Private Schools Value Top Athletes Most

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

Sidwell boys and girls are playing for the state championship today. Sidwell boys beat St John’s to make it to the finals.

Also the GDS girls just won single A for the girls (beating public DC school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

Right! They don’t value athletes the most, however they try to get them to be competitive.

Reading comprehension is key. This applies to the smart kids who are also strong athletes.

Exactly. My athlete is a 4.0 student while still working out 30-40 hours a week.

[Anonymous]

It is all good if your child is a top athlete. I'm pretty sure DS would be on more wait lists for 9th if he wasn't an athlete. Keep in mind also that between football, basketball, Lacrosse, soccer, hockey and baseball, schools that want to field competitive sports teams need to recruit a lot of students who are athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

Sidwell boys and girls are playing for the state championship today. Sidwell boys beat St John’s to make it to the finals.

Also the GDS girls just won single A for the girls (beating public DC school).

And the Stone Ridge lacrosse team is ranked 6th in the country, you’ll see the 9 year old girls out there this spring practicing a few times a week to try and make that team in 5 years.

[Anonymous]

Holton very much values the arts — music, dance, and visual arts and often students win significant awards for their talent. The top privates want exceptional students that fit the schools mission. But I don’t think athletes is a new “must”. I believe it is growing asset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holton very much values the arts — music, dance, and visual arts and often students win significant awards for their talent. The top privates want exceptional students that fit the schools mission. But I don’t think athletes is a new “must”. I believe it is growing asset.

My impression is that it’s different for all girls vs all boys school.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t true at either single sex school my kids attend. At the 9th grade level, you get a handful of kids there for athletic ability (maybe 4 at all girls, less than 10 at all boys ) and the rest of the new admits are solely there for their academic records.

[Anonymous]

Does it matter if the child plays for the HS or if they are on a club team not affiliated with the HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter if the child plays for the HS or if they are on a club team not affiliated with the HS?

They usually want both. If you play club you are expected to represent the school in that sport as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holton very much values the arts — music, dance, and visual arts and often students win significant awards for their talent. The top privates want exceptional students that fit the schools mission. But I don’t think athletes is a new “must”. I believe it is growing asset.

Do they recruit artists?

What I see is good schools jumping on the sports bandwagon earlier and earlier. It’s part of MS admissions now. And ADs are given a seat at the admissions table. Is the faculty strings ensemble director there as well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holton very much values the arts — music, dance, and visual arts and often students win significant awards for their talent. The top privates want exceptional students that fit the schools mission. But I don’t think athletes is a new “must”. I believe it is growing asset.

Do they recruit artists?

What I see is good schools jumping on the sports bandwagon earlier and earlier. It’s part of MS admissions now. And ADs are given a seat at the admissions table. Is the faculty strings ensemble director there as well?

No. Why would they be? Haven’t you read why athletics are more important?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t true at either single sex school my kids attend. At the 9th grade level, you get a handful of kids there for athletic ability (maybe 4 at all girls, less than 10 at all boys ) and the rest of the new admits are solely there for their academic records.

The problem with this statement is that it implies academics and athletics are mutually exclusive. For the most part, the athletes are also strong academic applicants and their sport is what sets them apart from the next kid that only has academics going for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holton very much values the arts — music, dance, and visual arts and often students win significant awards for their talent. The top privates want exceptional students that fit the schools mission. But I don’t think athletes is a new “must”. I believe it is growing asset.

Do they recruit artists?

What I see is good schools jumping on the sports bandwagon earlier and earlier. It’s part of MS admissions now. And ADs are given a seat at the admissions table. Is the faculty strings ensemble director there as well?

No. Why would they be? Haven’t you read why athletics are more important?

Besides the money, why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

Sidwell boys and girls are playing for the state championship today. Sidwell boys beat St John’s to make it to the finals.

Both teams won, the boys beating Wilson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter if the child plays for the HS or if they are on a club team not affiliated with the HS?

you kinda want kids playing for the schools