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Big 15??
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Anonymous
Missing a few but this looks right. |
Anonymous
Who in their right minds would put Prep at 8. Seek help. |
Anonymous
No, it doesn’t. |
Anonymous
I know many STA and NCS parents that wouldn’t even put them above Sidwell. The top 4 are probably correct with Sidwell or GDS #1/2 and STA/NCS #3/4. |
Anonymous
You have said this multiple times. Disagree. I can think of 5 families that left Sidwell for one of the Cathedral schools. Sidwell has a lot of unhappy families. It is definitely 3rd or 4th but not above the others. You don’t have to be a Cathedral family to think this. |
Anonymous
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The challenge with trying to lump all these schools together is that they aren't all really pulling the same from across the DMV. There are some catholic kids for whom non-catholic schools aren't even on their radar. And many of the kids going to schools like Sidwell/NCS/STA aren't considering the catholic schools.
So, I think you'd need separate lists. And at least amongst the catholic schools, I don't remember them talking about "big 3/5"..but there were schools with clear reputations. This was the buzz I remember: Prep/Visitation: These were the hardest to get into...and you either were the top of the class from your k-8 or you had some sort of connection. Gonzaga/St. Johns: Sports and for SJC...girls could wear pants and kids could march around with fake weapons. Good Counsel: You didn't get in anywhere else...and you didn't live in an area that had good public schools. Holy Cross: Mean girls who weren't at the top of their class but ahead of Holy Child girls. Holy Child: Catholic girls who didn't get into any other school...nicer than Holy Cross...but not known for being the sharpest. Stone Ridge: Had some brainy kids and always tried to convince people that they were as competitive as visitation...but never actually were. For the non-catholics, here is the buzz I remember: Sidwell: The school for ringers - smart/connected...really hard to get into GDS: Grungy/alternative/smart kids...also hard to get into but not like Sidwell. Holton: better than Landon...why are they lumped together? Solid theater/arts program...kids are smart. Landon: sports Maret: Nobody has heard of it outside of DC...and back in the day...many DC people didn't even know what it was. NCS: mean, smart girls STA: the boys school in DC that is next top NCS (in fairness...I was a girl applying so nothing more registered here) Potomac: Also wasn't talked about in my circles and I didn't hear about it until I was applying with children (my parents also weren't driving to VA) Bullis: Sports...not that academically competitive but not as bad as say...Good Counsel or Holy Child on the catholic side. Probably comparable to SJC on the catholic side. |
Anonymous
GDS is a good school but it appeals to a small population of people looking for a very progressive and artsy school with limited athletics. It is not above the others. |
Anonymous
Sidwell also appeals to very progressive liberal families. Not many conservative families there. Cathedral schools have more of a mix of both. |
Anonymous
Did you type this while day drinking? THE epicenter of unhappy students is NCS—the prototypical ‘mean girls’ school. I don’t believe STA is much better, but it seems students are required to take a blood oath at that school to never speak publicly about what happens there—a bit cultish. It’s a hard pass on both schools. |
Anonymous
Bravo...well done. 100% |
Anonymous
No, I'm the PP who said it first. No one in their right mind would put STA/NCS above Sidwell. As an NCS parent, Sidwell is always first considering notability, alum and matriculation. |
Anonymous
100% |
Anonymous
Maybe you confused me with someone else. That was the first time I responded. Knowing people at the majority of the schools, I've always heard Sidwell was #1 other than a few BIM folks who pop up on the board occasionally. These are parents with kids at NCS, STA, Holton, GDS, etc. People always debate about the so called Big 3/Big 5/Big 10, whatever, but Sidwell is always mentioned in the Top 1 or 2. |
Anonymous
Loud and wrong. This is a Big 15 thread, if you aren't apart of the 15 you. are. irrelevant. If you want to list the Big 20 create a new thread. Maybe you graduated from GC or Holy Cross where reading comprehension isn't stressed enough. 1. Sidwell 2. GDS 3. NCS 4. Potomac 5. Holton 6. STA 7. Maret 8. Madeira 9. Bullis 10. Landon 12. Stone Ridge 13. SJC 14. Prep 15. SAES |
Anonymous
+1, the original PP |