St. Andrews vs Bullis

[Anonymous]

Ok reputations

Bullis: monied parents with loose rules, kids are fast, not the brightest, parents host parties and take a blind eye. Athletics most important. A lot of one upping materially, kids’ care etc

SAES: quirkier kids, athletics have improved, not on the party circuit (there’s a whole private school scene, trust me), parents engaged and low key. Academics very good. While considerable wealth at the school it’s not cool to be showy.

[Anonymous]

Should read “cars” not “cares” above

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok reputations

Bullis: monied parents with loose rules, kids are fast, not the brightest, parents host parties and take a blind eye. Athletics most important. A lot of one upping materially, kids’ care etc

SAES: quirkier kids, athletics have improved, not on the party circuit (there’s a whole private school scene, trust me), parents engaged and low key. Academics very good. While considerable wealth at the school it’s not cool to be showy.

This is correct. We have a family friend whose child is at SAES and is thriving both with academics and sports. Only 50 children in her entire grade. It’s a close knit group with no drama and no bullying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok reputations

Bullis: monied parents with loose rules, kids are fast, not the brightest, parents host parties and take a blind eye. Athletics most important. A lot of one upping materially, kids’ care etc

SAES: quirkier kids, athletics have improved, not on the party circuit (there’s a whole private school scene, trust me), parents engaged and low key. Academics very good. While considerable wealth at the school it’s not cool to be showy.

This is correct. We have a family friend whose child is at SAES and is thriving both with academics and sports. Only 50 children in her entire grade. It’s a close knit group with no drama and no bullying.

+1000000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok reputations

Bullis: monied parents with loose rules, kids are fast, not the brightest, parents host parties and take a blind eye. Athletics most important. A lot of one upping materially, kids’ care etc

SAES: quirkier kids, athletics have improved, not on the party circuit (there’s a whole private school scene, trust me), parents engaged and low key. Academics very good. While considerable wealth at the school it’s not cool to be showy.

Very true wrt Bullis. Can’t speak to SAES.

[Anonymous]

Can speak to SAES and very much agree with the assessment about it. Also there are plenty of kids there on FA but it's hard to know who is, which is nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can speak to SAES and very much agree with the assessment about it. Also there are plenty of kids there on FA but it's hard to know who is, which is nice.

You guys are making me feel really good about SAES for our middle schooler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can speak to SAES and very much agree with the assessment about it. Also there are plenty of kids there on FA but it's hard to know who is, which is nice.

You guys are making me feel really good about SAES for our middle schooler.

It's a WONDERFUL school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can speak to SAES and very much agree with the assessment about it. Also there are plenty of kids there on FA but it's hard to know who is, which is nice.

You guys are making me feel really good about SAES for our middle schooler.

It's a WONDERFUL school!

+1 solid choice, no doubt.

[Anonymous]

Me too! Thank you. So happy that my DC was admitted to St. Andrew's and will attend 9th grade !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Me too! Thank you. So happy that my DC was admitted to St. Andrew's and will attend 9th grade !

Me three! If it is half as good as it appeared during the admissions process, it is going to be an amazing 4 years for our DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Me too! Thank you. So happy that my DC was admitted to St. Andrew's and will attend 9th grade !

Welcome! My child is in this class- great group and wonderful, thoughtful, caring parents and kids.

[Anonymous]

OP - I can’t speak to Bullis as it was never on our radar or that of any other of the families at our K-8 as our children transitioned to HS. However I can say with direct experience that all that is shared here about St. Andrew’s is accurate. Even better, it is a genuine, transparent community. What you see is what you get. The community is filled with excellent, caring, inspiring faculty, coaches, and staff; motivated and engaged students who, unlike many of the other excellent alternatives, represent a more realistic range of learning which serves to enhance the educational environment - stimulating the highest level learners and encouraging those with differences; parents who prioritize the student experience for their children; and alumni who speak highly of their Alma mater and go on to great success and come back to further strengthen the school. They host exceptional and inclusive athletics and arts, and authentic civic engagement/social responsibility programming It is also noteworthy that the school continually invests in infrastructure, with a beautiful and still evolving campus; and has a genuine commitment to diversity in the broadest sense - racial, socioeconomic, sexuality, gender identity, political affiliation, and the like. They also provide appropriate and complete financial assistance, that follows students throughout their time at the school for those families who qualify. The fact SAES is also home to the Center for Transformational Teaching and Learning is further demonstration of the community’s commitment to understanding and promoting exceptional learning.

