Maret and Sidwell-- arts, humanities, science or math?

[Anonymous]

For parents who have kids who are currently in the middle or high school at Maret or Sidwell-- Would you consider the school stronger in arts and humanities or science and math? Did you choose the schools based on these characteristics? And please, no bashing of either school. I sincerely want to know the strengths of each school as we have kids who are strong in different areas and want to know where to focus our efforts.

[Anonymous]

Interested in this as well, In addition to the sense of community in middle and upper schools at both these schools. What is the camraderie like among students? Are they supportive of one another, or competitive? And are they still joyful or stressed? Not trying to hijack this thread but hoping that those in the know can comment on both the academic and social atmospheres of these two schools.

[Anonymous]

I have a high school kid at Maret. FWIW, my kid is very good at academics.

All I can really say re "strengths" is that I cannot imagine any reason to want a school that is "stronger" in either arts/humanities, or science/math, than Maret. (I mean, really. How many of us went to high schools that are anywhere near as strong, for high academic stuff, as are the top dozen or so schools in the DC area these days???) My kid is able to take classes that are challenging in all those fields. There are various levels and electives and paths, so kids can choose how much they are ready to be pushed and work a bit harder, depending on each kid's interests and abilities.

My opinion is that even if Sidwell or Groton or wherever is "stronger," in the sense of pushing even harder, then that is not what a well-adjusted teenager needs. No need to burn our kids out before they are 20, and no promise that pushing them to the utmost degree will lead to happiness and success.

Regarding comraderie, support and competition - a kid at Maret who wants comraderie and support will find it easily. I imagine that there must be some jerks and gunners but I have not seen or heard of them.

As to joyful - this is what struck us most about Maret during application process: it is the only one of the high-academic private schools in DC, so far as I can tell, that explicitly has "joy" as a goal in its mission statement. And I really think that they mean it.

[Anonymous]

21:29 Thanks for a long drawn out comment process that did not answer my question. If you really believe that your school is equally strong in both subjects good for you but most parents, who are honest with themselves, will still say that some schools focus on certain areas or there may be an area that has been stronger in the last few years. (At 40k per year, I think all schools will be somewhat strong in most areas but still better in certain areas than others). So I would like to hear from those that may have a little more to offer in this respect.

[Anonymous]

Wow - not sure anyone is going to bother to help you with a reply like that. 20:25 here, and I for one would greatly appreciate any feedback on these schools...

[Anonymous]

I am a parent of 2 kids that are/were at Sidwell, for MS and US. The MS focuses on the whole kid, much as Maret does. The math and science program is very robust, orchestra and chorus are good, but I am most impressed by the humanities. My kid loves history and social science and he soaks up knowledge like a sponge from the class dialog and assignments. The work is appropriately challenging for a MS student. I do not know Maret, but I have heard the same is true there.

US is quite different academically. It is very difficult, and kids have to constantly push themselves to excel. There is active grade deflation. The math rivals what I had at a top college, in that it develops, calculus for example, from first principles. There is no learning equations by memory and applying them. The student is required to understand the basis of everything they are doing completely. This is a much different approach than MCPS, which I also know from a cousin's child, which teaches to the tests. I do not know about Maret. English is very intense. There is an emphasis on writing and critical thinking, but I do not feel it is truly inspiring, although all the kids learn to write well thru a lot of practice. Foreign languages are good, especially Chinese, which starts in MS. The China program is unique.My kid's favorite classes are history classes. The teachers are super committed to really delving into the complexities of historical issues. Classes in history that focus on a region, say China or Africa include summer trips that are intense learning experiences, not just sight seeing or volunteer work. My kid interviewed a supreme court justice with 7 other students for an hour. he knows all about the arguments and cases that they court is reviewing and is fascinated by constitutional history. The choir is truly superior. The choir teacher is just one in a million. Drama is good. Not sure about other music and art. in the US. All the teachers are very dedicated. A small number are inflexible, but they are always willing to spend time with a student who asks. Teachers do not like parents to be involved in US, which I like. My kids is on FA and he had his teachers meet with him one on one a lot to go over work, prepare for tests, etc. But the majority of students seem to have tutors in one or more subjects. There is no way of getting around it -- the upper school is high powered and stressful and works best for very, very bright assertive kids who will not get discouraged if they get a B sometimes.

Despite this both of my kids classes are super supportive and there is a real sense of community. People make fun of the Quaker values, but they are real. In US kids work together actively and support and respect each other. They suffer with their friends who have a bad grade and celebrate when their friends do well. The MS is super friendly too and accepting. Both parent groups are nice and not at all snooty. Sidwell deals actively with racial and social issues . Its not perfect, but it provides a safe haven for gifted students of color. The school is exceptionally diverse. My kids who receive FA feel very at home and do not care if their friends' parents are rich, famous, or just regular folks. Hopes this helps. As I said, I do not know Maret, but hear good things. The only negative thing I have heard from one family is that the school is very small, so there may not be as much social diversity, just because there are fewer students.

