Is Maret considered a "pressure cooker" school?

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

I don't know how it is "considered" by other people, and exactly what other people mean by "pressure cooker." But my child is in high school at Maret and it does not seem overly pressured to me. My child does work relatively hard, but never stays up late into the evening working. I get a sense that there is some competition among the high-academic kids, but all very friendly. Some kids' greatest strengths are in non-academic aspects of school life, and that seems to be fine. (Then again, my general sense is that most kids who feel "pressure cooked" in high school are getting most pressure from their parents.)

[Anonymous]

Yes. Most people would consider Maret a pressure cooker. Have a close friend with kids there are they seem very stressed. Also know a former teacher who described Maret as "a grind" for kids.

[Anonymous]

My DC is in middle school at Maret and, as usual, DC will spend most of the day tomorrow doing homework - - like from mid-morning until 3 or 4pm. Not sure that makes it a pressure cooker but it could be viewed that way -- very different from lower school. Who knows what upper school will be like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how it is "considered" by other people, and exactly what other people mean by "pressure cooker." But my child is in high school at Maret and it does not seem overly pressured to me. My child does work relatively hard, but never stays up late into the evening working. I get a sense that there is some competition among the high-academic kids, but all very friendly. Some kids' greatest strengths are in non-academic aspects of school life, and that seems to be fine. (Then again, my general sense is that most kids who feel "pressure cooked" in high school are getting most pressure from their parents.)

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To OP, there isn't a private high school that isn't a pressure cooker to some degree. Similarly, for the kids on the college track, there isn't a public school that isn't, either.

This isn't true. Maret has quite the reputation. My friend is pulling her son out for high school. He's been there since K. She doesn't like what they do to boys. He's attending another private next year.

[Anonymous]

What do they do to boys? We are seriously considering it for our DS.

[Anonymous]

Voice of reason here - it depends on your kid. My middle school boy absolutely does not spend hours of time doing homework and neither did his now hs brother. Maybe some kids do, but not mine. Both are happy and stimulated and the curriculum is developmentally appropriate. It's a rigorous school but not suffocating and the college placements are great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Voice of reason here - it depends on your kid. My middle school boy absolutely does not spend hours of time doing homework and neither did his now hs brother. Maybe some kids do, but not mine. Both are happy and stimulated and the curriculum is developmentally appropriate. It's a rigorous school but not suffocating and the college placements are great.

+1 Another parent of a middle school boy. I can't speak to the high school, but my son does not feel "pressure-cooked" in middle school. In our experience, the school is very balanced - stimulating and challenging, but never overwhelming. There is a real joy in learning and a sense that while hard work is important, fun and relaxation are also essential ingredients for a healthy, happy kid. That's why we chose Maret over several other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maret: you won't pressure cook but you'll definitely get baked.

Lol -- so are there more drugs there than other DC privates?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To OP, there isn't a private high school that isn't a pressure cooker to some degree. Similarly, for the kids on the college track, there isn't a public school that isn't, either.

This isn't true. Maret has quite the reputation. My friend is pulling her son out for high school. He's been there since K. She doesn't like what they do to boys. He's attending another private next year.

What does Maret do to boys? Or more generally what is causing her or others to move their kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son actually left the school last year - it was too PC for us.

What exactly do you mean by this? Was your child asked to leave because of unacceptable actions...ones that you feel are about being "PC", but others would consider good citizenship?

[Anonymous]

What exactly do you mean by this? Was your child asked to leave because of unacceptable actions...ones that you feel are about being "PC", but others would consider good citizenship?

PP, aren't you jumping to conclusions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To OP, there isn't a private high school that isn't a pressure cooker to some degree. Similarly, for the kids on the college track, there isn't a public school that isn't, either.

This isn't true. Maret has quite the reputation. My friend is pulling her son out for high school. He's been there since K. She doesn't like what they do to boys. He's attending another private next year.

Is he in 8th grade now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To OP, there isn't a private high school that isn't a pressure cooker to some degree. Similarly, for the kids on the college track, there isn't a public school that isn't, either.

This isn't true. Maret has quite the reputation. My friend is pulling her son out for high school. He's been there since K. She doesn't like what they do to boys. He's attending another private next year.

Is he in 8th grade now?

He's in 8th grade. She wants him to have a fun and interesting high school experience and not just one where he's studying 24/7. She's starting to wonder whether the mental price is worth it. So what if he gets into a great college, he can do that from another school where he is having some fun. Apparently, Maret has tough grading which means your kid's GPA may not be as good as if they were at another school. When applying to college, who cares that it was Maret when her kid can go to another private and his grades actually reflect his effort, not some crazy grading curve.