How does Latin compare to privates who offer classical education?

[Anonymous]

Not sure whether to post in private schools or here.

We have been strongly considering a classical education for DS. For a variety of reasons, it seems like it would work well for him.

Knowing the lottery odds at Latin, we hadn't expected he might lottery in, but he did. We had been starting to budget for private schools - St Anselm's, some other Catholic, maybe St Alban's (though likely too pricey). We thought we had a better shot of him getting into private than into Latin.

How would you say Latin compares to these private schools?

[Anonymous]

St. Anselm's is higher performing than Latin. Its advanced classes are APs, which is not the case at St. Albans.

There are far more APs available at St. Anselm's than Latin, which may or may not be a strength in your mind.

Beyond that, you really need to visit and see what you think. Both STA and St. Anselm's are both private and religious schools and choose their students.

Obviously, Latin isn't religiously affiliated and can't choose its own student body.

That makes a big difference.

[Anonymous]

Also, aside from the obvious price differences, you're looking at all boys v co-ed.

[Anonymous]

Latin is an urban school. Both STA and St. Anselm's are likely much less diverse. Totally different cultures. Although I bet the St. Anselm's and STA cultures are different as well.

Academically my high schooler at Latin is getting an unbelievably amazing classical education.

[Anonymous]

What aspects of Latin are classical education? I mean, I could go read the material probably but if somebody knows and can drop it here in a sentence I'd appreciate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What aspects of Latin are classical education? I mean, I could go read the material probably but if somebody knows and can drop it here in a sentence I'd appreciate it.

They require Latin.

They have Socratic seminars.

They require participation in sports (a la private schools)

You can find syllabi and more on their approach (including "traditional recitation and drills") on their website.

[Anonymous]

thanks for that!

[Anonymous]

NP here with a son at St. Anselm's and friends at Latin. The curriculum at St. Anselm's is at a very high level - check out the summer reading assignments to get an idea. They read the Odyssey before 6th grade, and Virgil's Aeneid before 7th. We love it but it really is a very bright and pretty intellectually homogenous group of boys. Latin is much more diverse in terms of academic readiness. Pros and cons to each, but we have found that our son has gotten an unbelievable education in his 4 years at St. Anselm's. (And we say that as a family whose older child went public DCPS all the way through, with generally good experiences.)

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for this input so far.

DS loves the humanities and many aspects of a classical education (he's already read the Odyssey on his own in 4th grade for pleasure). He's also very strong in STEM subjects, particularly coding and math. It's very likely he would be a STEM major / engineering student in college. Does adding in that STEM interest change any responses?

[Anonymous]

I would look hard at the upper-level courses available at the two schools. St. Anselm's has AP Computer Science, AP Calc BC, and several other upper-level STEM courses. It's a little hard to tell from Latin's web site, but it doesn't look like those options are available. If you have a STEM kid, you definitely will want him to take AP Calculus BC in high school to make him competitive for admission to engineering programs. I would really drill down into the curriculum to see what will be available.

FWIW, your son sounds like an Abbey boy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would look hard at the upper-level courses available at the two schools. St. Anselm's has AP Computer Science, AP Calc BC, and several other upper-level STEM courses. It's a little hard to tell from Latin's web site, but it doesn't look like those options are available. If you have a STEM kid, you definitely will want him to take AP Calculus BC in high school to make him competitive for admission to engineering programs. I would really drill down into the curriculum to see what will be available.

FWIW, your son sounds like an Abbey boy.

Within public and charter options, the only schools currently offering Calc BC are Wilson, SWW (some years it is only Calc AB) and Basis DC.

