Anyone have a DC that was poorly prepared, esp. regarding study skills, get into STA MS and do well?

[Anonymous]

I am confused - subject line says middle school (MS) but text references being admitted from k-8, so presumably in 9th?

[Anonymous]

Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son was admitted to STA from a K-8. He's very bright with major strengths in language arts, but generally an underperformer, mainly due to lack of effort. This seems to be because of a lack of maturity, which seems to be getting better recently. When he puts effort into things, he does well.

We're not particularly excited with the other schools he got into, so we would like him to attend STA--we're just feeling concerned about his work habits. Anyone have experience with this situation, and your DC ended up doing very well?

Congrats on your son's admission.

STA would not have taken him if they did not think they could get him to thrive and approach his potential.

If he gets Ms D for 9th Grade English she will whip him into shape....

The HS boys are also all doubling down and its cool to work your A++ off and be smart at STA- that is basically the culture. In my opinion that gets the best out of most young men

I hope OP doesn't take to heart comments posted anonymously on this forum by people who are using just conjecture and have never seen OP's son's grades, test scores , recs or interviewed him.

STA admitted the kid. They don't need to admit anyone and say, NO, to most. So, OP, if you have study habit concerns, ask questions at/ after new parent orientation which I think is in early May.

IMHO PPs are way jumping the gun telling you not to enroll your son and speculating on how he will be " damaged" if you do. People who don't even know him or the facts. Just ridiculous


New poster here.
And he will get a C and it will be on his transcript for college. I was at the NCS auction last night and a number of us have 9th grade boys and they're all getting Cs in this class.
You are making it sound so optimistic and wonderful but I'm in the middle of a year from hell with a 9th grader.
Look, I love STA. I think most of us mostly do. But it's just hell when you're trying to motivate an unmotivated boy to do the work.
These kids don't get better between 6th and 9th. They almost uniformly get less motivated, often drastically so when hormones kick in.
I don't understand the poster who keeps posting such falsely optimistic crap. I'm a realist---and one who is going through this experience right now. IT'S MISERABLE TO BE PRODDING ALONG AN UNMOTIVATED BOY
AT A DEMANDING SCHOOL. It sucks--for the kid, for the parent and I'm sure for the teachers.
There is more to high school than a certain diploma. Fit is so freaking important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

See some of this at St Anselms Abbey. The parents want their kids there more than the kids want to be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

See some of this at St Anselms Abbey. The parents want their kids there more than the kids want to be there.

Are you switching schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

See some of this at St Anselms Abbey. The parents want their kids there more than the kids want to be there.

Are you switching schools?

After giving the school a fair chance, definitely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son was admitted to STA from a K-8. He's very bright with major strengths in language arts, but generally an underperformer, mainly due to lack of effort. This seems to be because of a lack of maturity, which seems to be getting better recently. When he puts effort into things, he does well.

We're not particularly excited with the other schools he got into, so we would like him to attend STA--we're just feeling concerned about his work habits. Anyone have experience with this situation, and your DC ended up doing very well?

You should feel concerned, you would be setting him up for failure. I would not send my child with that issue to this school.

This person just wants your kid’s spot for their son on the WL.
He’ll be fine there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

While I am sure that there are parents in Washington who have unrealistic expectations and try to force their kid to live up to them- this is in ALL schools, including public.

In many ways, STA is one of the few schools in this town that actually doesn't cotton to this kind of thing because:

a) they simply don't need the admits that bad that they would take high numbers of unqualifieds- not HIGH numbers

b) while the occasional parent will watch their kid be flogged and struggle, the vast majority will accept the results of the STA pre-admissions test as a forecast of what is to come and opt out- in other words, not apply from BVR

c) STA is very , very selective from MS on and, especially for 9th grade admits. Schools with lower yields and slimmer endowments/ budget ratios might not be as selective so take your points to those schools

d) STA teachers have long tenure, vast majority have Masters degree and that quality of teacher just would not put up with that crap ( admitting high numbers of young people not able to do the work )


So, in summary, SURE in every class there may be 1, 2, 3 kids struggling and maybe more who have a tutor for a certain time period or subject matter, but in no way is that the bulk of the students or the main culture of the school. No way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

See some of this at St Anselms Abbey. The parents want their kids there more than the kids want to be there.

Are you switching schools?

After giving the school a fair chance, definitely.

Going?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am confused - subject line says middle school (MS) but text references being admitted from k-8, so presumably in 9th?

I think they applied out early from K8. So I’d guess 6th or 7th entry year.
Your son was admitted for a reason. They think he’ll be good there. Enroll and give it a chance for MS at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son was admitted to STA from a K-8. He's very bright with major strengths in language arts, but generally an underperformer, mainly due to lack of effort. This seems to be because of a lack of maturity, which seems to be getting better recently. When he puts effort into things, he does well.

We're not particularly excited with the other schools he got into, so we would like him to attend STA--we're just feeling concerned about his work habits. Anyone have experience with this situation, and your DC ended up doing very well?

