Getting into St. Albans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did not do any of the trad feeders and made the c form cut this year.

Congratulations! Can you share how you did it without coming through Beauvoir? Are you coming from public or private? What are your DSs strengths?

[Anonymous]

If i recall correctly, we met an alum at one of the information sessions. Son was non Beauvoir and applying for Form C. Would assume his son was accepted as well.

[Anonymous]

We are all non Beauvoir and my son will be in Form C. Glad to hear he won't be alone. Looking forward to the orientation in May. My son is super thrilled to be part of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: So other than Beauvoir, which schools do entering fourth graders often come from?

St Pats.

No, not a single St. Pats boy was admitted into fourth at STA in the rising C Form grade or in the rising A form grade.

No St. Pats boys are in the class for C form for next year and there were none in last year's C form class.

My son was admitted 2 yrs ago to C Form and there were no St. Pats boys in that class either.

[Anonymous]

What about Concord Hill?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Concord Hill?

Have been at school for 8 years. Have never come across a Concord Hill family. Thought that was odd as it's a great school, right up the street, and I thought had NCS connections.

[Anonymous]

Sheridan, much to my surprise (b/c it seems more like a GDS/Maret/Field feed) consistently places boys at STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current 4th grader at Mater Dei is going to be in 4th next year at STA. Also heard a Mater Dei 6th grader was transferring. And 3 8th graders from MD are going next year. 4 got in but one is choosing Gonzaga. STA is liking those boys!

It should be no surprise that STA is accepting these boys. MD families tend to be more hard core religious, but the boys have more in common than differences. They are by and large bright, very athletic focused, polite, and committed to doing good. What is surprising to me is that so many MD boys are applying to STA, rather than the more traditional placement at Prep, Gonzaga and STJ. I wonder if the chatter on the other thread about STA aggressively looking for athletes is true. Regardless, if this is a true trend, there will be some very unhappy families at the aforementioned schools, feeling a sense of betrayal. Maybe not the right word, but will definitely be some hurt feelings.

1 4th grader and 3 or 4 8th graders from Mater Dei are very small numbers. Not much of a trend.

But they are bigger numbers than have traditionally applied to STA from MD which is has usually been "0".

Um, so I am taking issue with the characterization of MD families as "hard core religious," that is a really odd characterization. Also, no fourth grader is being admitted for sports. Maybe, PP, Mater Dei has top notch academics and these kids are being admitted on merit? Just sayin'. St Pats and NPS are not the only good schools in town. Washington DC metro is full of wonderful schools not just the ones that actively brand themselves as feeder schools to the top independents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Concord Hill?

Have been at school for 8 years. Have never come across a Concord Hill family. Thought that was odd as it's a great school, right up the street, and I thought had NCS connections.

I know of a nice Concord Hill Family at STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Concord Hill?

Have been at school for 8 years. Have never come across a Concord Hill family. Thought that was odd as it's a great school, right up the street, and I thought had NCS connections.

I know of a nice Concord Hill Family at STA.

Betting that is all about to change now that the current Head of Outplacement for Beauvoir will become the Head of School for Concord Hill next year. James Carroll has all the contacts and knows all the angles of getting into NCS/STA - I bet you start seeing a lot more Concord Hill families on the close!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current 4th grader at Mater Dei is going to be in 4th next year at STA. Also heard a Mater Dei 6th grader was transferring. And 3 8th graders from MD are going next year. 4 got in but one is choosing Gonzaga. STA is liking those boys!

It should be no surprise that STA is accepting these boys. MD families tend to be more hard core religious, but the boys have more in common than differences. They are by and large bright, very athletic focused, polite, and committed to doing good. What is surprising to me is that so many MD boys are applying to STA, rather than the more traditional placement at Prep, Gonzaga and STJ. I wonder if the chatter on the other thread about STA aggressively looking for athletes is true. Regardless, if this is a true trend, there will be some very unhappy families at the aforementioned schools, feeling a sense of betrayal. Maybe not the right word, but will definitely be some hurt feelings.

1 4th grader and 3 or 4 8th graders from Mater Dei are very small numbers. Not much of a trend.