[Anonymous]

22:48. OP here. Thank you. This was very helpful and I appreciate how in depth you were particularly late in the evening!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:21:29 Thanks for a long drawn out comment process that did not answer my question. If you really believe that your school is equally strong in both subjects good for you but most parents, who are honest with themselves, will still say that some schools focus on certain areas or there may be an area that has been stronger in the last few years. (At 40k per year, I think all schools will be somewhat strong in most areas but still better in certain areas than others). So I would like to hear from those that may have a little more to offer in this respect.

Yeah. Ok. Don't go to Maret. You're not nice enough.

[Anonymous]

And don't go to Sidwell either, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:21:29 Thanks for a long drawn out comment process that did not answer my question. If you really believe that your school is equally strong in both subjects good for you but most parents, who are honest with themselves, will still say that some schools focus on certain areas or there may be an area that has been stronger in the last few years. (At 40k per year, I think all schools will be somewhat strong in most areas but still better in certain areas than others). So I would like to hear from those that may have a little more to offer in this respect.

Yeah. Ok. Don't go to Maret. You're not nice enough.

There is a strong emphasis on kindness at Maret and I'm sensing that the school may not be the right fit for you.

[Anonymous]

I understand that math at Sidwell Upper School deals more in the theoretical rather than applied/practical, hence the depth that the 22:48 poster above noted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a parent of 2 kids that are/were at Sidwell, for MS and US. The MS focuses on the whole kid, much as Maret does. The math and science program is very robust, orchestra and chorus are good, but I am most impressed by the humanities. My kid loves history and social science and he soaks up knowledge like a sponge from the class dialog and assignments. The work is appropriately challenging for a MS student. I do not know Maret, but I have heard the same is true there.

US is quite different academically. It is very difficult, and kids have to constantly push themselves to excel. There is active grade deflation. The math rivals what I had at a top college, in that it develops, calculus for example, from first principles. There is no learning equations by memory and applying them. The student is required to understand the basis of everything they are doing completely. This is a much different approach than MCPS, which I also know from a cousin's child, which teaches to the tests. I do not know about Maret. English is very intense. There is an emphasis on writing and critical thinking, but I do not feel it is truly inspiring, although all the kids learn to write well thru a lot of practice. Foreign languages are good, especially Chinese, which starts in MS. The China program is unique.My kid's favorite classes are history classes. The teachers are super committed to really delving into the complexities of historical issues. Classes in history that focus on a region, say China or Africa include summer trips that are intense learning experiences, not just sight seeing or volunteer work. My kid interviewed a supreme court justice with 7 other students for an hour. he knows all about the arguments and cases that they court is reviewing and is fascinated by constitutional history. The choir is truly superior. The choir teacher is just one in a million. Drama is good. Not sure about other music and art. in the US. All the teachers are very dedicated. A small number are inflexible, but they are always willing to spend time with a student who asks. Teachers do not like parents to be involved in US, which I like. My kids is on FA and he had his teachers meet with him one on one a lot to go over work, prepare for tests, etc. But the majority of students seem to have tutors in one or more subjects. There is no way of getting around it -- the upper school is high powered and stressful and works best for very, very bright assertive kids who will not get discouraged if they get a B sometimes."

Despite this both of my kids classes are super supportive and there is a real sense of community. People make fun of the Quaker values, but they are real. In US kids work together actively and support and respect each other. They suffer with their friends who have a bad grade and celebrate when their friends do well. The MS is super friendly too and accepting. Both parent groups are nice and not at all snooty. Sidwell deals actively with racial and social issues . Its not perfect, but it provides a safe haven for gifted students of color. The school is exceptionally diverse. My kids who receive FA feel very at home and do not care if their friends' parents are rich, famous, or just regular folks. Hopes this helps. As I said, I do not know Maret, but hear good things. The only negative thing I have heard from one family is that the school is very small, so there may not be as much social diversity, just because there are fewer students.

Well written, thoughtful, and, IMO, accurate post. I have two kids graduate from Sidwell. As time goes on, I appreciate their time at Sidwell more and more. They were well prepared for college and life, they have a good sense of values and principles, learned at home but reinforced by Sidwell. Both have an incredibly strong connection to their HS friends and teachers, even many years after they have graduated. I think Sidwell was well worth the money spent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:21:29 Thanks for a long drawn out comment process that did not answer my question. If you really believe that your school is equally strong in both subjects good for you but most parents, who are honest with themselves, will still say that some schools focus on certain areas or there may be an area that has been stronger in the last few years. (At 40k per year, I think all schools will be somewhat strong in most areas but still better in certain areas than others). So I would like to hear from those that may have a little more to offer in this respect.

I am the person who disappointed you. I can live with your disappointment.

Surely you have gone online and reviewed the detailed curricula of the two schools. They are, I think, both extraordinary for any high school, and they look to my eye to be pretty nearly equivalent in terms of both sciences and humanities. You may, after looking at them, have a different opinion. If you think that one looks unacceptable or pedestrian, then my personal opinion is that you are extreme. Perhaps you are looking for someone to tell you about the particular quality of the teachers who teach the highest level of (e.g.) multivariable calculus, or the history of film, or comparative literature? I can't do that for you. I can tell you that every teacher I have encountered at Maret has been in the range of very good to mindblowing.

Have a lovely day, bless your heart.