St Albans vs Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to Sidwell, as I have one child in STA and another in another DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell, so I can speak to that perspective. The schools really are night and day... anyone telling you that they are similar and probably only speaking in huge generalities. We are so happy with STA but I think it fits my child well. Kids that do well there are already self-motivated, like to compete, have another skill (chorus, sports, etc). But with all that competition they also really do nurture the boys and have so many amazing traditions. It's a true prep school. Other schools with their commitment to inclusivity and higher staff turnover don't seem to have a true culture to them. My kid likes the school but it's just not the same. It's the way I felt about my public HS. Enjoyable but the school was not a big part of my childhood. Just a place to go and learn and play sports but not a school spirit within me. It's just a place to get an education. STA is more "all-in" if you will...

A commitment to inclusivity means a school has no “culture”? Of course, expensive privates are elitist but what do you mean that STA culture isn’t inclusive?

I meant that it holds everyone to high standards. The thinking isn't necessarily to meet everyone where they're at... it's more so to set the bar high and expect those to reach it. Rules are rules and expectations are set high. I do think that they will give extra support when needed to help get your child where they need to be but my point is not that you are allowed to just be laissez se faire about grades and be considered successful there.

That’s not how most people define inclusive.

Good thing it's my post . Perhaps that wasn't the best word choice but I meant that putting in the work isn't optional at STA. So I was using the word in the context of inclusivity of different learning styles and commitment to academics. We've attended other schools where assignments were optional, or progressive grading allowed for much ambiguity in determining the actual performance of the student. That's not the culture of STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to Sidwell, as I have one child in STA and another in another DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell, so I can speak to that perspective. The schools really are night and day... anyone telling you that they are similar and probably only speaking in huge generalities. We are so happy with STA but I think it fits my child well. Kids that do well there are already self-motivated, like to compete, have another skill (chorus, sports, etc). But with all that competition they also really do nurture the boys and have so many amazing traditions. It's a true prep school. Other schools with their commitment to inclusivity and higher staff turnover don't seem to have a true culture to them. My kid likes the school but it's just not the same. It's the way I felt about my public HS. Enjoyable but the school was not a big part of my childhood. Just a place to go and learn and play sports but not a school spirit within me. It's just a place to get an education. STA is more "all-in" if you will...

There is no DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell.

STA is, and, academically, so is NCS.

NP. No DC private’s national reputation is on par with Sidwell’s reputation. None.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to Sidwell, as I have one child in STA and another in another DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell, so I can speak to that perspective. The schools really are night and day... anyone telling you that they are similar and probably only speaking in huge generalities. We are so happy with STA but I think it fits my child well. Kids that do well there are already self-motivated, like to compete, have another skill (chorus, sports, etc). But with all that competition they also really do nurture the boys and have so many amazing traditions. It's a true prep school. Other schools with their commitment to inclusivity and higher staff turnover don't seem to have a true culture to them. My kid likes the school but it's just not the same. It's the way I felt about my public HS. Enjoyable but the school was not a big part of my childhood. Just a place to go and learn and play sports but not a school spirit within me. It's just a place to get an education. STA is more "all-in" if you will...

A commitment to inclusivity means a school has no “culture”? Of course, expensive privates are elitist but what do you mean that STA culture isn’t inclusive?

I meant that it holds everyone to high standards. The thinking isn't necessarily to meet everyone where they're at... it's more so to set the bar high and expect those to reach it. Rules are rules and expectations are set high. I do think that they will give extra support when needed to help get your child where they need to be but my point is not that you are allowed to just be laissez se faire about grades and be considered successful there.

That’s not how most people define inclusive.

Good thing it's my post . Perhaps that wasn't the best word choice but I meant that putting in the work isn't optional at STA. So I was using the word in the context of inclusivity of different learning styles and commitment to academics. We've attended other schools where assignments were optional, or progressive grading allowed for much ambiguity in determining the actual performance of the student. That's not the culture of STA.

Trying to figure out if you are saying STA is not welcoming to boys with learning differences or if such kids don’t fit the model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a daughter at Sidwell and two boys at STA.

Both schools are high pressure and extremely rigorous but STA has a more supportive, tight-knit vibe. The boys compete but the ethos is to acknowledge and appreciate each others’ strengths. Teachers are generally warmer and more engaged. This is a godsend during the high school years because the supportive environment helps mitigate the extreme demands kids face.

