Atlanta privates

[Anonymous]

Just a heads up, Atlanta privates, minus Woodward, Paideia, and Atlanta International School aren't as diverse as DC schools. Also, some families may be more conservative than you are used to. Lovett is definitely not like Sidwell, I wouldn't consider it a more liberal school(Paideia and Maybe Galloway fit the bill). Westminster is the top school when it comes to Atlanta privates. Also, expect less Southern accents if you relocate to Atlanta. Many people here are from elsewhere and the accent isn't as prevalent as it used to be.

[Anonymous]

I went to a private school in Atlanta and still have family at one now and my kids are at a big3/5 or whatever here. Here’s my take.

There aren’t as direct comparisons as one might expect in part bc Atlanta (while not that southern) is more conservative than DC.

That said, Westminster is definitely closest to St Albans. Lovett is sorta the same - maybe more like a Potomac. It is decidedly not like sidwell. Admittedly high school was awhile ago, but they used to hand out pamphlets at all the sports games titled ‘Rules for moms to follow along’

Paideia is more liberal than both for sure but not as liberal as GDS. It’s more of a combo of gds/maret/sidwell. But it’s across town from buckhead. Galloway I think is more like Field. I am dated on Marist and Pace and such.

The other difference is there are fewer ‘hooked kids’ - fewer ivy legacies and the vip types you get at nyc and dc privates. That part is nice as not everyone feels they need to go to Yale bc dad did. And they cost way less down there which is nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to a private school in Atlanta and still have family at one now and my kids are at a big3/5 or whatever here. Here’s my take.

There aren’t as direct comparisons as one might expect in part bc Atlanta (while not that southern) is more conservative than DC.

That said, Westminster is definitely closest to St Albans. Lovett is sorta the same - maybe more like a Potomac. It is decidedly not like sidwell. Admittedly high school was awhile ago, but they used to hand out pamphlets at all the sports games titled ‘Rules for moms to follow along’

Paideia is more liberal than both for sure but not as liberal as GDS. It’s more of a combo of gds/maret/sidwell. But it’s across town from buckhead. Galloway I think is more like Field. I am dated on Marist and Pace and such.

The other difference is there are fewer ‘hooked kids’ - fewer ivy legacies and the vip types you get at nyc and dc privates. That part is nice as not everyone feels they need to go to Yale bc dad did. And they cost way less down there which is nice.

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to a private school in Atlanta and still have family at one now and my kids are at a big3/5 or whatever here. Here’s my take.

There aren’t as direct comparisons as one might expect in part bc Atlanta (while not that southern) is more conservative than DC.

That said, Westminster is definitely closest to St Albans. Lovett is sorta the same - maybe more like a Potomac. It is decidedly not like sidwell. Admittedly high school was awhile ago, but they used to hand out pamphlets at all the sports games titled ‘Rules for moms to follow along’

Paideia is more liberal than both for sure but not as liberal as GDS. It’s more of a combo of gds/maret/sidwell. But it’s across town from buckhead. Galloway I think is more like Field. I am dated on Marist and Pace and such.

The other difference is there are fewer ‘hooked kids’ - fewer ivy legacies and the vip types you get at nyc and dc privates. That part is nice as not everyone feels they need to go to Yale bc dad did. And they cost way less down there which is nice.

It's strange to say a Co-Ed school is closest to an all boys school...but maybe you mean it's closest to a combined STA/NCS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While these comparisons seem sort of generally right to DC privates, there is a huge delta in terms do DC and Atlanta privates that you are missing in terms of educational pedigree and academic rigor and just general kids/families educational orientation. There is nowhere quite like DC in terms of the kids school achievement. Maybe NY is close and Boston second.

There is also a wealth gap. Rich DC is often a BigLaw partner. Rich Atlanta is owning a mid size regional business. Meaning Atlanta rich is usually richer.

You need to get out more.

Having experienced the wide world, your view is that the cohort of kids at DC Big 3/5 is equivalent to the very good Atlanta privates, in terms of educational pedigree and academic rigor and just general kids/families educational orientation. Right. I have a bridge to sell you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While these comparisons seem sort of generally right to DC privates, there is a huge delta in terms do DC and Atlanta privates that you are missing in terms of educational pedigree and academic rigor and just general kids/families educational orientation. There is nowhere quite like DC in terms of the kids school achievement. Maybe NY is close and Boston second.

