NCS - Pros and Cons

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a middle schooler at NCS. We are very happy there, it's a good fit for our family. DC has developed excellent study habits and has made a lot of friends. The biggest change I have noticed is executive function and focus - she plans out her study time, homework and other activities. On her own volition, she requests me to wake up 30 mins earlier in the morning so I can quiz her for a test.
The teachers are excellent and very attentive. You get an email right away if your kid slips in schoolwork. I would describe the atmosphere as demanding and supportive.
She is not a sporty kid, but at NCS she has taken up climbing, which is an excellent fit for her.

I say all this with the understanding that for some parents, what I described isn't what they are looking for. It is important to know what you want, what's right for your kid and align that with what the school offers.

Middle school at NCS is warm and kind and gentle. The teachers are supportive if a girl needs help or is late with an assignment or anything.

High school is very different.

I am the pp that wrote about them needing to make changes for girls applying to college to put them in a better position but I disagree with this assessment. There are some really wonderful teachers in the high school that are supportive and warm.

I will add the HOS is fantastic.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you all for your thoughtful and honest responses! We think NCS is a great fit for our daughter, but sadly we hear more of the negative noise (as demonstrated in prior threads) than positive so I can't help but wonder what it is really like throughout the LS, MS, and HS years. Feedback on both sides is always welcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a middle schooler at NCS. We are very happy there, it's a good fit for our family. DC has developed excellent study habits and has made a lot of friends. The biggest change I have noticed is executive function and focus - she plans out her study time, homework and other activities. On her own volition, she requests me to wake up 30 mins earlier in the morning so I can quiz her for a test.
The teachers are excellent and very attentive. You get an email right away if your kid slips in schoolwork. I would describe the atmosphere as demanding and supportive.
She is not a sporty kid, but at NCS she has taken up climbing, which is an excellent fit for her.

I say all this with the understanding that for some parents, what I described isn't what they are looking for. It is important to know what you want, what's right for your kid and align that with what the school offers.

Middle school at NCS is warm and kind and gentle. The teachers are supportive if a girl needs help or is late with an assignment or anything.

High school is very different.

I am the pp that wrote about them needing to make changes for girls applying to college to put them in a better position but I disagree with this assessment. There are some really wonderful teachers in the high school that are supportive and warm.

I will add the HOS is fantastic.

How so? I'm genuinely curious. What has she done that you find fantastic?

[Anonymous]

I think the key to NCS is being honest about what kind of child you have. In a larger school (public or private) you get a wide variety of kids and so everyone eventually finds their "group" (large or small). NCS is very small, 70-75 girls in each class in HS. If you are very quiet or a child who is perhaps not yet socially comfortable, then this could be a lonely place. If your child is more outgoing or at least socially inclined than it could be a great experience. It is the same with academics, don't try to put your child in a HIGHLY academic environment if they are not that way inclined. You may wish your child to be an academic superstar, but don't kid yourself if they are not. The workload is hard is there is no getting around the fact that the demands and workload are high.
I think this is why the opinions on NCS are so varied, many families including ours love the school and their daughters have thrived there, but it is not for everyone. On the plus side your daughter will be pushed to achieve a level of academic success that will likely surprise you, but they will have to work for it. If you child is a B/C student, then this process could be demoralizing and I don't think anyone would ideally want that for their child no matter what the "brand" of the school. Our daughters have made incredible friends that I think they are likely to keep forever, but there are other kids who may have felt socially isolated. So I think the key is to be honest with yourself about what kind of environment your child will thrive in. Even if your child is an academic rockstar, NCS may still not be the right place for them because there is mandatory sports for example (why the girls games never have many spectators in case your are wondering - the girls are all at their own sports). Plus the social side can be tough. If you are not included in a group for invited to parties etc it can be isolating as the school is small.
I would say that NCS is perfect for a girl who is at least academically minded and able to cope with homework every night, plus a girl who has at least able to make a small group of friends at previous schools. If your child has struggled academically or is struggling in the middle school at NCS and is a bit socially reserved or has historically been socially isolated, then I would not chose NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the key to NCS is being honest about what kind of child you have. In a larger school (public or private) you get a wide variety of kids and so everyone eventually finds their "group" (large or small). NCS is very small, 70-75 girls in each class in HS. If you are very quiet or a child who is perhaps not yet socially comfortable, then this could be a lonely place. If your child is more outgoing or at least socially inclined than it could be a great experience. It is the same with academics, don't try to put your child in a HIGHLY academic environment if they are not that way inclined. You may wish your child to be an academic superstar, but don't kid yourself if they are not. The workload is hard is there is no getting around the fact that the demands and workload are high.
I think this is why the opinions on NCS are so varied, many families including ours love the school and their daughters have thrived there, but it is not for everyone. On the plus side your daughter will be pushed to achieve a level of academic success that will likely surprise you, but they will have to work for it. If you child is a B/C student, then this process could be demoralizing and I don't think anyone would ideally want that for their child no matter what the "brand" of the school. Our daughters have made incredible friends that I think they are likely to keep forever, but there are other kids who may have felt socially isolated. So I think the key is to be honest with yourself about what kind of environment your child will thrive in. Even if your child is an academic rockstar, NCS may still not be the right place for them because there is mandatory sports for example (why the girls games never have many spectators in case your are wondering - the girls are all at their own sports). Plus the social side can be tough. If you are not included in a group for invited to parties etc it can be isolating as the school is small.
I would say that NCS is perfect for a girl who is at least academically minded and able to cope with homework every night, plus a girl who has at least able to make a small group of friends at previous schools. If your child has struggled academically or is struggling in the middle school at NCS and is a bit socially reserved or has historically been socially isolated, then I would not chose NCS.

