Mass exodus from SSSAS Middle School

[Anonymous]

I mean “special”. Of course they are special in my heart but they don’t seem to fit what the top schools are looking for. SSSAS is a catchall for great kids who don’t have the elite school admissions committee it factor. And that’s ok!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We can’t get in!!! SSSAS is our best and only options if we don’t want single sex or Catholic. We have TRIED to get into GDS, Sidwell, and Potomac with extensive connections and we are NOT special enough. My kids are neurotypical and get good grades. They are very social and good in interviews. We are just not special enough to get into those schools. We didn’t start in kindergarten. Their age groups are heavily impacted by the pandemic and they are white males (private schools have too many boys). Their grandparents with money aren’t in the area. We didn’t go to ivy league schools. We’re not in commercial real estate. We don’t sit on charity boards. SSSAS is the only option for a co-ed non-Catholic. We could maybe possibly get into maret but that is a very long drive. “Settling” for SSSAS is a great option. It is a choice that has made my family very happy. It’s not a pressure cooker, the sports aren’t too competitive, and it’s five minutes away. It’s a great school and I’d say the best private co-ed non boarding school in the United States from its latitude line and south.

I could have written this. Happy at SSSAS. You could not have gotten into Maret. You said your kids are white. That is not going to cut it.

[Anonymous]

Does SSSAS consistently publish its honor roll? Or is it like st Mary’s in alexandria?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does SSSAS consistently publish its honor roll? Or is it like st Mary’s in alexandria?

I heard they coordinated with St Mary’s to agree to not publish. And to add extra assemblies this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 1 in US and 1 in MS. I think teachers at both are outstanding for most part and the HOS US is terrific. I agree that if your kids are super motivated academically talented, the money at SSSAS is too much to spend. I'm not sure if you work, where more convenient you'd go if you lived in Alexandria or Arlington however unless you were OK with Catholic school or then public. That's Linda a huge problem for older kids. No way can we move but neither willing to commute and maid out kids rise at 5am to go to school daily - that is a torture in itself. We didn't want public HS in Alexandria for our kid with learning disabilities and honestly they will likely head to art school - we were never on the ivy track so it's less the ROI for college and more the culture fit for our kids. That's hard anywhere due to specific classes but on US, our kid and us are happy enough. In MS, I do think it could be a lot better. I agree as well that the admin is more interested in keeping a happy staff v kids but I understand - to me it's the practical approach. The customers are going to line up as long as the teachers are good and stable tenure. I think the dress code change is truly ridiculous this year and can't say I understand why! But if you're in Arl or Alex and need a private school for your kids who are middle of the road - looking for private non Catholic that works - despite price tag, SSSAS fits the bill

Thank you for acknowledging that if you have reasonably academic kids SSSAS is not worth it. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on our kids education there with the hope of solid college outcomes. They did okay but could have done the same at a less expensive privates (thinking Gonzaga, Stone Ridge, Visi, St Johns) or better at equally expensive privates. It’s not a bad education it’s just not 55k. We should have left earlier - by the time we realized this at Upper School it was too complicated to leave. Lesson learned.

So what if you had spent less and gotten the same results? Or had spent the same at a supposedly “worth it” school and gotten the same results? I think that there so many factors in college applications and acceptances that to lay the blame (or credit) for each child’s college results solely on the school is really unfair. Each school has a different mix of kids applying to a different mix of schools. I think 9 going to W & M from SSSAS is amazing. But hey, maybe those kids wanted UVA so they feel let down. Or maybe they wanted Harvard. There is a very well regarded school in the area that has many going to UVA but couldn’t get a single one accepted at Florida. Those kids were disappointed! I bet their parents were relieved! Point is that the school your kids attend is only one piece of the pie. Maybe blaming SSSAS for disappointing results help avoid accepting reality. Reality is that even awesome kids sometimes don’t get the best college results. And people cannot endlessly ask for equity and diversity in schools and then squawk when the white kid who plays soccer doesn’t get into the primo schools. Doesn’t work that way.

Then you have very low expectations. And 9 to one school most likely means some kind of connection between schools that provides normally rejected kids with an acceptance.

This is just a dumb comment. W&M is not an easy school to get into and has no such relationship with any school. Make sense please.

W&M has an in state acceptance rate of 44%, so not exactly difficult. And if you don't think some private high schools have special relationships with some colleges, then you are very naive. Oh, also, that was a very dumb reply.

It’s actually 34%.

