NCS Parents - "I wish I had known x" type advice.

[Anonymous]

Oh good lord, can we please all grow up and quit with the backstabbing? NCS is not the school for every girl, just like Holton is not the school for every girl, and STA is not the school for every boy. Different schools are a match for different kids. To the OP, my advice is not to listen to the malarky on this forum from people who haven't even visited the school (see 20:41) and go see for yourself. Both NCS and Holton have drop-in tours where you don't have to even be thinking about applying to check out the school. We went last year and found them very informative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NCS alum here - it's a fantastic education and a pressure cooker all in one. I graduated a while ago, but still stay in touch with my close friends from there. I went in during middle school, but made a very conscious decision to avoid the mean girl crowd (was in that crowd in the public from which I was going to NCS so didn't want a repeat). There are enough cliques in a 70 person class to avoid the mean girl clique of 10. The students that were the most unhappy were the ones that just weren't super smart/athletically inclined. They kind of got left by the way side and were made to feel stupid and when college admissions rolled around weren't the ones that got a lot of personal attention.

Okay, stupid question here. I've heard the term "mean girl" bandied about quite a bit on any thread relating to NCS. What, exactly, is a mean girl? Are they all the pretty ones, the rich ones, and thus the object of jealousy and thus the "mean girl" dismissive. Are they actually mean, physically or verbally abusing others. That, I would find hard to believe as I'm sure NCS would deal with any true bullying. Soooo, what on earth is a "mean girl"?

[Anonymous]

Mean girls are a book (Queen Bees and Wannabees) and a movie inspired by the book.

DD was accepted to NCS but didn't go, so take what follows with your own grain of salt. As to Holton "schooling" NCS, I don't think that's the common perception. It may be the perception of a few people in DCUM-land, largely because there are 2-3 fanatical Holton boosters here. I'm sure Holton is a lovely school too -- my point is only that you should believe everything, good or bad, you read about a particular school on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mean girls are a book (Queen Bees and Wannabees) and a movie inspired by the book.

DD was accepted to NCS but didn't go, so take what follows with your own grain of salt. As to Holton "schooling" NCS, I don't think that's the common perception. It may be the perception of a few people in DCUM-land, largely because there are 2-3 fanatical Holton boosters here. I'm sure Holton is a lovely school too -- my point is only that you should believe everything, good or bad, you read about a particular school on DCUM.

The book was written by a real self-promoter who claimed to help girls negotiate the social minefields of adolescence but clearly helped feed into issues of cliques, etc., with her message. I believe she leveraged a little workshop type thing at NCS and some other local schools into her book, which then got mega-press when Tina Fey riffed off it in the Lindsey Lohan vehicle "Mean Girls."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mean girls are a book (Queen Bees and Wannabees) and a movie inspired by the book.

DD was accepted to NCS but didn't go, so take what follows with your own grain of salt. As to Holton "schooling" NCS, I don't think that's the common perception. It may be the perception of a few people in DCUM-land, largely because there are 2-3 fanatical Holton boosters here. I'm sure Holton is a lovely school too -- my point is only that you should believe everything, good or bad, you read about a particular school on DCUM.

The book was written by a real self-promoter who claimed to help girls negotiate the social minefields of adolescence but clearly helped feed into issues of cliques, etc., with her message. I believe she leveraged a little workshop type thing at NCS and some other local schools into her book, which then got mega-press when Tina Fey riffed off it in the Lindsey Lohan vehicle "Mean Girls."

14:14 here again. Yes, I think she talked to girls at NCS and at the Field School. She possibly went to other area schools, but I couldn't say for sure. Actually, I think DD found it helpful to be able to identify the "queen bee" in every clique, and the various hangers on.

[Anonymous]

NCS mom here. It's DD's third year. In contrast to most of the comments here, I wish I had known how normal most of the parents are. Sure, there is a lot of wealth and some status-conscious people there (both parents and students), but I have been struck by how little that matters most of the time in school interactions. We all have daughters there, and that is the focus. I think a lot of people are intimidated by the Cathedral schools because of the setting itself (okay, the mean girls thing didn't help, either), but the more people learn about the Episcopal church and its ethos, the more they realize it is a leveler, not the opposite. Incredible education and DD has a great group of friends.

[Anonymous]

Both DC's attended Cathedral schools. Not intimidated by the close or the ethos of the Episcopal church. Classroom instruction ranged from excellent to average, overall an opportunity for a solid education. The level of bitchiness there isn't justified. A minority of girls love the "NCS Experience" but most hate it there.