Sidwell has the extreme pressure but without as much supportive bonds. Students are competitive with one another. There are pockets of kids who support each other and are good friends. However, there’s more free form anxiety. Teachers are less warm. It’s up to students to find them if they need help.

I know my STA boys have been told countless times by teachers,”Come see me and we can talk about that some more” or something to that effect. Teachers invite you to engage with them. At Sidwell the teachers seem more distant and you have to be more entrepreneurial about getting help.

Sidwell has an edge in the sciences. STA has the edge in sports with the notable exception of basketball.

For a boy, I think STA is better. Our daughter chose Sidwell over NCS because Sidwell is less of a pressure cooker than NCS. She’s still in touch with Beauvoir friends who went to NCS, and she is happy that she did not go there.

Interesting. Friends at Sidwell have left because it is a pressure cooker. Friends at NCS actually are happy and do not have the same amount of homework as Sidwell by a long shot.

My daughter was accepted to Sidwell and NCS and chose NCS and is very happy at NCS. Much happier than her peers at Sidwell.

I suspect your daughter is not in high school? NCS starts off slow in 4th but ramps up in MS and by US is ridiculous. It's a school that makes very intelligent girls feel like they're dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a daughter at Sidwell and two boys at STA.

Both schools are high pressure and extremely rigorous but STA has a more supportive, tight-knit vibe. The boys compete but the ethos is to acknowledge and appreciate each others’ strengths. Teachers are generally warmer and more engaged. This is a godsend during the high school years because the supportive environment helps mitigate the extreme demands kids face.

Sidwell has the extreme pressure but without as much supportive bonds. Students are competitive with one another. There are pockets of kids who support each other and are good friends. However, there’s more free form anxiety. Teachers are less warm. It’s up to students to find them if they need help.

I know my STA boys have been told countless times by teachers,”Come see me and we can talk about that some more” or something to that effect. Teachers invite you to engage with them. At Sidwell the teachers seem more distant and you have to be more entrepreneurial about getting help.

Sidwell has an edge in the sciences. STA has the edge in sports with the notable exception of basketball.

For a boy, I think STA is better. Our daughter chose Sidwell over NCS because Sidwell is less of a pressure cooker than NCS. She’s still in touch with Beauvoir friends who went to NCS, and she is happy that she did not go there.

You have posted this before. Are your sons STILL at STA or graduated?

I have not posted on this topic this before. Could there possibly be more than one family that has a girl who attends Sidwell and boys who attend STA?

OMG, not possible, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a daughter at Sidwell and two boys at STA.

Both schools are high pressure and extremely rigorous but STA has a more supportive, tight-knit vibe. The boys compete but the ethos is to acknowledge and appreciate each others’ strengths. Teachers are generally warmer and more engaged. This is a godsend during the high school years because the supportive environment helps mitigate the extreme demands kids face.

Sidwell has the extreme pressure but without as much supportive bonds. Students are competitive with one another. There are pockets of kids who support each other and are good friends. However, there’s more free form anxiety. Teachers are less warm. It’s up to students to find them if they need help.

I know my STA boys have been told countless times by teachers,”Come see me and we can talk about that some more” or something to that effect. Teachers invite you to engage with them. At Sidwell the teachers seem more distant and you have to be more entrepreneurial about getting help.

Sidwell has an edge in the sciences. STA has the edge in sports with the notable exception of basketball.

For a boy, I think STA is better. Our daughter chose Sidwell over NCS because Sidwell is less of a pressure cooker than NCS. She’s still in touch with Beauvoir friends who went to NCS, and she is happy that she did not go there.

Interesting. Friends at Sidwell have left because it is a pressure cooker. Friends at NCS actually are happy and do not have the same amount of homework as Sidwell by a long shot.

My daughter was accepted to Sidwell and NCS and chose NCS and is very happy at NCS. Much happier than her peers at Sidwell.

I suspect your daughter is not in high school? NCS starts off slow in 4th but ramps up in MS and by US is ridiculous. It's a school that makes very intelligent girls feel like they're dumb.

my daughter is in the upper school at NCS and has been at cathedral schools for a decade. contrary to what some experience, she is having a positive experience. it’s a lot of work but if you have good time management skills, you can get it done in a manageable way. honestly, talking to moms of her peers at STA, the volume of homework and testing is much worse there. this (exam) week, her STA friends had more exams and more material to cover than she did. every kid is going to have a different experience and also, it’s extremely dependent on who you get as a teacher. my daughter has a notoriously difficult English teacher this year and although the books are the same, the other teachers have a much different lesson plan and grading. so some of it is luck. it’s not easy but it’s also not the hell on earth that some make it out to be.

