Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have always found it very odd when you meet a Georgetown Prep or Gonzaga alum and ask them where they went to school, they reply with the year they graduated from High School. Where you went to college is irrelevant for the majority of Catholics who grew up in the DC area and probably have never lived anywhere else.

Exactly.

They even have a different system of local geography. if you ask them where something is, they are likely to tell you which Catholic parish's boundaries it lies within.

That's why someone asking for a comparison of Sidwell and Prep is mind-boggling to anyone with any sense of the lay of the land in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: As a non-Catholic I would be concerned about fitting in for both my kid and for us as a family. We had a son play youth lacrosse for Club Blue and definitely felt the families and kids were very friendly and nice, but also felt very outside their group. I had only positive impressions of the GP families we met, but I also felt in the end that immersing our son at GP as a non-Jesuit would be a poor fit. GP seems very much a religious oriented school.

This poster has it right.

There are some non-Catholics at Prep. And it helps to be an athlete in one of the sports they care about (football, basketball or lacrosse). And as Grandma has observed, people are polite.

But as far as the kids or your family fitting in, well that's more difficult. The native DC Catholics frequently know one another, went to school with one another and may even be related. Breaking into that circle isn't easy.

These high schools play a critical role in keeping this community together. Many, if not most, believe that where you go to high school is more important than where you go to college.

These posts are misleading. I have a senior at Prep and kids at two other DC Catholic independents. Maybe this poster's circle of friends 30 years ago wherever he went cared more about HS but I can assure you that the accomplished parents and students at Prep now (and similar Catholic independents) have higher ambitions. Though the majority are Catholic, there is much more religious diversity (and other kids of diversity) than this poster implies and it's not just tolerated, it's welcomed. In every freshman class there are students coming from something like 65+ grammar/middle schools so it would be difficult if not impossible to maintain the sad insularity the PP wants to believe exists. As with many other area privates, there are some families with long-standing relationships and of course there is socializing around sports and kids' major activities. If you view any HS through as cynical and negative lense as the PP does, you could see cliques, politics, and social drama. But our experience in this community, even as a family "new to the scene" in HS, has been very positive. Our son has made an amazing group of friends -- smart, happy, impressive young men who are diverse in terms of faith, race, the sports they play, their academic interests, etc. Don't let the PP's constant drumbeat of cynicism on these boards scare you away.

[Anonymous]

I have been saying that for years. The Catholic Mafia in DC cares only about the HS bumper sticker. They couldn't care less where their kids go to college. The goal is to go to a Catholic HS, go anywhere for college, come back to a job dad arranged at a commercial real estate firm, and then get married and have a junior membership at Columbia or Congressional. That is the epitome of a perfect life for the Catholic Mafia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been saying that for years. The Catholic Mafia in DC cares only about the HS bumper sticker. They couldn't care less where their kids go to college. The goal is to go to a Catholic HS, go anywhere for college, come back to a job dad arranged at a commercial real estate firm, and then get married and have a junior membership at Columbia or Congressional. That is the epitome of a perfect life for the Catholic Mafia.

Because you have been "saying that for years," doesn't mean it's true. In fact, it probably means you are out of touch with the current situation at these schools, given that your experience is from so many years ago. You post very frequently on this same topic (the supposed insularity at the local Catholic schools) and try to come across as an expert, so could you please describe your connection to the Catholic high schools in the area? Are you a graduate of one of the Catholic schools? If so, which one and what year?

[Anonymous]

It's true, though. If you see a car driven by the Catholic Mafia, it's all about the Gonzaga or Prep bumper sticker. You never see a college bumper sticker.

[Anonymous]

Because you have been "saying that for years," doesn't mean it's true. In fact, it probably means you are out of touch with the current situation at these schools, given that your experience is from so many years ago. You post very frequently on this same topic (the supposed insularity at the local Catholic schools) and try to come across as an expert, so could you please describe your connection to the Catholic high schools in the area? Are you a graduate of one of the Catholic schools? If so, which one and what year?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there any such thing as a Quaker these days? I've never met one. Maybe I am being cynical, but Sidwell can be Quaker without being a very religious environment. My son attends an Episcopal school where the only use of the chapel is school convocations, which are not religious events. Prep I'd think is a Jesuit community based on what I have observed. As a non-Catholic I would be concerned about fitting in for both my kid and for us as a family. We had a son play youth lacrosse for Club Blue and definitely felt the families and kids were very friendly and nice, but also felt very outside their group. I had only positive impressions of the GP families we met, but I also felt in the end that immersing our son at GP as a non-Jesuit would be a poor fit. GP seems very much a religious oriented school.

I have a good friend from college who is a Quaker. She got married in a Quaker ceremony, which was extremely cool. We really did sit in silence for about half an hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's true, though. If you see a car driven by the Catholic Mafia, it's all about the Gonzaga or Prep bumper sticker. You never see a college bumper sticker.

Ridiculous, but it IS true that you are a bigot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's true, though. If you see a car driven by the Catholic Mafia, it's all about the Gonzaga or Prep bumper sticker. You never see a college bumper sticker.

Ridiculous, but it IS true that you are a bigot.

It's not ridiculous. Sorry you can't handle the truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's true, though. If you see a car driven by the Catholic Mafia, it's all about the Gonzaga or Prep bumper sticker. You never see a college bumper sticker.

Ridiculous, but it IS true that you are a bigot.

It's not ridiculous. Sorry you can't handle the truth.

Nice try, but I see probably 200+ Catholic school cars on my carpool rounds every day and MANY have college stickers, sometimes multiple colleges. Maybe you're the one too focused on HS to notice colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This poster has it right.

