Getting into St. Albans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While we have avoided the entitlement encephalitis syndrome by foregoing private primary education it was refreshing to see representation from STA (even if from progeny of DHHS employees). What is quite telling is absent representation from the slew of "Big 3" elite private schools in D.C. that champion first rate and top dollar 21st century education. On the other hand, if subscription to the "who you know rather than what you know" philosophy is still the prevailing and proud operative ... it's no surprise at all.

Fwap, fwap, fwap. Still going ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Connections are indeed important in life but I don't think middle and high school connections are necessarily the important ones. College maybe. Graduate school more likely. Professional connections definitely.

I agree that middle and high school connections are not necessarily the important ones. In fact, I would say that they almost never are. I also agree that the value of connections increases as you work your way up the ladder - college, grad school, professional connections.

But STA, needless to say, is not your typical middle/high school for many reasons. One is the connections you do develop at an early age. For example, my nephew was able to get a summer job at a prominent news magazine which helped his college application (he wanted to be a journalism major) and propelled him to journalism school. He is now a cub reporter for a small newspaper and quite happy. The summer job was created for him exclusively by an STA parent who was an editor at the news organization. My step-son had mediocre grades in business school, graduated last May at the height of the financial crisis, and landed a job at a investment firm only because his STA friend's parent owned the firm. I'm not saying connections are the only thing. But they do count, and for some, create opportunities that would not otherwise be available.

[Anonymous]

There is no one here that disputes the role of connections in life's winding journey; however, some prefer not to build a child's education base on the premise that life is about who you know rather than what you know. To do so is to build an educational edifice that is a house of cards.

[Anonymous]

This discussion is going round and round and round. We totally get that some people want to save their money and go public. Others believe in private schools for numerous reasons. If you want to save your money fine -- but no need to throw stones at those who want to invest in private schools for their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think even in this century, the old adage about "it's not what you know, it's who you know" trumps all. STA will provide those connections. TJ will not.

You are quite right in acknowledging the trump card of privilege, power and who you know in making the world go round. Indeed, affirmative action for landed gentry and wealthy based on these connections was the rule for a century and a half at elite private schools -- like your beloved STA. As you rightly point out, who you knew trumped what you knew. You also rightly point out this is still the rule at STA. By contrast, what you know trumps who you know at TJ and other free and public magnet programs.

As what you know takes on increasing importance for many of us the preferential treatment from privilege, connections and who you know will slowly fade. You are infected with encephalitis of entitlement. This is a disease that afflicts the minds of many of your kind intoxicated with worship of who you know and not what you know.

For these reasons we strategically opted to take infectious precautions with our children at the young and formative stages of social and intellectual development to avoid entitlement encephalitis. We have put them in the big pond -- prime time -- where they engage with children from all walks and stations in life. They will learn to compete on life's bigger stage, based on what they know and not who they know.

The behaviour and attitudes of parents (and many of their children) like you simply reaffirms our wise decision to turn down the Big 3 for the primary school education of our boys and put our checkbook back in the purse. It's a no brainer.

Well said! Personally, I think a few (not all) of the St. Albans posters on this thread are upset, because they feel they were gypped. It kills them to think that they're spending $400K on St. Albans, when others are getting similar--and sometimes better--results at a free magnet like TJ. Ouch!

Setting aside for a moment that you are obviously commenting on your own post, where do you get $400,000? If you start at St Albans in 4th grade you are there 9 years. Current tuition is $33,000. Times 9 is $297k. I don't think you could spend $103k on incidentals, particularly not ones that you wouldn't also have at any school (summer camps, etc.). If you are part way through you paid less in earlier years and will pay more in subsequent years but still in the ballpark.

[Anonymous]

I'm guessing they are multiplying 30K times 13 years (K through 12) for 390K. I guess the thinking being to get into St. Albans, you had to pay nearly the same price for the elementary school.

[Anonymous]

I think someone's kid didn't get into STA and they are very, very bitter about it.

[Anonymous]

You are quite right in acknowledging the trump card of privilege, power and who you know in making the world go round. Indeed, affirmative action for landed gentry and wealthy based on these connections was the rule for a century and a half at elite private schools -- like your beloved STA. As you rightly point out, who you knew trumped what you knew. You also rightly point out this is still the rule at STA. By contrast, what you know trumps who you know at TJ and other free and public magnet programs.

