Getting into St. Albans

[Anonymous]

On a slightly different note (I'll pretend I didn't read the whole "breaking you down" commentary), are WISC scores typically similar to WPPSI scores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On a slightly different note (I'll pretend I didn't read the whole "breaking you down" commentary), are WISC scores typically similar to WPPSI scores?

In my DS's case they were similar (around 118 for both). He's an A student who loves sports. We want him in a more academically rigorous environment, plan to leave after 8th grade.

PP's "break you down" comment not bs. Have witnessed it in action.

[Anonymous]

PP, where do you plan to send your A student for a more academically rigorous environment than St. Albans for high school? That is what I am looking for for my A student son, as well (who is not at STA, but we were considering applying). Getting so many mixed messages here about St. Albans. Academically rigorous does not equal tons of homework. That just breaks a kid's spirit. I'm looking for a school that asks the kids to do a lot of writing, creative, independent, ciritical thinking -- work that encourages the kids to make the material their own rather than to memorize facts for tests and then promptly forget them. Please share if you have selected another school for your son. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, where do you plan to send your A student for a more academically rigorous environment than St. Albans for high school? That is what I am looking for for my A student son, as well (who is not at STA, but we were considering applying). Getting so many mixed messages here about St. Albans. Academically rigorous does not equal tons of homework. That just breaks a kid's spirit. I'm looking for a school that asks the kids to do a lot of writing, creative, independent, ciritical thinking -- work that encourages the kids to make the material their own rather than to memorize facts for tests and then promptly forget them. Please share if you have selected another school for your son. Thanks.

Prepping him for Thomas Jefferson.

No, when I say academically rigorous definitely not talking about several hours a night of homework. Crucial that you research STA's sophmore and junior year's curriculum, doesn't seem that independent, critical thinking skills are being sufficiently developed. There's something really wrong when I hear more than a few times: my son is a grduating senior, yet he struggles to write a decent essay.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, PP. We're in NOVA, too, but there's not much info about TJ on this website. I'm concerned about putting kids on a math/science track so early if they might otherwise choose a different path, so I'd rather find a school with an equally good liberal arts curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, where do you plan to send your A student for a more academically rigorous environment than St. Albans for high school? That is what I am looking for for my A student son, as well (who is not at STA, but we were considering applying). Getting so many mixed messages here about St. Albans. Academically rigorous does not equal tons of homework. That just breaks a kid's spirit. I'm looking for a school that asks the kids to do a lot of writing, creative, independent, ciritical thinking -- work that encourages the kids to make the material their own rather than to memorize facts for tests and then promptly forget them. Please share if you have selected another school for your son. Thanks.

Prepping him for Thomas Jefferson.

No, when I say academically rigorous definitely not talking about several hours a night of homework. Crucial that you research STA's sophmore and junior year's curriculum, doesn't seem that independent, critical thinking skills are being sufficiently developed. There's something really wrong when I hear more than a few times: my son is a grduating senior, yet he struggles to write a decent essay.

My son at STA has all the support and instruction needed to learn to write superior essays. Writing is difficult. The key is to pace the work. Some teachers at NCS-STA assign /require significantly more output in the same course. That situation should be rectified.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if some of these posters even have a son at STA by the previous comments.

Neither of my sons were ever "broken" in C Form (4th grade). And one of mine had the "hard" teacher too. They both flourished, as did their many friends. It is a BIG change, whether they came from Beauvoir or not. They are asked to be responsible for themselves. Mommy and Daddy don't get to walk them inside and do their work for them (though some still do, no doubt). The boys are asked to do things themselves, like remember their homework and their stuff. Many boys lose things, can't open their lockers, forget their assignments. This is NOT the school breaking them -- this is the boy getting used to a new school where he is asked to become responsible for himself. It is a big step for some. Mine had their share of lost items (usually books or ties or belts) but they moved on and up.

Now to address that writing comment. That IMHO is total bs yet again. My lower school son can write a dazzling essay. Whomever said that STA boys do not learn to write is clueless, or their son may just struglle in that area. Most of the boys we know at college believe that STA was harder -- and that without the foundation they would not have succeeded as well in college bcecause they learned to think independently and creatively and most of all to write well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, where do you plan to send your A student for a more academically rigorous environment than St. Albans for high school? That is what I am looking for for my A student son, as well (who is not at STA, but we were considering applying). Getting so many mixed messages here about St. Albans. Academically rigorous does not equal tons of homework. That just breaks a kid's spirit. I'm looking for a school that asks the kids to do a lot of writing, creative, independent, ciritical thinking -- work that encourages the kids to make the material their own rather than to memorize facts for tests and then promptly forget them. Please share if you have selected another school for your son. Thanks.

Here's some food for thought from another thread:

Anonymous wrote:As an alum, I can say STA is a great school, but it has some drawbacks as well. A number of the teachers are hired first as coaches and then placed as teachers - often in 6-9th grade. Their teaching ability is sometimes less than impressive. The school also benefits from a "good in - good out" situation where bright kids getting in do well when they leave thereby enhancing the school's reputation. (Think Thomas Jefferson in Fairfax County, a Public School that has higher SAT scores than St. Albans and is FREE). If your son is in the top 20 percent of his STA class, the school will provide him some great benefits. If not, be careful. Finally, many of my friends complained that while they were well prepared academically for college, they were surprised at how many of their classmates from public school were as well. We were told too often that we were "the best and the brightest" and some seemed a little surprised to find out how many other bright, competent, successful kids there are in the world. Many also felt sheltered by the small school - some having the same set of friends for as many as 13 years. They experienced some difficulty adjusting to college when they were exposed to the "bigger world".