Is St. Andrew’s perfect? No - it has the same challenges of many privates. Sometimes a teacher isn’t a great fit, sometimes a child or family is too privileged and doesn’t embrace the school, and sometimes it is just not the right fit for a student or family. However these occurrences are rare and not exceptional to SAES. St. Andrew’s location is a mixed blessing / offering room to roam, but distance from the city. Their transportation system is exceptional, but it can still mean a 30 min bus ride for a child from UNWDC. It is increasingly known and selective in the admissions process, but admittedly not as competitive as some of the more highly regarded schools. However, If the school we’re located in the city it would be ranked right up there with the top selections.

Take another look, you will likely see it is a great choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - I can’t speak to Bullis as it was never on our radar or that of any other of the families at our K-8 as our children transitioned to HS. However I can say with direct experience that all that is shared here about St. Andrew’s is accurate. Even better, it is a genuine, transparent community. What you see is what you get. The community is filled with excellent, caring, inspiring faculty, coaches, and staff; motivated and engaged students who, unlike many of the other excellent alternatives, represent a more realistic range of learning which serves to enhance the educational environment - stimulating the highest level learners and encouraging those with differences; parents who prioritize the student experience for their children; and alumni who speak highly of their Alma mater and go on to great success and come back to further strengthen the school. They host exceptional and inclusive athletics and arts, and authentic civic engagement/social responsibility programming It is also noteworthy that the school continually invests in infrastructure, with a beautiful and still evolving campus; and has a genuine commitment to diversity in the broadest sense - racial, socioeconomic, sexuality, gender identity, political affiliation, and the like. They also provide appropriate and complete financial assistance, that follows students throughout their time at the school for those families who qualify. The fact SAES is also home to the Center for Transformational Teaching and Learning is further demonstration of the community’s commitment to understanding and promoting exceptional learning.

Is St. Andrew’s perfect? No - it has the same challenges of many privates. Sometimes a teacher isn’t a great fit, sometimes a child or family is too privileged and doesn’t embrace the school, and sometimes it is just not the right fit for a student or family. However these occurrences are rare and not exceptional to SAES. St. Andrew’s location is a mixed blessing / offering room to roam, but distance from the city. Their transportation system is exceptional, but it can still mean a 30 min bus ride for a child from UNWDC. It is increasingly known and selective in the admissions process, but admittedly not as competitive as some of the more highly regarded schools. However, If the school we’re located in the city it would be ranked right up there with the top selections.

Take another look, you will likely see it is a great choice.

If it were in NWDC it would be ranked with Sidwell, GDS and NCS/STA? I think that’s an overstatement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I can’t speak to Bullis as it was never on our radar or that of any other of the families at our K-8 as our children transitioned to HS. However I can say with direct experience that all that is shared here about St. Andrew’s is accurate. Even better, it is a genuine, transparent community. What you see is what you get. The community is filled with excellent, caring, inspiring faculty, coaches, and staff; motivated and engaged students who, unlike many of the other excellent alternatives, represent a more realistic range of learning which serves to enhance the educational environment - stimulating the highest level learners and encouraging those with differences; parents who prioritize the student experience for their children; and alumni who speak highly of their Alma mater and go on to great success and come back to further strengthen the school. They host exceptional and inclusive athletics and arts, and authentic civic engagement/social responsibility programming It is also noteworthy that the school continually invests in infrastructure, with a beautiful and still evolving campus; and has a genuine commitment to diversity in the broadest sense - racial, socioeconomic, sexuality, gender identity, political affiliation, and the like. They also provide appropriate and complete financial assistance, that follows students throughout their time at the school for those families who qualify. The fact SAES is also home to the Center for Transformational Teaching and Learning is further demonstration of the community’s commitment to understanding and promoting exceptional learning.

Is St. Andrew’s perfect? No - it has the same challenges of many privates. Sometimes a teacher isn’t a great fit, sometimes a child or family is too privileged and doesn’t embrace the school, and sometimes it is just not the right fit for a student or family. However these occurrences are rare and not exceptional to SAES. St. Andrew’s location is a mixed blessing / offering room to roam, but distance from the city. Their transportation system is exceptional, but it can still mean a 30 min bus ride for a child from UNWDC. It is increasingly known and selective in the admissions process, but admittedly not as competitive as some of the more highly regarded schools. However, If the school we’re located in the city it would be ranked right up there with the top selections.

Take another look, you will likely see it is a great choice.

If it were in NWDC it would be ranked with Sidwell, GDS and NCS/STA? I think that’s an overstatement.

Not sure what PP intended above, but as a St. Andrew’s DC parent I agree with their description, but instead of referencing “ranking,” I would say if SAES were located closer in it would be more appealing, have a higher application rate, and more competitive admissions. As it is, St. Andrew’s draws from distant areas, but it’s not convenient. MC residents in general have more resources in their public schools and less incentive toward considering private schools. It would be a School in more demand if it were in the city.