As what you know takes on increasing importance for many of us the preferential treatment from privilege, connections and who you know will slowly fade. You are infected with encephalitis of entitlement. This is a disease that afflicts the minds of many of your kind intoxicated with worship of who you know and not what you know.

For these reasons we strategically opted to take infectious precautions with our children at the young and formative stages of social and intellectual development to avoid entitlement encephalitis. We have put them in the big pond -- prime time -- where they engage with children from all walks and stations in life. They will learn to compete on life's bigger stage, based on what they know and not who they know.

The behaviour and attitudes of parents (and many of their children) like you simply reaffirms our wise decision to turn down the Big 3 for the primary school education of our boys and put our checkbook back in the purse. It's a no brainer.

_________________________________________________________


Anonymous wrote:
While we have avoided the entitlement encephalitis syndrome by foregoing private primary education it was refreshing to see representation from STA (even if from progeny of DHHS employees). What is quite telling is absent representation from the slew of "Big 3" elite private schools in D.C. that champion first rate and top dollar 21st century education. On the other hand, if subscription to the "who you know rather than what you know" philosophy is still the prevailing and proud operative ... it's no surprise at all.

___________________________________________________________

To PP:

For the record, my sole posts are above. We may consider a local or distant private for secondary school when we think the kids have adequate protection and immunity from entitlement encephalitis.

[Anonymous]

I think someone's kid didn't get into STA and they are very, very bitter about it.

Try the babbling psychopath with an aversion to public school bathrooms and an 8th grade son in another Podunk private school besides STA who seems like she would die if her son does not get in STA. Do you think she has tried to get her son into mecca before? She has 3 more years and counting to get her prize.

[Anonymous]

I think you're confusing multiple posts pp. The TJ booster is the one who is bitter her kid didn't get into STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think someone's kid didn't get into STA and they are very, very bitter about it.

The world does not evolve around St. Albans' dazzle. Dialogue is a good thing.

This thread is better than those close-mouthed school meetings on the state of St Albans. I'm glad that admin is taking the time out of the their schedules to read and consider criticisms voiced here.

[Anonymous]

pp -- only if people put their names on the their posts would any school even consider taking these posts into account. Some weirdos might just be getting their jollies here posting anonymous statements about STA.

[Anonymous]

I know that TJ is a damn superb school and there is no equal in the D.C. area by my metrics (private or public). This qualifies me as a booster.

As one of 5 in a sibship that all attended private schools (for high school and universities) I also a booster and support private education.

But, the key in my book is excellence in education. It does not matter to me whether it is private or public, expensive or free. All folk are free to choose their educational paths for their children -- including TJ and STA boosters.

[Anonymous]

And yet at the end of the day, most would want to send their boys to STA, evidenced by the fact that the Getting into St. Albans thread is 40,000 posts long, and nobody has even started a thread on how to get into TJ.

Or, are we no longer interested in data?

Fatuous indeed... "No one has even started a thread on how to get into TJ?" Well, this is a no brainer. It's about what you know and not who you know. Simple. No room for fudge here. The only connections that count the interconnections between brain cells.

The "getting into St. Albans thread is 40,000 posts long" because ... well, this is a no brainer. It's about who you know and not what you know particularly in the early entrance years.

The 40,000 posts long reads like a How to manual/tomb for dummies ... or DCUMMIES in this case.

How to have a playdate for dummies?
How to pick a WPSSI tester for dummies?
How to write a thank you note to the admission's officer for dummies?
How to fill out an applicationfor dummies?
How to write an essay and answer questions? What to write? How many paragraphs?
How to prep for every aspect of the admission process (begins in utero for many) except the WPSSI test because after all this is immoral and cheating..for dummies?

[Anonymous]

For all the pomp, dazzle and luster piped upabout STA by all the posters here can anyone explain to the uninitiated why the school endowment and endowment/ student ratio does not measure up with Georgetown Prep and other schools (considered in their same league)around the nation? Where are all those connections?