You should feel concerned, you would be setting him up for failure. I would not send my child with that issue to this school.

This person just wants your kid’s spot for their son on the WL.
He’ll be fine there.

Nope, but good try on “knowing” I have a child within her child’s age/grade range. I do not. You don’t know if her child would “be fine there,” you don’t know my children’s ages, and you don’t know anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

See some of this at St Anselms Abbey. The parents want their kids there more than the kids want to be there.

Are you switching schools?

After giving the school a fair chance, definitely.

Going?

Going where if leaving Abbey?

We made an open offer to have our boy leave if he didn’t like it after one year. He’s sticking it out and really likes ALL his US teachers. However there are some kids who have struggled for too long with the workload of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

While I am sure that there are parents in Washington who have unrealistic expectations and try to force their kid to live up to them- this is in ALL schools, including public.

In many ways, STA is one of the few schools in this town that actually doesn't cotton to this kind of thing because:

a) they simply don't need the admits that bad that they would take high numbers of unqualifieds- not HIGH numbers

b) while the occasional parent will watch their kid be flogged and struggle, the vast majority will accept the results of the STA pre-admissions test as a forecast of what is to come and opt out- in other words, not apply from BVR

c) STA is very , very selective from MS on and, especially for 9th grade admits. Schools with lower yields and slimmer endowments/ budget ratios might not be as selective so take your points to those schools

d) STA teachers have long tenure, vast majority have Masters degree and that quality of teacher just would not put up with that crap ( admitting high numbers of young people not able to do the work )


So, in summary, SURE in every class there may be 1, 2, 3 kids struggling and maybe more who have a tutor for a certain time period or subject matter, but in no way is that the bulk of the students or the main culture of the school. No way.

Our tone deaf poster has returned.

Of course it's not the bulk of students or the main culture of the school. That's why it's so difficult for boys like OP describes, who are not naturally suited to this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know lots of people who have boys who are struggling at STA. They pay outside tutors, feed their kids ADHD meds, and do everything they can to keep their boys in. You can say these people can’t leave because other less stressful schools are currently full, but this has been going on for decades. Parents keep their boys at STA for their own personal benefit/sense of prestige and they always have.

See some of this at St Anselms Abbey. The parents want their kids there more than the kids want to be there.

Are you switching schools?

After giving the school a fair chance, definitely.

Going?

Asking the PP but thanks.

Going where if leaving Abbey?

We made an open offer to have our boy leave if he didn’t like it after one year. He’s sticking it out and really likes ALL his US teachers. However there are some kids who have struggled for too long with the workload of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son was admitted to STA from a K-8. He's very bright with major strengths in language arts, but generally an underperformer, mainly due to lack of effort. This seems to be because of a lack of maturity, which seems to be getting better recently. When he puts effort into things, he does well.

We're not particularly excited with the other schools he got into, so we would like him to attend STA--we're just feeling concerned about his work habits. Anyone have experience with this situation, and your DC ended up doing very well?

Congrats on your son's admission.

STA would not have taken him if they did not think they could get him to thrive and approach his potential.

If he gets Ms D for 9th Grade English she will whip him into shape....

The HS boys are also all doubling down and its cool to work your A++ off and be smart at STA- that is basically the culture. In my opinion that gets the best out of most young men

I hope OP doesn't take to heart comments posted anonymously on this forum by people who are using just conjecture and have never seen OP's son's grades, test scores , recs or interviewed him.

STA admitted the kid. They don't need to admit anyone and say, NO, to most. So, OP, if you have study habit concerns, ask questions at/ after new parent orientation which I think is in early May.

IMHO PPs are way jumping the gun telling you not to enroll your son and speculating on how he will be " damaged" if you do. People who don't even know him or the facts. Just ridiculous


New poster here.
And he will get a C and it will be on his transcript for college. I was at the NCS auction last night and a number of us have 9th grade boys and they're all getting Cs in this class.
You are making it sound so optimistic and wonderful but I'm in the middle of a year from hell with a 9th grader.
Look, I love STA. I think most of us mostly do. But it's just hell when you're trying to motivate an unmotivated boy to do the work.
These kids don't get better between 6th and 9th. They almost uniformly get less motivated, often drastically so when hormones kick in.
I don't understand the poster who keeps posting such falsely optimistic crap. I'm a realist---and one who is going through this experience right now. IT'S MISERABLE TO BE PRODDING ALONG AN UNMOTIVATED BOY
AT A DEMANDING SCHOOL. It sucks--for the kid, for the parent and I'm sure for the teachers.
There is more to high school than a certain diploma. Fit is so freaking important.


So are you pulling your unmotivated son? Fit is important. It also sounds like STA has been the problem for the 9th graders not that the 9th graders have been the ones with issues. Good luck, hope your son ends the year on a good note. These kids work really hard, even the so called motivated ones, they deserve to feel good about themselves.