Is Landon worth it?

[Anonymous]

OP does your son have another option?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a very personal decision.

For us, no, Landon would not have been worth paying $45K over public. We thought about this long an hard and filled out the application but never hit send.
We applied to STA, Sidwell and Potomac. We felt like each of them were worth the money over public for our kid who was doing very well in public.
Our son ended up at STA and it's been great. It's $$ but the experience (high academics, unique experience on the close, etc) is worth the money over a decent public
for our kid.
We had different reasons for feeling like Sidwell and to a lesser extent Potomac, would also have been worth spending the money over public school.
We didn't feel any need to leave public school "at any cost".

Everyone's calculation is going to be different.

Wait so your kid never applied to Landon? So how would you know it wasn’t worth it?

[Anonymous]

We have lived it at Landon. The “lax bro” culture everyone is always fretting about has never, not even once, been an issue for my somewhat nerdy boys and their group of friends. I couldn’t have asked for a better place for them. Worth every penny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think what you are hearing from the Landon parents (myself included) is that we don't send our boys there with hopes of them getting into an Ivy. We want then to have a solid hight school experience that prepares them for the right college for them.

Yes! This! I send my FOUR sons there to get a great high school education and experience. No other motive. I hope they go to colleges that are good fits and make them happy. I know for at least one son, that isn’t going to be an ivy. Does that make him a failure or less worthy ? Absolutely not.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think what you are hearing from the Landon parents (myself included) is that we don't send our boys there with hopes of them getting into an Ivy. We want then to have a solid hight school experience that prepares them for the right college for them.

Yes! This! I send my FOUR sons there to get a great high school education and experience. No other motive. I hope they go to colleges that are good fits and make them happy. I know for at least one son, that isn’t going to be an ivy. Does that make him a failure or less worthy ? Absolutely not.

Thank you so much for the reassurance. We loved everything about Landon and felt the warmth from the community once we stepped foot on it. It literally left a lasting impression. We are accepting YES and hope that this will be a great journey for our son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP does your son have another option?

Not OP since this thread goes back a couple years, but I think I’m the poster you are responding to. DS was also admitted to Bullis, GDS, and SFS. I think Bullis is officially off the table and the more we learn about GDS that too is unlikely. So, at this stage we are weighing the pros and cons for Landon v Sidwell. I think he’d get a great education at both and there are plenty of happy families to sing the schools’ praises, but trying to get a real sense of how our son would fit in has been surprisingly difficult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP does your son have another option?

Not OP since this thread goes back a couple years, but I think I’m the poster you are responding to. DS was also admitted to Bullis, GDS, and SFS. I think Bullis is officially off the table and the more we learn about GDS that too is unlikely. So, at this stage we are weighing the pros and cons for Landon v Sidwell. I think he’d get a great education at both and there are plenty of happy families to sing the schools’ praises, but trying to get a real sense of how our son would fit in has been surprisingly difficult.

I'd like to help you here. Landon kids are more balanced and happier. Sidwell kids are more stressed out and I'd make a bet that more Sidwell kids and GDS kid have therapy then Landon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP does your son have another option?

Not OP since this thread goes back a couple years, but I think I’m the poster you are responding to. DS was also admitted to Bullis, GDS, and SFS. I think Bullis is officially off the table and the more we learn about GDS that too is unlikely. So, at this stage we are weighing the pros and cons for Landon v Sidwell. I think he’d get a great education at both and there are plenty of happy families to sing the schools’ praises, but trying to get a real sense of how our son would fit in has been surprisingly difficult.

I'd like to help you here. Landon kids are more balanced and happier. Sidwell kids are more stressed out and I'd make a bet that more Sidwell kids and GDS kid have therapy then Landon.

Really? You are basing this on what? Your personal survey of all students at both schools?

PP, my son had a choice between SFS and Landon several years ago. Chose Sidwell for multiple reasons, including proximity to our house, which is important. Very happy with the decision, although he has many friends at Landon and we assume they are truly happy there (as opposed to what everyone superficially reports.)