[Anonymous]

Can we once and for all put a rest to the redundant term “very different,” especially when describing two $50,000 a year private schools located a mile apart in leafy NW DC?

They are not “very different.” They may be somewhat different, but they are more alike than people who want to sing the praises of the plethora of schools in this area want to concede. OP don’t be an idiot. They are both full of “bright boys,” another meaningless term.

NP. They are different though. Even socially the kids at STA and Sidwell do not mix at all socially. Single sex schools tend to know each their and mix at parties more. My kids are at one of these schools and these schools do not mix socially and do not know each other. Different social worlds, communities etc…

How different could the social worlds and communities possibly be at these two schools??

I have kids at both NCS and STA (upper school). The STA boys interact with the NCS girls both in and out of school. I have found that sports travel teams have also harvested friends all over the DMV. My son had much interaction from Stone Rudge, Holton. My daughter had more interaction with STA, G Prep and Landon. They both had a couple W school friends that are still firmly in the mix!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a daughter at Sidwell and two boys at STA.

Both schools are high pressure and extremely rigorous but STA has a more supportive, tight-knit vibe. The boys compete but the ethos is to acknowledge and appreciate each others’ strengths. Teachers are generally warmer and more engaged. This is a godsend during the high school years because the supportive environment helps mitigate the extreme demands kids face.

Sidwell has the extreme pressure but without as much supportive bonds. Students are competitive with one another. There are pockets of kids who support each other and are good friends. However, there’s more free form anxiety. Teachers are less warm. It’s up to students to find them if they need help.

I know my STA boys have been told countless times by teachers,”Come see me and we can talk about that some more” or something to that effect. Teachers invite you to engage with them. At Sidwell the teachers seem more distant and you have to be more entrepreneurial about getting help.

Sidwell has an edge in the sciences. STA has the edge in sports with the notable exception of basketball.

For a boy, I think STA is better. Our daughter chose Sidwell over NCS because Sidwell is less of a pressure cooker than NCS. She’s still in touch with Beauvoir friends who went to NCS, and she is happy that she did not go there.

Interesting. Friends at Sidwell have left because it is a pressure cooker. Friends at NCS actually are happy and do not have the same amount of homework as Sidwell by a long shot.

My daughter was accepted to Sidwell and NCS and chose NCS and is very happy at NCS. Much happier than her peers at Sidwell.

I suspect your daughter is not in high school? NCS starts off slow in 4th but ramps up in MS and by US is ridiculous. It's a school that makes very intelligent girls feel like they’re I dumb.

I love when people assume you don’t know what you’re talking about because our experience does not match yours.

My daughter is in highschool and is an A student. It is rigorous but manageable for HER. She loves NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a daughter at Sidwell and two boys at STA.

Both schools are high pressure and extremely rigorous but STA has a more supportive, tight-knit vibe. The boys compete but the ethos is to acknowledge and appreciate each others’ strengths. Teachers are generally warmer and more engaged. This is a godsend during the high school years because the supportive environment helps mitigate the extreme demands kids face.

Sidwell has the extreme pressure but without as much supportive bonds. Students are competitive with one another. There are pockets of kids who support each other and are good friends. However, there’s more free form anxiety. Teachers are less warm. It’s up to students to find them if they need help.

I know my STA boys have been told countless times by teachers,”Come see me and we can talk about that some more” or something to that effect. Teachers invite you to engage with them. At Sidwell the teachers seem more distant and you have to be more entrepreneurial about getting help.

Sidwell has an edge in the sciences. STA has the edge in sports with the notable exception of basketball.

For a boy, I think STA is better. Our daughter chose Sidwell over NCS because Sidwell is less of a pressure cooker than NCS. She’s still in touch with Beauvoir friends who went to NCS, and she is happy that she did not go there.

You have posted this before. Are your sons STILL at STA or graduated?

I have not posted on this topic this before. Could there possibly be more than one family that has a girl who attends Sidwell and boys who attend STA?

OMG, not possible, right?

Not many have one daughter at Sidwell and 2 at STA. It is unusual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a daughter at Sidwell and two boys at STA.

Both schools are high pressure and extremely rigorous but STA has a more supportive, tight-knit vibe. The boys compete but the ethos is to acknowledge and appreciate each others’ strengths. Teachers are generally warmer and more engaged. This is a godsend during the high school years because the supportive environment helps mitigate the extreme demands kids face.

