new to DC area independent school

[Anonymous]

Thanks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Norwood. We liked HoS, but not so much the others we interacted with at the school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also look at K-8s. There are a lot of those around here, and then you can figure out the DC private scene and decide where you want to apply for high school. Norwood expands in 4th and sends kids to all the high schools you are considering. There is also WES, Langley, Lowell, Sheridan, Woods, and a couple others. K-8 is a popular model around here, not sure about in New England. There are also some K-6 schools here I think.

I think this is good advice. DC is not New England. It’s showier in some ways, and in some ways more insecure. It’s a city of lawyers.

I would say if you liked the lower school head at Norwood, check out NPS, but it ends in 6th, which you probably don’t want.

You may also like Langley, the private school, not the giant public school. WES, however, is more rigorous. Families at neither school are insecure or showy.

You may also find you like Sidwell. Elementary and middle school experiences can be uneven, it is showier and more insecure than many Boston privates, but of the K-12s it may be more to your taste than the others.

[Anonymous]

thanks, hahaha. it is very different, even the admission process.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also look at K-8s. There are a lot of those around here, and then you can figure out the DC private scene and decide where you want to apply for high school. Norwood expands in 4th and sends kids to all the high schools you are considering. There is also WES, Langley, Lowell, Sheridan, Woods, and a couple others. K-8 is a popular model around here, not sure about in New England. There are also some K-6 schools here I think.

I think this is good advice. DC is not New England. It’s showier in some ways, and in some ways more insecure. It’s a city of lawyers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Norwood. We liked HoS, but not so much the others we interacted with at the school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also look at K-8s. There are a lot of those around here, and then you can figure out the DC private scene and decide where you want to apply for high school. Norwood expands in 4th and sends kids to all the high schools you are considering. There is also WES, Langley, Lowell, Sheridan, Woods, and a couple others. K-8 is a popular model around here, not sure about in New England. There are also some K-6 schools here I think.

I think this is good advice. DC is not New England. It’s showier in some ways, and in some ways more insecure. It’s a city of lawyers.

Norwood would be a great option and, as a previous poster mentioned, it sends students to lots of different high schools. I'm surprised that you didn't like the people you interacted with. We have experience at several private schools and public and have found the faculty at Norwood extremely warm and caring (the HOS is amazing!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am trying to find my unicorn school coming from New England. We applied to a few schools, but we were unable to understand school rigor from one tour, especially online ones. We are interested in independent schools for small class sizes, academic rigor, social-emotional growth, and eventually down the line good college matriculation (top 50 US schools is fine with us). There is a lot of talk about the well-known schools. We understand that Sidwell, GDS, Potomac, and Cathedral schools are in a league. How are SAES, Bullis, and SSFS? I do not understand why Bullis is disliked. We liked the HoS and his vision. Any thoughts would be useful.

Welcome to the area. Unlike in New England (and frankly it may not be the case there any longer), independent schools do not directly help with college matriculation.

Let me explain.

They will definitely prepare your kid well, they will encourage sports and unusual ECs, and they will have specific college counselors at a smaller ratio than the big publics around here.

However, since about ‘20, the pendulum has swung more towards equity in college admissions, and so coming from a ritzy private, especially one with tough grading standards, will not help. Lack of APs may also not help.

What helps with college admission is full pay status. Be aware that top 50 schools are now approaching $100k per year.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we are looking at a rising 4th grader. we are looking at co-ed, not religious in practice. we want our child to thrive, we are comfortable but do not like wealth in your face. We are looking for a challenging school, without being a pressure cooker. We have (and would like) a supportive parent community. Our belief is each child will find his/her way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am trying to find my unicorn school coming from New England. We applied to a few schools, but we were unable to understand school rigor from one tour, especially online ones. We are interested in independent schools for small class sizes, academic rigor, social-emotional growth, and eventually down the line good college matriculation (top 50 US schools is fine with us). There is a lot of talk about the well-known schools. We understand that Sidwell, GDS, Potomac, and Cathedral schools are in a league. How are SAES, Bullis, and SSFS? I do not understand why Bullis is disliked. We liked the HoS and his vision. Any thoughts would be useful.

What age/gender? Single-sex or co-ed? Religious (if so which) or not? You really need to narrow down a bit to get advice beyond the usual (and false/dated) "Bullis is the public school you pay for", "NCS is a meat grinder filled with mean girls", etc.

