Top Tier Boarding school vs. TJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a native New Englander who attended a top tier BS before moving to DC years ago. I can assure you that TJ is not well known outside this geographic area. That's not to say it's not a fabulous school - it may well be, I really don't know - but no one in MA or CT is talking about it. I never even heard of it before I got on DCUM.

Why would people in Virginia care if New Englander have heard of TJ? Most Virginians have never heard of the NE Boarding Schools neither.

[Anonymous]

the kids at the top boarding schools have a lot less pressure because they all have a safety net.
Most if the kids from TJ will have to make it on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can buy yourself a boarding school education (they love the rich donors), but you cannot buy yourself a TJ education. Everyone knows that. Your son will be respected for coming out of TJ...people will respect the vast wealth his parents must have amassed to get him into that great BS

This.

People outside of this area have never heard of TJ. The BS listed are much more widely known. Additionally, you child will get a wider, more well-rounded education at BS. I say BS all the way. This wouldn't even be something I'd deliberate over.

This isn't true. It is a well known school both within and outside of VA. I grew up in VA as far from TJ as you can get and still knew about it. It is frequently on the Best of lists.

NP - I can tell you it IS true. No one cares outside of VA/NoVa. Most people have never heard of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What idiot even brings TJ up in a discussion of elite, long standing, private schools like Exeter, Andover, Groton, Choate, St Paul's, STA and Sidwell? What a joke. TJ is an incredible, fantastic PUBLIC school for brilliant, hard working middle class and recently-arrived UMC kids. TJ is great for those folks but its comparing apples and oranges. Not even the same universe.

You are the idiot. There is only one universe idiot. Not in the same league, not at the same level etc. maybe ok but not "Not in the same universe". See the logic (or lack thereof) of people putting down TJ.

This. Plus it's a sad worldview where kids from 2 professional parent families with graduate degrees (noting that TJ is 1.5% FARMS) are "middle class" or even "recently arrived upper middle class." No wonder the actual middle class hates the 1% so much. Apparently, the 1% looks at parents who are a doctor and a federal lawyer spending 750k-a million dollars on a house who pour the kind of money into kid enrichment that TJ parents do (private music lessons, travel sports teams, tutors, etc) and think-- yeah, that's the struggle of an average, middle class American. And we all wonder how Trump got a foothold. What a joke.

I agree this attitude that I'n seeing on this board is absolutely unbelievable to me. And one that I naively thought had become extinct a few decades ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the kids at the top boarding schools have a lot less pressure because they all have a safety net.
Most if the kids from TJ will have to make it on their own.

+ and family connections.

TJ kids maybe as capable as BS kids but TJ parents cannot provide the same level of support BS parents can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the kids at the top boarding schools have a lot less pressure because they all have a safety net.
Most if the kids from TJ will have to make it on their own.

+ and family connections.

TJ kids maybe as capable as BS kids but TJ parents cannot provide the same level of support BS parents can.

You win. You're better than us just as capable but not old money upper middle class families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the kids at the top boarding schools have a lot less pressure because they all have a safety net.
Most if the kids from TJ will have to make it on their own.

+ and family connections.

TJ kids maybe as capable as BS kids but TJ parents cannot provide the same level of support BS parents can.

You win. You're better than us just as capable but not old money upper middle class families.

the game was lost before you started... before you got married, before you had your kid. you just didn't know it.

[Anonymous]

Folks: This conversation is going nowhere fast. Please consider the fact that GDS sends more kids to Harvard school than any other school in New England or DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Folks: This conversation is going nowhere fast. Please consider the fact that GDS sends more kids to Harvard school than any other school in New England or DC

but the Op wasn't interested in the local privates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the kids at the top boarding schools have a lot less pressure because they all have a safety net.
Most if the kids from TJ will have to make it on their own.

+ and family connections.

TJ kids maybe as capable as BS kids but TJ parents cannot provide the same level of support BS parents can.

You win. You're better than us just as capable but not old money upper middle class families.

the game was lost before you started... before you got married, before you had your kid. you just didn't know it.

That's it. This Republican has officially decided to turn Democrat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What idiot even brings TJ up in a discussion of elite, long standing, private schools like Exeter, Andover, Groton, Choate, St Paul's, STA and Sidwell? What a joke. TJ is an incredible, fantastic PUBLIC school for brilliant, hard working middle class and recently-arrived UMC kids. TJ is great for those folks but its comparing apples and oranges. Not even the same universe.

You are the idiot. There is only one universe idiot. Not in the same league, not at the same level etc. maybe ok but not "Not in the same universe". See the logic (or lack thereof) of people putting down TJ.

This. Plus it's a sad worldview where kids from 2 professional parent families with graduate degrees (noting that TJ is 1.5% FARMS) are "middle class" or even "recently arrived upper middle class." No wonder the actual middle class hates the 1% so much. Apparently, the 1% looks at parents who are a doctor and a federal lawyer spending 750k-a million dollars on a house who pour the kind of money into kid enrichment that TJ parents do (private music lessons, travel sports teams, tutors, etc) and think-- yeah, that's the struggle of an average, middle class American. And we all wonder how Trump got a foothold. What a joke.

I agree this attitude that I'n seeing on this board is absolutely unbelievable to me. And one that I naively thought had become extinct a few decades ago.

Well aren't you the dummy then. Some of you really do live with your heads in the sand. You probably think racism and sexism and classism are gone too.

Seriously, what folks now call the 1% is basically just the same old upper class moneyed folks (WASPs) but now they have a little more color (no longer just WASPs) and much more worldliness and money thanks to our global economy. For the most part they remain the same with the same customs and cultures and idiosyncraties one of which is boarding school and top notch private schools. The fact that you are so unaware of this leaves me to believe you dont get out much beyond your suburban NOVA world. And that my friend is exactly the point so many have been trying to make on here.

No one doubts the wonders of a TJ education or that those admitted are incredibly smart and forward thinkning and hard working and impressive. The point however is that is not enough to launch one into the highest levels of power and prestige and life. Going from TJ to Harvard, Princeton or Yale is not, and likely never will be, the same thing as going from a top boarding or private school to HPY. The final results upon graduation will not be the same. The life styles and opportunites and open doors will not be the same for those two very different sets of graduates. Those two paths do not equal the same outcome in life, not even close. There is just flat out more out there for the latter, the kids from the boarding school/elite private school world. More doors will be open, more opportunites will be available, and it will all be easier and smoother.

Life isnt fair is a mantra my mother repeated frequently when I was growing up. She was never talking about the greater world, more just the size of one's slice of cake but, it is still a very good and very true lesson. And having a high IQ or perfect SAT or going to TJ doesnt suddenly make life fair. Certain types of people, the rich and powerful ,will always be ahead of the game. Hell, they run the game. THAT is what boarding school is about.

[Anonymous]

^^^ Many would much rather have a life full of kindness and decency (regular life) or of inspiration and innovation (TJ) than the elite and out of touch world you describe PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Folks: This conversation is going nowhere fast. Please consider the fact that GDS sends more kids to Harvard school than any other school in New England or DC

Bwahahahaha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Many would much rather have a life full of kindness and decency (regular life) or of inspiration and innovation (TJ) than the elite and out of touch world you describe PP.

If you are posting here, you already proved yourself that you have neither kindness nor decency. Over 200 posts of nothing but nastiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Many would much rather have a life full of kindness and decency (regular life) or of inspiration and innovation (TJ) than the elite and out of touch world you describe PP.

Well bless your heart, PP, aren't you sweet. I mean, putting aside the trite platitudes you express here, your comment referring to life at TJ as inspirational is beyond precious.