I think this is the case at ALL schools. Quiet reserved kids do often struggle but your daughter is going to find a more diverse group of kids at NCS (diverse in all ways not just racially but in interests too) at NCS than at some other schools that are currently having major mean girl issues where there is no place for girls that do not fit a certain mold. NCS is quite diverse and has become even more diverse in the past 5 years and that allows for a lot of different types to find their people there. As said if your child struggled before she came then she may struggle there too but maybe not. Also I want to correct the above poster who I think may be a bit dated. Classes are not 70-75 and have not been in years if ever. Classes are somewhere between 80-90 students.

[Anonymous]

NP here. The reply above is very helpful. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the difficulty is that, in HS, NCS is something of an environment of extremes. It’s a huge pressure cooker. Girls work their absolute hardest and may scrape by with a B+ in English simply because the teacher doesn’t like to give out A’s. It’s a grind. And some girls thrive under pressure and competition and are happy and confident, and others are worn down and doubt themselves. Plenty of anxiety and depression and therapy.

If it’s a good fit for your daughter then it’s a great school and an amazing education. If it’s a bad fit it could be truly harmful.

The LS and MS are not the level of pressure that the US is, so if your daughter is younger and it seems like a good fit, try it out but be open to changing for HS if needed. If you’re already looking at HS, just really think about how well your child does under pressure cooker demands.

You write this exact same thing on every NCS post verbatim.

NP, but if people keep asking the same questions, they are going to get the same answers. I generally agree with the post above. I would say that beyond grades, at the HS level there is just a general focus on achievement that increases competition. I have had kids at other schools, and the girls seem to put more focus on winning accolades: becoming President of a Club, becoming Captain of a team, winning this award or that one, etc. I am not saying that’s bad, but like the poster above, I would say that some girls thrive and others get worn down. Our DD liked her experience there and it was good for her, but it was not easy.

The mayor complaint from recent grads and current seniors is that many of their policies seem to hurt the girls in the college process. I hate to say this because we love the school but it is the truth. They refuse to even consider making any changes - some are simple easy changes that could really have positive effects.

This is a very hot topic right now in the senior, junior, and even sophomore grades.

This is true. Teachers are excellent. Administration and College Counseling need some work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the difficulty is that, in HS, NCS is something of an environment of extremes. It’s a huge pressure cooker. Girls work their absolute hardest and may scrape by with a B+ in English simply because the teacher doesn’t like to give out A’s. It’s a grind. And some girls thrive under pressure and competition and are happy and confident, and others are worn down and doubt themselves. Plenty of anxiety and depression and therapy.

