Field/Burke Comparison?

[Anonymous]

How do the academics and cultures of the two schools vary? Field's new facilities seem lovely.
What about that ol' favorite: Conspicuous consumption?
College placement? I'm less interested in Ivy League than I am a great Virginia state university....

[Anonymous]

I have visited both schools and know many parents of both schools. In my opinion, Burke seems to offer a better balance of progressiveness, rigor and structure. Field does have an impressive campus. However, I found the atmosphere too laid back. Also, I do not believe that the schools offer AP courses. But please confirm this. As far as demographics, Burke offers more racial, ethnic and socio economic diversity. On the other hand, Field's population is much more elite and much less racial/ethnically diverse. That said, you should consider the needs of your own DC and what is a better fit.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. That starts me off!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have visited both schools and know many parents of both schools. In my opinion, Burke seems to offer a better balance of progressiveness, rigor and structure. Field does have an impressive campus. However, I found the atmosphere too laid back. Also, I do not believe that the schools offer AP courses. But please confirm this. As far as demographics, Burke offers more racial, ethnic and socio economic diversity. On the other hand, Field's population is much more elite and much less racial/ethnically diverse. That said, you should consider the needs of your own DC and what is a better fit.

Actually, Burke offers AP courses in languages, sciences, english, US history, statistics, and Calculus AB. Field says on their website that they choose not to offer AP because the curriculum required for the test is too constraining.

[Anonymous]

They're quite different, I think you have to visit. My response to both surprised me. The one I expected to really like left me cold, I really liked the one I thought I would not. We're at that one. (I don't feel comfortable saying which because both schools are so small.) When we applied, they just felt like very different places, from the way the admissions offices dealt with us to the feel of the open houses to the personalities of the heads of school. It's tough to compare beyond this. Perhaps there's a parent with children in both out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're quite different, I think you have to visit. My response to both surprised me. The one I expected to really like left me cold, I really liked the one I thought I would not. We're at that one. (I don't feel comfortable saying which because both schools are so small.) When we applied, they just felt like very different places, from the way the admissions offices dealt with us to the feel of the open houses to the personalities of the heads of school. It's tough to compare beyond this. Perhaps there's a parent with children in both out there.

Come on - now you've really piqued my curiousity. Which one did you expect not to like

[Anonymous]

I know you didn't ask this but one difference to consider is that Burke is right by a metro stop. There might be a metrobus that goes by Field but it's not as accessible via mass transit. Obviously you want to pick the school that's right for your kid but if they're about equal this could play into your decision.

[Anonymous]

PP here I should have written "not like as much as I did." The much bigger surprise, in terms of degree, was not liking the school I thought I would like. Sorry I don't want to go beyond that in this context. It was based on an open house and a few other things. It's all so relative, among parents and goodness me between my child and myself. DC loved a TT school I found a tad precious, and did not like a TT school I really like. (Alas, DC was waitlisted at both.) No names here, either! Sorry for these piques!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have visited both schools and know many parents of both schools. In my opinion, Burke seems to offer a better balance of progressiveness, rigor and structure. Field does have an impressive campus. However, I found the atmosphere too laid back. Also, I do not believe that the schools offer AP courses. But please confirm this. As far as demographics, Burke offers more racial, ethnic and socio economic diversity. On the other hand, Field's population is much more elite and much less racial/ethnically diverse. That said, you should consider the needs of your own DC and what is a better fit.

I visited both, and liked Field's campus, but preferred Burke's atmosphere. I was turned off when a carload of high school kids pulled up in Beamer in the Field parking lot the day I visited. I think Burke's accessibility via Metro is a huge plus. Field seems to have a lot of money (who gave the money for that new campus?) but offers a very small amount of financial aid. I expect the academics at both schools are fairly equal. The tour guide at Field spent a lot of time talking about learning differences on our tour, which made me wonder what kind of kids go there. But both schools seem to offer excellent academics. Class sizes are very small, like a limit of 11, at Field. I think a child who is into sports would prefer Field. They have nice athletic facilities. The kids seemed a little more down to earth at Burke, which I liked. It's a more urban school than Field.

[Anonymous]

Just need to mention here that Field has their own buses that swing by public transportation hubs, such as Friendship Heights. So if a teen can get herself via bus or Metro to FH, then she can get to Field w/o a car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have visited both schools and know many parents of both schools. In my opinion, Burke seems to offer a better balance of progressiveness, rigor and structure. Field does have an impressive campus. However, I found the atmosphere too laid back. Also, I do not believe that the schools offer AP courses. But please confirm this. As far as demographics, Burke offers more racial, ethnic and socio economic diversity. On the other hand, Field's population is much more elite and much less racial/ethnically diverse. That said, you should consider the needs of your own DC and what is a better fit.

I visited both, and liked Field's campus, but preferred Burke's atmosphere. I was turned off when a carload of high school kids pulled up in Beamer in the Field parking lot the day I visited. I think Burke's accessibility via Metro is a huge plus. Field seems to have a lot of money (who gave the money for that new campus?) but offers a very small amount of financial aid. I expect the academics at both schools are fairly equal. The tour guide at Field spent a lot of time talking about learning differences on our tour, which made me wonder what kind of kids go there. But both schools seem to offer excellent academics. Class sizes are very small, like a limit of 11, at Field. I think a child who is into sports would prefer Field. They have nice athletic facilities. The kids seemed a little more down to earth at Burke, which I liked. It's a more urban school than Field.

I agree, but what I liked about Burke was that it seems that kids with an interest in sports are welcome to give a sport a try. DC is very artsy, but has always liked to give sports a go for the fun of it and Burke is pretty welcoming to this attitude.

[Anonymous]

I'm not following the comparison regarding sports. Are sports an elective at Burke? At Field, participation in sports is required, students are only excused if they participate in sports, like ballet lessons or club soccer, outside school. Some sports are more competitive, so students who aren't wild about sports can find something. My DC is at Field, it's a great fit, I'd like to not that as far as students driving fancy cars, I just don't see any in the student parking lot. And it is the kind of thing I'd notice. There may be some, but not when I'm there, so there can't be that many. I don't think the Beamer is representative. (And depending on the time of day, it could have been a student from another school, or a sibling driving their parents' car.)

[Anonymous]

like to note ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not following the comparison regarding sports. Are sports an elective at Burke? At Field, participation in sports is required, students are only excused if they participate in sports, like ballet lessons or club soccer, outside school. Some sports are more competitive, so students who aren't wild about sports can find something. My DC is at Field, it's a great fit, I'd like to not that as far as students driving fancy cars, I just don't see any in the student parking lot. And it is the kind of thing I'd notice. There may be some, but not when I'm there, so there can't be that many. I don't think the Beamer is representative. (And depending on the time of day, it could have been a student from another school, or a sibling driving their parents' car.)

As I understand PE is required, but that requirement can be met through sport participation or other types of physical activity including daily jogging and yoga.

[Anonymous]

Right, Field is flexible in this regard as well, though not sure to what degree, i.e., all the exempted students I know have serious outside commitments, fencing and tennis as well as those I mentioned.