Typical Potomac student?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, every Potomac kid I know is "perfect". They have perfect families, they are easygoing, smart, athletic. My son is a gifted student but quirky. We didn't think he'd find enough kids for him to socialize with so we didn't apply.

This and this thread are ridiculous. There are many variations of Potomac kids, many of whom are imperfect just like the rest of us. Stop stereotyping.

I didn't say all. I said the kids we know. We come from a McLean preschool that's probably the biggest feeder to Potomac. We know many families there and they all fit this description. I have no doubt that the 9th grade class is probably less homogeneous.

You hit the nail on the head. The Potomac Lower School--feeding heavily from CDS, Rodef and the pool at WGCC--has a certain culture. It is actually fairly diverse--and the types of people I mentioned probably are not more than 40% of the students even in the lower school--but they tend to be the parents that are in leadership roles, have relationships with the administrators, and generally fit the 'Potomac mold' if such a thing even exists. By the later entry points--especially after 9th grade--the school is much more diverse and the hard-core McLean crowd is somewhat less prevalent (though they do tend to vacation together all the way through).

So does that mean that a new 9th grader who is not from McLean will have a hard time making friends? Is it hard to fit in if you are not uber wealthy?

No--it doesn't really make its way down to the kids--newcomers fit in on their own merits. But it would be very unusual for a new 9th grade set of parents to fall in with the group of parents who have been together for 10+ years since pre-school, often with older siblings that have already gone through, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would guess most schools don't have a typical student anymore, because the better the school is, the more diverse it tends to be (generally speaking).

Yes--exactly--that's the point I was trying to make above. The "Potomac Mold" parents--caucasian, CEO/Biglaw dad, mom in yoga pants and riding boots, Q7/Range Rover--is a smaller and smaller portion each year--I am sure less than 1/3 by now in the lower school. It is just that those folks all stick together because they know each other from preschool (typically CDS, sometimes Rodef), often WGCC, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could someone give me an idea of a typical Potomac kid? I ask because my kid is very smart but also very social and outgoing - likes to work hard but also have fun. During our last visit, she came away with the impression that the kids were only about academics and not very social - she is now having second thoughts about the school. That's not how I think of Potomac kids - was this just an off group she was placed in? Maybe just some of the new kids?

The Kids at potomac are actually quite social, Former student here. Though in class they are relatively focused, during Lunch (45 minutes each day) or the extra free block the will either be in the Lunchroom eating and talking, playing various games, or talking in the cross roads. Also, to the person who asked if Uber wealth kids cannot fit in, Yes, many kids do not have great financial situations and fit in very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could someone give me an idea of a typical Potomac kid? I ask because my kid is very smart but also very social and outgoing - likes to work hard but also have fun. During our last visit, she came away with the impression that the kids were only about academics and not very social - she is now having second thoughts about the school. That's not how I think of Potomac kids - was this just an off group she was placed in? Maybe just some of the new kids?

The Kids at potomac are actually quite social, Former student here. Though in class they are relatively focused, during Lunch (45 minutes each day) or the extra free block the will either be in the Lunchroom eating and talking, playing various games, or talking in the cross roads. Also, to the person who asked if Uber wealth kids cannot fit in, Yes, many kids do not have great financial situations and fit in very well.

Nicely phrased..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could someone give me an idea of a typical Potomac kid? I ask because my kid is very smart but also very social and outgoing - likes to work hard but also have fun. During our last visit, she came away with the impression that the kids were only about academics and not very social - she is now having second thoughts about the school. That's not how I think of Potomac kids - was this just an off group she was placed in? Maybe just some of the new kids?

The Kids at potomac are actually quite social, Former student here. Though in class they are relatively focused, during Lunch (45 minutes each day) or the extra free block the will either be in the Lunchroom eating and talking, playing various games, or talking in the cross roads. Also, to the person who asked if Uber wealth kids cannot fit in, Yes, many kids do not have great financial situations and fit in very well.

... on the bottom of the social ladder

[Anonymous]

PP, what do you base that on? That has not been our experience at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, every Potomac kid I know is "perfect". They have perfect families, they are easygoing, smart, athletic. My son is a gifted student but quirky. We didn't think he'd find enough kids for him to socialize with so we didn't apply.

This and this thread are ridiculous. There are many variations of Potomac kids, many of whom are imperfect just like the rest of us. Stop stereotyping.

I didn't say all. I said the kids we know. We come from a McLean preschool that's probably the biggest feeder to Potomac. We know many families there and they all fit this description. I have no doubt that the 9th grade class is probably less homogeneous.

You hit the nail on the head. The Potomac Lower School--feeding heavily from CDS, Rodef and the pool at WGCC--has a certain culture. It is actually fairly diverse--and the types of people I mentioned probably are not more than 40% of the students even in the lower school--but they tend to be the parents that are in leadership roles, have relationships with the administrators, and generally fit the 'Potomac mold' if such a thing even exists. By the later entry points--especially after 9th grade--the school is much more diverse and the hard-core McLean crowd is somewhat less prevalent (though they do tend to vacation together all the way through).

Rider? Is there a large, strong Jewish contingent at Potomac?

[Anonymous]

Rodef? Is there a large, strong Jewish contingent at Potomac? (Sorry for darn auto-correct above).

[Anonymous]

Typical Potomac student?

Star athlete, incredibly attractive, brilliant, and wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would guess most schools don't have a typical student anymore, because the better the school is, the more diverse it tends to be (generally speaking).

Yes--exactly--that's the point I was trying to make above. The "Potomac Mold" parents--caucasian, CEO/Biglaw dad, mom in yoga pants and riding boots, Q7/Range Rover--is a smaller and smaller portion each year--I am sure less than 1/3 by now in the lower school. It is just that those folks all stick together because they know each other from preschool (typically CDS, sometimes Rodef), often WGCC, etc.

This is false! We have neither an Audi nor a Range Rover. We have a GL Mercedes which is the big SUV. Troll, get your facts straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rodef? Is there a large, strong Jewish contingent at Potomac? (Sorry for darn auto-correct above).

If I had to absolutely take a guess, I would say maybe 10 or so kids in each lower school grade are Jewish (or at least have one Jewish parent). Maybe 20% or so.

[Anonymous]

Typical Potomac student: What you THINK private school students are like: rich, snobby, PC, obnoxious. From my private school DS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Typical Potomac student: What you THINK private school students are like: rich, snobby, PC, obnoxious. From my private school DS.

Who doesn't go to Potomac

[Anonymous]

Rich

[Anonymous]

does anyone have the 2016 college placements for Potomac yet?