[Anonymous]

Interesting post about coaches first. Maybe they are confusing boys schools as I cannot think of a 6-9th grade teacher who was hired as a coach "first." The varsity baseball coach is a 6th grade teacher, and is one of the best teachers at the school. He had previous teaching experience too, but turned out to be fantastic -- motivating, organized, and very inspirational. More importantly, a natural teacher and my son really enjoyed him as a teacher (though to be honest he was a bit afraid of him too!). Otherwise some of the other teachers help coach, but none of them were hired as coaches first. I think anyone interested in STA should not rely on some of the info posted here, even if from supposed "alums" or "parents." Get a second opinion!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting post about coaches first. Maybe they are confusing boys schools as I cannot think of a 6-9th grade teacher who was hired as a coach "first." The varsity baseball coach is a 6th grade teacher, and is one of the best teachers at the school. He had previous teaching experience too, but turned out to be fantastic -- motivating, organized, and very inspirational. More importantly, a natural teacher and my son really enjoyed him as a teacher (though to be honest he was a bit afraid of him too!). Otherwise some of the other teachers help coach, but none of them were hired as coaches first. I think anyone interested in STA should not rely on some of the info posted here, even if from supposed "alums" or "parents." Get a second opinion!

I agree. Contact the school's Director of Admissions who is also the school's head varsity soccer coach or chat with the asst. director who is the head varsity basketball coach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting post about coaches first. Maybe they are confusing boys schools as I cannot think of a 6-9th grade teacher who was hired as a coach "first." The varsity baseball coach is a 6th grade teacher, and is one of the best teachers at the school. He had previous teaching experience too, but turned out to be fantastic -- motivating, organized, and very inspirational. More importantly, a natural teacher and my son really enjoyed him as a teacher (though to be honest he was a bit afraid of him too!). Otherwise some of the other teachers help coach, but none of them were hired as coaches first. I think anyone interested in STA should not rely on some of the info posted here, even if from supposed "alums" or "parents." Get a second opinion!

I agree. Contact the school's Director of Admissions who is also the school's head varsity soccer coach or chat with the asst. director who is the head varsity basketball coach.

Nice little dig. What is the point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting post about coaches first. Maybe they are confusing boys schools as I cannot think of a 6-9th grade teacher who was hired as a coach "first." The varsity baseball coach is a 6th grade teacher, and is one of the best teachers at the school. He had previous teaching experience too, but turned out to be fantastic -- motivating, organized, and very inspirational. More importantly, a natural teacher and my son really enjoyed him as a teacher (though to be honest he was a bit afraid of him too!). Otherwise some of the other teachers help coach, but none of them were hired as coaches first. I think anyone interested in STA should not rely on some of the info posted here, even if from supposed "alums" or "parents." Get a second opinion!

I agree. Contact the school's Director of Admissions who is also the school's head varsity soccer coach or chat with the asst. director who is the head varsity basketball coach.

Nice little dig. What is the point?

My point is clear, that PPs should contact the admissions office for clarity regarding the curriculum and the experience level of STA's teachers. What is your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting post about coaches first. Maybe they are confusing boys schools as I cannot think of a 6-9th grade teacher who was hired as a coach "first." The varsity baseball coach is a 6th grade teacher, and is one of the best teachers at the school. He had previous teaching experience too, but turned out to be fantastic -- motivating, organized, and very inspirational. More importantly, a natural teacher and my son really enjoyed him as a teacher (though to be honest he was a bit afraid of him too!). Otherwise some of the other teachers help coach, but none of them were hired as coaches first. I think anyone interested in STA should not rely on some of the info posted here, even if from supposed "alums" or "parents." Get a second opinion!

I agree. Contact the school's Director of Admissions who is also the school's head varsity soccer coach or chat with the asst. director who is the head varsity basketball coach.

Nice little dig. What is the point?

My point is clear, that PPs should contact the admissions office for clarity regarding the curriculum and the experience level of STA's teachers. What is your point?

Sorry, I misunderstood your point then. I didn't know why you were listing their coaching jobs along with their admissions roles.

[Anonymous]

Regarding the previous poster of the STA boy with 118 WISC scores, was he a Beauvoir student? Just curious in regards to scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, I gather STA does its own testing. The 120 number, however, looks like a WISC number. I am not really interested in the STA number since our son has not taked that test and we have no ability to compare it with anything. But my son just took the WISC test, and we are thinking of possibly applying to STA. What does STA expect in terms of WISC? What range? How about the ERBs? My son scored 118 on WISC and mostly 7 to 8s one the ERBs. Otherwise, an above average kid in all areas, of course.

It's not a WISC score, it's from the Otis Lemon Intelligence Test. STA uses the OLIT as their admission test.

From Beauvoir apps they expect to see at least a 120, but will accept a lower score depending on other criteria.

Question for St. Albans parents out there with an average or above average child (strictly meaning less than 120 WISC) - does your child struggle with the work required by St. Albans? I know motivation factors into what kids (and people in general) are capable of accomplishing. But I'm wondering (if DS is fortunate to get accepted) if we're setting him up for failure or creating a situation where he may be stressed out or lacking in confidence. Any thoughts?

1) Smart

2) Athletic

3) Good looking

4) From money

5) Powerful/connected parent(s).

These are the ingredients for success at STA. If your DS only has one of the above, he will likely find it hard to succeed at STA. Two or more, and DS will be just fine.