Which prestigious private high schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - I have a three year old (and 8 month old) and live in the city of alexandria where the elementary school is fantastic but the high school and middle school not as good. Honestly, I really have not put much thought into what I'll do if we still live in the city and we don't think our boys should go to TC Williams. Then again, a lot changes in 10 years and TC may be great. And I want my boys to go to school with their friends...so who really knows.

If I were you, I wouldn't stress about it. I personally check out these boards b/c I am curious about what is going on w/r/t the private schools in our area in case we do at some point want to go the private school route (and let's face it, these boards are pretty amusing).

Don't get caught up into the whole DC elite private school competition. You will drive yourself crazy.

I'm a product of the NoVa public schools myself and think private schools are pretty overrated for the typical kid.

Thanks PP. I am done posting (I know I am starting to repeat myself!). But don't you at least stop to think for a moment that you are essentially taking options off the table now, at such a young age. It is really ridiculous, but I feel the need to explore the issue. And I am really not caught up in the elite private school hype (at least not yet -- smile), but I just don't want to regret later that certain very good schools are off limits b/c I didn't think about it sooner. I may never care, but maybe I will.

Oh, well, that is life, and we will survive. (BTW, I am amazed I haven't ended up on the farce thread yet; maybe I will post something!)

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP, you already are on the farce thread.

[Anonymous]

Nope, it was someone else, though you would think I would have learned to pose my question in a different way to avoid the farce thread. I should have just asked which private HS take a good number of students that are not from their middle school or a feeder school, period.

[Anonymous]

11:06 said: "I'm a product of the NoVa public schools myself and think private schools are pretty overrated for the typical kid."

Herein lies the problem ... I absolutely agree with that thought, and yet, it is difficult for me to admit that perhaps my child is "typical"!! My affection for him tends to make me view him as especially wonderful and just possibly atypical in a good way. Even though I know he is totally average, my heart can't quite accept that idea and so I treat him as if he were as wonderful and talented as I perceive him to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:11:06 said: "I'm a product of the NoVa public schools myself and think private schools are pretty overrated for the typical kid."

Herein lies the problem ... I absolutely agree with that thought, and yet, it is difficult for me to admit that perhaps my child is "typical"!! My affection for him tends to make me view him as especially wonderful and just possibly atypical in a good way. Even though I know he is totally average, my heart can't quite accept that idea and so I treat him as if he were as wonderful and talented as I perceive him to be.

I'm the one who posted the "typical" kid reference. I knew it would prompt some kind of response...

I think my kids are completely brilliant, amazing athletes and little Einsteins myself (and yes - I know this despite them being only 8 months old and 3 y.o.)! But what I meant by typical is supposed to embrace all that - I purposely didn't use average. What I meant is that you can (and do) find children who are just as intelligent, just as athletic, just as multi-lingual, just as "xxx" (choose whatever adjective you'd like) in the public school system as you would in the private school system. I'm not bashing private schools by any means. I'm just saying that - depending on where you live - the public school may be just as good of a choice, if not better, than the most elite private school. IF however it seems as though your child is just not thriving in the local public school, then you should seriously consider the private school route.

I just find it really hard to stomach the rat-race that goes into getting your 3 year old into the most exclusive pre-school (and even earlier, the most exclusive playgroup) so you are better positioned to secure a spot 12 years down the line at a prestigious high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: But don't you at least stop to think for a moment that you are essentially taking options off the table now, at such a young age. It is really ridiculous, but I feel the need to explore the issue. And I am really not caught up in the elite private school hype (at least not yet -- smile), but I just don't want to regret later that certain very good schools are off limits b/c I didn't think about it sooner. I may never care, but maybe I will.

Oh, well, that is life, and we will survive. (BTW, I am amazed I haven't ended up on the farce thread yet; maybe I will post something!)

Maybe you're over thinking this. I understand your concern about it but I wonder if you're trying to control something many years out that you can't really control at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm just saying that - depending on where you live - the public school may be just as good of a choice, if not better, than the most elite private school. IF however it seems as though your child is just not thriving in the local public school, then you should seriously consider the private school route.

