St. Andrews vs Bullis

[Anonymous]

Accommodating a full range of learners and learning styles, along with learning differences, is St. Andrew’s signature. It is a community that celebrates and inspires achievement at all levels. You will be pleased with how your child thrives at SAES...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Accommodating a full range of learners and learning styles, along with learning differences, is St. Andrew’s signature. It is a community that celebrates and inspires achievement at all levels. You will be pleased with how your child thrives at SAES...

This is a little too ad-speak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Accommodating a full range of learners and learning styles, along with learning differences, is St. Andrew’s signature. It is a community that celebrates and inspires achievement at all levels. You will be pleased with how your child thrives at SAES...

This is a little too ad-speak.

It’s still true though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Accommodating a full range of learners and learning styles, along with learning differences, is St. Andrew’s signature. It is a community that celebrates and inspires achievement at all levels. You will be pleased with how your child thrives at SAES...

This is a little too ad-speak.

LOL, I will take that as constructive feedback. I guess my communications background shows through, but I’m just a satisfied SAES parent. Hopefully the other recent post (presumably from another parent) on how the comment is accurate supports my observations!

[Anonymous]

I'm a SAES parent and Sidwell alumna. I like what the poster said about the Univ of Arizona vs William & Mary in her Bullis vs SAES comparison. Sounds right.

St. Andrew's is small (90ish kids in an US grade), close-knit, a mix of traditional and progressive, and I happen to agree that were it located in NW DC, it would rank among the top schools. Not because the student body is uniformly as competitive -- although my child's class has a large number of high achievers. But because the faculty, curriculum, administration, facilities, communications are all exceptional.

Geography counts for a lot in metropolitan DC. It used to matter more, I think, to be located close in. But between the population growth and concentration of wealth of Montgomery County, there's no need for SAES admissions to try too hard to compete with the DC privates. They're already filling their school with talented, friendly kids. Mine has had a wonderful experience. Made the best friends of her life and feels very well prepared for her selective college.

One last thing -- a bigger school is more likely to have really competitive sports. Bullis is a bigger pool of kids to draw from, right? But St. Andrew's is competing against similarly sized schools in their leagues and winning championships. And more kids get to play because of the small size of the student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a SAES parent and Sidwell alumna. I like what the poster said about the Univ of Arizona vs William & Mary in her Bullis vs SAES comparison. Sounds right.

St. Andrew's is small (90ish kids in an US grade), close-knit, a mix of traditional and progressive, and I happen to agree that were it located in NW DC, it would rank among the top schools. Not because the student body is uniformly as competitive -- although my child's class has a large number of high achievers. But because the faculty, curriculum, administration, facilities, communications are all exceptional.

Geography counts for a lot in metropolitan DC. It used to matter more, I think, to be located close in. But between the population growth and concentration of wealth of Montgomery County, there's no need for SAES admissions to try too hard to compete with the DC privates. They're already filling their school with talented, friendly kids. Mine has had a wonderful experience. Made the best friends of her life and feels very well prepared for her selective college.

One last thing -- a bigger school is more likely to have really competitive sports. Bullis is a bigger pool of kids to draw from, right? But St. Andrew's is competing against similarly sized schools in their leagues and winning championships. And more kids get to play because of the small size of the student body.

Location doesn’t seem to deter DC families from choosing SAES. Even the president sends his child there. If it’s the best fit, I’m sure plenty of DC families choose it.

[Anonymous]

Another SAES prospective parent here -- we are admitted into middle school, and our daughter is shy, sensitive, and awkward (at first, at least). We're a little worried about her fitting in. She has friends in her current school, but definitely gets the brunt of the "mean girls" sometimes. Hoping for some reassurance that SAES is a warm, welcoming place for that kind of kid (or I guess looking for the hard truth if it isn't).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another SAES prospective parent here -- we are admitted into middle school, and our daughter is shy, sensitive, and awkward (at first, at least). We're a little worried about her fitting in. She has friends in her current school, but definitely gets the brunt of the "mean girls" sometimes. Hoping for some reassurance that SAES is a warm, welcoming place for that kind of kid (or I guess looking for the hard truth if it isn't).

SAES is everything good that you have heard. Small, diverse classes. The kids are kind and welcoming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another SAES prospective parent here -- we are admitted into middle school, and our daughter is shy, sensitive, and awkward (at first, at least). We're a little worried about her fitting in. She has friends in her current school, but definitely gets the brunt of the "mean girls" sometimes. Hoping for some reassurance that SAES is a warm, welcoming place for that kind of kid (or I guess looking for the hard truth if it isn't).

SAES is everything good that you have heard. Small, diverse classes. The kids are kind and welcoming.

I have a boy, so I can speak authoritatively about the experience of girls's at SAES (although I have a HS daughter at another school).I don't think anyone can assure you there will be no mean girls at SAES. These are MS girls, some are cliquey and sometimes someone might be painfully left out. However, the overall warmth and kindness of the place is palpable. This culture check bad behavior. The faculty's ability to see and know each kid also goes a long way to making the "sting" of any problems with your peers less significant. The only complaint I have heard from my son's class was in 6th grade when the class was very gender lopsided and heavy boy. That left girls with a limited ability to maneuver socially. The class has since grown, adding 6-8 more girls by the end of MS, and I have not heard complaints of late. They class further expands in HS to what I think is an optimal size that is small but large enough to "find you people."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok reputations

Bullis: monied parents with loose rules, kids are fast, not the brightest, parents host parties and take a blind eye. Athletics most important. A lot of one upping materially, kids’ care etc

SAES: quirkier kids, athletics have improved, not on the party circuit (there’s a whole private school scene, trust me), parents engaged and low key. Academics very good. While considerable wealth at the school it’s not cool to be showy.

This is correct. We have a family friend whose child is at SAES and is thriving both with academics and sports. Only 50 children in her entire grade. It’s a close knit group with no drama and no bullying.

ALL schools have bullying. So sick of hearing about private schools who have no bullying. We fell for that at a school that touts how warm they are. (If you asked the rep on here everyone would say warm atmosphere) and when we pulled our son out for bullying that all admin turned a blind eye to three other parents did the same.

[Anonymous]

Given the geography, I guess it's no mystery that people would seek to contrast/compare Bullis and St. Andrew's. But it still seems odd to me. Having had a child at St Andrew's now for five years and having been a family at two DC privates, I think the most apt comparison is Maret.

[Anonymous]

St. Andrews. No comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St. Andrews. No comparison.

+1000000

[Anonymous]

St. Andrews has a better reputation right now.

[Anonymous]

Bullis is way better. More kids admitted to top tier colleges