admissions 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take a look at St Paul’s upper school. They just ended the IB program bc so few boys were actually earning the diploma. DS graduated a couple of years ago and only 4 kids of about 24 who attempted full diploma did well enough to earn diploma. And only 1/3 of the class even attempted the program. Not very strong academics.

As the parent of a St Paul's IB Diploma recipient, this is sad to hear. He's a few years older than your son and when he went there it really seemed like a place where every boy could be personally supported while pursuing what he liked most - academics, arts, athletics. Since the merger with SPSG (and, I have to say it, the emergence of MAGA) it feels much more like a place for non-academic rich kids from the Greenspring Valley. Maybe it always was and the attempt to instill academic rigor via the IB Program was the aberration. The turnover in faculty has also been saddening - when my son attended, there were teacher-coaches that had been there for literally decades, and they're all gone now.

Middle School still seems like a gem but that doesn't mean much if it elevates you into a less-than-stellar Upper School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take a look at St Paul’s upper school. They just ended the IB program bc so few boys were actually earning the diploma. DS graduated a couple of years ago and only 4 kids of about 24 who attempted full diploma did well enough to earn diploma. And only 1/3 of the class even attempted the program. Not very strong academics.

As the parent of a St Paul's IB Diploma recipient, this is sad to hear. He's a few years older than your son and when he went there it really seemed like a place where every boy could be personally supported while pursuing what he liked most - academics, arts, athletics. Since the merger with SPSG (and, I have to say it, the emergence of MAGA) it feels much more like a place for non-academic rich kids from the Greenspring Valley. Maybe it always was and the attempt to instill academic rigor via the IB Program was the aberration. The turnover in faculty has also been saddening - when my son attended, there were teacher-coaches that had been there for literally decades, and they're all gone now.

Middle School still seems like a gem but that doesn't mean much if it elevates you into a less-than-stellar Upper School

We have two family friends who retired from longtime upper school teaching positions at St. Paul's. When we started looking at schools and doing the admissions process a few years back the feedback we got from both of them them didn't instill a whole lot of confidence in then current state of things. We still applied and would have happily enrolled if we hadn't gotten into our first choice but good or bad there's certainly been a shift in what they are doing.

[Anonymous]

PP - my DS really thrived in IB program. From what I understand (source - US teacher), the head simply gathered faculty one afternoon and announced school was doing away with it. No discussion. It’s true very few boys were earning the full diploma, but another option would have been to ramp up academics rather than end the program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP - my DS really thrived in IB program. From what I understand (source - US teacher), the head simply gathered faculty one afternoon and announced school was doing away with it. No discussion. It’s true very few boys were earning the full diploma, but another option would have been to ramp up academics rather than end the program.

What a shame. The IB program set my son up so well for success in college and it was something that distinguished St Paul's from other area schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take a look at St Paul’s upper school. They just ended the IB program bc so few boys were actually earning the diploma. DS graduated a couple of years ago and only 4 kids of about 24 who attempted full diploma did well enough to earn diploma. And only 1/3 of the class even attempted the program. Not very strong academics.

Many families are not looking for ‘strong academics’ in the first place.

They're looking for who has the best house to throw a massive party. US has a poor reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They're looking for who has the best house to throw a massive party. US has a poor reputation.

Jealousy isn’t a good look on you. Just because folks are successful doesn’t mean that they don’t care about their child’s education. I’m sorry that you feel inadequate, but that’s on you. Not the school or the families that attend said school.

[Anonymous]

Would like to hear thoughts on the rigor of the McMullen Scholars program at Calvert Hall compared to academic rigor at Gilman.
And also other (non-academic) opinions sought too -- culture, etc. I understand very different schools from a religious/non-religious standpoint (we are open to either). My DS loved his shadow day at both. Thanks for any input to help with this tough decision.

[Anonymous]

McMullen all the way- typically a great group of kids, lots of opportunities- like trips, lectures, cultural events, AP classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Would like to hear thoughts on the rigor of the McMullen Scholars program at Calvert Hall compared to academic rigor at Gilman.
And also other (non-academic) opinions sought too -- culture, etc. I understand very different schools from a religious/non-religious standpoint (we are open to either). My DS loved his shadow day at both. Thanks for any input to help with this tough decision.