People also ask
What is the acceptance rate for William and Mary in state?
The William and Mary acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was 37%. However, the William and Mary acceptance rate for in-state students was slightly higher at 44%, implying a preference for Virginia residents. In addition, the William and Mary average GPA for the middle 50% of enrolled students is a 4.1-4.5.
William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate for early decision applicants, which is around 52%.

So, nope, you are simply wrong. And it's is not hard to get into. Maybe it was harder a while back...kind of just like SSSAS!

There have been several years of admissions since the class of 2025. For the latest year available (the class of 2028) it was 34%. You can find this easily on W&M’s website if you know how to use the internet.

The trolls here are not only trolls, but also stupid.

The acceptance rate for the William & Mary Class of 2029 is 36.33%. This is based on data from Berkeley2 Academy, which also shows a slight increase from the Class of 2028's 34.09% acceptance rate.
See how Google can provide different results? This one says the class of 29 is not 34%, stupid. And the in-state and early decision are both higher. The bottom line is that it is not hard to get into, no matter which # you use, stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 1 in US and 1 in MS. I think teachers at both are outstanding for most part and the HOS US is terrific. I agree that if your kids are super motivated academically talented, the money at SSSAS is too much to spend. I'm not sure if you work, where more convenient you'd go if you lived in Alexandria or Arlington however unless you were OK with Catholic school or then public. That's Linda a huge problem for older kids. No way can we move but neither willing to commute and maid out kids rise at 5am to go to school daily - that is a torture in itself. We didn't want public HS in Alexandria for our kid with learning disabilities and honestly they will likely head to art school - we were never on the ivy track so it's less the ROI for college and more the culture fit for our kids. That's hard anywhere due to specific classes but on US, our kid and us are happy enough. In MS, I do think it could be a lot better. I agree as well that the admin is more interested in keeping a happy staff v kids but I understand - to me it's the practical approach. The customers are going to line up as long as the teachers are good and stable tenure. I think the dress code change is truly ridiculous this year and can't say I understand why! But if you're in Arl or Alex and need a private school for your kids who are middle of the road - looking for private non Catholic that works - despite price tag, SSSAS fits the bill

Thank you for acknowledging that if you have reasonably academic kids SSSAS is not worth it. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on our kids education there with the hope of solid college outcomes. They did okay but could have done the same at a less expensive privates (thinking Gonzaga, Stone Ridge, Visi, St Johns) or better at equally expensive privates. It’s not a bad education it’s just not 55k. We should have left earlier - by the time we realized this at Upper School it was too complicated to leave. Lesson learned.

So what if you had spent less and gotten the same results? Or had spent the same at a supposedly “worth it” school and gotten the same results? I think that there so many factors in college applications and acceptances that to lay the blame (or credit) for each child’s college results solely on the school is really unfair. Each school has a different mix of kids applying to a different mix of schools. I think 9 going to W & M from SSSAS is amazing. But hey, maybe those kids wanted UVA so they feel let down. Or maybe they wanted Harvard. There is a very well regarded school in the area that has many going to UVA but couldn’t get a single one accepted at Florida. Those kids were disappointed! I bet their parents were relieved! Point is that the school your kids attend is only one piece of the pie. Maybe blaming SSSAS for disappointing results help avoid accepting reality. Reality is that even awesome kids sometimes don’t get the best college results. And people cannot endlessly ask for equity and diversity in schools and then squawk when the white kid who plays soccer doesn’t get into the primo schools. Doesn’t work that way.

Then you have very low expectations. And 9 to one school most likely means some kind of connection between schools that provides normally rejected kids with an acceptance.

This is just a dumb comment. W&M is not an easy school to get into and has no such relationship with any school. Make sense please.

W&M has an in state acceptance rate of 44%, so not exactly difficult. And if you don't think some private high schools have special relationships with some colleges, then you are very naive. Oh, also, that was a very dumb reply.

It’s actually 34%.

People also ask
What is the acceptance rate for William and Mary in state?
The William and Mary acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was 37%. However, the William and Mary acceptance rate for in-state students was slightly higher at 44%, implying a preference for Virginia residents. In addition, the William and Mary average GPA for the middle 50% of enrolled students is a 4.1-4.5.
William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate for early decision applicants, which is around 52%.

So, nope, you are simply wrong. And it's is not hard to get into. Maybe it was harder a while back...kind of just like SSSAS!

There have been several years of admissions since the class of 2025. For the latest year available (the class of 2028) it was 34%. You can find this easily on W&M’s website if you know how to use the internet.

The trolls here are not only trolls, but also stupid.

