Reputation of St. John's College HS and other "normal" privates

[Anonymous]

St John’s is rapidly gaining in popularity at our progressive K8.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Funny because my child of color has zero interest in SJC because all the snobby white kids she knows go there

There is more diversity there than most other private schools. Where did DD attend to escape all the snobby white girls!

Racially, it is far less diverse than Gonzaga, DeMatha, Seton, AHC, OLGC...basically all of the non-VA WCAC schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SJC doesn’t vet very well. I know a girl who attends there who was expelled from her middle for making multiple racist comments against students of different ethnicities (to their face and in writing) and other alarming behavior. The school clearly doesn’t review disciplinary records.

Same thing just happened at Gonzaga. Kids can be stupid no matter what colors they wear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Funny because my child of color has zero interest in SJC because all the snobby white kids she knows go there

There is more diversity there than most other private schools. Where did DD attend to escape all the snobby white girls!

Racially, it is far less diverse than Gonzaga, DeMatha, Seton, AHC, OLGC...basically all of the non-VA WCAC schools.

What? This must have changed in just the last four years because it was not like that when my kid was there. Are you sure about Gonzaga? I do not think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SJC doesn’t vet very well. I know a girl who attends there who was expelled from her middle for making multiple racist comments against students of different ethnicities (to their face and in writing) and other alarming behavior. The school clearly doesn’t review disciplinary records.

Well, that's very concerning.

More like impossible to confirm/prove, conveniently.

I posted the above. An odd thing for me to make up out of the blue. You can choose to believe it or not but I would encourage parents to seriously think about this.

[Anonymous]

Gonzaga is about 25% minority.
St. John’s is 40%.

[Anonymous]

It’s a catholic school: solid academics and conservative.

As a catholic who grew up in MoCo, attended area catholic schools, and is very experienced with the area privates, I think it’s hilarious when I see posters talk about any catholic school as being progressive.

As the best/better schools have upped their tuition to preserve their bubble, people say all kinds of things to feel better about where their kids land.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a catholic school: solid academics and conservative.

As a catholic who grew up in MoCo, attended area catholic schools, and is very experienced with the area privates, I think it’s hilarious when I see posters talk about any catholic school as being progressive.

As the best/better schools have upped their tuition to preserve their bubble, people say all kinds of things to feel better about where their kids land.

Things change and if you don’t have kids at these schools, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

- also grew up Catholic in the DC area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a catholic school: solid academics and conservative.

As a catholic who grew up in MoCo, attended area catholic schools, and is very experienced with the area privates, I think it’s hilarious when I see posters talk about any catholic school as being progressive.

As the best/better schools have upped their tuition to preserve their bubble, people say all kinds of things to feel better about where their kids land.

Things change and if you don’t have kids at these schools, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

- also grew up Catholic in the DC area

I have kids in catholic schools. My siblings and cousins and close friends and colleagues have kids in area catholic and other private schools.

It’s ridiculous to think they are progressive and non-religious.

It’s also ridiculous to think they are easy to get into these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s essentially IMG with weekly Mass, plus a healthy smattering of DCPS refugees whose parents prioritized a whole-house reno /addition in NWDC at some point over paying school tuitions. They kept the kids in DCPS for too long and now don’t have other HS options since Walls didn’t pan out.

lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga is about 25% minority.
St. John’s is 40%.

Gonzaga is 33% minority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a catholic school: solid academics and conservative.

As a catholic who grew up in MoCo, attended area catholic schools, and is very experienced with the area privates, I think it’s hilarious when I see posters talk about any catholic school as being progressive.

As the best/better schools have upped their tuition to preserve their bubble, people say all kinds of things to feel better about where their kids land.

Things change and if you don’t have kids at these schools, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

- also grew up Catholic in the DC area

I have kids in catholic schools. My siblings and cousins and close friends and colleagues have kids in area catholic and other private schools.

It’s ridiculous to think they are progressive and non-religious.

It’s also ridiculous to think they are easy to get into these days.

Or that they are conservative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a catholic school: solid academics and conservative.

As a catholic who grew up in MoCo, attended area catholic schools, and is very experienced with the area privates, I think it’s hilarious when I see posters talk about any catholic school as being progressive.

As the best/better schools have upped their tuition to preserve their bubble, people say all kinds of things to feel better about where their kids land.

Things change and if you don’t have kids at these schools, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

- also grew up Catholic in the DC area

I have kids in catholic schools. My siblings and cousins and close friends and colleagues have kids in area catholic and other private schools.

It’s ridiculous to think they are progressive and non-religious.

It’s also ridiculous to think they are easy to get into these days.

Did you go to Catholic in this area? If so, do you think things are the same as when you went to DC area Catholic schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a catholic school: solid academics and conservative.

As a catholic who grew up in MoCo, attended area catholic schools, and is very experienced with the area privates, I think it’s hilarious when I see posters talk about any catholic school as being progressive.

As the best/better schools have upped their tuition to preserve their bubble, people say all kinds of things to feel better about where their kids land.

Things change and if you don’t have kids at these schools, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

- also grew up Catholic in the DC area

I have kids in catholic schools. My siblings and cousins and close friends and colleagues have kids in area catholic and other private schools.

It’s ridiculous to think they are progressive and non-religious.

It’s also ridiculous to think they are easy to get into these days.

Did you go to Catholic in this area? If so, do you think things are the same as when you went to DC area Catholic schools?

Yes, I was born and raised here and attended Catholic schools. Friends and family attended area privates as well.

Overall, schools are more racially diverse now. That’s the big difference.

But your takeaway should not be that schools are more progressive because of diversity. The reality is those families are seeking out a more traditional environment (and/or sports opportunities for college scholarships).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a catholic school: solid academics and conservative.

As a catholic who grew up in MoCo, attended area catholic schools, and is very experienced with the area privates, I think it’s hilarious when I see posters talk about any catholic school as being progressive.

As the best/better schools have upped their tuition to preserve their bubble, people say all kinds of things to feel better about where their kids land.

Things change and if you don’t have kids at these schools, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

- also grew up Catholic in the DC area

I have kids in catholic schools. My siblings and cousins and close friends and colleagues have kids in area catholic and other private schools.

It’s ridiculous to think they are progressive and non-religious.

It’s also ridiculous to think they are easy to get into these days.

Did you go to Catholic in this area? If so, do you think things are the same as when you went to DC area Catholic schools?

Yes, I was born and raised here and attended Catholic schools. Friends and family attended area privates as well.

Overall, schools are more racially diverse now. That’s the big difference.

But your takeaway should not be that schools are more progressive because of diversity. The reality is those families are seeking out a more traditional environment (and/or sports opportunities for college scholarships).

I am an atheist, politically liberal, and interested in Catholic HS for my kids who are in a chaotic MCPS middle school (yes, I know middle school isn't a sea of tranquility) - teachers have little control over classrooms and academic standards are a JOKE. We live in Bethesda and feed into a W high school, but I don't care about that anymore (as I did when we bought here). We absolutely want a more traditional environment - I realize it will never be like what we experienced growing up, but any semblance of a respect for teachers and administrators and grading based on actual work and effort would be a very welcome change of pace.