St Albans vs St Anselm's

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone really cross-shop these?

If course they do! My son graduated from STA and while he was sports focused, I would say about 1/4 of his grade were not and they were very good students and would have been fine at either school.St. Anselms is known to be very rigorous and a nice community.

[Anonymous]

I would say as a very small high school, St Anselms has a few college admissions offices that don’t get the school at all. And other admissions teams snap up SAAS graduates. HYPS admissions understand the school but there seems to be some gaps at other colleges.

My son graduated from SAAS. Where he ended up and where his classmates ended up completely trackers their individual EC and academic performance. The effort however comes from the boy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS, and have a son at St. Anselm's, as we are raising our children Catholic. My son is in the sixth grade and I would feel comfortable saying that the academic rigor at both schools is equivalent. My son is taking Math, English, Liberal Arts (Greek), Geography, Life Sciences, Music, and Religion. This is a very hard school. While St. Anselm's is likely not turning a bunch of kids away, it is because there aren't many people who are interested in their kids doing this level of work at 10-11 years old.

That being said, he is getting a world class education from outstanding teachers (some of them STA grads) with advanced degrees. I am very happy with our decision. He may or may not stay for high school, as I might be looking for a more traditional experience. With that said, a PP mentioned mediocre college admits. That is valid, though a lot of these kids are getting full scholarships at schools in the top 75. HOWEVER, St. Albans college matriculation list is not stellar and has plenty of kids in schools with little to no wow factor.

Based on what? Your decades old experience at NCS?

Yes, smart ass. And the fact that I remain involved on the close and have close personal friends with sons at St. Albans. I know you’re insecure in your choice, but use your brain. If you’re actually associated with St. Albans, you’re aware of its diminished reputation as well as the fact that college matriculations for unhooked students are on par or worse than that of St. Anselms. Check yourself.

No one can check unhooked admissions for both STA and SAAS unless they have college applicants at both schools; that’s a strange thing to suggest.

You sound petty and mean spirited. STA’s academic reputation is certainly not diminished. In comparison to peer schools Sidwell and GDS, it more than holds its own. There is no need to cast aspersions on STA in order to acknowledge that SAAS is also an excellent school.

I’m sure SAAS is a fine school and it may be as academically rigorous as STA. I have no basis for making an assessment. Neither do you, PP, not having a student at STA.

Unhooked applicants at STA do very well if they are in the top 10 academically. HYPSM+. Up through the top 25 students, which is the top third of the class you see boys admitted to top 50+ and top SLACs. However, part of that is due to the ability of parents to pay full tuition, which makes a difference even at colleges that claim to be needs blind.

Parental income makes a big difference in where kids apply and are accepted. The schools SAAS kids are accepted to may be less prestigious because that’s where families can afford tuition or have been offered merit aid.

[Anonymous]

Admissions offices know St Anselms. Abbey boys have a reputation for being smart and motivated. This has held for at least 50 years.

[Anonymous]

SAAS 26 AP classes
SA 13 AP Classes

SA 2024-2025 School profile
https://stalbansschool.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/744/download/download_2514345.pdf
SAAS 2025 school profile https://stalbansschool.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/744/download/download_2514345.pdf

[Anonymous]

Mistake-- SAAS 2025 school profilehttps://saintanselms.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/1555/download/download_3411267.pdf

[Anonymous]

click on Profile class 2025 box

https://www.saintanselms.org/academics/college-counseling/class-profile-and-college-acceptances

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:click on Profile class 2025 box

https://www.saintanselms.org/academics/college-counseling/class-profile-and-college-acceptances

Never knew that grade inflation was that bad at SAAS. Two-thirds of the class has a gpa of 3.75 or better and nearly 20% have perfect gpas.

[Anonymous]

Wow, above poster. Are we reading the same profile. It would make sense that grades would be good, if 31 seniors have taken 219 AP exams in their 4 years of high school and have received the below results. Clearly these kids know how to work hard and their hard work has great results.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS
The 31 students in the Class of 2025 have taken 219 AP exams. 83% of scores are 3, 4, or 5. 58% of scores are 4
or 5; with 21% a score of 5 and 37% a score of 4. Already, 84% of the seniors have earned AP Scholar standing
or higher as follows:
AP Scholar Awards Number of Students
AP Scholar with Distinction 15
AP Scholar with Honors 5
AP Scholar 6

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SAAS 26 AP classes
SA 13 AP Classes

SA 2024-2025 School profile
https://stalbansschool.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/744/download/download_2514345.pdf
SAAS 2025 school profile https://stalbansschool.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/744/download/download_2514345.pdf

Have had kids at both and they are great schools but the depth of really smart kids at STA is greater than SAAS.

[Anonymous]

That's really interesting. It's an n of 1 and really influenced by the day and classes, but when my son visited both, he commented that he felt that they were very similar, but that the Abbey classes seemed harder, but "only a little harder," than St. Albans, and the students seemed similarly bright, but the Abbey boys seemed more academically focused, so came across as brighter, at least in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mistake-- SAAS 2025 school profilehttps://saintanselms.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/1555/download/download_3411267.pdf

this link, even when posted without the word "profile", does not work. anyone have the actual link? tx!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's really interesting. It's an n of 1 and really influenced by the day and classes, but when my son visited both, he commented that he felt that they were very similar, but that the Abbey classes seemed harder, but "only a little harder," than St. Albans, and the students seemed similarly bright, but the Abbey boys seemed more academically focused, so came across as brighter, at least in the classroom.

Have had kids that went to both as noted above and think there are really smart kids at each but that there are more really smart kids at STA.

Different kids need different places so find what works best for yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's really interesting. It's an n of 1 and really influenced by the day and classes, but when my son visited both, he commented that he felt that they were very similar, but that the Abbey classes seemed harder, but "only a little harder," than St. Albans, and the students seemed similarly bright, but the Abbey boys seemed more academically focused, so came across as brighter, at least in the classroom.

Have had kids that went to both as noted above and think there are really smart kids at each but that there are more really smart kids at STA.

Different kids need different places so find what works best for yours.

What were the reasons you chose each for different sons? What needs did each fill that the other did not? Interested in your experience …back to OP’s original question, I suppose.

[Anonymous]

We are looking at both schools, and while we expected to be impressed by STA--and we were--we have been absolutely charmed by St. Anselm's. The school seems to know itself and its students in a deeper sense than other DC privates who also claim the benefits of a small school experience. While there are some clear differences in school culture and areas of emphasis, STA and St. Anselm's do appear to have more in common than some might suspect...the difference, in our mind, is the difference between Harvard and Haverford; that is, a difference in scale, reach, and resources, but not in quality or community. Our son would be very fortunate indeed to attend either school.