There are some non-Catholics at Prep. And it helps to be an athlete in one of the sports they care about (football, basketball or lacrosse). And as Grandma has observed, people are polite.

But as far as the kids or your family fitting in, well that's more difficult. The native DC Catholics frequently know one another, went to school with one another and may even be related. Breaking into that circle isn't easy.

These high schools play a critical role in keeping this community together. Many, if not most, believe that where you go to high school is more important than where you go to college.

These posts are misleading. I have a senior at Prep and kids at two other DC Catholic independents. Maybe this poster's circle of friends 30 years ago wherever he went cared more about HS but I can assure you that the accomplished parents and students at Prep now (and similar Catholic independents) have higher ambitions. Though the majority are Catholic, there is much more religious diversity (and other kids of diversity) than this poster implies and it's not just tolerated, it's welcomed. In every freshman class there are students coming from something like 65+ grammar/middle schools so it would be difficult if not impossible to maintain the sad insularity the PP wants to believe exists. As with many other area privates, there are some families with long-standing relationships and of course there is socializing around sports and kids' major activities. If you view any HS through as cynical and negative lense as the PP does, you could see cliques, politics, and social drama. But our experience in this community, even as a family "new to the scene" in HS, has been very positive. Our son has made an amazing group of friends -- smart, happy, impressive young men who are diverse in terms of faith, race, the sports they play, their academic interests, etc. Don't let the PP's constant drumbeat of cynicism on these boards scare you away.

Thank you for posting with your firsthand knowledge. It really bothers me when the same poster(s) shows up any time Georgetown Prep is mentioned on this board and writes things that are clearly meant to paint the school and the families as something they are not. Maybe this person has a child who is going to apply to Prep and is afraid the child's resume won't be good enough unless they keep others from applying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Because you have been "saying that for years," doesn't mean it's true. In fact, it probably means you are out of touch with the current situation at these schools, given that your experience is from so many years ago. You post very frequently on this same topic (the supposed insularity at the local Catholic schools) and try to come across as an expert, so could you please describe your connection to the Catholic high schools in the area? Are you a graduate of one of the Catholic schools? If so, which one and what year?

+1

+2. I'm so sick of this poster who rants about the so-called "Catholic mafia." I'm not even Catholic, nor do I have a kid in Catholic school. My guess is that her kid lost to some Catholic school on some sports field somewhere 10+ years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's true, though. If you see a car driven by the Catholic Mafia, it's all about the Gonzaga or Prep bumper sticker. You never see a college bumper sticker.

Ridiculous, but it IS true that you are a bigot.

It's not ridiculous. Sorry you can't handle the truth.

Nice try, but I see probably 200+ Catholic school cars on my carpool rounds every day and MANY have college stickers, sometimes multiple colleges. Maybe you're the one too focused on HS to notice colleges

Almost all of those stickers are terrible colleges. Regardless, the previous point was correct: for whatever reason, the Catholics in this area care so much more about the HS destination than the college one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This poster has it right.

There are some non-Catholics at Prep. And it helps to be an athlete in one of the sports they care about (football, basketball or lacrosse). And as Grandma has observed, people are polite.

But as far as the kids or your family fitting in, well that's more difficult. The native DC Catholics frequently know one another, went to school with one another and may even be related. Breaking into that circle isn't easy.

These high schools play a critical role in keeping this community together. Many, if not most, believe that where you go to high school is more important than where you go to college.

These posts are misleading. I have a senior at Prep and kids at two other DC Catholic independents. Maybe this poster's circle of friends 30 years ago wherever he went cared more about HS but I can assure you that the accomplished parents and students at Prep now (and similar Catholic independents) have higher ambitions. Though the majority are Catholic, there is much more religious diversity (and other kids of diversity) than this poster implies and it's not just tolerated, it's welcomed. In every freshman class there are students coming from something like 65+ grammar/middle schools so it would be difficult if not impossible to maintain the sad insularity the PP wants to believe exists. As with many other area privates, there are some families with long-standing relationships and of course there is socializing around sports and kids' major activities. If you view any HS through as cynical and negative lense as the PP does, you could see cliques, politics, and social drama. But our experience in this community, even as a family "new to the scene" in HS, has been very positive. Our son has made an amazing group of friends -- smart, happy, impressive young men who are diverse in terms of faith, race, the sports they play, their academic interests, etc. Don't let the PP's constant drumbeat of cynicism on these boards scare you away.

Thank you for posting with your firsthand knowledge. It really bothers me when the same poster(s) shows up any time Georgetown Prep is mentioned on this board and writes things that are clearly meant to paint the school and the families as something they are not. Maybe this person has a child who is going to apply to Prep and is afraid the child's resume won't be good enough unless they keep others from applying?

That's a good theory. Or grad of/parent at a rival school. What's also offensive is the not so subtle anti-Catholic bigotry under the guise of speaking for the Catholic community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Because you have been "saying that for years," doesn't mean it's true. In fact, it probably means you are out of touch with the current situation at these schools, given that your experience is from so many years ago. You post very frequently on this same topic (the supposed insularity at the local Catholic schools) and try to come across as an expert, so could you please describe your connection to the Catholic high schools in the area? Are you a graduate of one of the Catholic schools? If so, which one and what year?

+1

+2. I'm so sick of this poster who rants about the so-called "Catholic mafia." I'm not even Catholic, nor do I have a kid in Catholic school. My guess is that her kid lost to some Catholic school on some sports field somewhere 10+ years ago.

Yes!