There is also a wealth gap. Rich DC is often a BigLaw partner. Rich Atlanta is owning a mid size regional business. Meaning Atlanta rich is usually richer.

You need to get out more.

Having experienced the wide world, your view is that the cohort of kids at DC Big 3/5 is equivalent to the very good Atlanta privates, in terms of educational pedigree and academic rigor and just general kids/families educational orientation. Right. I have a bridge to sell you.

Do you have any data to support your claim or is this just your opinion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to a private school in Atlanta and still have family at one now and my kids are at a big3/5 or whatever here. Here’s my take.

There aren’t as direct comparisons as one might expect in part bc Atlanta (while not that southern) is more conservative than DC.

That said, Westminster is definitely closest to St Albans. Lovett is sorta the same - maybe more like a Potomac. It is decidedly not like sidwell. Admittedly high school was awhile ago, but they used to hand out pamphlets at all the sports games titled ‘Rules for moms to follow along’

Paideia is more liberal than both for sure but not as liberal as GDS. It’s more of a combo of gds/maret/sidwell. But it’s across town from buckhead. Galloway I think is more like Field. I am dated on Marist and Pace and such.

The other difference is there are fewer ‘hooked kids’ - fewer ivy legacies and the vip types you get at nyc and dc privates. That part is nice as not everyone feels they need to go to Yale bc dad did. And they cost way less down there which is nice.

It's strange to say a Co-Ed school is closest to an all boys school...but maybe you mean it's closest to a combined STA/NCS?

Well maybe it’s strange so sure STA/NCS but truthfully from the kids I have known, STA and NCS have a pretty different feel and Westminster reminds me more of St Albans. But like both the Cathedral schools it has a gorgeous campus, is rich with traditions, and more conservative and tradition than some of the more liberal alternatives in the respective cities - sidwell, gds or paideia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to a private school in Atlanta and still have family at one now and my kids are at a big3/5 or whatever here. Here’s my take.

There aren’t as direct comparisons as one might expect in part bc Atlanta (while not that southern) is more conservative than DC.

That said, Westminster is definitely closest to St Albans. Lovett is sorta the same - maybe more like a Potomac. It is decidedly not like sidwell. Admittedly high school was awhile ago, but they used to hand out pamphlets at all the sports games titled ‘Rules for moms to follow along’

Paideia is more liberal than both for sure but not as liberal as GDS. It’s more of a combo of gds/maret/sidwell. But it’s across town from buckhead. Galloway I think is more like Field. I am dated on Marist and Pace and such.

The other difference is there are fewer ‘hooked kids’ - fewer ivy legacies and the vip types you get at nyc and dc privates. That part is nice as not everyone feels they need to go to Yale bc dad did. And they cost way less down there which is nice.

Why?

Lovett is in Buckhead, a very wealthy suburb in a more conservative part of Atlanta. It has a Christian bent to it and a more traditional feel. They still have uniforms although less strict than they used to be. There are going to be different kinds of families than at Sidwell. I am oversimplifying but if Sidwell has lots of families where one parent has served in a high level administration position or runs the council on foreign relations or some such institution, Lovett is going to have lots of southern business leaders. The politicians kids - senators, mayors and such or the leadership at Emory, they are more likely to have kids at Paideia. Honestly I think Lovett would feel more like the cathedral schools than anything else. So not a comment on quality but just atmosphere.
I dunno maybe Davidson vs Williams or notre dame vs Yale - just different.

Those who say that Atlanta private schools are less intense academically are right in the sense that the families are different. Way less Ivy League parents. Atlanta schools have more parents who are successful in business after going to Clemson or Wake forest. So there isn’t the pressure to get into an Ivy or Ivy equivalent as some form of proxy for success.

[Anonymous]

Woodward, Marist and pace are not as academically strong.

[Anonymous]

There is also Pace Academy, which is in Buckhead. I know someone who teaches there and the campus looks beautiful.

[Anonymous]

Westminster usually is considered the top private in metro Atlanta.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While these comparisons seem sort of generally right to DC privates, there is a huge delta in terms do DC and Atlanta privates that you are missing in terms of educational pedigree and academic rigor and just general kids/families educational orientation. There is nowhere quite like DC in terms of the kids school achievement. Maybe NY is close and Boston second.

There is also a wealth gap. Rich DC is often a BigLaw partner. Rich Atlanta is owning a mid size regional business. Meaning Atlanta rich is usually richer.