OP, if you send your DD to NCS make sure she finds a sport that she enjoys. The athletic department houses some of the most nurturing faculty/staff at the school. Sports will help her survive (psychologically) during junior and senior years.

[Anonymous]

I wish I had known that the following courses are not taught at NCS: Honors Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus (the class that follows AP Calculus), AP Physics C (C for "with Calculus"), and AP European History. (Any NCS student who wants to take these classes has to try and take them at STA but since the courses are considered "coordinate", NCS only gets up to 4 slots).

Doesn't having only two or three girls in an advanced math or science class defeat the purpose of single-sex education (especially for girls)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known that the following courses are not taught at NCS: Honors Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus (the class that follows AP Calculus), AP Physics C (C for "with Calculus"), and AP European History. (Any NCS student who wants to take these classes has to try and take them at STA but since the courses are considered "coordinate", NCS only gets up to 4 slots).

Doesn't having only two or three girls in an advanced math or science class defeat the purpose of single-sex education (especially for girls)?

I am so tired of seeing people post on here who clearly have no firsthand knowledge, and are intent only on spreading rumors.

My DD graduated from NCS a few years ago and is currently studying engineering at an Ivy. She was in HLAVC, taught at STA (though it had been taught the previous year at NCS - depends on the year), with 5 girls. There are a small number of kids from either NCS or STA qualified for that class, so the cap of 4 doesn't generally apply (when the enrollment is under the limit of 15 or 16, the extra spots open up on either side of the close). DD never heard of anyone not getting into the class who was qualified for it (it's a pretty self-selecting group of kids that have finished BC Calc before senior year). DD had good friends in the AP Physics C class (which is taught at STA, just as AP Physics B is taught at NCS), but the fact that the PP seems to think "C" stands for calculus shows how very little she knows about advanced math and science courses. What does the "B" stand for then, wise PP? Each AP Physics class is taught with a different focus, depending on a student's interests in future study.

As to having a limited number of girls in a science or math class, those classes are only open to juniors and seniors, when they start having lots of options for co-ed advanced classes and English classes are all co-ed. They have girls-only academic classes until 11th grade, which gives them a strong foundation and a lot of confidence heading into more advanced co-ed math and science classes, and prepares them well for co-ed colleges.

By the way, the 4-person cap works for STA students who want to enroll in very popular NCS courses, such as Anatomy and Physiology and AP Physics B, as well. I am tired of hearing NCS get the short end of the stick in the coordinate relationship. Each school offers unique classes, and each is made stronger by the coordinate relationship. My DD got terrific prep for studying engin. in college from NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known that the following courses are not taught at NCS: Honors Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus (the class that follows AP Calculus), AP Physics C (C for "with Calculus"), and AP European History. (Any NCS student who wants to take these classes has to try and take them at STA but since the courses are considered "coordinate", NCS only gets up to 4 slots).

Doesn't having only two or three girls in an advanced math or science class defeat the purpose of single-sex education (especially for girls)?

I am so tired of seeing people post on here who clearly have no firsthand knowledge, and are intent only on spreading rumors.

My DD graduated from NCS a few years ago and is currently studying engineering at an Ivy. She was in HLAVC, taught at STA (though it had been taught the previous year at NCS - depends on the year), with 5 girls. There are a small number of kids from either NCS or STA qualified for that class, so the cap of 4 doesn't generally apply (when the enrollment is under the limit of 15 or 16, the extra spots open up on either side of the close). DD never heard of anyone not getting into the class who was qualified for it (it's a pretty self-selecting group of kids that have finished BC Calc before senior year). DD had good friends in the AP Physics C class (which is taught at STA, just as AP Physics B is taught at NCS), but the fact that the PP seems to think "C" stands for calculus shows how very little she knows about advanced math and science courses. What does the "B" stand for then, wise PP? Each AP Physics class is taught with a different focus, depending on a student's interests in future study.

As to having a limited number of girls in a science or math class, those classes are only open to juniors and seniors, when they start having lots of options for co-ed advanced classes and English classes are all co-ed. They have girls-only academic classes until 11th grade, which gives them a strong foundation and a lot of confidence heading into more advanced co-ed math and science classes, and prepares them well for co-ed colleges.

By the way, the 4-person cap works for STA students who want to enroll in very popular NCS courses, such as Anatomy and Physiology and AP Physics B, as well. I am tired of hearing NCS get the short end of the stick in the coordinate relationship. Each school offers unique classes, and each is made stronger by the coordinate relationship. My DD got terrific prep for studying engin. in college from NCS.

Not PP, but so what she's using "incorrect" terminology, I get her point.