Academic rigor much higher at Gilman, it isn’t remotely close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Would like to hear thoughts on the rigor of the McMullen Scholars program at Calvert Hall compared to academic rigor at Gilman.
And also other (non-academic) opinions sought too -- culture, etc. I understand very different schools from a religious/non-religious standpoint (we are open to either). My DS loved his shadow day at both. Thanks for any input to help with this tough decision.

Your son will be well challenged at either. Choose based on something else.

My son went to Gilman (worth every penny although it was a sacrifice for sure). I’ve known kids who went through McMullen and had a fantastic experience.

I will say Gilman is a lot more money. I loved the diversity of the teachers, students, and colleges chosen. My kid was not a heavy hitter at Gilman but he did well through college and is a fine young man, with partial credit for that definitely belonging to Gilman.

[Anonymous]

I’m not clear what the advantage of the McMullen is suppose to be. Money? The brochure mentions a year of Latin, Gilman offers four years of both Greek and Latin, including AP. Similarly, any Gilman student who wants can do a senior year research project. I’d chose Gilman for the more advanced peer group and wider selection of classes (curriculum available on website).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Would like to hear thoughts on the rigor of the McMullen Scholars program at Calvert Hall compared to academic rigor at Gilman.
And also other (non-academic) opinions sought too -- culture, etc. I understand very different schools from a religious/non-religious standpoint (we are open to either). My DS loved his shadow day at both. Thanks for any input to help with this tough decision.

Academic rigor much higher at Gilman, it isn’t remotely close.

Serious question. How would you know if the rigor of two schools is actually comparable? Two different kids will take the same class and one will find it easy and one will find it hard.

If your kid is getting Bs at Gilman, it doesn't necessarily mean it's rigorous. There are families at ALL the schools who use this excuse for a mediocre report card.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not clear what the advantage of the McMullen is suppose to be. Money? The brochure mentions a year of Latin, Gilman offers four years of both Greek and Latin, including AP. Similarly, any Gilman student who wants can do a senior year research project. I’d chose Gilman for the more advanced peer group and wider selection of classes (curriculum available on website).

I was a McMullen Scholar (brifely). Long story short they invite the top 20 or so of the highest scores on the entrance exam that listed CHC as their first school choice to apply. I think there ended up being 11 of us in the program my Freshman year. It's essentially a school within a school experience for super intellectuals. Typically non-athletic admits to the T20 are coming out of the program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not clear what the advantage of the McMullen is suppose to be. Money? The brochure mentions a year of Latin, Gilman offers four years of both Greek and Latin, including AP. Similarly, any Gilman student who wants can do a senior year research project. I’d chose Gilman for the more advanced peer group and wider selection of classes (curriculum available on website).

I was a McMullen Scholar (brifely). Long story short they invite the top 20 or so of the highest scores on the entrance exam that listed CHC as their first school choice to apply. I think there ended up being 11 of us in the program my Freshman year. It's essentially a school within a school experience for super intellectuals. Typically non-athletic admits to the T20 are coming out of the program.

The list of schools attended includes few in the T20. Perhaps it has been diluted over the years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Would like to hear thoughts on the rigor of the McMullen Scholars program at Calvert Hall compared to academic rigor at Gilman.
And also other (non-academic) opinions sought too -- culture, etc. I understand very different schools from a religious/non-religious standpoint (we are open to either). My DS loved his shadow day at both. Thanks for any input to help with this tough decision.

Academic rigor much higher at Gilman, it isn’t remotely close.

Serious question. How would you know if the rigor of two schools is actually comparable? Two different kids will take the same class and one will find it easy and one will find it hard.

If your kid is getting Bs at Gilman, it doesn't necessarily mean it's rigorous. There are families at ALL the schools who use this excuse for a mediocre report card.

Huh? My kid is at the top of the class at Gilman and that was my comment. Calvert Hall is not known for academics. The curriculum available for the top kids doesn’t match what is available to all kids at Gilman. I think Mcmullen is probably a great option if you can’t otherwise afford private school.