McLean school for GT/ADHD

[Anonymous]

The current lower school head is leaving. Her replacement has to be an improvement because there's no where to go but up.

[Anonymous]

What do you get for 50,000?

[Anonymous]

Small classes and technology. Everything else is an add on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a current McLean parent. My kid started in middle school because he needed extra support and would have been lost in a public MS. We never intended to stay for HS. In fact, most families I know whose kids are able to function in a traditional private, parochial or public school leave McLean by HS. The HS is half the size of the MS and I assume that is the reason. PP's experiences with her kids may be different but I believe he/she is in the minority in terms of experiences at McLean. The new leadership is focused on marketing and glossy brochures and presentations. They make a big deal out of being voted one of the best private schools by the Bethesda magazine. That is because they hound families to vote for McLean, which is all it is based on. Then they can advertise that during open houses and parent meetings. The annual tuition increases are insane. Two years in a row, they have had close to 9% tuition increases. It is difficult for regular wage earners to keep pace with it. So, it has become a school of the wealthy or those families who live on trust funds. And, you start to ask, where does the money go? It is not going to the facilities because there is no room for expansion unlike Lab School which just opened a new high school. So, they can justify tuition increases. The curriculum is all over the place and it is difficult to know if it is aligned to the MCPS standards because they do not give standardized tests. I am expecting my DS to be behind when he leaves for another high school in the Fall. I am anticipating having to hire tutors. But, I felt he needed the nurturing environment of McLean for MS. However, HS is another matter and I need him to be prepared for college. All I have to say is all that glitters is not gold. And, think twice before you fork over the $40K+ for MS and HS. Know the tuition will continue to increase each year. It is now higher than the Big 3 private schools.

. I understand from a current parent that tuition just reached $50,000. The school is very administrative heavy. There are people sitting in offices seemingly doing much of nothing. Seriously.

I can only speak about middle school. It's not $50,000--at least not 5th or 6th grade this year.

[Anonymous]

When you include the fees, it comes close. You can easily lose track of the add ons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you include the fees, it comes close. You can easily lose track of the add ons.

https://www.mcleanschool.org/page/admission/tuition-and-fees

For HS, with the fees, you will get close to $50,000.

Is the registration fee for new students a deposit? or is that an additional fee?

http://www.sidwell.edu/admissions/tuition-and-fees/index.aspx

By contrast tuition at Sidwell is $39,360 and includes hot lunch. The only other cost sited is textbooks.

[Anonymous]

Whether it's $40K or $50K, it is not worth the cost. For AD/GT, it is insufficient. For students who have different learning styles, who need differentiated teaching, it's insufficient. For average students, if they leave McLean and go to another school, the likelihood of them being behind academically is great. The bottom line is to save your money and look elsewhere. Wish we had.

[Anonymous]

And, speaking of administrators, what does the director of enrollment management do? I have never heard of that. Do other private schools have such a position?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And, speaking of administrators, what does the director of enrollment management do? I have never heard of that. Do other private schools have such a position?

That guy seems to go from position to position at that school.

[Anonymous]

He's in charge of bus duty.

[Anonymous]

Just read this thread in disbelief. I agree someone needing gifted education would not be happy at McLean - my child in the "advanced" math group and is just on pace with Mcps gen ed. But most of the kids in the class have at least one LD in reading or math. Much of the work is "below" grade level because this curriculum meets kids where they are - the school represents it can accommodate up to 2 grade levels behind so I'm not sure why the parents upthread were surprised. I agree that the rapidly rising tuition is disappointing. It's a niche place and I feel for parents who feel it was a bait and switch. But for my DD with average IQ, a moderate to severe LD in reading and no other needs, it has been a blessing to her and our family. She has confidence again, accesses and enjoys the curriculum, is learning to decode better and is thriving in the nurturing environment.

[Anonymous]

Why is the tuition rapidly rising? And, what is there to justify it? It can't just be small class size and technology. It is beginning to seem like a Ponzi or pyramid scheme.

[Anonymous]

Ponzi suggests fraud and that is definitely not it! I am a current lower school parent and my theory is Lab lower school is charging 47k so McLean feels they can raise tuition and still be in line with other area SN Private options. Lab's lower school's facility isn't nearly as nice as McLean's either.

[Anonymous]

Excuse me. Lab school has a new high school. They have a dedicated lower school building in which they are negotiating a lease renewal with the city. McLean is stuck in an old MCPS building with no expansion possibilities. And, I hear they are paying exorbitant rent on it. There is no comparison to Lab. And, Lab has a swimming pool. Please come up with something better for $50K.

[Anonymous]

McLean is still much less expensive than Lab and just a bit more than Siena.