Beauvoir or NPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP, the above post is correct. If you are interested in Cathedral school, it’s really hard to get into them even from NPS. NCS is easier but STA is really really hard even if the child is spectacular kid. Many legacies are in NPS, too. I didn’t understand this before we started, but we observe that majority of STA admits from NPS are legacies/siblings, or really well connected families.

If you want other schools, then go with NPS. It has decent placement, but harder for boys.

Good luck!

As many pointed out, socially speaking the two schools are more similar than different.

NPS placement is better than decent. Everyone ends up at a great school for them and a school they would not have necessarily gotten into not coming from NPS. That said, STA very tough for the unconnected top of class boys and some admits are (well connected) head scratchers.

It seems like many of the girls end up at Holton Arms. Do you have any insight as to why that would be?

It’s the next choice down for those whose DD can’t get into NCS.

Actually, I think location has more to do with it. Many NPS families live in Bethesda and are happy to go the Holton route for convenience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have narrowed our options to 2. We are so lucky to be in this position and are truly torn. The school admission events this week reminded us what we thought was special and unique about each school. NPS feels so warm and sincere (I teared up at the admissions event this week when the Malcolm spoke). Beauvoir was less warm but the presentation was more informative. NPS parents were more chatty and backgrounds were broadly more diverse. Beauvoir felt more clubby with kids from feeder preschools (which we are not) although people were still nice. Beauvoir appeared more racially diverse.

Our concerns are primarily outplacement- we are interested in the Cathedral schools but aren’t sure about single sex. We have two more kids so a strong sibling policy is a must. Secondarily, concerned about the community vibe- are there enough non clubby parents are Beauvoir that we could fit in? No so much for us but for our son’s benefit (are people open to new friends for their kids?).

Thoughts?

You didn't get into Sidwell??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NPS is a nice school, but going back to NPS BVR comparison, if you want Cathedral schools (or have a high chance of wanting this) I would go with BVR. There are also BVR kids who come to NPS from 4th and go onto great schools later for 7th, so you can even do both if you change your mind.

Two great choices. Congrats OP!

This is misleading. The only kids who do this are the few who do not have the option of going to STA/ NCS in 4th. And they do not later go on to a Cathedral school for 7th. Once turned down, you are turned down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS is a nice school, but going back to NPS BVR comparison, if you want Cathedral schools (or have a high chance of wanting this) I would go with BVR. There are also BVR kids who come to NPS from 4th and go onto great schools later for 7th, so you can even do both if you change your mind.

Two great choices. Congrats OP!

This is misleading. The only kids who do this are the few who do not have the option of going to STA/ NCS in 4th. And they do not later go on to a Cathedral school for 7th. Once turned down, you are turned down.

Not true. NPS has students come from BVR and return to a Cathedral School. What are you basing this on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPS is a nice school, but going back to NPS BVR comparison, if you want Cathedral schools (or have a high chance of wanting this) I would go with BVR. There are also BVR kids who come to NPS from 4th and go onto great schools later for 7th, so you can even do both if you change your mind.

Two great choices. Congrats OP!

This is misleading. The only kids who do this are the few who do not have the option of going to STA/ NCS in 4th. And they do not later go on to a Cathedral school for 7th. Once turned down, you are turned down.

Not true. Many kids get in to to STA on the second try. We are one and know quite a few other families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had the choice and went to Beauvoir. No regrets. We didn’t know one way or the other about single sex for our individual children, but we weren’t close to it. Socially, Beauvoir being a little bigger is a plus. Lots of personalities and interests among the kids, and they mix everyone up each year, so there’s good fluidity. Our grades’ parent community has been largely very positive. One pp is right that there is a club subset (but that same subset is at nps and st pats), a subset of that subset does tend to keep closer to themselves. Not the whole subset, though, and later it tends to translate more into a set of hockey families. At least for our grades, it’s not a meaningful dynamic, and we’ve found the parents mix for school stuff.

Way more importantly, our children adored Beauvoir, loved going to school every single day, and wish they could do it all over again. As do we.

We also went with Beauvoir. Yes, there is a clubby set and also a wanna-be clubby set. They are people stuck in their teens.
Depending on what grade you’re in, you may have a lot of clubsters or very few.

Our children also adored Beauvoir. Now at Sidwell and STA, they still remember Beauvoir fondly. What I remember is that they loved learning, and it was fun and joyous. Not so true at Sidwell and STA. I’m happy their first years of schooling were at Beauvoir.

I had friends with kids at NPS and while it seemed like a great school, the kids didn’t seem to have the same attitude about learning being fun. Beauvoir kids love school.

Interesting, as one of the long-standing beliefs about Beauvoir (true or untrue) is that the academics are weak. From what you've written here, one could conclude that NPS better prepares kids for more serious K-12 schools.

[Anonymous]

Current BVR parent - if your child needs any extra support it is on the parent to drive that support. Many parents do not even realize their child needs extra support until they leave either. The administration is always at an arms length and generally cold. It is for sure a more conservative parent community than the others as well. In third grade the parent is still driving the outplacement - something to be said about letting them be a kid for as long as possible, iron out weaknesses and having them get into the school they want/need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current BVR parent - if your child needs any extra support it is on the parent to drive that support. Many parents do not even realize their child needs extra support until they leave either. The administration is always at an arms length and generally cold. It is for sure a more conservative parent community than the others as well. In third grade the parent is still driving the outplacement - something to be said about letting them be a kid for as long as possible, iron out weaknesses and having them get into the school they want/need.