Sidwell has the extreme pressure but without as much supportive bonds. Students are competitive with one another. There are pockets of kids who support each other and are good friends. However, there’s more free form anxiety. Teachers are less warm. It’s up to students to find them if they need help.

I know my STA boys have been told countless times by teachers,”Come see me and we can talk about that some more” or something to that effect. Teachers invite you to engage with them. At Sidwell the teachers seem more distant and you have to be more entrepreneurial about getting help.

Sidwell has an edge in the sciences. STA has the edge in sports with the notable exception of basketball.

For a boy, I think STA is better. Our daughter chose Sidwell over NCS because Sidwell is less of a pressure cooker than NCS. She’s still in touch with Beauvoir friends who went to NCS, and she is happy that she did not go there.

Interesting. Friends at Sidwell have left because it is a pressure cooker. Friends at NCS actually are happy and do not have the same amount of homework as Sidwell by a long shot.

My daughter was accepted to Sidwell and NCS and chose NCS and is very happy at NCS. Much happier than her peers at Sidwell.

I suspect your daughter is not in high school? NCS starts off slow in 4th but ramps up in MS and by US is ridiculous. It's a school that makes very intelligent girls feel like they're dumb.

my daughter is in the upper school at NCS and has been at cathedral schools for a decade. contrary to what some experience, she is having a positive experience. it’s a lot of work but if you have good time management skills, you can get it done in a manageable way. honestly, talking to moms of her peers at STA, the volume of homework and testing is much worse there. this (exam) week, her STA friends had more exams and more material to cover than she did. every kid is going to have a different experience and also, it’s extremely dependent on who you get as a teacher. my daughter has a notoriously difficult English teacher this year and although the books are the same, the other teachers have a much different lesson plan and grading. so some of it is luck. it’s not easy but it’s also not the hell on earth that some make it out to be.

Agree. Had kids at both NCS and STA and STA is much more difficult time wise. More homework and much more time spent on sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to Sidwell, as I have one child in STA and another in another DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell, so I can speak to that perspective. The schools really are night and day... anyone telling you that they are similar and probably only speaking in huge generalities. We are so happy with STA but I think it fits my child well. Kids that do well there are already self-motivated, like to compete, have another skill (chorus, sports, etc). But with all that competition they also really do nurture the boys and have so many amazing traditions. It's a true prep school. Other schools with their commitment to inclusivity and higher staff turnover don't seem to have a true culture to them. My kid likes the school but it's just not the same. It's the way I felt about my public HS. Enjoyable but the school was not a big part of my childhood. Just a place to go and learn and play sports but not a school spirit within me. It's just a place to get an education. STA is more "all-in" if you will...

There is no DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell.

STA is, and, academically, so is NCS.

NP. No DC private’s national reputation is on par with Sidwell’s reputation. None.

Sidwell is not known nationally. Newspapers may mention Sidwell because of the Obama girls and other presidents, dignitaries kids, but it doesn't have a national reputation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to Sidwell, as I have one child in STA and another in another DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell, so I can speak to that perspective. The schools really are night and day... anyone telling you that they are similar and probably only speaking in huge generalities. We are so happy with STA but I think it fits my child well. Kids that do well there are already self-motivated, like to compete, have another skill (chorus, sports, etc). But with all that competition they also really do nurture the boys and have so many amazing traditions. It's a true prep school. Other schools with their commitment to inclusivity and higher staff turnover don't seem to have a true culture to them. My kid likes the school but it's just not the same. It's the way I felt about my public HS. Enjoyable but the school was not a big part of my childhood. Just a place to go and learn and play sports but not a school spirit within me. It's just a place to get an education. STA is more "all-in" if you will...

There is no DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell.

True. It’s hard to think of any other formerly well-regarded school that is so much on the down swing in reputation. While most schools have worked to bolster their identities and cultures, Sidwell seems to be fine with its evolution into a generic pressure cooker for kids who don’t quite fit in at the other elite privates (or who aren’t accepted) and for parents who are willing to sacrifice their kids’ mental health for the feeling they get when they proudly tell their friends that their kid goes to Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to Sidwell, as I have one child in STA and another in another DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell, so I can speak to that perspective. The schools really are night and day... anyone telling you that they are similar and probably only speaking in huge generalities. We are so happy with STA but I think it fits my child well. Kids that do well there are already self-motivated, like to compete, have another skill (chorus, sports, etc). But with all that competition they also really do nurture the boys and have so many amazing traditions. It's a true prep school. Other schools with their commitment to inclusivity and higher staff turnover don't seem to have a true culture to them. My kid likes the school but it's just not the same. It's the way I felt about my public HS. Enjoyable but the school was not a big part of my childhood. Just a place to go and learn and play sports but not a school spirit within me. It's just a place to get an education. STA is more "all-in" if you will...

