Potomac and Holton

[Anonymous]

VA is a big place Our drive to Holton from McLean is 20-30 mins.

[Anonymous]

As others have noted, the social dynamics can vary by grade and personality of your child. My DD's Potomac class had two girls who transferred into Potomac in 10th grade, as they were miserable in their Holton class. But, I have friends with daughters at Holton that were in that very same class and loved it.

[Anonymous]

Mean girls with mean parents-Potomac has these types of kids in spades. Some classes aren’t as bad as others but that’s about all that can be said.

[Anonymous]

Omg, Holton is above Potomac academically. A whole tier above.

[Anonymous]

All my kids went to Potomac and all went to Ivies--no hooks. I think real value in going to school with boys and girls.

[Anonymous]

We visited Holton and got ultra competitive vibes.

[Anonymous]

And an inferiority complex to NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Omg, Holton is above Potomac academically. A whole tier above.

+1
Potomac is a good school, but it's not comparable with Holton for a ton of reasons and one of them is more about the network. The DC schools and the Maryland schools near the border including Holton are part of the same social and professional universe. Many families might have one kid at Sidwell, STA, GDS and another at Holton or Landon or St. Andrew's, etc. Many parents all work together and if they do country clubs they are in the same ones. The kids go to the same dance classes, play on the same sports teams. There are some wealthy businesspeople at all private schools but at the DC and Maryland schools there are also a lot of people in high level politics, diplomacy and media. Potomac has a lot of wealth but it's more filled with gov. contractor types in IT and that type of thing and it's less intellectual in a lot of ways and their social and professional universes don't overlap in the same way. Part of it is location and being in Virginia but it's also just the type of families the school attracts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because of hooks, college acceptance and matriculation data for local privates can be highly misleading with respect to an unhooked student's chances of admission to a particular college.

OP here. Thanks for the above, this is the kind of insight we’re hoping to gain. For example, which of these two schools enable more unhooked kids into better colleges?

Holton hands down. Many of the Potomac kids going to good schools are recruits. Holton has a better track record of getting unhooked smart girls into top schools. Holton also has an environment where nerdy smart girls are valued. It's not the same at Potomac. There is definitely a place for them as Potomac has strong classes and some great academic oriented clubs but Potomac has a type of sports worship culture that permeates how the school thinks about students and treats students.

If you are in Va, I'd still consider it, especially if you want co-ed, but not worth the commute if you are in DC or Maryland.

[Anonymous]

One thing that you might hate about Potomac is that it has special subject programs in high school and all the students who are considered the top students are in them. There are only limited spots and there's no transparency about the process and there's favoritism to big donor kids and teacher kids and outgoing sports kids and others.

You might also like this and see it as an opportunity if the subjects are of interest to your child but IMO these programs are divisive. I heard they were started in STEM to try to attract some of the TJ caliber crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VA is a big place Our drive to Holton from McLean is 20-30 mins.

In the am--can be 1hr+ in the afternoon/evening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, Holton is above Potomac academically. A whole tier above.

+1
Potomac is a good school, but it's not comparable with Holton for a ton of reasons and one of them is more about the network. The DC schools and the Maryland schools near the border including Holton are part of the same social and professional universe. Many families might have one kid at Sidwell, STA, GDS and another at Holton or Landon or St. Andrew's, etc. Many parents all work together and if they do country clubs they are in the same ones. The kids go to the same dance classes, play on the same sports teams. There are some wealthy businesspeople at all private schools but at the DC and Maryland schools there are also a lot of people in high level politics, diplomacy and media. Potomac has a lot of wealth but it's more filled with gov. contractor types in IT and that type of thing and it's less intellectual in a lot of ways and their social and professional universes don't overlap in the same way. Part of it is location and being in Virginia but it's also just the type of families the school attracts.

This is one of the dumbest, most obnoxious posts I’ve ever read on this board. Which is saying a lot, given the sheer volume of dumb, obnoxious things people say here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, Holton is above Potomac academically. A whole tier above.

+1
Potomac is a good school, but it's not comparable with Holton for a ton of reasons and one of them is more about the network. The DC schools and the Maryland schools near the border including Holton are part of the same social and professional universe. Many families might have one kid at Sidwell, STA, GDS and another at Holton or Landon or St. Andrew's, etc. Many parents all work together and if they do country clubs they are in the same ones. The kids go to the same dance classes, play on the same sports teams. There are some wealthy businesspeople at all private schools but at the DC and Maryland schools there are also a lot of people in high level politics, diplomacy and media. Potomac has a lot of wealth but it's more filled with gov. contractor types in IT and that type of thing and it's less intellectual in a lot of ways and their social and professional universes don't overlap in the same way. Part of it is location and being in Virginia but it's also just the type of families the school attracts.

