Getting into St. Albans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: . . . . But to be honest, for the year in question I know many children who went out for learning support and I can't imagine that this one (rejected) boy's scores were far off anyone elses. . . .

18:41, please clarify what you mean by "learning support." Do you mean the small group, in-school, reading and math enhancement sessions? Outside tutors? Or are are you referring to standardized test prep?

[Anonymous]

No not outside tutors (although maybe some used them too). I mean help during the day from within the school. We used to call it "remedial" in my school, but I honestly don't have knowledge of how it worked at Beauvoir.

[Anonymous]

Beauvoir has something called "learning resources." Typically about a quarter (sometimes even more) of the students in the grade do one-on-one or small group with a learning specialist to address any relative academic weaknesses they may have. The large majority of these students are admitted into STA (or NCS or other good schools) if they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No not outside tutors (although maybe some used them too). I mean help during the day from within the school. We used to call it "remedial" in my school, but I honestly don't have knowledge of how it worked at Beauvoir.

21:54

Thanks. I think I get it. You were suggesting that even boys who might not be academic powerhouses, or even super bright, who actually needed extra attention in math or reading (whether it's referred to as "remedial" or something else), made the STA cut so it would be hard to imagine how this one kid couldn't also make the cut. Am I reading that right now?

[Anonymous]

OP: I echo the earlier expressions of thanks for your post. I was told by an STA parent that given the emphasis that STA places on sports, that STA will attempt to get some sense of your son's athletic prowess during the application process. I can understand STA looking at your son's extra-cirricular sports as a measure of interest in athletics, but how on earth can they measure athletic ability? They won't actually subject my DS to any types of tests or exercises, will they? UM

[Anonymous]

That sounds like a reasonable read, but I (the poster who posted about learning resources) haven't posted on this thread before, so I'm not the author of the prior post(s) to which you're referring.

I do know that, for the most part, if a child's academic profile isn't strong enough to get into a STA the Beauvoir guidance director will usually let them know pretty clearly. Sometimes these people seem to persist with applications, but not too often -- and sometimes these people are just deaf to any "bad news."

The reason why kids don't get into STA can be pretty mysterious... but it really seems to be a confluence of factors that play into it. If a kid has a mediocre academic profile, has a tough visit, doesn't have stellar reports, then that can do it. Any one of those things doesn't typically exclude a kid from admission. STA's also reluctant to accept kids with low WISC scores (low, in relative terms, being 110 or so or lower). All the Beauvoir kids submit their WISC scores, by the way. BUT PLEASE NOTE! There's this rumor that STA won't accept kids with a WISC score below 115 or 110 or whatever. This is patently, absolutely untrue. There's also this rumor that they won't accept kids with math or reading ERB scores below the 5th stanine (in terms of independent school norms). Again, ABSOLUTELY untrue.

And believe me... I'm not doing myself any favors by stating such so flatly since I'm an educational consultant and tutor who benefits from parents' anxiety.

[Anonymous]

The immediate above poster posting again. STA has the boys play "crab football" or something like that usually. Occasionally they do something more mundane like basketball. They're really looking more for sportsmanship, behavior, cooperation, etc. than athletic ability. Poor athletic ability likely won't hurt you, but spectacular ability could help a little.

[Anonymous]

22:16 poster here again.

The OP gives some overall good advice, but there are a couple of things which are incorrect.

First, there are not 10 applicants for every one non-Beauvoir spot at STA for fourth grade. STA averages about 300-350 applicants a year. This is for all grades, but generally includes fourth, sixth, seventh, and ninth graders -- and fourth grade is not the most popular application year for non-Beauvoir families. In the past decade, STA fourth grade applications have fluctuated anywhere from 30-60 non-Beauvoir kids. Paul Herman, the STA lower school head, has actually stated on several occasions that the STA lower school couldn't exist as it now does without Beauvoir.

Second, there's an ability/logic component of the STA admissions testing that's probably the most important part of all the testing STA looks at. Doing math, reading, and/or writing preparation won't help with that. There are ways to prepare for it, but most parents miss the boat in that regard.

[Anonymous]

okay, it is bound to start: how do you prepare for the logic/ability section, since that is apparently the critical test? i'm asking seriously. can you prepare?

[Anonymous]

I've heard that some parents get those critical thinking workbooks, but I don't know if they have any effect. STA doesn't release how well the children do. It's definitely some sort of official test, though, not just one they created. DS said it was a booklet with a purple cover and bubble sheet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The immediate above poster posting again. STA has the boys play "crab football" or something like that usually. Occasionally they do something more mundane like basketball. They're really looking more for sportsmanship, behavior, cooperation, etc. than athletic ability. Poor athletic ability likely won't hurt you, but spectacular ability could help a little.

I knew about that game during my son's year, and one Beauvoir/STA parent in the know panicked me about how they want to see good sportsmanship so your kid should be saying things like, "Nice shot!" whenever some other kid made a shot or something. Apparently the word must have gone around because my son said every single kid was yelling "good job! nice shot! good one!" during the visit. They should make their way over to the Beauvoir playground and watch them. Not always nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous They should make their way over to the Beauvoir playground and watch them. Not always nice.[/quote wrote:

What does that mean?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like it means they are normal kids who don't always cheer every shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The immediate above poster posting again. STA has the boys play "crab football" or something like that usually. Occasionally they do something more mundane like basketball. They're really looking more for sportsmanship, behavior, cooperation, etc. than athletic ability. Poor athletic ability likely won't hurt you, but spectacular ability could help a little.

I knew about that game during my son's year, and one Beauvoir/STA parent in the know panicked me about how they want to see good sportsmanship so your kid should be saying things like, "Nice shot!" whenever some other kid made a shot or something. Apparently the word must have gone around because my son said every single kid was yelling "good job! nice shot! good one!" during the visit. They should make their way over to the Beauvoir playground and watch them. Not always nice.

Oh my god. Can STA do that?!?. Secretly observe our children while they are on the Beauvoir playground to help them in their admissions decisions? Would this involve videotape also? This has to be a violation of our constitutional/privacy rights and Beauvoir school policy. Perhaps we can draft a pre-emptive letter to STA warning them against considering such a thing?!?!

[Anonymous]

"okay, it is bound to start: how do you prepare for the logic/ability section, since that is apparently the critical test? i'm asking seriously. can you prepare? "

Its like the logic section on the LSAT, which I am sure many of you took. Logic is a natural ability in some and its hard to teach. You can prepare for it but if you dont have the ability naturally you will find it challenging.