Sidwell - why don't many families in nw dc apply to sidwell, even though it is one of the top 2?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The lower school is a pain in the ass to get to if you live in the city. Sure, it's downtown Bethesda, but that's still a LONG way from cleveland park or even AU park for a daily commute, and then you have to drive all the way back into the city for work-- DURING RUSH HOUR!.

There is a bus from the DC campus.

It's also something like 3 blocks from the Metro.

It's Sidwell's bus service. It's door to door.

There really is such drivel on this board about Sidwell. Complete misinformation. The bus picks your child up at middle school--takes the to Edgemoor and brings them back to middle school. No door to door--not to you home anyway. PP who said Sidwell is a local school is partially correct--that has changed with Clinton notoriety. NCS, STA, Madeira have true national academic "prep reputations". That being said, Sidwell is on par with a Putney or Punahou (Honolulu, yes, that's why Obama chose Sidwell, most like his own prep) level of prep school. Whatever-this board is anonymous and you'll just disregard what I say here anyway--I speak the truth though

By door to door, I meant that it wasn't a public bus that stops at the metro (as a PP implied)...that it was school *door* to school *door*. Sorry that wasn't resoundingly clear, and that my post is in your drivel pile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While most of my NW neighbors are liberal, there is a part of them that seeks and old school, stodgy, and yes conservative education. Call them hypocrites, limousine liberals, or WASP wannabes. Thus, the popularity of Beauvoir, St. Pats, NPS and the like.

It is hilarious that some parent or staffer from NPS or St. Patrick's is actually mention those 2 schools in the same breath as Beauvoir. Sidwell has plenty of old money WASPS. More jews of course b/c of aversion to mandatory chapel if you go on STA. I graduated Sidwell--my brother from STA. The second tier schools are just that. second tier. Stop these fake posts where people lump them with top tier schools and pretend they're something their not. I guess it makes it easier to sleep at night instead of facing the fact that your'e wasting 30gs at some middling school just so you don't have to be near a few jews, latinos and blacks *sigh*.

Wow--crass condescension, stereotyping and grammatical errors all in one post! Such a fine advertisement for Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Maybe there are some truly radical parents who don't believe that any school, no matter how high quality, is the "best" school for every child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The lower school is a pain in the ass to get to if you live in the city. Sure, it's downtown Bethesda, but that's still a LONG way from cleveland park or even AU park for a daily commute, and then you have to drive all the way back into the city for work-- DURING RUSH HOUR!.

There is a bus from the DC campus.

It's also something like 3 blocks from the Metro.

It's Sidwell's bus service. It's door to door.

There really is such drivel on this board about Sidwell ....

By door to door, I meant that it wasn't a public bus that stops at the metro (as a PP implied)...that it was school *door* to school *door*. Sorry that wasn't resoundingly clear, and that my post is in your drivel pile.

Umm, I was the PP who noted the Metro. I think you might have misunderstood me. I was not trying to imply anything about bus service. I was just saying that there is an actual Metro stop (not some bus service) that's only about three blocks away from the school. So anyone who is concerned about how to get to the school from somewhere in the city can just buy a farecard. Sorry for the confusion; hope that helps.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Just to be clear, I have absolutely no opinion to share on many other aspects of Sidwell and the accuracy of info on this board about Sidwell. I am just here to promote Metro travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While most of my NW neighbors are liberal, there is a part of them that seeks and old school, stodgy, and yes conservative education. Call them hypocrites, limousine liberals, or WASP wannabes. Thus, the popularity of Beauvoir, St. Pats, NPS and the like.

It is hilarious that some parent or staffer from NPS or St. Patrick's is actually mention those 2 schools in the same breath as Beauvoir. Sidwell has plenty of old money WASPS. More jews of course b/c of aversion to mandatory chapel if you go on STA. I graduated Sidwell--my brother from STA. The second tier schools are just that. second tier. Stop these fake posts where people lump them with top tier schools and pretend they're something their not. I guess it makes it easier to sleep at night instead of facing the fact that your'e wasting 30gs at some middling school just so you don't have to be near a few jews, latinos and blacks *sigh*.

You are off base here. What the poster said was true, lots of NWDC families put those three schools in the same bucket, consider them similar, don't rank them as choices the way you might think, and never give Sidwell more than a passing thought. Not everyone looks at the range of privates in DC the way you do. All your post does is give credence to the view that Sidwell doesn't matriculate the best or the brightest and certainly not the kindest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there are some truly radical parents who don't believe that any school, no matter how high quality, is the "best" school for every child.

