Private High School That Doesn't Have Insane Levels of Homework

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Several PPs mentioned the block schedule and the (positive) impact on per night homework load. That makes a ton of sense. Anyone care to make a list for DC area privates that have the block scheduling?

Most of the private schools we visited had this sort of schedule. We didn't visit single gender, archdiocese, or special needs but otherwise looked at highly competitive schools, plus some less competitive as alternative in DC and MoCo plus Potomac School in VA.

[Anonymous]

I know that these schools don't repeat the same class schedule every day (but how they achieve this varies).

Sidwell
GDS
Potomac

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know that these schools don't repeat the same class schedule every day (but how they achieve this varies).

Sidwell
GDS
Potomac

Field too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know that these schools don't repeat the same class schedule every day (but how they achieve this varies).

Sidwell
GDS
Potomac

Field too.

SAES and Bullis are both block.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:St. Andrew is a cakewalk

SAES is pretty low homework if you take regular classes. It’s lots of homework if you have a full load of honors and AP classes. But the college admission results between the two groups are very different. Same is true at Bullis. There is really no way to hack the system. If you take the most advanced track available, it results in a lot of homework.

This is true. Our US student is taking the most challenging courses, and I'm exhausted just watching him. I get to unwind after work and dinner, but he continues right on working until 11 pm, gets up the next morning, and does it all again.

That's really sad.

This is sad. It is not necessary and honestly I don't think they need to be taking all challenging classes. The days of 4 or 5 APs is long gone. GPA is the most important thing. Kids with perfect SATS are not getting in to schools that kids with much lower SATS are getting into but because they have a higher GPA they are getting in. Only have one teenage experience. I would have kid cut back a bit.

I agree that GPA is king right now in admissions. But those with the more difficult courses are best positioned if they can maintain all As. I’m not saying the trade off is worth it, but the advanced track still does move the needle some if you have all As. There are unhooked kids getting into top whatever schools and most from our school have the combination of really strong unweighted average, most advanced course load, and something else in terms of ECs.