DS is entering 9th. If accepted, which would you choose?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, none.

Is it too late to apply to GDS, Sidwell, and Maret?

New PP here - OP, there is nothing wrong with your list, but I think taking a look at these others is worth a shot given your interests and your description of your child. They may have something you or your child likes and I think they have a shot at being admitted. Granted, location-wise, they are farther away but the metro is helpful if driving is a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why did you choose those schools, op?

This is OP - I chose these schools due to their proximity to where we live. The DC privates were just too far of a commute than what we were hoping for. Also, we chose these schools because each of them offer the curriculum to support a fairly "smart" kid and provide the athletics programs for a decent athlete. We do recognize that they are very different and that is a good thing in our opinion because we do not have a clear "winner" to which one is the best fit for our DS as of yet. Our family does not favor a religious based school over one that is not. Nor does our DS have a preference for an all boys school vs a co-ed school. So, we wanted to keep the options open and apply to all. Our DS did attend all available open houses and shadow days at each school. He goes back and forth as to which school he ranks as the clear cut favorite at the moment. Also, we have talked to parents of kids at each of the schools (of course they all say their child's school is the best).

[Anonymous]

My vote would be Bullis. It is a much more diverse community than Landon or Prep. It is smaller than GC. Academics are great, and the college counseling is amazing.

[Anonymous]

For my son, it would be either GC or Bullis, because he wouldn't be a good candidate for an all-boys school.

[Anonymous]

Bullis. FWIW, I think coed schools are better for most boys than an all-boys school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did you choose those schools, op?

This is OP - I chose these schools due to their proximity to where we live. The DC privates were just too far of a commute than what we were hoping for. Also, we chose these schools because each of them offer the curriculum to support a fairly "smart" kid and provide the athletics programs for a decent athlete. We do recognize that they are very different and that is a good thing in our opinion because we do not have a clear "winner" to which one is the best fit for our DS as of yet. Our family does not favor a religious based school over one that is not. Nor does our DS have a preference for an all boys school vs a co-ed school. So, we wanted to keep the options open and apply to all. Our DS did attend all available open houses and shadow days at each school. He goes back and forth as to which school he ranks as the clear cut favorite at the moment. Also, we have talked to parents of kids at each of the schools (of course they all say their child's school is the best).

9:48 here. This is helpful info on your decision set.

I'll just add that when my kids looked at high schools, they noticed a difference in academics at schools like GDS, Sidwell, Maret, Potomac, St Albans to the schools you are listing. They did this on their own, we said nothing to them about general rigor, and we started visits early (7th) before they might be affected by what classmate chatter. They both ended up choosing one of the schools that PP suggested over the schools in your list and are happy. Commute hasn't really been that bad of an issue and eventually the kids can drive themselves (life changer!!). Again, just sharing in case it is helpful.

[Anonymous]

Your local public HS (with extra activities, tutoring) may be better for him than most privates.

[Anonymous]

If you want an academic environment at an all boys school you should also look at St. Anselm’s Abbey School in DC. Definitely not the typical all boys schools environment and while they have a sports program and a beautiful campus, the focus is on academics and developing Boys with good character.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While I am sure someone could be very successful coming out of any of these four schools, they are not all of the same quality. That is not living in the past; it is simply the reality.
Generally speaking, Prep is the best school for academics. Landon is a close second. Prep and Landon are not as diverse as Bullis, but in my (non-URM) opinion, they are fairly diverse. Prep does not have block scheduling, which means a student attends all of his classes every day. My son found this to be a bit of a grind, because every night he was scrambling to complete homework in multiple classes (sometimes in every single class). Prep and Landon have some very good students, but they are not the Big 3 in terms of percentage of very good students in a class.
The faculty at Prep is fairly liberal and certainly would not condone sexism. Nor do I believe would the faculty at Landon. Charges of sexism are commonly aimed at all-male schools. I never saw sexism at Prep, but I cannot say for sure whether it exists.
OP, you say you are focused on academics and networking, and to a lesser degree sports. I would go with Prep or Landon.

The teachers at Prep teach the boys the phrase “bros before hos.”

Prep has a history of sexual hazing acts - including at school assemblies!

People say all boys schools are sexist because they usually are.

I grew up in this area and I would never ever have dated anyone from prep, and I would never send my son there. Landon is a little bit better but not by much and they have a huge cheating problem.