If it’s a good fit for your daughter then it’s a great school and an amazing education. If it’s a bad fit it could be truly harmful.

The LS and MS are not the level of pressure that the US is, so if your daughter is younger and it seems like a good fit, try it out but be open to changing for HS if needed. If you’re already looking at HS, just really think about how well your child does under pressure cooker demands.

You write this exact same thing on every NCS post verbatim.

I haven’t written this before. So if you’re seeing the same thing over and over, maybe it’s accurate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the difficulty is that, in HS, NCS is something of an environment of extremes. It’s a huge pressure cooker. Girls work their absolute hardest and may scrape by with a B+ in English simply because the teacher doesn’t like to give out A’s. It’s a grind. And some girls thrive under pressure and competition and are happy and confident, and others are worn down and doubt themselves. Plenty of anxiety and depression and therapy.

If it’s a good fit for your daughter then it’s a great school and an amazing education. If it’s a bad fit it could be truly harmful.

The LS and MS are not the level of pressure that the US is, so if your daughter is younger and it seems like a good fit, try it out but be open to changing for HS if needed. If you’re already looking at HS, just really think about how well your child does under pressure cooker demands.

You write this exact same thing on every NCS post verbatim.

I haven’t written this before. So if you’re seeing the same thing over and over, maybe it’s accurate?

DP. It is not that much work. I think the main issue is the grading and the low GPA's compared to other schools but this has been brought up ad nauseam but probably because parents and students have challenged it but nothing has been done to remedy it. So....it will continue to come up until parents and students feel things are being done to put them in a better position when applying to college (right now the average GPA is 3.5) and girls are getting shut out of Tulane and BC while other less rigorous schools are getting into these schools and others in large numbers.

It is a legitimate concern which is: [b]girls and parents are feeling they are not gettin a fair shot. [/b

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a middle schooler at NCS. We are very happy there, it's a good fit for our family. DC has developed excellent study habits and has made a lot of friends. The biggest change I have noticed is executive function and focus - she plans out her study time, homework and other activities. On her own volition, she requests me to wake up 30 mins earlier in the morning so I can quiz her for a test.
The teachers are excellent and very attentive. You get an email right away if your kid slips in schoolwork. I would describe the atmosphere as demanding and supportive.
She is not a sporty kid, but at NCS she has taken up climbing, which is an excellent fit for her.

I say all this with the understanding that for some parents, what I described isn't what they are looking for. It is important to know what you want, what's right for your kid and align that with what the school offers.

Middle school at NCS is warm and kind and gentle. The teachers are supportive if a girl needs help or is late with an assignment or anything.

High school is very different.

I am the pp that wrote about them needing to make changes for girls applying to college to put them in a better position but I disagree with this assessment. There are some really wonderful teachers in the high school that are supportive and warm.

I will add the HOS is fantastic.

How so? I'm genuinely curious. What has she done that you find fantastic?

Being likable goes a long way. I like her and want her and NCS to succeed so I think she needs to address the low GPA situation and come up with a SOLUTION or she will lose support. Parents don't want to be talked into believing it is okay and it will work out because some are seeing it did not work out for their eldest daughter etc.... so they are tainted. Just a suggestion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the key to NCS is being honest about what kind of child you have. In a larger school (public or private) you get a wide variety of kids and so everyone eventually finds their "group" (large or small). NCS is very small, 70-75 girls in each class in HS. If you are very quiet or a child who is perhaps not yet socially comfortable, then this could be a lonely place. If your child is more outgoing or at least socially inclined than it could be a great experience. It is the same with academics, don't try to put your child in a HIGHLY academic environment if they are not that way inclined. You may wish your child to be an academic superstar, but don't kid yourself if they are not. The workload is hard is there is no getting around the fact that the demands and workload are high.
I think this is why the opinions on NCS are so varied, many families including ours love the school and their daughters have thrived there, but it is not for everyone. On the plus side your daughter will be pushed to achieve a level of academic success that will likely surprise you, but they will have to work for it. If you child is a B/C student, then this process could be demoralizing and I don't think anyone would ideally want that for their child no matter what the "brand" of the school. Our daughters have made incredible friends that I think they are likely to keep forever, but there are other kids who may have felt socially isolated. So I think the key is to be honest with yourself about what kind of environment your child will thrive in. Even if your child is an academic rockstar, NCS may still not be the right place for them because there is mandatory sports for example (why the girls games never have many spectators in case your are wondering - the girls are all at their own sports). Plus the social side can be tough. If you are not included in a group for invited to parties etc it can be isolating as the school is small.
I would say that NCS is perfect for a girl who is at least academically minded and able to cope with homework every night, plus a girl who has at least able to make a small group of friends at previous schools. If your child has struggled academically or is struggling in the middle school at NCS and is a bit socially reserved or has historically been socially isolated, then I would not chose NCS.