Norwood is non denominational k-8 and would be great for you. They send kids to all different kinds of high schools and upper schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Norwood. We liked HoS, but not so much the others we interacted with at the school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also look at K-8s. There are a lot of those around here, and then you can figure out the DC private scene and decide where you want to apply for high school. Norwood expands in 4th and sends kids to all the high schools you are considering. There is also WES, Langley, Lowell, Sheridan, Woods, and a couple others. K-8 is a popular model around here, not sure about in New England. There are also some K-6 schools here I think.

I think this is good advice. DC is not New England. It’s showier in some ways, and in some ways more insecure. It’s a city of lawyers.

Norwood would be a great option and, as a previous poster mentioned, it sends students to lots of different high schools. I'm surprised that you didn't like the people you interacted with. We have experience at several private schools and public and have found the faculty at Norwood extremely warm and caring (the HOS is amazing!).

I can say from personal experience, I didn’t get a great impression from the interview, tour but thankfully I had previously met the HOS and a couple other faculty and the head of admissions so I just ignored the awkward visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WES may be a good fit. They are academically rigorous, spirited but kind sports and lots of them, great social-emotional skills. If you track students through to their colleges, you’ll see they have great college results

The culture of WES is not showy.

Yes, however it does have a religious affiliation (Episcopal) which OP said she did not want. OP, I recommended Norwood for your 4th grader based on your criteria, but if you are open to having a chaplain on staff and some religious / ethical education geared to students of all faiths, I highly recommend WES. In fact, we sent our two sons through WES and I still miss that community, even though it’s been many years now and my eldest is graduating from college soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Norwood. We liked HoS, but not so much the others we interacted with at the school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also look at K-8s. There are a lot of those around here, and then you can figure out the DC private scene and decide where you want to apply for high school. Norwood expands in 4th and sends kids to all the high schools you are considering. There is also WES, Langley, Lowell, Sheridan, Woods, and a couple others. K-8 is a popular model around here, not sure about in New England. There are also some K-6 schools here I think.

I think this is good advice. DC is not New England. It’s showier in some ways, and in some ways more insecure. It’s a city of lawyers.

I would say if you liked the lower school head at Norwood, check out NPS, but it ends in 6th, which you probably don’t want.

You may also like Langley, the private school, not the giant public school. WES, however, is more rigorous. Families at neither school are insecure or showy.

You may also find you like Sidwell. Elementary and middle school experiences can be uneven, it is showier and more insecure than many Boston privates, but of the K-12s it may be more to your taste than the others.

A friend just told me she dislikes NPS due to the snobbery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Norwood. We liked HoS, but not so much the others we interacted with at the school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also look at K-8s. There are a lot of those around here, and then you can figure out the DC private scene and decide where you want to apply for high school. Norwood expands in 4th and sends kids to all the high schools you are considering. There is also WES, Langley, Lowell, Sheridan, Woods, and a couple others. K-8 is a popular model around here, not sure about in New England. There are also some K-6 schools here I think.

I think this is good advice. DC is not New England. It’s showier in some ways, and in some ways more insecure. It’s a city of lawyers.

I would say if you liked the lower school head at Norwood, check out NPS, but it ends in 6th, which you probably don’t want.

You may also like Langley, the private school, not the giant public school. WES, however, is more rigorous. Families at neither school are insecure or showy.

You may also find you like Sidwell. Elementary and middle school experiences can be uneven, it is showier and more insecure than many Boston privates, but of the K-12s it may be more to your taste than the others.

I don’t believe people consider WES rigorous? I know OP wants co-Ed but if you have a girl, Holton could be a good fit. Rigorous but not crazy, no religion, lots of opportunities for exploring all the stuff.

[Anonymous]

by hook you mean legacy? but don't you have to meet minimum standards for the university (unless you are a big donor)?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am trying to find my unicorn school coming from New England. We applied to a few schools, but we were unable to understand school rigor from one tour, especially online ones. We are interested in independent schools for small class sizes, academic rigor, social-emotional growth, and eventually down the line good college matriculation (top 50 US schools is fine with us). There is a lot of talk about the well-known schools. We understand that Sidwell, GDS, Potomac, and Cathedral schools are in a league. How are SAES, Bullis, and SSFS? I do not understand why Bullis is disliked. We liked the HoS and his vision. Any thoughts would be useful.

You may want to follow the college forum on this site at some point, but as things have evolved, the high school matriculation lists for college have more to do with hooks than the high schools themselves. Please pick a school that is good for your kid and family and not because of the college matriculation list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Norwood. We liked HoS, but not so much the others we interacted with at the school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also look at K-8s. There are a lot of those around here, and then you can figure out the DC private scene and decide where you want to apply for high school. Norwood expands in 4th and sends kids to all the high schools you are considering. There is also WES, Langley, Lowell, Sheridan, Woods, and a couple others. K-8 is a popular model around here, not sure about in New England. There are also some K-6 schools here I think.