This. I’m from Atlanta. There is a lot of wealth, typically family money and less focus on academics.

Unless you’re from Atlanta or have connections I don’t think you have much of a chance at an Atlanta private like Lovett. It’s similar to someone from Kansas City saying they are moving here and googled Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to a private school in Atlanta and still have family at one now and my kids are at a big3/5 or whatever here. Here’s my take.

There aren’t as direct comparisons as one might expect in part bc Atlanta (while not that southern) is more conservative than DC.

That said, Westminster is definitely closest to St Albans. Lovett is sorta the same - maybe more like a Potomac. It is decidedly not like sidwell. Admittedly high school was awhile ago, but they used to hand out pamphlets at all the sports games titled ‘Rules for moms to follow along’

Paideia is more liberal than both for sure but not as liberal as GDS. It’s more of a combo of gds/maret/sidwell. But it’s across town from buckhead. Galloway I think is more like Field. I am dated on Marist and Pace and such.

The other difference is there are fewer ‘hooked kids’ - fewer ivy legacies and the vip types you get at nyc and dc privates. That part is nice as not everyone feels they need to go to Yale bc dad did. And they cost way less down there which is nice.

Why?

Lovett is in Buckhead, a very wealthy suburb in a more conservative part of Atlanta. It has a Christian bent to it and a more traditional feel. They still have uniforms although less strict than they used to be. There are going to be different kinds of families than at Sidwell. I am oversimplifying but if Sidwell has lots of families where one parent has served in a high level administration position or runs the council on foreign relations or some such institution, Lovett is going to have lots of southern business leaders. The politicians kids - senators, mayors and such or the leadership at Emory, they are more likely to have kids at Paideia. Honestly I think Lovett would feel more like the cathedral schools than anything else. So not a comment on quality but just atmosphere.
I dunno maybe Davidson vs Williams or notre dame vs Yale - just different.

Those who say that Atlanta private schools are less intense academically are right in the sense that the families are different. Way less Ivy League parents. Atlanta schools have more parents who are successful in business after going to Clemson or Wake forest. So there isn’t the pressure to get into an Ivy or Ivy equivalent as some form of proxy for success.

Some of this is also because there are strong in-state flagships. You see something similar in Texas. The Hope scholarship means in-state tuition is free to Georgia universities. A large % of hs graduates state in-state including at privates.

A lot of the anxiety and competing over college admissions is simply because in a place like DC you don’t have as many options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While these comparisons seem sort of generally right to DC privates, there is a huge delta in terms do DC and Atlanta privates that you are missing in terms of educational pedigree and academic rigor and just general kids/families educational orientation. There is nowhere quite like DC in terms of the kids school achievement. Maybe NY is close and Boston second.

There is also a wealth gap. Rich DC is often a BigLaw partner. Rich Atlanta is owning a mid size regional business. Meaning Atlanta rich is usually richer.

You need to get out more.

Having experienced the wide world, your view is that the cohort of kids at DC Big 3/5 is equivalent to the very good Atlanta privates, in terms of educational pedigree and academic rigor and just general kids/families educational orientation. Right. I have a bridge to sell you.

DP. I’d argue that the kids at any top private in a large metro like Dallas, Atlanta, DC etc are fairly similar, yes.

There are some outliers in terms of wealth like students at privates in NY or LA.

No, DC students aren’t some extreme outliers like you think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just a heads up, Atlanta privates, minus Woodward, Paideia, and Atlanta International School aren't as diverse as DC schools. Also, some families may be more conservative than you are used to. Lovett is definitely not like Sidwell, I wouldn't consider it a more liberal school(Paideia and Maybe Galloway fit the bill). Westminster is the top school when it comes to Atlanta privates. Also, expect less Southern accents if you relocate to Atlanta. Many people here are from elsewhere and the accent isn't as prevalent as it used to be.

They also aren’t as diverse geographically because they do not want rude families. I’m being serious. If you don’t have Atlanta connections, you won’t get in. No one will tell you this, but they don’t want an aggressive, rude family from say, New Jersey messing up the culture of their school. They prioritize manners, friendships and local community. The manners and social skills of a student at Westminster will be much, much better than students from privates in other parts of the country. They don’t want your NJ kid rubbing off on their kids. Unfortunately, DC kids will be viewed the same way unless you have Atlanta connections or there is something very special about you.

Atlanta privates are for Atlanta families.