St. Andrews vs. Holton vs. BCC -- HELP!

[Anonymous]

My thanks to all of the posters for these valuable insights. I was a little reluctant to start this thread on DCUM because I've seen a lot of pointless and nasty commentary in this forum in the past. These responses, however, are genuinely helpful and are responsive to my original questions. I am especially grateful to the SAES parent who provided such a detailed response -- I know how long that must have taken to write.

As for whether there is too much personally identifiable information, I appreciate the concern and the thought did cross my mind. But even if you happen to know who we're talking about here, I hope it's apparent that we're just trying to help our DD make the right choice. Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

It is a hard decision. My daughter's friend is a junior at Holton and loves it there. She has blossomed from this awkward 5th grader who barely rose her hand in class to someone who is bright, athletic, competitive and social. They do a lot of global education and community service. That said, it is a lot of work. Like 2-3hrs a night of homework after sports. Much more than my daughter in public. But I think she needed that environment. My daughter was more outgoing and self sufficient at an early age and I thought public would be fine for her and it has. It truly depends on the girl.

Would she push herself more in same sex or coed?
Does she need that extra encouragement, smaller classes to make her thrive?

I don't know many kids from St Andrews but it seems like an up and coming school but for now it is in the beginning stages. I would think it is more Christian based and maybe less diversity from Holton or BCC but that is a guess, not a fact.

[Anonymous]

BCC

[Anonymous]

I tutor middle school students from many area schools. The St. Andrew's kids stand out for their kindness and for being comfortable in their own skin. My sense from the parents is that the school does much to create a nurturing environment where every kid feels s/he can succeed on their own terms.

[Anonymous]

OP - What did you ultimately decide to do??? We're potentially facing the same decision and I have the exact same questions and concerns.

[Anonymous]

Hols your horses- no one has been accepted anywhere yet.

[Anonymous]

Exactly why I said potentially.

Why the negative attitude with nothing helpful to say?

[Anonymous]

well at Holton she will be with those types, at st Andrew's she will be with well them and at b-cc she will be around some black kids and Spanish speaking kids

I was around some Holton kids and parents this past weekend and was annoyed at the fake hugs, fancy clothes etc at a 9 am basketball game. St Andrew;s is a pain to get from in the mornings if you work back towards Bethesda

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly why I said potentially.

Why the negative attitude with nothing helpful to say?

it wasn't negative, it was realistic. don't count your chickens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She wants to be happy. She wants a school where the students are friendly and respectful to each other. She's always been a "gamma girl" -- moving among different crowds and trying to be on good terms with everyone. Academically, she is a fantastic writer, so opportunities for creative writing are important. She's also interested in issues affecting girls around the world (access to education, preventing child marriage and trafficking, etc.), and she's looking for opportunities for leadership in that area. She's recently started playing lacrosse, so I imagine that she'll want to play in a reasonably non-competitive, entry-level environment. Hope that helps.

She sounds a lot like most Holton girls I know! My DD is a writer too and in the upper school. There is a creative writing magazine that is award winning and they have an annual event called Coffeehouse where students can present their original work in the blackbox theater and it's really a special thing. The part about knowing more about issues impacting girls around the world is a BIG part of Holton and their Global Scholars program. Go on the website and take a look at it. You can also have your daughter read the blogs from the past few years of girls who've taken these trips - and if you're on financial aid it can help cover the cost of these global journeys.

In terms of college placement, she will be in amazing hands at Holton. If you could see the Naviance data you wouldn't hesitate.

For the vibe and cliques, I think there is something for everyone. My DD is artsy and laid back and she loves it but there are lots of type A girls who obsess over grades and others who are very social and sporty - but everyone seems to respect each other in the high school.

[Anonymous]

Hi 16:31 -- you may not realize it but you are providing advice regarding a girl who faced this decision in 2014. I would suggest subsequent posts on this thread focus on the comparison of the schools but not on anything about the specific student this thread was started about 2 years ago. The real new thread here began at 12:52 and all we know is that a new family has a similar choice to make.

[Anonymous]

Our DD went to Holton and the all-girl social dynamic is tough. Think long and hard before you jump into that pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi 16:31 -- you may not realize it but you are providing advice regarding a girl who faced this decision in 2014. I would suggest subsequent posts on this thread focus on the comparison of the schools but not on anything about the specific student this thread was started about 2 years ago. The real new thread here began at 12:52 and all we know is that a new family has a similar choice to make.

Yes, which is why I gave advice based on the original request - sorry if that confused you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our DD went to Holton and the all-girl social dynamic is tough. Think long and hard before you jump into that pool.

Lots of girls love and thrive in that dynamic. I would personally think long and hard about taking my girls out of that pool.

[Anonymous]

Hi 16:31 -- I am the poster who has had several kids at St. Andrew's who posted on March 2 2014 at 17:35 above. Having just reread my post, I think it still provides a good summary of the school. Enrollment is up a bit from a couple of years ago. On the plus side, this offers a few more opportunities in scheduling, classes, faculty additions, and activities, but also admittedly probably a bit of a reduction in how unusually tight each class was socially (the difference between about 60 and closer to 80 students in a high school grade). The actual number of students per classroom etc., of course, remains small as you would expect.

Now that my oldest has graduated from St. Andrew's, I would add that the academic preparation for college was outstanding - at least for the students who took some of the more challenging courses. My DC -- and DC's high school friends whom we have seen during their breaks from college - have uniformly said that they only began to fully realize how strong their preparation for college was when they began to compare themselves to classmates in their respective colleges. Specifically, they all talk about how well they learned to write, analyze, organize, and construct an argument. Moreover, they talk about having confidence to go talk to a professor after class even in a large lecture hall, and to speak up in both lectures and small seminars. I've heard this from students who attend a range of colleges, including both small liberal arts schools and some of the most selective universities in the country in a wide range of majors. For a completely self-motivated student, I am sure BCC can work fine. But for the vast majority of students, I think the smaller classes and attention to writing and analysis at your private options will probably be better than at BCC.