This is exactly my dilemma. I would like my kid to go to a private school because she is struggling at public, and she would definitely benefit from the smaller class sizes and everything else it has to offer. Seriously, what kind of a child would not benefit from the learning environment that the private schools are offering?
The harsh reality is that these private schools only want the kids that do well in public. So how do I get my earthing into one when she does not posess the talents required? Can I say at an interview that she can be a handful and some teachers have either liked her or found her to be very challenging? But if you would please consider accepting her I believe her habits would change and she would do a lot better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm just saying that - depending on where you live - the public school may be just as good of a choice, if not better, than the most elite private school. IF however it seems as though your child is just not thriving in the local public school, then you should seriously consider the private school route.

This is exactly my dilemma. I would like my kid to go to a private school because she is struggling at public, and she would definitely benefit from the smaller class sizes and everything else it has to offer. Seriously, what kind of a child would not benefit from the learning environment that the private schools are offering?
The harsh reality is that these private schools only want the kids that do well in public. So how do I get my earthing into one when she does not posess the talents required? Can I say at an interview that she can be a handful and some teachers have either liked her or found her to be very challenging? But if you would please consider accepting her I believe her habits would change and she would do a lot better?

There are some schools that would take such an individual, and would credit your candid disclosures.

I think, though, if you are aiming for the Big Three, or even Next Three, you'd need DC to score very, very well on her tests, or either she (or more likely your family) would have to be considered as "adding" to the community (wealth, power, diversity).

[Anonymous]

If you child is a sixth grader or above, I would suggest you take a look at Edmund Burke. It's a very good school, and is known for working with bright children who have been struggling in public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you child is a sixth grader or above, I would suggest you take a look at Edmund Burke. It's a very good school, and is known for working with bright children who have been struggling in public school.

Good advice. Maybe even Field?

[Anonymous]

Another school to consider is the McLean School in Potomac. My dc goes there and it is fabulous. Small classes, lots of attention and structure, lots of support for the self-esteem of kids who struggled elsewhere, individualized instruction. I have a DC at what is considered one of the top three schools, and I'm happy with it. But it is actually the child I have at McLean who has the higher test scores -- he just needed a school that could teach in a way that he could learn. We are really fortunate to have a school like McLean in this area.

I have heard similar things about Burke and we may look into switching there when DC is older.

[Anonymous]

You might send your child to the top private schools from K and spend +500K, only to find out that he/she is not fit for those schools and you have to send them to the school you rejected in the very beginning. A Sidwell family whose child started in pre-K and is now starting High School told us that half of the kids who started in pre-K are gone by now. Beauvoir is not 100% feeder for NCS/STA. Approx 70% of the Beauvoir boys make it to STA, the rest come from public or other private schools. It is not impossible to get into the top private schools in their intake years. You need a driven and charismatic child to make it happen. By then your child will let you know whether he/she wants to go to that particular school. It's their life, right ?

[Anonymous]

This is the poster who recommended Burke. I've also heard very good things about the McLean School.

[Anonymous]

i have a daughter at mclean and she gets ALOT of individualized attention.

[Anonymous]

Breathe people! There is life after the "Big 3" ... My DD was not admitted to the "Big 3" because her test scores indicated that she would not be able to "keep up" with the other students. Also, they said she was "too young" (late November birthday) and suggested that I have her repeat a grade. Well, ahem, she is a rising senior now at Columbia University with a 3.7 GPA, not only that, she has a summer internship with a major banking firm (and go figure, her major is Human Rights - that girl is just awesome!) that is paying her goo-gobs of money (for a 20-yr old!) and she is networking like nobody's business (if that is what we want from going to these "Big 3's" or "Ivies"). But even after all that, her 1st love is to go and give back to the third world country where she spent this past semester. So, she is milking the knowledge from it all (schooling, internships, networking) to go out and make a difference in the world.

As far as I am concerned, the "Big 3's" did us a HUGE favor ... because now I REFUSE to go through the same agony (applying, waiting, stressing, being denied and wanting to slit my wrists) for my 5 year old (who, by the way goes to a nice little independent school where they walk to the beach at times for recess or science class). My oldest DD makes me PROMISE that I won't put my little one through the same "drama" just to get into a school that the presidents' or vice presidents' kids went to! If anything, my DD says, "Mom, you have to put her into a language immersion school - so many of my friends speak 3 and 4 languages and it puts them at a HUGE advantage". So, if I had it my way (that is, being fortunate enough to live in the city, and not have to deal with a logistical nightmare) my little one would be at Washingtion International School - check it out, those kids run circles around any of these "Big 3 Kids"! Being GLOBAL is in ... being PRETENTIOUS (and I'm not saying that anyone on this blog is, but we all can and do get caught up) is OUT!!