Agree with this. And with the prior posters who mentioned the burn out factor. I also have a kid who tends to be a perfectionist and is always very hard on herself whenever she makes any mistakes. I didn't see that whole quietly reflect on yourself and then bring it to the circle thing as healthy for her, so I reluctantly chose not to apply even though I really wanted to for the organic cafeteria.

She is very happy at another school. It is absolutely the right fit for her.

[Anonymous]

What school is it? My child has similar characteristics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What school is it? My child has similar characteristics.

9:54 here. She attends Norwood, which was her first choice. Every time I question the drive out there and then back in, she comes home bubbling about something or other and I realize all over again that we are sending her to private school for her, not for our convenience. If we were focused on our convenience, we would have sent her to public two blocks down the street from our house. May or may not be the right fit for your child. Good luck with your search. It is a very exhausting and fraught process!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The lower school is a pain in the ass to get to if you live in the city. Sure, it's downtown Bethesda, but that's still a LONG way from cleveland park or even AU park for a daily commute, and then you have to drive all the way back into the city for work-- DURING RUSH HOUR!.

There is a school bus that goes between upper school on Wisc. Avenue and Lower School, I thought when I looked several years ago. I don't think it's necessary for a lower school child to have parents drive them to school. And, I don't think it would be a long bus ride.

[Anonymous]

If you look back a few posts, you'll see that this was discussed at surprising length. And even such a simple topic managed to degenerate into name-calling. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

I understand many families pool together and have a van pick up their kids at their homes and take them to the Bethesda campus. (drop off too)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious, as Sidwell is considered to be one of the top 2 schools in the city but i a know many families who aren't even giving it a look but are applying to beauvoir instead and others? These people tend to be rather preppy and I think conservative, but not completely sure of their politics. Is that the reason?

OMG - there is a Top 2 now? What happened to the Big 3? And what school is the "Top/Big 1"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While most of my NW neighbors are liberal, there is a part of them that seeks and old school, stodgy, and yes conservative education. Call them hypocrites, limousine liberals, or WASP wannabes. Thus, the popularity of Beauvoir, St. Pats, NPS and the like.

It is hilarious that some parent or staffer from NPS or St. Patrick's is actually mention those 2 schools in the same breath as Beauvoir. Sidwell has plenty of old money WASPS. More jews of course b/c of aversion to mandatory chapel if you go on STA. I graduated Sidwell--my brother from STA. The second tier schools are just that. second tier. Stop these fake posts where people lump them with top tier schools and pretend they're something their not. I guess it makes it easier to sleep at night instead of facing the fact that your'e wasting 30gs at some middling school just so you don't have to be near a few jews, latinos and blacks *sigh*.

You are off base here. What the poster said was true, lots of NWDC families put those three schools in the same bucket, consider them similar, don't rank them as choices the way you might think, and never give Sidwell more than a passing thought. Not everyone looks at the range of privates in DC the way you do. All your post does is give credence to the view that Sidwell doesn't matriculate the best or the brightest and certainly not the kindest.

I understand you simply declared that this person's post gave "credence to the view," but I sure hope you don't judge Sidwell's matriculation based on one post from a random website for overly nervous and obsessed parents. This would exhibit the type of naivete that a Sidwell education tries to expel from one's mind.
By the way, in all honesty, there simply doesn't exist a view that "Sidwell doesn't matriculate the best or the brightest." Because they do, for the most part.
This is coming from an NCS mother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While most of my NW neighbors are liberal, there is a part of them that seeks and old school, stodgy, and yes conservative education. Call them hypocrites, limousine liberals, or WASP wannabes. Thus, the popularity of Beauvoir, St. Pats, NPS and the like.

It is hilarious that some parent or staffer from NPS or St. Patrick's is actually mention those 2 schools in the same breath as Beauvoir. Sidwell has plenty of old money WASPS. More jews of course b/c of aversion to mandatory chapel if you go on STA. I graduated Sidwell--my brother from STA. The second tier schools are just that. second tier. Stop these fake posts where people lump them with top tier schools and pretend they're something their not. I guess it makes it easier to sleep at night instead of facing the fact that your'e wasting 30gs at some middling school just so you don't have to be near a few jews, latinos and blacks *sigh*.

Well you are very out of date. One of the two schools you just denounced as "second tier" sends more boys to St. Albans than any other school after Beauvoir.