There is no DC private that is considered on par with Sidwell.

STA is, and, academically, so is NCS.

NP. No DC private’s national reputation is on par with Sidwell’s reputation. None.

Sidwell is not known nationally. Newspapers may mention Sidwell because of the Obama girls and other presidents, dignitaries kids, but it doesn't have a national reputation

Cathedral schools are the only ones that have recognition. Bush daughter attended NCS and President Bush was on NCS Governing Board. Also one of Bush's sons attended STA and Al Gore attended STA.

Sidwell is not known to be a happy place and it has changed drastically from years ago. I do not know many families there that are happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a daughter at Sidwell and two boys at STA.

Both schools are high pressure and extremely rigorous but STA has a more supportive, tight-knit vibe. The boys compete but the ethos is to acknowledge and appreciate each others’ strengths. Teachers are generally warmer and more engaged. This is a godsend during the high school years because the supportive environment helps mitigate the extreme demands kids face.

Sidwell has the extreme pressure but without as much supportive bonds. Students are competitive with one another. There are pockets of kids who support each other and are good friends. However, there’s more free form anxiety. Teachers are less warm. It’s up to students to find them if they need help.

I know my STA boys have been told countless times by teachers,”Come see me and we can talk about that some more” or something to that effect. Teachers invite you to engage with them. At Sidwell the teachers seem more distant and you have to be more entrepreneurial about getting help.

Sidwell has an edge in the sciences. STA has the edge in sports with the notable exception of basketball.

For a boy, I think STA is better. Our daughter chose Sidwell over NCS because Sidwell is less of a pressure cooker than NCS. She’s still in touch with Beauvoir friends who went to NCS, and she is happy that she did not go there.

Interesting. Friends at Sidwell have left because it is a pressure cooker. Friends at NCS actually are happy and do not have the same amount of homework as Sidwell by a long shot.

My daughter was accepted to Sidwell and NCS and chose NCS and is very happy at NCS. Much happier than her peers at Sidwell.

I suspect your daughter is not in high school? NCS starts off slow in 4th but ramps up in MS and by US is ridiculous. It's a school that makes very intelligent girls feel like they’re I dumb.

I love when people assume you don’t know what you’re talking about because our experience does not match yours.

My daughter is in highschool and is an A student. It is rigorous but manageable for HER. She loves NCS.

What a smug tone from someone who can't type high school correctly. The fact is NCS *IS* a pressure cooker that is not a happy place for many girls. If your daughter is doing great, good for her. You could use a little dial back on the hubris though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a daughter at Sidwell and two boys at STA.

Both schools are high pressure and extremely rigorous but STA has a more supportive, tight-knit vibe. The boys compete but the ethos is to acknowledge and appreciate each others’ strengths. Teachers are generally warmer and more engaged. This is a godsend during the high school years because the supportive environment helps mitigate the extreme demands kids face.

Sidwell has the extreme pressure but without as much supportive bonds. Students are competitive with one another. There are pockets of kids who support each other and are good friends. However, there’s more free form anxiety. Teachers are less warm. It’s up to students to find them if they need help.

I know my STA boys have been told countless times by teachers,”Come see me and we can talk about that some more” or something to that effect. Teachers invite you to engage with them. At Sidwell the teachers seem more distant and you have to be more entrepreneurial about getting help.

Sidwell has an edge in the sciences. STA has the edge in sports with the notable exception of basketball.

For a boy, I think STA is better. Our daughter chose Sidwell over NCS because Sidwell is less of a pressure cooker than NCS. She’s still in touch with Beauvoir friends who went to NCS, and she is happy that she did not go there.

You have posted this before. Are your sons STILL at STA or graduated?

I have not posted on this topic this before. Could there possibly be more than one family that has a girl who attends Sidwell and boys who attend STA?

OMG, not possible, right?

Not many have one daughter at Sidwell and 2 at STA. It is unusual.

Statistically probably not that rare given that of the families who circle the Big 3, those who are good with STA are not likely to also fit in at GDS. A Sidwell/STA or Sidwell/NCS combo is more likely than a GDS/STA or GDS/NCS combo.