The acceptance rate for the William & Mary Class of 2029 is 36.33%. This is based on data from Berkeley2 Academy, which also shows a slight increase from the Class of 2028's 34.09% acceptance rate.
See how Google can provide different results? This one says the class of 29 is not 34%, stupid. And the in-state and early decision are both higher. The bottom line is that it is not hard to get into, no matter which # you use, stupid.

So you don’t actually have data from the school for the class of 2029, including on in-state acceptance. Got it.

The latest official data from William and Mary is still for the class of 2028 and the in-state rate is 34%, as the other poster said, and was not “simply wrong” as you said. You thought you had a good point but you didn’t actually know that the “class of 2025” does not mean this year’s entering class. Seethe, dumb troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people leave SSSAS in a huff are almost always conservative MAGA families because they think it’s a safe space for them and it’s not.

Good riddance to them

Yeah except I think these dress code changes are pissing off progressive families. The girls basically feel like they have to wear a dress to fit in.

Good riddance to anyone that doesn’t want to be there and leaves.

That's the attitude that supports a healthy environment at SSSAS! Don't review the reasons that families are leaving to try to improve SSSAS. It's clearly perfect.

I think this entire thread is bananas. The school does make changes where it sees fit and decides it is appropriate. Just because they don’t change whenever a parent asks doesn’t mean they are unresponsive. I personally know Trump families, independents and left democrats all happily coexisting because it was the right school for their kid(s). The one thing this thread is doing is making SSSAS look bad. To those of you who don’t think it is worth it, don’t come or leave. For those who hate diversity of view points, I mean ok. Just be prepared for a lonely life cuz you will encounter people who disagree with you and if you always make it an issue, they will leave you, not the other way around. It’s a nice school with tons of opportunities that many schools simply do not offer. Find me another school with wrestling, Latin Competitions, AP classes, almost a dozen international trips per year, and a Cappie nominated theater program. I’m waiting…

Name calling: when you don't have anything intelligent to add to a discussion.
There is truly nothing at SSSAS that other privates do not all offer. I guess other independents don’t go for CAPPIES bc the only other private school in the nations cap region that even submits for those is BI. Most independent schools have better theater programs. I’m the PP who pulled our kids out of SSSAS. We stayed out of sheer laziness and only wish we had left earlier.

Ok. So this is really just a giant complaint by one unhappy family. It’s ok for you not to have liked it but you don’t need to make it a personal mission to bring the school down. Lots of us are happy and I think you should try to be ok with that.

No, it is far from one complaint. Read all of a the different comments. Glad that some of you are happy. Ignorance is bliss.

A jerk to the end. I’m done. I think you have a sad and unpleasant spirit.

Name calling: when you nothing intelligent to add to a discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 1 in US and 1 in MS. I think teachers at both are outstanding for most part and the HOS US is terrific. I agree that if your kids are super motivated academically talented, the money at SSSAS is too much to spend. I'm not sure if you work, where more convenient you'd go if you lived in Alexandria or Arlington however unless you were OK with Catholic school or then public. That's Linda a huge problem for older kids. No way can we move but neither willing to commute and maid out kids rise at 5am to go to school daily - that is a torture in itself. We didn't want public HS in Alexandria for our kid with learning disabilities and honestly they will likely head to art school - we were never on the ivy track so it's less the ROI for college and more the culture fit for our kids. That's hard anywhere due to specific classes but on US, our kid and us are happy enough. In MS, I do think it could be a lot better. I agree as well that the admin is more interested in keeping a happy staff v kids but I understand - to me it's the practical approach. The customers are going to line up as long as the teachers are good and stable tenure. I think the dress code change is truly ridiculous this year and can't say I understand why! But if you're in Arl or Alex and need a private school for your kids who are middle of the road - looking for private non Catholic that works - despite price tag, SSSAS fits the bill

Thank you for acknowledging that if you have reasonably academic kids SSSAS is not worth it. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on our kids education there with the hope of solid college outcomes. They did okay but could have done the same at a less expensive privates (thinking Gonzaga, Stone Ridge, Visi, St Johns) or better at equally expensive privates. It’s not a bad education it’s just not 55k. We should have left earlier - by the time we realized this at Upper School it was too complicated to leave. Lesson learned.

