FAQ: What is the "Big 3"? (or "Big 5", or "Big 10", etc)
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Anonymous
I never thought of it like that, but I agree with you. We live in DC and our kid didn't get into Sidwell or NCS -- just GDS. So, we chose Holton -- it worked out great. And, Holton is ranked higher in the WSJ article than Sidwell or NCS for getting kids into the top colleges. Still, no one ever calls Holton one of the "Big 3". And, really, who cares? If any school is great for a kid....who cares if it's Big Three or a "dreaded" suburban private school? |
Anonymous
| 16:09 here, pp we chose Holton too! The school is great! My dd starts this fall! We live in DC too! It's worth the comute! |
Anonymous
| Plenty of MoCo and Fairfax kids at Sidwell, StA/NCS, GDS. |
Anonymous
| Oops commute! |
Anonymous
| You are right but I think parents who now "sacrifice" to send the kids to private won't if DCPS becomes as highly regarded as VA or MCCO. I think they will be less competitve because the not so wealthy parents may choose public! many parents have run to private because they do not want to leave the city but hate the schools! Private schhools gives them the best of both! If the economy keeps the same and DCPS gets really strong you will see a difference! |
Anonymous
| Sadly there appears to be no realistic possibility of DCPS improving that much. No question, if DCPS was on par as the Northern VA or MoCo schools you wouldn't have as much competition for the DC privates, but . . . god bless Michelle Rhee but she's got a tough battle ahead. |
Anonymous
| PP you ate right! I doubt DCPS will improve enough this decade! So patents will have to continue to claw for those few private school and charter school spots! But if it did improve........ |
Anonymous
|
Geez, you make it sound like DC families are stuck applying only to Sidwell, GDS, Cathedrals and Maret because they have no other options. And that that's the only reason these schools are in high demand.
In fact, lots of affluent families send their kids to DCPS elementary schools. Some (an increasing number post-recession and renovations) to middle schools and even HS (shocking, I know)! Others send their kids to suburban privates or move to the burbs for public when they no longer feel comfortable with DCPS. In short, the demand for DC privates isn't that they have a captive audience with no other alternatives. It's a function of the fact that there are some great private schools here. DCPS isn't going to improve under Rhee's tenure. That said, since her best strategy for improving test scores seems to be gentrification and since the economy is on her side, there is a chance that upper middle class enrollment in a few DCPS schools will increase. That seems to be her goal in Capitol Hill and G'town, for example. |
Anonymous
Good luck to your daughter. Mine did great at Holton even though NCS sniffed there noses at her. Mine ended up at an Ivy. |
Anonymous
| Thanks PP!! I am sure she will love it! I think it's great your daughter got into an IVY!! I hope the same one day for my DD!! I hear Holton prepares girls for the top! |
Anonymous
| Wait, is this the school advertising thread? |
Anonymous
| Please, please use the magic sticky powder sparingly!! |
Anonymous
| 08:58, that's a good one. It also made me think about schools that have official slogans in this area. I can think of only a couple right off the bat: (1) "Landon knows boys," and (2) "Madeira girls have something to say." Anybody know of any other official slogans/advertising catch phrases? |
Anonymous
Bullis has a bunch of different phrases that hang on banner around the school. I know one is "Diversity enriches us all" which I quite like. I'm not sure I remember the rest. |
Anonymous
| I've seen those Bullis banners -- they are actually surprisingly effective at getting across the school's "mission"/philosophy, I think. The fancy private school equivalent of a billboard I guess! |