Getting into St. Albans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For lower school admissions, do you really think the admissions staff focuses on whether an applicant is excelling at sports (travel team, awards)?

I haven't noticed any extraordinary talent of any new lower school boys (non Beauvoirians) beyond the norm. During the early years, the AD is just rounding out the class. It's during the upper school years when sports, etc will give you a leg up in the admissions process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Albert Gore III is a fine example of a boy admitted to STA because he was bright - no hooks at all. None.

he was kicked out for breaking the rules.

Nuffield said

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Albert Gore III is a fine example of a boy admitted to STA because he was bright - no hooks at all. None.

he was kicked out for breaking the rules.

Nuffield said

Actually he was suspended and then they sent him to Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

AT STA? You are joking?

You can make a focused and smart kid an athlete, and STA does. You can not make a good dribbler a scholar. STA looks for bright kids with a spark. Period. Code cracked. The 'bright' isn't negotiable, and is necessary but insufficient. Then they need a spark (not a 'hook'). It could be art, athletics, music. Those are the 'hooks'. Most of these boys usually have talents in ALL areas, and truly excel at 2 or 3 in HS.

And that's why the acceptance rate to STA is about 40 % (in the tougher 9th grade year)!

I am not sure you can get much from that list, other than the fact that STA is not as difficult to get into as other boarding schools. But most of the people (I would venture to guess all) who are on this forum talking about STA who have kids there live in the DC area and are not actually interested in sending their kid to a boarding school. They wanted a great school in DC and they are sending their boys to one that happens to have a small boarding component.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For lower school admissions, do you really think the admissions staff focuses on whether an applicant is excelling at sports (travel team, awards)?

I haven't noticed any extraordinary talent of any new lower school boys (non Beauvoirians) beyond the norm. During the early years, the AD is just rounding out the class. It's during the upper school years when sports, etc will give you a leg up in the admissions process.

The choiristors are certainly an extraordinary group of talented boys and many come from outside of Beauvoir. The additions to the 7th grade also frequently have some budding athletically talented boys, for instance those who play on elite club/travel teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please tell me what grade her son is entering next year. There are 4 going in to 4th and 7 in to 7th and one or two in to 9th (from St Pats). If it is a rising 4th grade parent then I know of whom you speak. If it is a rising 7th grade parent, I have no idea. Doesn't sound like anyone from that very nice class. Rising 9th I wouldn't know.

It sounds like this poster seems to identify who is being spoken about. How are they able to identify? Is that because there are well-known instances?

[Anonymous]

No actually it sounds like the pp has a beef with this parent and is attempting to bully via the Internet.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure you can get much from that list, other than the fact that STA is not as difficult to get into as other boarding schools. But most of the people (I would venture to guess all) who are on this forum talking about STA who have kids there live in the DC area and are not actually interested in sending their kid to a boarding school. They wanted a great school in DC and they are sending their boys to one that happens to have a small boarding component.

And since the admission rate is about 40% STA is not that difficult to get into ... whether or not you are a jock, have cash or are a Senator's son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I am not sure you can get much from that list, other than the fact that STA is not as difficult to get into as other boarding schools. But most of the people (I would venture to guess all) who are on this forum talking about STA who have kids there live in the DC area and are not actually interested in sending their kid to a boarding school. They wanted a great school in DC and they are sending their boys to one that happens to have a small boarding component.

And since the admission rate is about 40% STA is not that difficult to get into ... whether or not you are a jock, have cash or are a Senator's son.

Right, of course..... which is why this thread is 118 pages long

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

AT STA? You are joking?

You can make a focused and smart kid an athlete, and STA does. You can not make a good dribbler a scholar. STA looks for bright kids with a spark. Period. Code cracked. The 'bright' isn't negotiable, and is necessary but insufficient. Then they need a spark (not a 'hook'). It could be art, athletics, music. Those are the 'hooks'. Most of these boys usually have talents in ALL areas, and truly excel at 2 or 3 in HS.

And that's why the acceptance rate to STA is about 40 % (in the tougher 9th grade year)!

I am not sure you can get much from that list, other than the fact that STA is not as difficult to get into as other boarding schools. But most of the people (I would venture to guess all) who are on this forum talking about STA who have kids there live in the DC area and are not actually interested in sending their kid to a boarding school. They wanted a great school in DC and they are sending their boys to one that happens to have a small boarding component.

NP, here. Also, wouldn't it make sense for those schools to be more selective, given that they are, for the most part, receiving applications from around the country and world. Yes, STA has boarders, but it's essentially a local day private school. The pool of applicants is therefore smaller and thus a higher number could and should be acceptable than at a traditional boarding school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No actually it sounds like the pp has a beef with this parent and is attempting to bully via the Internet.

I wrote it and I don't have a beef with anyone. I don't know for certain which parent is being referred too but, since I do know most of them, I can hazard a guess. If it us not someone in X incoming grade, I have no idea who it is. Honestly I was pretty surprised to read the initial references and then, based in the descriptions given, began to think I perhaps I knew of whom they were speaking but it is only a guess. I am not at all certain.

[Anonymous]

40% is for boarders.

[Anonymous]

Admission for Day students isn't far off higher than 25%.

[Anonymous]

Instead of 4 out of 10 admission rate for boarders it is 3 out of 10 (30%) for day students.

Therefore, the overall admission rate for STA is 35%. Pretty good despite phenotype, pedigree, legacy and bank account.

http://www.greatschools.org/washington-dc/washington/206-St.-Albans-School/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Instead of 4 out of 10 admission rate for boarders it is 3 out of 10 (30%) for day students.

Therefore, the overall admission rate for STA is 35%. Pretty good despite phenotype, pedigree, legacy and bank account.

http://www.greatschools.org/washington-dc/washington/206-St.-Albans-School/

I don't think your math quite works. There are only 30 spots for boarders out of 330 spots in the Upper School. A 40% admissions rate for 30 spots doesn't bump the overall admissions rate up to 35%.