NCS going downhill?

[Anonymous]

Let me put your mind at ease or horrify you whatever your pleasure may be. My DD currently attends NCS and has done so for five years and we (and she) couldn't be happier.
She is solidly in the middle of the pack academically but she is surrounded by some brilliant young ladies. She doesn't spend hours on homework and she has some great friends. Of course, there are a few girls and parents that are complete pills but this is DC y'all. Most of the parents are great and I love the administration and teachers. Every problem we have ever had has been handled in a firm and fair fashion.

If NCS isn't what it used to be it must have really been one of hell of a school because it's still stellar.

Can't wait until my other daughter attends in a few years.
A proud parent. (PS. I don't have a sticker on the car so there.)

[Anonymous]

Perhaps the perception that NCS is "going downhill" stems from an inability to generate a college acceptance list that rivals St. Alban's (I'm speculating here). That could be a result of the much more difficult pool that girls find themselves in these days. There are many more extremely well-qualified girls applying to elite colleges than boys. Then again, it could be that an increasing number of great NCS candidates are refusing to look at an all-girls school. That was our situation, for both daughters. Finally, even if they had been interested, I would have worried about the mean girl behavior and academic stress reported by a friend whose daughters recently graduated from NCS.

[Anonymous]

My DD graduated within the last five years. The mean girl behavior (shunning, bullying, humiliation, etc)became most prominent during 7th grade. By end of 8th grade, 4 or 5 girls left as a result of it. In upper school the academic stress was dealt with by several girls in her year coming to school drunk or drinking (alcohol) at school. The attitude was just to ignore it, hard to do in such a small community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps the perception that NCS is "going downhill" stems from an inability to generate a college acceptance list that rivals St. Alban's (I'm speculating here). That could be a result of the much more difficult pool that girls find themselves in these days. There are many more extremely well-qualified girls applying to elite colleges than boys. Then again, it could be that an increasing number of great NCS candidates are refusing to look at an all-girls school. That was our situation, for both daughters. Finally, even if they had been interested, I would have worried about the mean girl behavior and academic stress reported by a friend whose daughters recently graduated from NCS.

St. Albans person here--the STA college list this year is unprecedented in this decade and may not be repeated for another decade. Some years the NCS list is better. Both STA and NCS lose applicants to the co-Ed schools, mainly in the Upper school entry bc the kids have the biggest weight in the decision. Socially I see a lot of happy girls interacting with the STA boys thru things like Chorale and the teams that train together (swimming; Xc; track). But I'm sure all girls is tougher socially than all boys--for one thing, middle school and even HS for girls can be really difficult (more on avg than for the boys, I think).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps the perception that NCS is "going downhill" stems from an inability to generate a college acceptance list that rivals St. Alban's (I'm speculating here). That could be a result of the much more difficult pool that girls find themselves in these days. There are many more extremely well-qualified girls applying to elite colleges than boys. Then again, it could be that an increasing number of great NCS candidates are refusing to look at an all-girls school. That was our situation, for both daughters. Finally, even if they had been interested, I would have worried about the mean girl behavior and academic stress reported by a friend whose daughters recently graduated from NCS.

St. Albans person here--the STA college list this year is unprecedented in this decade and may not be repeated for another decade. Some years the NCS list is better. Both STA and NCS lose applicants to the co-Ed schools, mainly in the Upper school entry bc the kids have the biggest weight in the decision. Socially I see a lot of happy girls interacting with the STA boys thru things like Chorale and the teams that train together (swimming; Xc; track). But I'm sure all girls is tougher socially than all boys--for one thing, middle school and even HS for girls can be really difficult (more on avg than for the boys, I think).

I agree. While my DD wasn't happy with NCS overall, her experiences in Chorale and team sports participation with the STA boys were crucial in helping her to successfully focus and push through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me put your mind at ease or horrify you whatever your pleasure may be. My DD currently attends NCS and has done so for five years and we (and she) couldn't be happier.
She is solidly in the middle of the pack academically but she is surrounded by some brilliant young ladies. She doesn't spend hours on homework and she has some great friends. Of course, there are a few girls and parents that are complete pills but this is DC y'all. Most of the parents are great and I love the administration and teachers. Every problem we have ever had has been handled in a firm and fair fashion.

If NCS isn't what it used to be it must have really been one of hell of a school because it's still stellar.

Can't wait until my other daughter attends in a few years.
A proud parent. (PS. I don't have a sticker on the car so there.)

This post only serves to reinforce that "Queen Bee" mentality attributed to NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me put your mind at ease or horrify you whatever your pleasure may be. My DD currently attends NCS and has done so for five years and we (and she) couldn't be happier.
She is solidly in the middle of the pack academically but she is surrounded by some brilliant young ladies. She doesn't spend hours on homework and she has some great friends. Of course, there are a few girls and parents that are complete pills but this is DC y'all. Most of the parents are great and I love the administration and teachers. Every problem we have ever had has been handled in a firm and fair fashion.

If NCS isn't what it used to be it must have really been one of hell of a school because it's still stellar.

Can't wait until my other daughter attends in a few years.
A proud parent. (PS. I don't have a sticker on the car so there.)

This post only serves to reinforce that "Queen Bee" mentality attributed to NCS.

How?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me put your mind at ease or horrify you whatever your pleasure may be. My DD currently attends NCS and has done so for five years and we (and she) couldn't be happier.
She is solidly in the middle of the pack academically but she is surrounded by some brilliant young ladies. She doesn't spend hours on homework and she has some great friends. Of course, there are a few girls and parents that are complete pills but this is DC y'all. Most of the parents are great and I love the administration and teachers. Every problem we have ever had has been handled in a firm and fair fashion.

If NCS isn't what it used to be it must have really been one of hell of a school because it's still stellar.

Can't wait until my other daughter attends in a few years.
A proud parent. (PS. I don't have a sticker on the car so there.)

This post only serves to reinforce that "Queen Bee" mentality attributed to NCS.

How?

Seemed reasonable to me--enthusiastic, but the detractors were emphatic too; acknowledged school isn't perfect; and was reasonable about daughter's accomplishments. Paging Dr. Rorschach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me put your mind at ease or horrify you whatever your pleasure may be. My DD currently attends NCS and has done so for five years and we (and she) couldn't be happier.
She is solidly in the middle of the pack academically but she is surrounded by some brilliant young ladies. She doesn't spend hours on homework and she has some great friends. Of course, there are a few girls and parents that are complete pills but this is DC y'all. Most of the parents are great and I love the administration and teachers. Every problem we have ever had has been handled in a firm and fair fashion.

If NCS isn't what it used to be it must have really been one of hell of a school because it's still stellar.

Can't wait until my other daughter attends in a few years.
A proud parent. (PS. I don't have a sticker on the car so there.)

The typical, meat and potato family that NCS depends upon. Darling, of course, you wouldn't no whether or not it's going downhill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The typical, meat and potato family that NCS depends upon. Darling, of course, you wouldn't no whether or not it's going downhill.

That's an asshole response. I've got no connection to NCS, ... but Darling, if you're right, I'd rather be wrong.

[Anonymous]

"no"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"no"?

Thanks, "know"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of new money Virginians whose kids are not as concerned with going to Swathmore and consider Pitt a good school. I miss the old NCS.

Y'all is this true?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't want my DD going to Swathmore either. Swarthmore, definitely yes.

[Anonymous]

They aim higher than Swarthmore at NCS.