I think this is good advice. DC is not New England. It’s showier in some ways, and in some ways more insecure. It’s a city of lawyers.

I would say if you liked the lower school head at Norwood, check out NPS, but it ends in 6th, which you probably don’t want.

You may also like Langley, the private school, not the giant public school. WES, however, is more rigorous. Families at neither school are insecure or showy.

You may also find you like Sidwell. Elementary and middle school experiences can be uneven, it is showier and more insecure than many Boston privates, but of the K-12s it may be more to your taste than the others.

I don’t believe people consider WES rigorous? I know OP wants co-Ed but if you have a girl, Holton could be a good fit. Rigorous but not crazy, no religion, lots of opportunities for exploring all the stuff.

WES’s rigor ratchets up by grade. Eighth grade was harder than freshman year in our experience.

WES does a wonderful job of accommodating a range of learners, with the tippy top kids regularly heading to the very best schools in the area: St. Alban’s, Sidwell, GDS, Prep, Potomac, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:by hook you mean legacy? but don't you have to meet minimum standards for the university (unless you are a big donor)?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am trying to find my unicorn school coming from New England. We applied to a few schools, but we were unable to understand school rigor from one tour, especially online ones. We are interested in independent schools for small class sizes, academic rigor, social-emotional growth, and eventually down the line good college matriculation (top 50 US schools is fine with us). There is a lot of talk about the well-known schools. We understand that Sidwell, GDS, Potomac, and Cathedral schools are in a league. How are SAES, Bullis, and SSFS? I do not understand why Bullis is disliked. We liked the HoS and his vision. Any thoughts would be useful.

You may want to follow the college forum on this site at some point, but as things have evolved, the high school matriculation lists for college have more to do with hooks than the high schools themselves. Please pick a school that is good for your kid and family and not because of the college matriculation list.

No university has a thing called "minimum standards." They will always remain fluid to achieve the admissions they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Norwood. We liked HoS, but not so much the others we interacted with at the school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also look at K-8s. There are a lot of those around here, and then you can figure out the DC private scene and decide where you want to apply for high school. Norwood expands in 4th and sends kids to all the high schools you are considering. There is also WES, Langley, Lowell, Sheridan, Woods, and a couple others. K-8 is a popular model around here, not sure about in New England. There are also some K-6 schools here I think.

I think this is good advice. DC is not New England. It’s showier in some ways, and in some ways more insecure. It’s a city of lawyers.

Norwood would be a great option and, as a previous poster mentioned, it sends students to lots of different high schools. I'm surprised that you didn't like the people you interacted with. We have experience at several private schools and public and have found the faculty at Norwood extremely warm and caring (the HOS is amazing!).

Norwood has a solid music program, which would support your child’s interests. I have taught a number of Norwood students after they entered high school, and all of them were academically and socially well-prepared for entering ninth grade, so I’d say they are doing right by their students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


Rising 4th, we would love to connect with you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are looking for solid academic rigor. We looked at faculty profiles and liked Potomac. However, coming from academia good school does not equate good teacher.

Anonymous wrote:What are you looking for?

NCS is the most rigorous all girls.
STA is the most rigorous all boys.
Sidwell is the most rigorous coed.

In the next tier you have GDS
Then Potomac
Then Maret

Bullis isn't that rigorous. If it's near your house and you want a less intense experience for your kid, it could be a good fit. Their teachers are not as credentialed. At NCS Upper School, most of the Social Science and English teachers have PhDs. You won't find that at Bullis, at least now widespread. Compare the faculty profiles.

OP What grade are you looking at now? Current Potomac LS parent here.

Trying to figure out how to get you contact info without it being blasted to DCUM.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Rising 4th, we would love to connect with you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are looking for solid academic rigor. We looked at faculty profiles and liked Potomac. However, coming from academia good school does not equate good teacher.

Anonymous wrote:What are you looking for?

NCS is the most rigorous all girls.
STA is the most rigorous all boys.
Sidwell is the most rigorous coed.

In the next tier you have GDS
Then Potomac
Then Maret

Bullis isn't that rigorous. If it's near your house and you want a less intense experience for your kid, it could be a good fit. Their teachers are not as credentialed. At NCS Upper School, most of the Social Science and English teachers have PhDs. You won't find that at Bullis, at least now widespread. Compare the faculty profiles.

OP What grade are you looking at now? Current Potomac LS parent here.

Trying to figure out how to get you contact info without it being blasted to DCUM.....

Perhaps contact Bullis admissions and let them know that you’re willing to be in touch with out-of-state elementary applicants?