I think this is the case at ALL schools. Quiet reserved kids do often struggle but your daughter is going to find a more diverse group of kids at NCS (diverse in all ways not just racially but in interests too) at NCS than at some other schools that are currently having major mean girl issues where there is no place for girls that do not fit a certain mold. NCS is quite diverse and has become even more diverse in the past 5 years and that allows for a lot of different types to find their people there. As said if your child struggled before she came then she may struggle there too but maybe not. Also I want to correct the above poster who I think may be a bit dated. Classes are not 70-75 and have not been in years if ever. Classes are somewhere between 80-90 students.

The senior class is 71 girls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the key to NCS is being honest about what kind of child you have. In a larger school (public or private) you get a wide variety of kids and so everyone eventually finds their "group" (large or small). NCS is very small, 70-75 girls in each class in HS. If you are very quiet or a child who is perhaps not yet socially comfortable, then this could be a lonely place. If your child is more outgoing or at least socially inclined than it could be a great experience. It is the same with academics, don't try to put your child in a HIGHLY academic environment if they are not that way inclined. You may wish your child to be an academic superstar, but don't kid yourself if they are not. The workload is hard is there is no getting around the fact that the demands and workload are high.
I think this is why the opinions on NCS are so varied, many families including ours love the school and their daughters have thrived there, but it is not for everyone. On the plus side your daughter will be pushed to achieve a level of academic success that will likely surprise you, but they will have to work for it. If you child is a B/C student, then this process could be demoralizing and I don't think anyone would ideally want that for their child no matter what the "brand" of the school. Our daughters have made incredible friends that I think they are likely to keep forever, but there are other kids who may have felt socially isolated. So I think the key is to be honest with yourself about what kind of environment your child will thrive in. Even if your child is an academic rockstar, NCS may still not be the right place for them because there is mandatory sports for example (why the girls games never have many spectators in case your are wondering - the girls are all at their own sports). Plus the social side can be tough. If you are not included in a group for invited to parties etc it can be isolating as the school is small.
I would say that NCS is perfect for a girl who is at least academically minded and able to cope with homework every night, plus a girl who has at least able to make a small group of friends at previous schools. If your child has struggled academically or is struggling in the middle school at NCS and is a bit socially reserved or has historically been socially isolated, then I would not chose NCS.

I think this is the case at ALL schools. Quiet reserved kids do often struggle but your daughter is going to find a more diverse group of kids at NCS (diverse in all ways not just racially but in interests too) at NCS than at some other schools that are currently having major mean girl issues where there is no place for girls that do not fit a certain mold. NCS is quite diverse and has become even more diverse in the past 5 years and that allows for a lot of different types to find their people there. As said if your child struggled before she came then she may struggle there too but maybe not. Also I want to correct the above poster who I think may be a bit dated. Classes are not 70-75 and have not been in years if ever. Classes are somewhere between 80-90 students.

I am the poster of the long (apologies) comments and I read this persons response, and yes I actually do agree that the girls who attend are quite diverse in many respects. Some super sporty, some musical, some have other quirky interests and many are very talented, so yes it is diverse in that way (and also racially if that matters to you), so perhaps the other poster is more correct and NCS could appeal to a broader range of girls. I stand by my comments about the grades though. Your daughter does not have to be an academic stand-out, but she does need to be somewhat capable to be able to achieve to a level that she is feeling good about herself. I would add that the parent community is also very diverse and families come to the school from all manner of different places and backgrounds. Again, we really like the school and think it is special, but I just think people should be realistic and try to set their daughters up to be happy and successful in the broadest definition.

