong arts programs and has for many decades. For example, the Christmas Revels (which now takes place annually around the country, including DC) started at Potomac. Potomac also attracts the NoVa tech community, who couldn't care less about the Big Three, etc. The Big Three tends to be filled with children of lawyers, lobbyists, politicians, media types, etc (ie, nobody useful).

Anonymous
OP has waaaay too much free time.
Anonymous
I hope NO ONE takes these seriously as there are so many wrong things there it is hard to know where to start.

Somehow the writer has assumed that Potomac has no arts program or not very academic and likewise with Maret/GDS and even poor Bullis. This is unfair and just simply untrue.

Have you even been to any of these schools? Applied to any of them?

This is just so wrong and not even funny. It would be one thing if it were at least satirical or funny but it is just wrong.



To the contrary, the broad strokes and historical overview are on mark. Or course, there are always exceptions to the rule.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I agree. Much of the above is simply incorrect. Potomac has a very strong arts programs and has for many decades. For example, the Christmas Revels (which now takes place annually around the country, including DC) started at Potomac. Potomac also attracts the NoVa tech community, who couldn't care less about the Big Three, etc. The Big Three tends to be filled with children of lawyers, lobbyists, politicians, media types, etc (ie, nobody useful).



Whether you are right or wrong about Potomac, why do you feel you need to slam three other schools?
Anonymous
The OP is actually a high school student, or middle school. Don't fall for it.

Unless of course you too are in high school. There seem to be an increasing number of you, and you're all readily identifiable by your overly keen interest in the sports status of the schools.

Anonymous
I actually found it hysterical and spot on.
Anonymous
Recycling old, tired stereotypes. And regardless of the academic rigor of Holy Child et al, it's pretty offensive to call the girls who go there sluts.
Anonymous
and I am a parent and care about sports. So don't make the assumption that all sports caring posters are HSers.

but I found this whole thing laughable, but NOT spot on (Potomac is not loner jocks as one example, nor is Maret some country cousin reject school) and laughable because it was wrong and has no backing, not because it was actually funny.

Urban dictionary can be funny.

You could poke fun of the school's sterotypes without slamming it:

Sidwell: Bastion for democratic admin types
STA: Preppy Masters of the Universe types
Landon: The ultimate Lax Bro school
Potomac: Nouveau NOVA high tech millionaires

and so on
Anonymous
Sidwell: Smart kids who will one day run the country
STA: Smart kids who will one day be senior vice presidents.
Landon: the ultimate lax bro school.
Potomac: It's kinda too far away for me to really care.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Sidwell: Smart kids who will one day run the country
STA: Smart kids who will one day be senior vice presidents.
Landon: the ultimate lax bro school.
Potomac: It's kinda too far away for me to really care.

like yale
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