Please tell me about Potomac School

[Anonymous]

We are considering Potomac for K (well, at this lint Potomac is considering us, I guess) and we like the school very much. Cn any recent PPs give examples of what they mean by "not warm" treatment? Our experiences with the staff were good, and when in groups they seemed consistent with they way they treated other families. Perhaps we had low expectations, but I am curious about what I may have missed. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

You didn't miss anything. Go by your own impression not that of others!

[Anonymous]

I've posted before about the cold treatemnt- and I totally agree with 16:03. We just took that as a sign that we weren't a good fit. DC did not get into Potomac but got into a great DC school ("big 3").

[Anonymous]

Do any current families have any thoughts on the new/incoming head of school? His resume is certainly impressive - I'm wondering if there's been any discussion of his plans for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It may be that children and families from a well-respected feeder school such as Beauvoir are treated more warmly. Or people who are otherwise connected with the school, such as freinds of current students, etc. Our experience was very cold as well, much as I wanted to love it there (as it was highly reccomended by one very close friend and other acquiantences whom I respect). I guess we didn't make the cut!

Sorry you had this experience. Our experience was the opposite, found the whole admissions process to be warm and welcoming. We have no personal connections to the school, and we're not rich or famous.

Personally, I'd never make a decision about the best fit for my child's education based on whether an admissions director was warm to me or not. Once you're in, you'll never see the admissions director again. Talk to current parents and students, that's the best way to truly understand a school. Our experience at Potomac has been wonderful - kids run to school every morning - that says it all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It may be that children and families from a well-respected feeder school such as Beauvoir are treated more warmly. Or people who are otherwise connected with the school, such as freinds of current students, etc. Our experience was very cold as well, much as I wanted to love it there (as it was highly reccomended by one very close friend and other acquiantences whom I respect). I guess we didn't make the cut!

Sorry you had this experience. Our experience was the opposite, found the whole admissions process to be warm and welcoming. We have no personal connections to the school, and we're not rich or famous.

Personally, I'd never make a decision about the best fit for my child's education based on whether an admissions director was warm to me or not. Once you're in, you'll never see the admissions director again. Talk to current parents and students, that's the best way to truly understand a school. Our experience at Potomac has been wonderful - kids run to school every morning - that says it all.

How you are treated in the beginning of any process tells you a lot about the leadership of a school, how a business is run etc. If the process in the beginning is not good, it gives you pause as to what else is not run well. I agree that you won't run into admissions after you get in but if the job of the admissions office is to sell the school and they are turning lots of people off, either they think they don't have to sell the school or the administration is not doing a good job of overseeing the admissions process and director.

If they can't manage admissions well, what about college counseling? Is their staff as unwelcoming to colleges as to prospective applicants? Just food for thought.

[Anonymous]

My DS recently graduated from Potomac and had a great college counseling experience at the school. Every college (10) he went to visit knew the Potomac counselors and had a good impression of the school. He ended up at a top-notch STEM program for college.

[Anonymous]

I think it's unrealistic to expect people who are turned off by the admissions process not to let it color their impression of the school. We came to Potomac based on many reccomendations, were impressed by the school's academics, campus, etc. Yet our experience was that Potomac seemed uninterested in us or our child, and unwelcoming. With three kids at various private schools in the DC area and outside it - including the so-called "big threes" -- it still stands out as the only place we felt that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's unrealistic to expect people who are turned off by the admissions process not to let it color their impression of the school. We came to Potomac based on many reccomendations, were impressed by the school's academics, campus, etc. Yet our experience was that Potomac seemed uninterested in us or our child, and unwelcoming. With three kids at various private schools in the DC area and outside it - including the so-called "big threes" -- it still stands out as the only place we felt that way.

Agree with this post. Perhaps the new head of school will revamp (as in "get rid of") current AD. If so, we'll consider applying for next child up for admission at a private. If not, based on our experience, which equate with above, we will pass on to a better scenario.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I go to Potomac, if I look around, it is not hard to find a large poster or board up in a classroom or hallway -- teacher or administration posting, not student work -- that contains a word that is incorrectly spelled. On school tour for LS admissions the word "privilege" was misspelled on a big poster teaching the kids the classroom rules. Just saw another "typo" on a permanent-type display when visiting a few weeks ago. That (and treatment of applicants by AD) was enough to make me balk about spending the tuition to go there.

This is very scary! We are another family that has passed up considering Potomac due to the prickly and full-of-herself A.D. There are so many other great schools out there to choose from. Why bark up the tree of one that isn't welcoming?

[Anonymous]

+1 here. The AD was so offputting, we now won't even consider the school for our 2 DCs, one entering 9, the other entering grade 7, and we live in McLean, so the school would otherwise be very convenient.

[Anonymous]

I never got the "unwelcoming and cold" impression from the AD. They weren't the friendliest of people but they were quite professional...nothing wrong with that. The AD was very good about updating me on my status and replied to my questions immediately.


I have no complaints. If my kids are not accepted this year, I will definitely try again next year.

[Anonymous]

We have had a wonderful experience in Potomac lower school and have a student applying for US this year.

After going through the application process at Potomac twice in a short amount of time, both for lower school and upper school I will say that it is different than other schools. In a lot of ways, it's more realistic and more focused on the students than the parents. It's the only school that didn't require parent interviews in the US.

Although the focus on the students and almost lack of interest in the parents may seem off putting or even cold to some, I actually appreciate it. It is much better than another school where the AD gushed over us and DS telling us how wonderful he was during the interview and then getting a wait list letter. Potomac's admissions process is more business like than many schools- but in the end I think I appreciated that.

Additionally, both of my DCs had extremely positive visits (play date and shadow visit) to Potomac. They both felt welcome and comfortable. Much more positive experiences than at another school where the AD was more positive and welcoming.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell did not have a parent interview for US. And not really one for MS - parent there but definitely all about the student, not the parent.

[Anonymous]

Gay friendly, Large population of gay faculty and staff hiring many other gay colleagues.

http://www.potomacschool.org/voices/article/index.aspx?LinkId=49701&ModuleId=410


http://www.potomacschool.org/voices/kristin/index.aspx