Bishop O'Connell Academics

[Anonymous]

Anyone with experience at O'Connell?

We are trying to figure out how O'Connell stacks up against Yorktown academically.

Super smart DS - was awarded the O'Connell scholarship (50% tuition reduction all 4 years). Did not apply to other schools due to $$. Merit scholarships at Gonzaga and SJC were much less.

Would be in AP scholar program at Yorktown.

Also, still waiting to hear about TJHSST.

Like small class sizes but really need a challenging academic environment.

Thanks and good luck to all today.

[Anonymous]

Choose Gonzaga. We did from a very similar position as you are describing. No regrets, he is challenged and finally enjoys school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Choose Gonzaga. We did from a very similar position as you are describing. No regrets, he is challenged and finally enjoys school!

Seeing that Gonzaga is not an option (OP says only applied to O'Connell), the choices are Yorktown and O'Connell. For years many did not think there was much to differentiate between YHS academics and BO'C academics, and questioned whether it was worth the $ to send DC's to BO'C (unless you had other non-academic reasons, e.g., religious aspect, athletics, etc.). But I believe BO'C's academics have improved in recent years -- somewhat reflected in the school's college acceptances profile. My advice is to consider more than academics -- the social aspects of high school and trying to understand where your DS will thrive/be happy are so important. The social pressures at YHS can be suffocating (the wealthy family profile doesn't help), and the drinking/drug problem there is significant. Is your DS an athlete? Athletics at YHS are not very strong, and the athletic team culture is something to be wary of (see previous comment about drugs/alcohol -- the school has acknowledged that it is a more pronounced problem among many of the sports teams). Either of your choices provides an opportunity for your DS to thrive academically, but you should try to have an understanding about which environment is better for your DS. In my opinion, YHS has more pitfalls, but if your DS can avoid them you could get equal or better academics there for "free."

[Anonymous]

If your son LOVES STEM and gets into TJ, go for it...

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the feedback. I do have concerns about YHS "issues" and love the service aspect at BO. I know BO is trying to stress academics and has invested in science labs etc. BO graduates did very well re: college placement last year. I just can't figure out how many top academic kids choose O'Connell and whether there will be a cluster of like students. A little annoying as well that he has to test in for some subjects at BO given that he already has HS credits for Latin, Algebra and Geometry (and will in Alg 2) in APS. We plan on meeting with advisers at O'Connell before we decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Choose Gonzaga. We did from a very similar position as you are describing. No regrets, he is challenged and finally enjoys school!

Seeing that Gonzaga is not an option (OP says only applied to O'Connell), the choices are Yorktown and O'Connell. For years many did not think there was much to differentiate between YHS academics and BO'C academics, and questioned whether it was worth the $ to send DC's to BO'C (unless you had other non-academic reasons, e.g., religious aspect, athletics, etc.). But I believe BO'C's academics have improved in recent years -- somewhat reflected in the school's college acceptances profile. My advice is to consider more than academics -- the social aspects of high school and trying to understand where your DS will thrive/be happy are so important. The social pressures at YHS can be suffocating (the wealthy family profile doesn't help), and the drinking/drug problem there is significant. Is your DS an athlete? Athletics at YHS are not very strong, and the athletic team culture is something to be wary of (see previous comment about drugs/alcohol -- the school has acknowledged that it is a more pronounced problem among many of the sports teams). Either of your choices provides an opportunity for your DS to thrive academically, but you should try to have an understanding about which environment is better for your DS. In my opinion, YHS has more pitfalls, but if your DS can avoid them you could get equal or better academics there for "free."

PP here: I misunderstood and thought he applied to GZ and SJC, but in the end, they were not impressed with the Merit Scholarships offered to him.

[Anonymous]

Does this still hold true? Yorktown V Oconnell. DS is similarly situated to OP in 18.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your son LOVES STEM and gets into TJ, go for it...

I would only do this if the goal is not to go to an elite university. Considering the 50% scholarship at Bishop O'Connell, your son has the chops to get the grades and test scores. Still a bit of a crapshoot at Bishop O'Connell, but nearly impossible from TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your son LOVES STEM and gets into TJ, go for it...

I would only do this if the goal is not to go to an elite university. Considering the 50% scholarship at Bishop O'Connell, your son has the chops to get the grades and test scores. Still a bit of a crapshoot at Bishop O'Connell, but nearly impossible from TJ.

This kid is almost done with college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this still hold true? Yorktown V Oconnell. DS is similarly situated to OP in 18.

And everyone is going to read and answer OP without noticing it’s a nearly 8-year-old thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your son LOVES STEM and gets into TJ, go for it...

I would only do this if the goal is not to go to an elite university. Considering the 50% scholarship at Bishop O'Connell, your son has the chops to get the grades and test scores. Still a bit of a crapshoot at Bishop O'Connell, but nearly impossible from TJ.

This kid is almost done with college

I guess we need an update from OP, then!

[Anonymous]

I would actually really appreciate some updated insight on this one. Our kids are getting close to 9th and would be zoned for Wakefield.

[Anonymous]

O’Connell is plenty challenging assuming advanced classes etc. Child will be well prepared for college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would actually really appreciate some updated insight on this one. Our kids are getting close to 9th and would be zoned for Wakefield.

I'm the kid is almost done poster, but I snarkily replied because I did go there and graduate in the early 2000s. I have since moved out of the area, but went to UVA with plenty of my classmates. O'Connell sent kids to many great schools from my graduating class and offered plenty of rigor if you wanted it. I haven't really kept up much, but it seems like they offer far more AP courses than when I was there and continue to be a solid choice for a reasonably priced private/Catholic option. I'm sure someone with more recent experience can chime in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your son LOVES STEM and gets into TJ, go for it...

This. No private school will compare in terms of challenging academics if that is your primary concern. If you are looking at other things too - i.e., strong sense of community, safety, smaller class sizes, kids of a certain type of background, then choose private.