Turning down a "prestigious" Big3 school for a less known one

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did this. I wouldn't say Big 3 but Big 5. Turned it down for a school that is not frequently mentioned on this board. Child is diverse, this was for PreK admit, very smart, very social, 97% WPPSI. We got no aid at the private but no one does for PreK. We decided that a smaller cheaper school closer to home without a grueling commute was the better choice for the family. Child would do great at most schools. Decided that PreK-3rd years are not all that drastically different in most of these schools to warrant the expense and drama of the commute for the family. There is also a younger sibling in preschool closer to home. Will apply for top schools during 3rd or 4th grade when we can apply them and their sibling to the same school or schools all nearby each other in DC for fewer logistical dramas.

Oh and no regrets, their elementary experience has been excellent thusfar.

[Anonymous]

Turned down a big three high school for our unimpressive (from the outside) public high school for a variety of reasons. DC is now at big 3 college (HYP), which wouldn't have happened if DC had gone to big three high school. And DC is thriving -- loving college!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:might turn down a big three for burke

We did exactly that and it worked out beautifully. DS graduated last year - we never regretted it.

[Anonymous]

Make a list of all the schools' attributes from your child's point of view. You will find that prestige, or bragging about the name of the school he attends will be meaningless.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Turned down Beauvoir for NPS. It just seemed like a better fit for our kid as well as our family. DD was accepted to Holton 7th, so it ended up really working out.

It's all about fit, OP.

[Anonymous]

+ 1000. It's like... the Inn at Little Washington may offer the area's "best" cuisine, but to me it wasn't nearly as tasty as, say, Jaleo - nor as lively. Choose the school that's right for your child, not the school that's right for other people's children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+ 1000. It's like... the Inn at Little Washington may offer the area's "best" cuisine, but to me it wasn't nearly as tasty as, say, Jaleo - nor as lively. Choose the school that's right for your child, not the school that's right for other people's children.

This is a fun person.

[Anonymous]

we didn't look at Big 3-- chose Field because it is right for our child. We are looking at it as a journey that we want our kid to enjoy not just focus on where our child could potentially be for college.

[Anonymous]

We turned down GDS for Sheridan at K several years ago. (not sure Sheridan counts as "less-known" ?)

Anyway, it was a gut reaction on our part at the time, based on the fact that the two schools looked truly interchangeable from K to about 6th. Sheridan was better logistically and we preferred certain features of the broader Sheridan community to the broader GDS community.

Go with your gut, OP, especially if the less-known school ends at 6th or 8th. You'll get that second chance at the Big 3 K-12 later, and your child will have a role then and plenty of input

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+ 1000. It's like... the Inn at Little Washington may offer the area's "best" cuisine, but to me it wasn't nearly as tasty as, say, Jaleo - nor as lively. Choose the school that's right for your child, not the school that's right for other people's children.

+1 -- from a parent with one child who graduated from the academic equivalent of Inn at Little Washington and one who's a senior at Jaleo's counterpart

And, to take the metaphor a bit further, I'd only add that when you have to make reservations months in advance, you'd be surprised how reluctant diners are to complain about poor service and how complacent the chef can be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous[/quote wrote:

+1 -- from a parent with one child who graduated from the academic equivalent of Inn at Little Washington and one who's a senior at Jaleo's counterpart

And, to take the metaphor a bit further, I'd only add that when you have to make reservations months in advance, you'd be surprised how reluctant diners are to complain about poor service and how complacent the chef can be.

THIS -- so, so true in this analogy! Brilliant!