But they are bigger numbers than have traditionally applied to STA from MD which is has usually been "0".

Um, so I am taking issue with the characterization of MD families as "hard core religious," that is a really odd characterization. Also, no fourth grader is being admitted for sports. Maybe, PP, Mater Dei has top notch academics and these kids are being admitted on merit? Just sayin'. St Pats and NPS are not the only good schools in town. Washington DC metro is full of wonderful schools not just the ones that actively brand themselves as feeder schools to the top independents.

These few MD families may or may not be "religious". But they certainly are jumping off the Catholic education train that delivers the overwhelming number of MD grads that don't go to public schools to Prep, Gonzaga and St John's. This isn't unheard of. MD graduates have from time to time ended up at other non-Catholic private schools. But I wouldn't guess this is a trend.

It's conceivable, I guess, that STA is interested in greater "diversity" and is looking to expand its reach into the group that sends its boys to MD and then to Gonzaga or Prep. But that seems unlikely as there are no shortage of people clamoring to get into the school from its traditional base.

But, while there are bright kids at MD, the school has never been accused of being an academic powerhouse. Incoming students are being screened rigorously for academic ability. The school attracts a lot of average students with an interest in athletics. A non-athletic boy might not fit in well at a school where athletics are so ingrained.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Concord Hill?

Have been at school for 8 years. Have never come across a Concord Hill family. Thought that was odd as it's a great school, right up the street, and I thought had NCS connections.

I know of a nice Concord Hill Family at STA.

Betting that is all about to change now that the current Head of Outplacement for Beauvoir will become the Head of School for Concord Hill next year. James Carroll has all the contacts and knows all the angles of getting into NCS/STA - I bet you start seeing a lot more Concord Hill families on the close!!

Concord Hill only has about 20 kids in third grade, and they send them to all the top privates every year, including both NCS and STA. And yes, I'm sure the new Head coming from Beauvoir will make those ties even stronger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Concord Hill?

Have been at school for 8 years. Have never come across a Concord Hill family. Thought that was odd as it's a great school, right up the street, and I thought had NCS connections.

I know of a nice Concord Hill Family at STA.

Betting that is all about to change now that the current Head of Outplacement for Beauvoir will become the Head of School for Concord Hill next year. James Carroll has all the contacts and knows all the angles of getting into NCS/STA - I bet you start seeing a lot more Concord Hill families on the close!!

Concord Hill only has about 20 kids in third grade, and they send them to all the top privates every year, including both NCS and STA. And yes, I'm sure the new Head coming from Beauvoir will make those ties even stronger.

Wow. Big news. No more kids at Beauvoir, so did not hear this news. We loved Mr. Carroll. Concord Hill is lucky to get him, and there should be no question that Concord Hill will become more of a regular feed to STA/NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current 4th grader at Mater Dei is going to be in 4th next year at STA. Also heard a Mater Dei 6th grader was transferring. And 3 8th graders from MD are going next year. 4 got in but one is choosing Gonzaga. STA is liking those boys!

It should be no surprise that STA is accepting these boys. MD families tend to be more hard core religious, but the boys have more in common than differences. They are by and large bright, very athletic focused, polite, and committed to doing good. What is surprising to me is that so many MD boys are applying to STA, rather than the more traditional placement at Prep, Gonzaga and STJ. I wonder if the chatter on the other thread about STA aggressively looking for athletes is true. Regardless, if this is a true trend, there will be some very unhappy families at the aforementioned schools, feeling a sense of betrayal. Maybe not the right word, but will definitely be some hurt feelings.

1 4th grader and 3 or 4 8th graders from Mater Dei are very small numbers. Not much of a trend.

But they are bigger numbers than have traditionally applied to STA from MD which is has usually been "0".

Each year Mater Dei has at least one 8th grader apply. And they don't apply unless they have the grades and scores to get in. They would be counseled not to apply if they weren't qualified. The boys they get in just haven't accepted in awhile. It's been about 2 years since an MD boy went to STA. Yes this is a big year. But also those 8th graders going this year may live in DC.

[Anonymous]

Malcolm Lester's move to NPS will likely result in NPS becoming a real feed to STA and NCS.