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Can't commit. Tuition is scary.
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Anonymous
| It doesn't help when some of these schools are still being rude and aloof. Mine called the other day with a demanding voice asking what method we would use to pay. |
Anonymous
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You could convert to Quaker, becomes a transgender and take a same-sex lover, and then apply to Sidwell. A good job also helps.
If that doesn't work, don't be afraid to send your very bright adaptable child to your local public school if only for a year. You can always reapply to private schools next year. Post-stoddert could be scary but it depends on your child. If you really have a bright adaptable child, he or she would do better at least in college admissions from Wilson than from Sidwell or Maret, where they are competing not only nationally, but with their classmates. I know that's a long way off. So start growing attached to the public school, lower your expectations, and you might be pleasantly surprised. You can also look at schools other than Gds, Maret, Beauvoir, and Sidwell next year. |
Anonymous
No, probably not a sin, but insulting and insensitive nonetheless. I agree with PP, you are a jerk. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
| Does it help to gain admission at Beauvoir if you are Episcopal? What about if you're a member of the St. Albans' Parish? |
Anonymous
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Look, we've had these doubts as well, who wouldn't (except maybe those who are independently wealthy)? We have decided to go for it. If we don't, we will always wonder whether our kids would have done better @ the school we thought he would love and seemed to have a great overall package. We are willing to take the risk and if, as PP said, we feel after a year that it isn't worth it for whatever reason we can always pull out and go the public school route.
Why we felt the private school route was better for our child? Our public schools are "ok" but not great. The environment (campus, infrastructure, etc.) is much nicer at the private. More outdoor space and more outdoor time (not just two 25 min recess periods). Teacher stability, not much turnover like in our public ES. Bigger, better library. Better computer facilities. More extras such as drama, etc. Bigger, nicer gym. More group programs onsite such as soccer, softball. Involved, diverse parents (sometimes the public schools are less diverse than private, depending on where you are). Much, much better student:teacher ratio. Emphasis on learning, not on "teaching to the test" (this is not the fault of public school teachers, just what they are required to do). Flexibility in curriculum. We think of it this way: Invest the $ in the early years when the child is developing a love of learning, getting a sense for his/her learning style, etc. This will provide a strong foundation for later learning. This means if we choose public for HS, they will be able to take advantage of AP courses, etc. These days sometimes colleges look more closely at public HS grads vs. private. Depends. But bottom line is we feel it is more important to invest the $ during these crucial developmental years for that strong foundation. By the time a student is in HS, that love of learning either exists or does not. It is not going to be fostered then. My husband did it this way, and he felt out-of-place and sub-par going into a private HS with a crappy basis from his public school (he lived in another area, BTW). He struggled. Just our 4 cents. If you do it the other way - trying public first - and you don't like it or your child doesn't thrive, you have to go thru the admissions process again and there is no guarantee that you will get in (for a variety of reasons, including that some school only have specified entry years). |
Anonymous
Look, post-Stoddert may not be for you but, don't panic, get more information. You don't have to be scared of Hardy Middle School (where Stoddert feeds). My daughter went there and she had some fantastic teachers as well as a couple of clunkers. This is how I would classify her teachers over the 3 grades: English: 6th: very good, 7th: very good, 8th: good Math: 6th: very good, 7th: mediocre, 8th: excellent Science: 6th: excellent, 7th: mixed (1/4 long term sub who was a train wreck and 3/4 new teacher who was good), 8th: very good Social Studies: 6th: good, 7th: excellent, 8th: okay (nice caring teacher who was on the boring side) French: 6th: didn't take French, 7th: very good, 8th: train wreck Phys ed -- forget it, not particularly good Music -- okay, depends on what you take Instrumental teacher Mr. Chisolm just won teacher of the year Certainly, this place is not for every kid and every family and I can attest to the fact that it's tiring to always have to be so vigilant about what is happening at school. I can understand why people would prefer to send their kids to private school because my kid will also be attending private school next year. (This was at her initiation, not mine, but I'm fine with it -- except for the part about paying for it, which is why I'm reading this thread!) But I just wanted to share her experience with you because sometimes getting more information can make things less scary. Also to let you know that my daughter went to Hardy and was still able to get into private school in high school. (Before people ask, she didn't apply to any of the most elite schools because she was interested in only one particular school. Don't know how hard it is in high school to get into the schools so many people are infatuated with on this website.) This may not be the choice for you but if you collect more information -- talk to more families about Stoddert and Hardy -- you may find that it doesn't have to be so scary, whichever way you go! Good luck! |
Anonymous
Even better would be a female lover from a visible racial/ethnic group. Just replace DH with her in your family picture. |
Anonymous
| a pre- or post-op transvestite might work, too. at at least someone from some interesting place, like Albania. |
Anonymous
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In all seriousness, why not just rent a DH or DTS (dear tranvestite spouse) for your interview?
There's a funny book about NYC admissions and one of the characters rents a husband and they put make-up on the girl to make her skin browner. She got in. |
Anonymous
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Is the NYC admissions scene even worse than here? Most of the private school posters (including me) hover between mega stressed out and insane. Do they have a similar board for such things?
Do the NYC families wory about tuition. Or are most of those in private school in the mega-rich category? |
Anonymous
| 12:19 your post was encouraging. |
Anonymous
DC admissions is NOTHING compared to NYC. You have no idea how difficult it is in NY in comparison to DC. DC is sane and resonable in comparison so put things in perspective. |
Anonymous
| There are people out there waiting with baited breath HOPING you have cold feet and change your mind. Remember why you applied to private school in the first place, and how lucky you are to have gotten in, given the competitiveness. |
Anonymous
| Hoping? I'm sure at least a few of the truly scary parents are entertaining notions of bribing, cajoling, manipulating, threatening, etc., etc. So many of these private school posts convince me we're all nuts. |