This is a ridiculous post PP. As a family with kids at Potomac and a top dc private, I’ll say there are more old school connections and money at Potomac. Remember it’s been around since 1904 and used to be in dc. There are many multi generation alum families there. It also seems to be the school for the tech money.
I still think this is a stupid reply - go to the school for the education and how it prepares you for college. Potomac will help find the best fit for each student. Don’t pick a school based on the connections of families at the school. If your main goal is to go to an ivy, stick with public. If your goal is to come out of school with a deep understanding of material, a love for learning, great public speaking and interpersonal skills, then do private.
I can’t personally speak to how Potomac compares to Holton bc my children did not want single sex. I’d suggest applying broadly bc admissions at all of these schools has been tough the last few years. For potomac, 6th grade is an entry year, but the last two years many alum and sibling applicants have not gotten in. I’d apply broadly before your daughter gets her heart too set on any one place.
To the PPs who have said Potomac parents and kids are mean, that has not been our experience. It’s been very warm and welcoming, both to my very outgoing and athletic child, as well as to my bookish STEM child.
Good luck in your search. Go in with an open mind and don’t get too wedded to any one school. The majority of kids are very happy wherever they end up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, Holton is above Potomac academically. A whole tier above.

+1
Potomac is a good school, but it's not comparable with Holton for a ton of reasons and one of them is more about the network. The DC schools and the Maryland schools near the border including Holton are part of the same social and professional universe. Many families might have one kid at Sidwell, STA, GDS and another at Holton or Landon or St. Andrew's, etc. Many parents all work together and if they do country clubs they are in the same ones. The kids go to the same dance classes, play on the same sports teams. There are some wealthy businesspeople at all private schools but at the DC and Maryland schools there are also a lot of people in high level politics, diplomacy and media. Potomac has a lot of wealth but it's more filled with gov. contractor types in IT and that type of thing and it's less intellectual in a lot of ways and their social and professional universes don't overlap in the same way. Part of it is location and being in Virginia but it's also just the type of families the school attracts.

This is one of the dumbest, most obnoxious posts I’ve ever read on this board. Which is saying a lot, given the sheer volume of dumb, obnoxious things people say here.

Touched a nerve? IMO this is not necessarily a reason to pick another school over Potomac but it's just more information so that OP understands the schools and their backgrounds. DD is at another private in Va, applying this fall, and all of our neighbors who have kids Potomac are contractors or made their money recently in tech. The good part about this is you may see fewer lobbyists than at the DC or Maryland privates. Kidding. One of my best friends is a lobbyist and a great person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, Holton is above Potomac academically. A whole tier above.

+1
Potomac is a good school, but it's not comparable with Holton for a ton of reasons and one of them is more about the network. The DC schools and the Maryland schools near the border including Holton are part of the same social and professional universe. Many families might have one kid at Sidwell, STA, GDS and another at Holton or Landon or St. Andrew's, etc. Many parents all work together and if they do country clubs they are in the same ones. The kids go to the same dance classes, play on the same sports teams. There are some wealthy businesspeople at all private schools but at the DC and Maryland schools there are also a lot of people in high level politics, diplomacy and media. Potomac has a lot of wealth but it's more filled with gov. contractor types in IT and that type of thing and it's less intellectual in a lot of ways and their social and professional universes don't overlap in the same way. Part of it is location and being in Virginia but it's also just the type of families the school attracts.

This is a ridiculous post PP. As a family with kids at Potomac and a top dc private, I’ll say there are more old school connections and money at Potomac. Remember it’s been around since 1904 and used to be in dc. There are many multi generation alum families there. It also seems to be the school for the tech money.
I still think this is a stupid reply - go to the school for the education and how it prepares you for college. Potomac will help find the best fit for each student. Don’t pick a school based on the connections of families at the school. If your main goal is to go to an ivy, stick with public. If your goal is to come out of school with a deep understanding of material, a love for learning, great public speaking and interpersonal skills, then do private.
I can’t personally speak to how Potomac compares to Holton bc my children did not want single sex. I’d suggest applying broadly bc admissions at all of these schools has been tough the last few years. For potomac, 6th grade is an entry year, but the last two years many alum and sibling applicants have not gotten in. I’d apply broadly before your daughter gets her heart too set on any one place.
To the PPs who have said Potomac parents and kids are mean, that has not been our experience. It’s been very warm and welcoming, both to my very outgoing and athletic child, as well as to my bookish STEM child.
Good luck in your search. Go in with an open mind and don’t get too wedded to any one school. The majority of kids are very happy wherever they end up.

You know damn well the above is not even close to be true.
When it comes to connections and old school money, Potomac has never been in the discussion. If it has money now, it's new money.
DP.