Latin's science and math courses are more limited -- see http://latinpcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Curriculum-guide-combo.pdf --

Currently, Latin seniors can take AP Biology or AP Environmental Science (no AP Physics or AP Chem)

RE math: In grades 5 and 6, students are grouped according to their previous expertise and facility with basic operations; in grades 7- 10, depending on their comfort with numeric operations, students either continue their work on basic math or begin their high school work on Algebra I, II, and Geometry. For some advanced 10th grade students, Pre-Calculus is an option in the high school. High-school students can also elect to take Statistics, AP Calculus or AP Statistics in order to fulfill their four-year high-school math requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would look hard at the upper-level courses available at the two schools. St. Anselm's has AP Computer Science, AP Calc BC, and several other upper-level STEM courses. It's a little hard to tell from Latin's web site, but it doesn't look like those options are available. If you have a STEM kid, you definitely will want him to take AP Calculus BC in high school to make him competitive for admission to engineering programs. I would really drill down into the curriculum to see what will be available.

FWIW, your son sounds like an Abbey boy.

Within public and charter options, the only schools currently offering Calc BC are Wilson, SWW (some years it is only Calc AB) and Basis DC.

Latin's science and math courses are more limited -- see http://latinpcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Curriculum-guide-combo.pdf --

Currently, Latin seniors can take AP Biology or AP Environmental Science (no AP Physics or AP Chem)

RE math: In grades 5 and 6, students are grouped according to their previous expertise and facility with basic operations; in grades 7- 10, depending on their comfort with numeric operations, students either continue their work on basic math or begin their high school work on Algebra I, II, and Geometry. For some advanced 10th grade students, Pre-Calculus is an option in the high school. High-school students can also elect to take Statistics, AP Calculus or AP Statistics in order to fulfill their four-year high-school math requirement.

Latin does have AP Calc BC as an offering, as well as AP Computer Science Principles which I think is new this year.

[Anonymous]

Check this out on the Latin website about Ancient Greek offerings:
http://latinpcs.org/greek-is-the-word/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St. Anselm's is higher performing than Latin. Its advanced classes are APs, which is not the case at St. Albans.

There are far more APs available at St. Anselm's than Latin, which may or may not be a strength in your mind.

Beyond that, you really need to visit and see what you think. Both STA and St. Anselm's are both private and religious schools and choose their students.

Obviously, Latin isn't religiously affiliated and can't choose its own student body.

That makes a big difference.

St. Alban's offers 13 APs and other advanced classes that are not APs; St. Anselm's offers about 24 APs and also other advanced classes that are not APs. Both offer math beyond AP Calc BC. St. Alban's grades are about twice as big, so it offers a broader variety of electives, a non-honors option in core math and science classes, and has a 7-day rotating schedule of 5 periods, 17 credits required with most taking ~24. St. Anselm's has 8 class periods daily, set course schedules for all in 9th and 10th (nine required classes per semester, including in 9th: Chemistry, Algebra II, Latin, a second language, and AP World History), a variety of electives in 10th an 11th (28 credits required, most students will have ~32 credits at graduation), and it does not have a non-honors option in core classes. Both offer a variety of great, in-depth humanities, history, and literature courses (none of which are well described on line and change year to year). Both require sports in high school (3 seasons at St. Alban's, 1 at St. Anselm's); St. Anselm's also requires other ECs in "10th period." Both have service requirements.

All three are going to give your child a strong academic background. Though the lottery aspect of Latin can change the academic levels of students it will be supporting, friends whose kids are there are very happy with the level of classical discourse, and you will be able to take two languages and the APs they offer. Many of the extra requirements are similar to the other two, like sports and service. Beyond that, you are looking at different entry grades (4th, 5th, 6th), different locations, different traditions, different levels of diversity, different religious traditions, different price points (free, ~$28K, ~$48), co-ed v. all boys, and so somewhat different families will be drawn to each of these schools, with some overlap. You'll find friends at any of them though. If money isn't the issue, the visits will help you choose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check this out on the Latin website about Ancient Greek offerings:
http://latinpcs.org/greek-is-the-word/

Great to see! St. Alban's and St. Anselm's also offer a variety of Greek classes, but not 4 years worth.