So what if you had spent less and gotten the same results? Or had spent the same at a supposedly “worth it” school and gotten the same results? I think that there so many factors in college applications and acceptances that to lay the blame (or credit) for each child’s college results solely on the school is really unfair. Each school has a different mix of kids applying to a different mix of schools. I think 9 going to W & M from SSSAS is amazing. But hey, maybe those kids wanted UVA so they feel let down. Or maybe they wanted Harvard. There is a very well regarded school in the area that has many going to UVA but couldn’t get a single one accepted at Florida. Those kids were disappointed! I bet their parents were relieved! Point is that the school your kids attend is only one piece of the pie. Maybe blaming SSSAS for disappointing results help avoid accepting reality. Reality is that even awesome kids sometimes don’t get the best college results. And people cannot endlessly ask for equity and diversity in schools and then squawk when the white kid who plays soccer doesn’t get into the primo schools. Doesn’t work that way.

Then you have very low expectations. And 9 to one school most likely means some kind of connection between schools that provides normally rejected kids with an acceptance.

This is just a dumb comment. W&M is not an easy school to get into and has no such relationship with any school. Make sense please.

W&M has an in state acceptance rate of 44%, so not exactly difficult. And if you don't think some private high schools have special relationships with some colleges, then you are very naive. Oh, also, that was a very dumb reply.

It’s actually 34%.

People also ask
What is the acceptance rate for William and Mary in state?
The William and Mary acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was 37%. However, the William and Mary acceptance rate for in-state students was slightly higher at 44%, implying a preference for Virginia residents. In addition, the William and Mary average GPA for the middle 50% of enrolled students is a 4.1-4.5.
William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate for early decision applicants, which is around 52%.

So, nope, you are simply wrong. And it's is not hard to get into. Maybe it was harder a while back...kind of just like SSSAS!

There have been several years of admissions since the class of 2025. For the latest year available (the class of 2028) it was 34%. You can find this easily on W&M’s website if you know how to use the internet.

The trolls here are not only trolls, but also stupid.

The acceptance rate for the William & Mary Class of 2029 is 36.33%. This is based on data from Berkeley2 Academy, which also shows a slight increase from the Class of 2028's 34.09% acceptance rate.
See how Google can provide different results? This one says the class of 29 is not 34%, stupid. And the in-state and early decision are both higher. The bottom line is that it is not hard to get into, no matter which # you use, stupid.

So you don’t actually have data from the school for the class of 2029, including on in-state acceptance. Got it.

The latest official data from William and Mary is still for the class of 2028 and the in-state rate is 34%, as the other poster said, and was not “simply wrong” as you said. You thought you had a good point but you didn’t actually know that the “class of 2025” does not mean this year’s entering class. Seethe, dumb troll.

Well like you suggested I used Google and it provided a result with the source of the numbers. BTW "hard to get into" should be 20% or less. 34% and higher (using an intelligent guess since it is historically always higher - if that is ok with you) for in state and early decision means it is not very challenging to get into. And I am laughing at you not seething.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does SSSAS consistently publish its honor roll? Or is it like st Mary’s in alexandria?

I heard they coordinated with St Mary’s to agree to not publish. And to add extra assemblies this year.

Are they going to play each other at sportsball?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does SSSAS consistently publish its honor roll? Or is it like st Mary’s in alexandria?

You’re a pain the butt, but to actually answer your question, they never have. There’s a school assembly in January that acknowledges all of the fall semester students on the dean’s and head’s lists. There is nothing for spring semester at all, because school is out and there’s no point in doing it the following September. No one cares.
-Mom of 4.0 student who has made the head’s list every semester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does SSSAS consistently publish its honor roll? Or is it like st Mary’s in alexandria?

I heard they coordinated with St Mary’s to agree to not publish. And to add extra assemblies this year.

Are they going to play each other at sportsball?

I don’t understand what this is about. Is this a serious thing, an inside joke, or a jab?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people leave SSSAS in a huff are almost always conservative MAGA families because they think it’s a safe space for them and it’s not.

Good riddance to them

Yeah except I think these dress code changes are pissing off progressive families. The girls basically feel like they have to wear a dress to fit in.

Good riddance to anyone that doesn’t want to be there and leaves.

That's the attitude that supports a healthy environment at SSSAS! Don't review the reasons that families are leaving to try to improve SSSAS. It's clearly perfect.