I went to Prep and I would never have dated you. You sound like a small-minded and shrill ignoramus. Obviously not all boys not even most boys at Prep are as you allege. Prep is quite diverse and much more so than it used to be which is a very good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS has all A’s in MCPS and is a good athlete but academics is more important to us. We want the best opportunity for our kid to get the best academic opportunities, a welcoming community, a positive high school experience as far as nice classmates, and position him for a future professional network and college matriculation opportunities. We applied to Good Counsel, Bullis, Landon, and Georgetown Prep to enter the 9th next year. FYSA- He is a URM and we will be a full pay family. Which school would you choose if your DS was accepted to all and why?

How far are these from your house? Commute times are very important. The center of after school activities happen around the school.

[Anonymous]

There will be admitted students visiting days which your son should definitely attend. 8th grade is such a growth year. He may have more clarity around which school he likes best by mid-March when he's visiting without the stress of admissions looming over him.

[Anonymous]

Landon and GP have strongest academics and you get the athletics.

Bullis is paying $50K for public.

GC is just not seen as academically strong.

[Anonymous]

It's great you don't have a clear favorite. That way you can be excited about whatever choice or choices present themselves when letters come out. Don't stress over deciding until there is a decision to make. Just keep gathering information about the schools as things come up, if come March you have a decision to make, then do some additional crowd sourcing and visits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While I am sure someone could be very successful coming out of any of these four schools, they are not all of the same quality. That is not living in the past; it is simply the reality.
Generally speaking, Prep is the best school for academics. Landon is a close second. Prep and Landon are not as diverse as Bullis, but in my (non-URM) opinion, they are fairly diverse. Prep does not have block scheduling, which means a student attends all of his classes every day. My son found this to be a bit of a grind, because every night he was scrambling to complete homework in multiple classes (sometimes in every single class). Prep and Landon have some very good students, but they are not the Big 3 in terms of percentage of very good students in a class.
The faculty at Prep is fairly liberal and certainly would not condone sexism. Nor do I believe would the faculty at Landon. Charges of sexism are commonly aimed at all-male schools. I never saw sexism at Prep, but I cannot say for sure whether it exists.
OP, you say you are focused on academics and networking, and to a lesser degree sports. I would go with Prep or Landon.

The teachers at Prep teach the boys the phrase “bros before hos.”

Prep has a history of sexual hazing acts - including at school assemblies!

People say all boys schools are sexist because they usually are.

I grew up in this area and I would never ever have dated anyone from prep, and I would never send my son there. Landon is a little bit better but not by much and they have a huge cheating problem.

I went to Prep and I would never have dated you. You sound like a small-minded and shrill ignoramus. Obviously not all boys not even most boys at Prep are as you allege. Prep is quite diverse and much more so than it used to be which is a very good thing.

So note the use of the word shrill here by a Prep alum. If you want your son to be the kind of man who puts women down by referring to them as shrill, by all means send him to Prep!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While I am sure someone could be very successful coming out of any of these four schools, they are not all of the same quality. That is not living in the past; it is simply the reality.
Generally speaking, Prep is the best school for academics. Landon is a close second. Prep and Landon are not as diverse as Bullis, but in my (non-URM) opinion, they are fairly diverse. Prep does not have block scheduling, which means a student attends all of his classes every day. My son found this to be a bit of a grind, because every night he was scrambling to complete homework in multiple classes (sometimes in every single class). Prep and Landon have some very good students, but they are not the Big 3 in terms of percentage of very good students in a class.
The faculty at Prep is fairly liberal and certainly would not condone sexism. Nor do I believe would the faculty at Landon. Charges of sexism are commonly aimed at all-male schools. I never saw sexism at Prep, but I cannot say for sure whether it exists.
OP, you say you are focused on academics and networking, and to a lesser degree sports. I would go with Prep or Landon.

The teachers at Prep teach the boys the phrase “bros before hos.”

Prep has a history of sexual hazing acts - including at school assemblies!

People say all boys schools are sexist because they usually are.

I grew up in this area and I would never ever have dated anyone from prep, and I would never send my son there. Landon is a little bit better but not by much and they have a huge cheating problem.

I went to Prep and I would never have dated you. You sound like a small-minded and shrill ignoramus. Obviously not all boys not even most boys at Prep are as you allege. Prep is quite diverse and much more so than it used to be which is a very good thing.

So note the use of the word shrill here by a Prep alum. If you want your son to be the kind of man who puts women down by referring to them as shrill, by all means send him to Prep!

So there are no shrill women?