Are you saying BVR is more conservative than NPS? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current BVR parent - if your child needs any extra support it is on the parent to drive that support. Many parents do not even realize their child needs extra support until they leave either. The administration is always at an arms length and generally cold. It is for sure a more conservative parent community than the others as well. In third grade the parent is still driving the outplacement - something to be said about letting them be a kid for as long as possible, iron out weaknesses and having them get into the school they want/need.

Are you saying BVR is more conservative than NPS? Thanks!

Yes. For sure seems that way. There are also 4 classes per grade at bvr vs 2 at NPS. So you’re just dealing with it more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current BVR parent - if your child needs any extra support it is on the parent to drive that support. Many parents do not even realize their child needs extra support until they leave either. The administration is always at an arms length and generally cold. It is for sure a more conservative parent community than the others as well. In third grade the parent is still driving the outplacement - something to be said about letting them be a kid for as long as possible, iron out weaknesses and having them get into the school they want/need.

Very different experience here. Support was suggested to us (not academic) and I always knew where my kids stood. As per the outplacement, I actually did not like it much and thought the school drove the outplacement. My kid is very strong academically and BVR pushed Cathedral School on me. They suggested it was the best fit and the only one I should be looking at. Kid is very happy, but I did not feel in charge of my kids’ future to be honest. I am sure I could have objected, but in the end I thought the outplacement team knew my kid and the Cathedral schools really well and I let them lead. Going well so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current BVR parent - if your child needs any extra support it is on the parent to drive that support. Many parents do not even realize their child needs extra support until they leave either. The administration is always at an arms length and generally cold. It is for sure a more conservative parent community than the others as well. In third grade the parent is still driving the outplacement - something to be said about letting them be a kid for as long as possible, iron out weaknesses and having them get into the school they want/need.

Parents have multiple teacher conferences with reports. You'd know if your child needs support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had the choice and went to Beauvoir. No regrets. We didn’t know one way or the other about single sex for our individual children, but we weren’t close to it. Socially, Beauvoir being a little bigger is a plus. Lots of personalities and interests among the kids, and they mix everyone up each year, so there’s good fluidity. Our grades’ parent community has been largely very positive. One pp is right that there is a club subset (but that same subset is at nps and st pats), a subset of that subset does tend to keep closer to themselves. Not the whole subset, though, and later it tends to translate more into a set of hockey families. At least for our grades, it’s not a meaningful dynamic, and we’ve found the parents mix for school stuff.

Way more importantly, our children adored Beauvoir, loved going to school every single day, and wish they could do it all over again. As do we.

We also went with Beauvoir. Yes, there is a clubby set and also a wanna-be clubby set. They are people stuck in their teens.
Depending on what grade you’re in, you may have a lot of clubsters or very few.

Our children also adored Beauvoir. Now at Sidwell and STA, they still remember Beauvoir fondly. What I remember is that they loved learning, and it was fun and joyous. Not so true at Sidwell and STA. I’m happy their first years of schooling were at Beauvoir.

I had friends with kids at NPS and while it seemed like a great school, the kids didn’t seem to have the same attitude about learning being fun. Beauvoir kids love school.

Interesting, as one of the long-standing beliefs about Beauvoir (true or untrue) is that the academics are weak. From what you've written here, one could conclude that NPS better prepares kids for more serious K-12 schools.

I think that belief is outdated, based on my kid’s experience. With the exception is Spanish, which isn’t a strength at all at Beauvoir.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current BVR parent - if your child needs any extra support it is on the parent to drive that support. Many parents do not even realize their child needs extra support until they leave either. The administration is always at an arms length and generally cold. It is for sure a more conservative parent community than the others as well. In third grade the parent is still driving the outplacement - something to be said about letting them be a kid for as long as possible, iron out weaknesses and having them get into the school they want/need.

Very different experience here. Support was suggested to us (not academic) and I always knew where my kids stood. As per the outplacement, I actually did not like it much and thought the school drove the outplacement. My kid is very strong academically and BVR pushed Cathedral School on me. They suggested it was the best fit and the only one I should be looking at. Kid is very happy, but I did not feel in charge of my kids’ future to be honest. I am sure I could have objected, but in the end I thought the outplacement team knew my kid and the Cathedral schools really well and I let them lead. Going well so far.

So…it’s as it should have been, without you driving? They seemed to know what they were doing? That’s what you’re saying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current BVR parent - if your child needs any extra support it is on the parent to drive that support. Many parents do not even realize their child needs extra support until they leave either. The administration is always at an arms length and generally cold. It is for sure a more conservative parent community than the others as well. In third grade the parent is still driving the outplacement - something to be said about letting them be a kid for as long as possible, iron out weaknesses and having them get into the school they want/need.

Parents have multiple teacher conferences with reports. You'd know if your child needs support.

+1

The reports are incredibly detailed. If you don’t know, you’re not listening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current BVR parent - if your child needs any extra support it is on the parent to drive that support. Many parents do not even realize their child needs extra support until they leave either. The administration is always at an arms length and generally cold. It is for sure a more conservative parent community than the others as well. In third grade the parent is still driving the outplacement - something to be said about letting them be a kid for as long as possible, iron out weaknesses and having them get into the school they want/need.

Parents have multiple teacher conferences with reports. You'd know if your child needs support.

That’s the point - once most bvr kids get to 4th grade there very often a gap academically. Parents have been told everything is fine.