Seriously considering turning down a Big 5 for Bullis- Will we regret this?

[Anonymous]

Is Big 5 like North Potomac?

[Anonymous]

I have to say, it sounds like the OP is an admissions director from Bullis who made up this post to drum up support for Bullis. I have no skin in the game — my kids go to other schools and live in DC so Bullis was never a real contender. Just smells weird.

[Anonymous]

None of this stuff actually matters in the real world, OP. Just pick the school he feels most comfortable at. Virtually everyone loves Bullis. Potomac is gorgeous but a huge pressure cooker. Maret is a good blend between the two.

[Anonymous]

The culture at Bullis is about if you’re rich or famous. The kids are beyond rude and snobby and mean to each other over everything from lunch status to who goes to what parties and events etc. there’s like a caste system for the after HoCo parties for instance. (Not like the normal popular kids but like really international) The kids in some sports teams are downright mean to each other. You get treated very differently if a donor etc - for example coincidentally the super rich kids all seem to have that one college counselor with the better connections. The academics are “fine” and not like the ridiculous 4 plus hours or homework a night at some for the Big Whatevers. Some teachers a very good. Some are ehh. And they also tend to give up on trying to engage or challenge kids who aren’t doing it on their own. They ignore “normal” kids and never want to talk about any issues that may come up. They did figure out how to juke things to get more kids into better schools than they did like a decade ago. The kids all now call it an academy named after the one Olympian and they talk about that one kid and other kids of “famous for DC” parents a ridiculous amount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The culture at Bullis is about if you’re rich or famous. The kids are beyond rude and snobby and mean to each other over everything from lunch status to who goes to what parties and events etc. there’s like a caste system for the after HoCo parties for instance. (Not like the normal popular kids but like really international) The kids in some sports teams are downright mean to each other. You get treated very differently if a donor etc - for example coincidentally the super rich kids all seem to have that one college counselor with the better connections. The academics are “fine” and not like the ridiculous 4 plus hours or homework a night at some for the Big Whatevers. Some teachers a very good. Some are ehh. And they also tend to give up on trying to engage or challenge kids who aren’t doing it on their own. They ignore “normal” kids and never want to talk about any issues that may come up. They did figure out how to juke things to get more kids into better schools than they did like a decade ago. The kids all now call it an academy named after the one Olympian and they talk about that one kid and other kids of “famous for DC” parents a ridiculous amount.

Intentional (not international - autocorrect fail)

[Anonymous]

Wouldn’t choose Bullis over a Big 5. Over a Big 6? Maybe.

[Anonymous]

There is a big bullying problem at Bullis that admin does nothing about. I suspect this is because the bullies have money and that’s all this school cares about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn’t choose Bullis over a Big 5. Over a Big 6? Maybe.

Everyone is different. Some people choose BIM, SSSAS, SAES, and even Flint Hill over Big 3’s for different reasons. They are all good schools. For high school years I let my kids make the final decision.

[Anonymous]

Buillis is a great school and if it’s where your son felt most comfortable, do not hesitate to make that choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a big bullying problem at Bullis that admin does nothing about. I suspect this is because the bullies have money and that’s all this school cares about.

+ 1. Toxic cesspool socially. Spoiled rotten kids with cyber trucks and jeeps with ducks who do whatever they want and culture is dominated by bullying in Upper School and Admin doesn’t care.
School work not as rigorous - little homework, spoon fed teaching, exams after second trimester - all designed to get full pay kids into The U and better. And it’s working for them.

[Anonymous]

Everything about this post is accurate. Spot on.

Anonymous wrote:The culture at Bullis is about if you’re rich or famous. The kids are beyond rude and snobby and mean to each other over everything from lunch status to who goes to what parties and events etc. there’s like a caste system for the after HoCo parties for instance. (Not like the normal popular kids but like really international) The kids in some sports teams are downright mean to each other. You get treated very differently if a donor etc - for example coincidentally the super rich kids all seem to have that one college counselor with the better connections. The academics are “fine” and not like the ridiculous 4 plus hours or homework a night at some for the Big Whatevers. Some teachers a very good. Some are ehh. And they also tend to give up on trying to engage or challenge kids who aren’t doing it on their own. They ignore “normal” kids and never want to talk about any issues that may come up. They did figure out how to juke things to get more kids into better schools than they did like a decade ago. The kids all now call it an academy named after the one Olympian and they talk about that one kid and other kids of “famous for DC” parents a ridiculous amount.

Intentional (not international - autocorrect fail)

[Anonymous]

You don’t think the whole elitist social attitude is present at most other top privates?

[Anonymous]

Exactly. It's ironic to see this written about Bullis when this just reeks of everything I have heard from Langley (spoiled rotten moms serving on boards jetting off to europe for weekend getaways and kids bday parties in Aruba); Potomac (spoiled kids and parents bullying is endless and status/whose hedge fund does what/etc...); Sidwell (ENOUGH SAID), and more. This is just par for the course!!!!! None of these schools are founded on the ideals of a Franciscan monastery. It's pay to play baby!

[Anonymous]

I know quite a few families who value academics, especially STEM education, who have turned down Sidwell or GDS for Bullis. How does Bullis’s STEM curriculum compare with that of the top public schools in the area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know quite a few families who value academics, especially STEM education, who have turned down Sidwell or GDS for Bullis. How does Bullis’s STEM curriculum compare with that of the top public schools in the area?

The top public are always going to be able to offer more STEM options and greater acceleration if that’s important to you. That’s just the nature of having a much larger school with more teachers.