Sidwell/GDS/NCS* vs LA Private Schools

[Anonymous]

We may be moving out to LA and are interested Harvard-Westlake, Malborough, and Crossroads. Anybody have any experience with any of these schools.

*Daughter in 6th at one of these schools

[Anonymous]

HW more like NCS
Crossroads = GDS

[Anonymous]

All are good. Top tier of LA schools. Where would you be moving? Those schools are geographically far from each other, so one may appeal to you more if it's close to your home. I'm not an expert on any of them (my kids are younger), but I think Crossroads has a reputation as being a bit more hippy/progressive (like GDS) but w/ more entitled kids. I really like Marlborough -- it is all girls, very academic and athletic (more like NCS?), and Harvard Westlake is also very good...not sure what to compare this one too. Different than Sidwell, somehow. Really depends on where you live, which one you can get into, and what you like the feel of better (can you do tours?).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All are good. Top tier of LA schools. Where would you be moving? Those schools are geographically far from each other, so one may appeal to you more if it's close to your home. I'm not an expert on any of them (my kids are younger), but I think Crossroads has a reputation as being a bit more hippy/progressive (like GDS) but w/ more entitled kids. I really like Marlborough -- it is all girls, very academic and athletic (more like NCS?), and Harvard Westlake is also very good...not sure what to compare this one too. Different than Sidwell, somehow. Really depends on where you live, which one you can get into, and what you like the feel of better (can you do tours?).

Crossroads is kind of a safety because of how difficult it is to get into HW and Marlborough.

HW (high school) and Malborough are in Studio City and we're looking at that area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All are good. Top tier of LA schools. Where would you be moving? Those schools are geographically far from each other, so one may appeal to you more if it's close to your home. I'm not an expert on any of them (my kids are younger), but I think Crossroads has a reputation as being a bit more hippy/progressive (like GDS) but w/ more entitled kids. I really like Marlborough -- it is all girls, very academic and athletic (more like NCS?), and Harvard Westlake is also very good...not sure what to compare this one too. Different than Sidwell, somehow. Really depends on where you live, which one you can get into, and what you like the feel of better (can you do tours?).

Crossroads is kind of a safety because of how difficult it is to get into HW and Marlborough.

HW (high school) and Malborough are in Studio City and we're looking at that area.

PP here. Marlborough is in Hancock Park...it's about 35-45 minutes from Studio City. Kids from all over LA go there, though. There is Campbell Hall and Buckley School in the Studio City area. Also check out Immaculate Heart high school in Los Feliz (girls school, a nice reputation, more low key).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All are good. Top tier of LA schools. Where would you be moving? Those schools are geographically far from each other, so one may appeal to you more if it's close to your home. I'm not an expert on any of them (my kids are younger), but I think Crossroads has a reputation as being a bit more hippy/progressive (like GDS) but w/ more entitled kids. I really like Marlborough -- it is all girls, very academic and athletic (more like NCS?), and Harvard Westlake is also very good...not sure what to compare this one too. Different than Sidwell, somehow. Really depends on where you live, which one you can get into, and what you like the feel of better (can you do tours?).

Crossroads is kind of a safety because of how difficult it is to get into HW and Marlborough.

HW (high school) and Malborough are in Studio City and we're looking at that area.

PP here. Marlborough is in Hancock Park...it's about 35-45 minutes from Studio City. Kids from all over LA go there, though. There is Campbell Hall and Buckley School in the Studio City area. Also check out Immaculate Heart high school in Los Feliz (girls school, a nice reputation, more low key).

Jeez louise. Still learning the neighborhoods.

Not interested in Buckley; will look at Campbell Hall.

[Anonymous]

West Beverly High School has some awesome facilities - a campus radio station, and all of the drama anyone could ask for! It's like a private, but it's a public.

[Anonymous]

Be prepared, though. The emphasis on appearance/materialism in LA is much worse than here in DC, where the Ivy pedigree and the number of Congressmen in your Rolodex matter more. That spills into private high schools and their culture in a pretty toxic way.

[Anonymous]

Harvard-Westlake has an excellent reputation and is academically strong.

Crossroads is very arty farty and while we were in LA (until recently) it had a rep for having a major drug problem

The one you're missing which is strong is Brentwood. Highly competitive and very academically strong. They have two admissions years. K and grade 6. They make exceptions for out of towners if they have the space.

Another to consider is Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles (not to be confused with Lycee International which is all over LA area). Established in the 1950s - an excellent school, strong academics and very efficiently run. Kind administration and teachers. Less expensive than other LA privates, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be prepared, though. The emphasis on appearance/materialism in LA is much worse than here in DC, where the Ivy pedigree and the number of Congressmen in your Rolodex matter more. That spills into private high schools and their culture in a pretty toxic way.

Oh yes. If my sis didn't live there I wouldn't consider it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be prepared, though. The emphasis on appearance/materialism in LA is much worse than here in DC, where the Ivy pedigree and the number of Congressmen in your Rolodex matter more. That spills into private high schools and their culture in a pretty toxic way.

Oh yes. If my sis didn't live there I wouldn't consider it.

Well I would say people in LA generally are thousands of times nicer and more friendly than those in the greater DC area and I've lived in both places for considerable amounts of time (5 + years).

In LA you get a mix of people that you won't find here. There are of course people connected to the biggest industry, Film and TV, but you will find artists, musicians, designers, as well as medical professionals and lawyers amongst your fellow parents at schools.

Its much more interesting there and much more fun. And the weather is fantastic. The only bad thing is you have to pay 90 cents for a purple onion in whole foods. But I can live with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be prepared, though. The emphasis on appearance/materialism in LA is much worse than here in DC, where the Ivy pedigree and the number of Congressmen in your Rolodex matter more. That spills into private high schools and their culture in a pretty toxic way.

Oh yes. If my sis didn't live there I wouldn't consider it.

Well I would say people in LA generally are thousands of times nicer and more friendly than those in the greater DC area and I've lived in both places for considerable amounts of time (5 + years).

In LA you get a mix of people that you won't find here. There are of course people connected to the biggest industry, Film and TV, but you will find artists, musicians, designers, as well as medical professionals and lawyers amongst your fellow parents at schools.

Its much more interesting there and much more fun. And the weather is fantastic. The only bad thing is you have to pay 90 cents for a purple onion in whole foods. But I can live with that.

A little surprised to hear this. All I hear anyone say about LA is that everyone is fake and obsessed with their looks. But yes the weather is lovely!!!

[Anonymous]

We may also be moving out to LA within the next year and we have had our eye on Pasadena. Polytechnic and Flintridge Prep both have good reputations (from the little research I have done). Not sure if that would work for you.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We may also be moving out to LA within the next year and we have had our eye on Pasadena. Polytechnic and Flintridge Prep both have good reputations (from the little research I have done). Not sure if that would work for you.)

L.A. is an incredible place to live. We made the move from DC and loved it, though it takes about a year to acclimate. If you plan to live in -- or anywhere near Pasadena, as you think you might -- Poly is a top-tier L.A. (one of the Big 3, so to speak), and Prep is not far behind.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Cross your fingers we land the jobs we want and can move to Pasadena. Glad it has been a positive experience for you.