Why is SJC the "It" school this year

[Anonymous]

Why throw shade at SJC? If you don't like it, don't send your kid there, but plenty of kids seem to be happy and the school's college list is fine. https://www.stjohnschs.org/admissions/beyond-st-johns . But, again, if it's not for you, don't send your kid there. There's no need to denigrate the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More diverse than most Catholic schools except for maybe Damatha (if you don’t count girls as part of diversity).

It's DeMatha.

[Anonymous]

Cheaper and co-ed, and a less restrictive environment than many other schools. I hear it described by the kids as "a public school with uniforms." My DD came from a straight-laced K-8 and was taken aback by the unruliness on her shadow day. I thought it was a fluke so we sent her back again (DH is an alum and hoped she'd go too) but it only made things worse and she declined a nice scholarship. Second DD visited last year but didn't apply. Son may go eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:About 80% of my daughters class applied to SJC. Over the last month I have overheard parents mention they were calling in favors for admission. I normally would expect this behavior for Big 3 but SJC, really? Originally it ranked #3 per my DD but all of a sudden it's #1.

What’s SJC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cheaper and co-ed, and a less restrictive environment than many other schools. I hear it described by the kids as "a public school with uniforms." My DD came from a straight-laced K-8 and was taken aback by the unruliness on her shadow day. I thought it was a fluke so we sent her back again (DH is an alum and hoped she'd go too) but it only made things worse and she declined a nice scholarship. Second DD visited last year but didn't apply. Son may go eventually.

It's not a public school with uniforms though. It's smaller than all the public schools in the area by about half. So where did your daughter end up going?

[Anonymous]

What makes it public school? Some people kill me on this board. If a school isn't 40k plus a year, low diversity, and 3 plus hours of homework a night isn't given its substandard. Children who go to SJC can score the same on the SAT that Big 3 students do. Only difference is their parents paid $80k while you paid $160k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes it public school? Some people kill me on this board. If a school isn't 40k plus a year, low diversity, and 3 plus hours of homework a night isn't given its substandard. Children who go to SJC can score the same on the SAT that Big 3 students do. Only difference is their parents paid $80k while you paid $160k.

And the students seem so happy and proud of their school.

[Anonymous]

I am curious where OP's child is currently to assess that SJC is the "It" school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cheaper and co-ed, and a less restrictive environment than many other schools. I hear it described by the kids as "a public school with uniforms." My DD came from a straight-laced K-8 and was taken aback by the unruliness on her shadow day. I thought it was a fluke so we sent her back again (DH is an alum and hoped she'd go too) but it only made things worse and she declined a nice scholarship. Second DD visited last year but didn't apply. Son may go eventually.

This is completely false assessment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes it public school? Some people kill me on this board. If a school isn't 40k plus a year, low diversity, and 3 plus hours of homework a night isn't given its substandard. Children who go to SJC can score the same on the SAT that Big 3 students do. Only difference is their parents paid $80k while you paid $160k.

I think because it is an alternative for families who do not want to send their kids to Wilson...it is the "public" school with more bells and whistles, including a smaller overall class size. My son also shadowed there and receive the scholarship, but decided he wanted a more "unique" high school experience and went elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheaper and co-ed, and a less restrictive environment than many other schools. I hear it described by the kids as "a public school with uniforms." My DD came from a straight-laced K-8 and was taken aback by the unruliness on her shadow day. I thought it was a fluke so we sent her back again (DH is an alum and hoped she'd go too) but it only made things worse and she declined a nice scholarship. Second DD visited last year but didn't apply. Son may go eventually.

This is completely false assessment.

+1 My kid had the exact opposite impression! Then again he was coming from public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plank and Kinsey

Big donor for sports big donor for science.

If you have an athlete or a STEM student its the best school in DC.

Many don't even consider the big3.

Many don't want an education based on the religious tenets that ST. John's espouses. That doesn't make it better or worse, but there many who wouldn't consider an Episcopalian, Quaker or non-denominational school either.

Which is why choices is good. Catholic schools started due to Protestant teachers Anti-Catholic attitudes.

So STJ is more popular now, who cares, it's not a contest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheaper and co-ed, and a less restrictive environment than many other schools. I hear it described by the kids as "a public school with uniforms." My DD came from a straight-laced K-8 and was taken aback by the unruliness on her shadow day. I thought it was a fluke so we sent her back again (DH is an alum and hoped she'd go too) but it only made things worse and she declined a nice scholarship. Second DD visited last year but didn't apply. Son may go eventually.

It's not a public school with uniforms though. It's smaller than all the public schools in the area by about half. So where did your daughter end up going?

Big 3

[Anonymous]

SJC and GDS win most improved since the days I went to private school (maret) in DC.
Gds used to be for losers, potheads, misfits, and people who liked to dress like shoeless bums.
sjc was boys only and tons of trouble makers or kids kicked out of other places went there for discipline, community and goals.

Today they both seem to have professionalized, stayed true to underlying values, and hitting on all cylinders. sjC is just HS so can really focus on Honors program, sports, ECs, and at 250 kids a grade isn’t a fishbowl or too huge/impersonal, plus can field some awesome teams.

I actually think SJC is more diverse that GDS. in ever metric - religion, ses, student interests, geography, diversity of thought, college goals, parent community, teacher biases, etc.

Well done both. They should put a sister school /student program together and learn more from each other. Bridge the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SJC and GDS win most improved since the days I went to private school (maret) in DC.
Gds used to be for losers, potheads, misfits, and people who liked to dress like shoeless bums.
sjc was boys only and tons of trouble makers or kids kicked out of other places went there for discipline, community and goals.

Today they both seem to have professionalized, stayed true to underlying values, and hitting on all cylinders. sjC is just HS so can really focus on Honors program, sports, ECs, and at 250 kids a grade isn’t a fishbowl or too huge/impersonal, plus can field some awesome teams.

I actually think SJC is more diverse that GDS. in ever metric - religion, ses, student interests, geography, diversity of thought, college goals, parent community, teacher biases, etc.

Well done both. They should put a sister school /student program together and learn more from each other. Bridge the world.

+1