I think this entire thread is bananas. The school does make changes where it sees fit and decides it is appropriate. Just because they don’t change whenever a parent asks doesn’t mean they are unresponsive. I personally know Trump families, independents and left democrats all happily coexisting because it was the right school for their kid(s). The one thing this thread is doing is making SSSAS look bad. To those of you who don’t think it is worth it, don’t come or leave. For those who hate diversity of view points, I mean ok. Just be prepared for a lonely life cuz you will encounter people who disagree with you and if you always make it an issue, they will leave you, not the other way around. It’s a nice school with tons of opportunities that many schools simply do not offer. Find me another school with wrestling, Latin Competitions, AP classes, almost a dozen international trips per year, and a Cappie nominated theater program. I’m waiting…

Name calling: when you don't have anything intelligent to add to a discussion.
There is truly nothing at SSSAS that other privates do not all offer. I guess other independents don’t go for CAPPIES bc the only other private school in the nations cap region that even submits for those is BI. Most independent schools have better theater programs. I’m the PP who pulled our kids out of SSSAS. We stayed out of sheer laziness and only wish we had left earlier.

Ok. So this is really just a giant complaint by one unhappy family. It’s ok for you not to have liked it but you don’t need to make it a personal mission to bring the school down. Lots of us are happy and I think you should try to be ok with that.

No, it is far from one complaint. Read all of a the different comments. Glad that some of you are happy. Ignorance is bliss.

A jerk to the end. I’m done. I think you have a sad and unpleasant spirit.

Name calling: when you nothing intelligent to add to a discussion.

Ok, before insulting intelligence, make sure you write a complete sentence. And I didn’t name call. I assessed your character. And I stand by it. If you dislike SSSAS, then it’s good you are gone. You don’t need to be so vicious about it. It’s ok that it’s not for your family. Now just go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people leave SSSAS in a huff are almost always conservative MAGA families because they think it’s a safe space for them and it’s not.

Good riddance to them

Yeah except I think these dress code changes are pissing off progressive families. The girls basically feel like they have to wear a dress to fit in.

Good riddance to anyone that doesn’t want to be there and leaves.

That's the attitude that supports a healthy environment at SSSAS! Don't review the reasons that families are leaving to try to improve SSSAS. It's clearly perfect.

I think this entire thread is bananas. The school does make changes where it sees fit and decides it is appropriate. Just because they don’t change whenever a parent asks doesn’t mean they are unresponsive. I personally know Trump families, independents and left democrats all happily coexisting because it was the right school for their kid(s). The one thing this thread is doing is making SSSAS look bad. To those of you who don’t think it is worth it, don’t come or leave. For those who hate diversity of view points, I mean ok. Just be prepared for a lonely life cuz you will encounter people who disagree with you and if you always make it an issue, they will leave you, not the other way around. It’s a nice school with tons of opportunities that many schools simply do not offer. Find me another school with wrestling, Latin Competitions, AP classes, almost a dozen international trips per year, and a Cappie nominated theater program. I’m waiting…

Name calling: when you don't have anything intelligent to add to a discussion.
There is truly nothing at SSSAS that other privates do not all offer. I guess other independents don’t go for CAPPIES bc the only other private school in the nations cap region that even submits for those is BI. Most independent schools have better theater programs. I’m the PP who pulled our kids out of SSSAS. We stayed out of sheer laziness and only wish we had left earlier.

Ok. So this is really just a giant complaint by one unhappy family. It’s ok for you not to have liked it but you don’t need to make it a personal mission to bring the school down. Lots of us are happy and I think you should try to be ok with that.

No, it is far from one complaint. Read all of a the different comments. Glad that some of you are happy. Ignorance is bliss.

A jerk to the end. I’m done. I think you have a sad and unpleasant spirit.

Name calling: when you nothing intelligent to add to a discussion.

Ok, before insulting intelligence, make sure you write a complete sentence. And I didn’t name call. I assessed your character. And I stand by it. If you dislike SSSAS, then it’s good you are gone. You don’t need to be so vicious about it. It’s ok that it’s not for your family. Now just go away.

Bravo! You noticed I forgot to type the word "have." You are so smart. You probably can graduate SSSAS and go on to W&M! Before I go away, please send me your address. I will send you a towel to dry your tears.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posts feel like sock puppet it by one family upset with the administration. Most people are happy at SSSAS.

I think this is true. We have been very happy.

BUT I do know that when families face an obstacle, the admin seems happier to just let that family go than try to fix the problem. So you end up with a mix of nothing but families who love the school and those who are new, because anyone with a problem was forced to leave by an unresponsive admin.

And over time that means some of the people who use to love it start to see the problems and also stop loving it. And new people are more likely to see those issues quicker and also not love it. It’s no longer one parent or one family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does SSSAS consistently publish its honor roll? Or is it like st Mary’s in alexandria?

I heard they coordinated with St Mary’s to agree to not publish. And to add extra assemblies this year.

Are they going to play each other at sportsball?

Hopefully they cancel all Friday classes this fall for Mass followed by sportsball.