Is it really that the students are self selecting the track that they're on or did they take advantage of the summer before freshmen year to take advance courses placing them ahead of the pack so that they are a math course ahead of the competition entering 9th grade? Nothing wrong with that, I guess the school shares this little tidbit with all students/families, right?

OP, you need to be fully aware of what track your DD lands on. And learn to game the system if you want your daughter to get placed in advance courses so that she's "qualified."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known that the following courses are not taught at NCS: Honors Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus (the class that follows AP Calculus), AP Physics C (C for "with Calculus"), and AP European History. (Any NCS student who wants to take these classes has to try and take them at STA but since the courses are considered "coordinate", NCS only gets up to 4 slots).

Doesn't having only two or three girls in an advanced math or science class defeat the purpose of single-sex education (especially for girls)?

I am so tired of seeing people post on here who clearly have no firsthand knowledge, and are intent only on spreading rumors.

My DD graduated from NCS a few years ago and is currently studying engineering at an Ivy. She was in HLAVC, taught at STA (though it had been taught the previous year at NCS - depends on the year), with 5 girls. There are a small number of kids from either NCS or STA qualified for that class, so the cap of 4 doesn't generally apply (when the enrollment is under the limit of 15 or 16, the extra spots open up on either side of the close). DD never heard of anyone not getting into the class who was qualified for it (it's a pretty self-selecting group of kids that have finished BC Calc before senior year). DD had good friends in the AP Physics C class (which is taught at STA, just as AP Physics B is taught at NCS), but the fact that the PP seems to think "C" stands for calculus shows how very little she knows about advanced math and science courses. What does the "B" stand for then, wise PP? Each AP Physics class is taught with a different focus, depending on a student's interests in future study.

As to having a limited number of girls in a science or math class, those classes are only open to juniors and seniors, when they start having lots of options for co-ed advanced classes and English classes are all co-ed. They have girls-only academic classes until 11th grade, which gives them a strong foundation and a lot of confidence heading into more advanced co-ed math and science classes, and prepares them well for co-ed colleges.

By the way, the 4-person cap works for STA students who want to enroll in very popular NCS courses, such as Anatomy and Physiology and AP Physics B, as well. I am tired of hearing NCS get the short end of the stick in the coordinate relationship. Each school offers unique classes, and each is made stronger by the coordinate relationship. My DD got terrific prep for studying engin. in college from NCS.

Not PP, but so what she's using "incorrect" terminology, I get her point.

Is it really that the students are self selecting the track that they're on or did they take advantage of the summer before freshmen year to take advance courses placing them ahead of the pack so that they are a math course ahead of the competition entering 9th grade? Nothing wrong with that, I guess the school shares this little tidbit with all students/families, right?

OP, you need to be fully aware of what track your DD lands on. And learn to game the system if you want your daughter to get placed in advance courses so that she's "qualified."

This is my first post on my thread. Give me a break: it's clear the last PP doesn't know anything about NCS either. But lack of knowledge won't stop her from piling on with insinuations about tracking and taking summer courses and sage advice to "game the system."

FWIW, my DD was accepted at NCS but she's at a (non-math) magnet instead. My only motive for posting is that sometimes I get fed up with the BS here.

[Anonymous]

I am an NCS parent and I want to weigh in on the HLAVC and Physics C... while it is true only 4 seats are reserved for NCS students at STA in the jr and sr year courses this is only an issue for classes that tend to fill to, the limit of 19 students, basically English and history electives. AP Euro was taught at NCS until recently, within the past 3-4 years, and was replaced with two non-AP semester long electives as part of a curricular change to make higher level history available to students who are interested in it senior year but do not want to take an AP level course. NCS and STA limit the number of AP courses to 2 per student per year. HLAVC was taught at NCS until 5 years ago there are never enough students to fill that course so one teacher at either NCS or STA teaches the section that has 10-13 students in it typically. The STA teacher has not left so there has been no reason to alternate back to NCS. Many of the NCS teachers could teach that course but it seems that the person at STA enjoys teaching it so there is no reason to move it to NCS. Physics C is taught at STA, Physics B at NCS... yes, they have a different focus not a differing level of difficulty. The argument posted above just really bothered me as it was insinuating that NCS was inferior in terms of math science which really is not true. STA is a bit more flexible with their curriculum in US (easier to get to the higher level courses since they do not have 2 separate year of Alg 2 and PreCalc for the honors students) but this effects so few students it is an almost non-issue. Both schools seems to have one full class of AP Calc BC students and then 5-6 that take the post BC HLAVC. There are also engineering and AP level computer science courses at both schools for kids that are truly interested in these disciplines.