[Anonymous]

Are we talking about the low grading in english/history/social sciences? It is hard to deal with. You need to be academically inclined to get the most out of NCS but at the same time make peace with the frustratingly low grading in some of these classes (which seems to vary by teacher) and of course it's the academic girls who care the most about their grades. I would never say this should be a barrier though, if you care more about the quality of the education and are willing to graduate with a lower GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the difficulty is that, in HS, NCS is something of an environment of extremes. It’s a huge pressure cooker. Girls work their absolute hardest and may scrape by with a B+ in English simply because the teacher doesn’t like to give out A’s. It’s a grind. And some girls thrive under pressure and competition and are happy and confident, and others are worn down and doubt themselves. Plenty of anxiety and depression and therapy.

If it’s a good fit for your daughter then it’s a great school and an amazing education. If it’s a bad fit it could be truly harmful.

The LS and MS are not the level of pressure that the US is, so if your daughter is younger and it seems like a good fit, try it out but be open to changing for HS if needed. If you’re already looking at HS, just really think about how well your child does under pressure cooker demands.

You write this exact same thing on every NCS post verbatim.

NP, but if people keep asking the same questions, they are going to get the same answers. I generally agree with the post above. I would say that beyond grades, at the HS level there is just a general focus on achievement that increases competition. I have had kids at other schools, and the girls seem to put more focus on winning accolades: becoming President of a Club, becoming Captain of a team, winning this award or that one, etc. I am not saying that’s bad, but like the poster above, I would say that some girls thrive and others get worn down. Our DD liked her experience there and it was good for her, but it was not easy.

The mayor complaint from recent grads and current seniors is that many of their policies seem to hurt the girls in the college process. I hate to say this because we love the school but it is the truth. They refuse to even consider making any changes - some are simple easy changes that could really have positive effects.

This is a very hot topic right now in the senior, junior, and even sophomore grades.

This is true. Teachers are excellent. Administration and College Counseling need some work.

It's not college counseling's fault that the girls can't get into competitive colleges!!
It's the school. if you are giving an average GPA of 3.5 that isn't going to fly in 2024.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the difficulty is that, in HS, NCS is something of an environment of extremes. It’s a huge pressure cooker. Girls work their absolute hardest and may scrape by with a B+ in English simply because the teacher doesn’t like to give out A’s. It’s a grind. And some girls thrive under pressure and competition and are happy and confident, and others are worn down and doubt themselves. Plenty of anxiety and depression and therapy.

If it’s a good fit for your daughter then it’s a great school and an amazing education. If it’s a bad fit it could be truly harmful.

The LS and MS are not the level of pressure that the US is, so if your daughter is younger and it seems like a good fit, try it out but be open to changing for HS if needed. If you’re already looking at HS, just really think about how well your child does under pressure cooker demands.

You write this exact same thing on every NCS post verbatim.

NP, but if people keep asking the same questions, they are going to get the same answers. I generally agree with the post above. I would say that beyond grades, at the HS level there is just a general focus on achievement that increases competition. I have had kids at other schools, and the girls seem to put more focus on winning accolades: becoming President of a Club, becoming Captain of a team, winning this award or that one, etc. I am not saying that’s bad, but like the poster above, I would say that some girls thrive and others get worn down. Our DD liked her experience there and it was good for her, but it was not easy.

The mayor complaint from recent grads and current seniors is that many of their policies seem to hurt the girls in the college process. I hate to say this because we love the school but it is the truth. They refuse to even consider making any changes - some are simple easy changes that could really have positive effects.

This is a very hot topic right now in the senior, junior, and even sophomore grades.

This is true. Teachers are excellent. Administration and College Counseling need some work.

It's not college counseling's fault that the girls can't get into competitive colleges!!
It's the school. if you are giving an average GPA of 3.5 that isn't going to fly in 2024.

College counseling is responsible for the advice and guidance they give; their level of knowledge; commmunication etc. Not blaming them for the gpa's.