[Anonymous]

Hello! I just wanted to chime in to echo some of the words of posters who were explaning how the coordinate classes work. One thing to note, initially, is that the coordinate English classes during junior year are basically 50/50 boys and girls.

For electives, it is accurate that there is an initial cap of four per class section from the opposite school, BUT, as a prior poster said, that's only if the class is fully subscribed -- if there's room, there's no cap. The highest level math class, HLAVC, is taken only by 6-7 boys, so there is room for as any NCS girls as traditionally want to take it. For AP Physics C, there are at least 2, maybe 3, class sections, so there are at least 8, maybe 12, slots for girls and I've never heard of any interested NCS student being turned away. The Computer Science classes are based at NCS, so it's not a case of all the upper level STEM classes being at STA.

For the AP Euro, there are three class sections at STA so that's room automatically for 12 from NCS, maybe more. Because there are so many great history/social science electives at STA and NCS, including NCS's very popular Human Geography curriculum (not offered at STA), over the years the interest in AP Euro at NCS had dropped so the slots at STA fully serve all interested students (and the girls have given the STA course top reviews, from what I've heard).

One thing to keep in mind is that for small schools, the benefit of small class sizes and having the teachers really know your kids has to be set off against a more limited course catalogue. The coordinate program is a great way to expand the choices for both STA/NCS students, as well as to give them a good feel for having class with the opposite sex. Both schools definitely still retain the single-sex culture, I'd say, and I think most others would agree.

Lastly, it's only one little data point but I've heard that three NCS students were admitted early to MIT this year so it sounds like the top STEM kids are doing great!

I think all of the questions raised have been legitimate ones, and would encourage anybody who is interested to try to visit and learn more about either/both schools. (We've loved the coordinate program and see it as a major plus, but obviously that's just one opinion.)

[Anonymous]

Thank you for this info so are there 77-80 girls in a graduating class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known that the following courses are not taught at NCS: Honors Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus (the class that follows AP Calculus), AP Physics C (C for "with Calculus"), and AP European History. (Any NCS student who wants to take these classes has to try and take them at STA but since the courses are considered "coordinate", NCS only gets up to 4 slots).

Doesn't having only two or three girls in an advanced math or science class defeat the purpose of single-sex education (especially for girls)?

I am so tired of seeing people post on here who clearly have no firsthand knowledge, and are intent only on spreading rumors.

My DD graduated from NCS a few years ago and is currently studying engineering at an Ivy. She was in HLAVC, taught at STA (though it had been taught the previous year at NCS - depends on the year), with 5 girls. There are a small number of kids from either NCS or STA qualified for that class, so the cap of 4 doesn't generally apply (when the enrollment is under the limit of 15 or 16, the extra spots open up on either side of the close). DD never heard of anyone not getting into the class who was qualified for it (it's a pretty self-selecting group of kids that have finished BC Calc before senior year). DD had good friends in the AP Physics C class (which is taught at STA, just as AP Physics B is taught at NCS), but the fact that the PP seems to think "C" stands for calculus shows how very little she knows about advanced math and science courses. What does the "B" stand for then, wise PP? Each AP Physics class is taught with a different focus, depending on a student's interests in future study.

As to having a limited number of girls in a science or math class, those classes are only open to juniors and seniors, when they start having lots of options for co-ed advanced classes and English classes are all co-ed. They have girls-only academic classes until 11th grade, which gives them a strong foundation and a lot of confidence heading into more advanced co-ed math and science classes, and prepares them well for co-ed colleges.

By the way, the 4-person cap works for STA students who want to enroll in very popular NCS courses, such as Anatomy and Physiology and AP Physics B, as well. I am tired of hearing NCS get the short end of the stick in the coordinate relationship. Each school offers unique classes, and each is made stronger by the coordinate relationship. My DD got terrific prep for studying engin. in college from NCS.

Not PP, but so what she's using "incorrect" terminology, I get her point.

Is it really that the students are self selecting the track that they're on or did they take advantage of the summer before freshmen year to take advance courses placing them ahead of the pack so that they are a math course ahead of the competition entering 9th grade? Nothing wrong with that, I guess the school shares this little tidbit with all students/families, right?

OP, you need to be fully aware of what track your DD lands on. And learn to game the system if you want your daughter to get placed in advance courses so that she's "qualified."

This is my first post on my thread. Give me a break: it's clear the last PP doesn't know anything about NCS either. But lack of knowledge won't stop her from piling on with insinuations about tracking and taking summer courses and sage advice to "game the system."

FWIW, my DD was accepted at NCS but she's at a (non-math) magnet instead. My only motive for posting is that sometimes I get fed up with the BS here.

Actually, the parent of two NCS alums.