I will say this: We are learning through older DCs who are now in college and in the work world that Sidwell does have national and even international name recognition. No one outside of DC has ever heard of Landon. And yes, there will be times in your son's life that this will matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP does your son have another option?

Not OP since this thread goes back a couple years, but I think I’m the poster you are responding to. DS was also admitted to Bullis, GDS, and SFS. I think Bullis is officially off the table and the more we learn about GDS that too is unlikely. So, at this stage we are weighing the pros and cons for Landon v Sidwell. I think he’d get a great education at both and there are plenty of happy families to sing the schools’ praises, but trying to get a real sense of how our son would fit in has been surprisingly difficult.

I'd like to help you here. Landon kids are more balanced and happier. Sidwell kids are more stressed out and I'd make a bet that more Sidwell kids and GDS kid have therapy then Landon.

Really? You are basing this on what? Your personal survey of all students at both schools?

PP, my son had a choice between SFS and Landon several years ago. Chose Sidwell for multiple reasons, including proximity to our house, which is important. Very happy with the decision, although he has many friends at Landon and we assume they are truly happy there (as opposed to what everyone superficially reports.)

I will say this: We are learning through older DCs who are now in college and in the work world that Sidwell does have national and even international name recognition. No one outside of DC has ever heard of Landon. And yes, there will be times in your son's life that this will matter.

Why so angry? No one truly cares once you graduate what high school you attended unless that is your only attribute. We know Sidwell is rigorous and sought after because of the presidential connections throughout the years. College will matter more to get you through the door and how people in whatever environment you’re in will remember you. I’m fine with sending my kids to either school because either way, they’ll get a fine education. No need to tear down another school.

[Anonymous]

This chat board, while helpful in some ways, can also turn the other way. Who knows your son better than you? No one on this chat board can walk in your shoes nor can they predict with any significant success, what your son's experience could possibly be at Sidwell, Landon, GDS or anywhere else. We simply do not know your son. If you're worried that athletics are too "valued" at any school, for your son, then it sounds like your apprehension already gives you the answer.

You've got to accept or decline such an opportunity and no one on this chat board is writing the check, but you...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This chat board, while helpful in some ways, can also turn the other way. Who knows your son better than you? No one on this chat board can walk in your shoes nor can they predict with any significant success, what your son's experience could possibly be at Sidwell, Landon, GDS or anywhere else. We simply do not know your son. If you're worried that athletics are too "valued" at any school, for your son, then it sounds like your apprehension already gives you the answer.

You've got to accept or decline such an opportunity and no one on this chat board is writing the check, but you...

I kept hoping we’d get some clarity but I do think yiu are right and we we need to trust our gut. All this infighting about outcomes and therapy is not helpful at all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP does your son have another option?

Not OP since this thread goes back a couple years, but I think I’m the poster you are responding to. DS was also admitted to Bullis, GDS, and SFS. I think Bullis is officially off the table and the more we learn about GDS that too is unlikely. So, at this stage we are weighing the pros and cons for Landon v Sidwell. I think he’d get a great education at both and there are plenty of happy families to sing the schools’ praises, but trying to get a real sense of how our son would fit in has been surprisingly difficult.

I'd like to help you here. Landon kids are more balanced and happier. Sidwell kids are more stressed out and I'd make a bet that more Sidwell kids and GDS kid have therapy then Landon.

Really? You are basing this on what? Your personal survey of all students at both schools?

PP, my son had a choice between SFS and Landon several years ago. Chose Sidwell for multiple reasons, including proximity to our house, which is important. Very happy with the decision, although he has many friends at Landon and we assume they are truly happy there (as opposed to what everyone superficially reports.)

I will say this: We are learning through older DCs who are now in college and in the work world that Sidwell does have national and even international name recognition. No one outside of DC has ever heard of Landon. And yes, there will be times in your son's life that this will matter.

Why so angry? No one truly cares once you graduate what high school you attended unless that is your only attribute. We know Sidwell is rigorous and sought after because of the presidential connections throughout the years. College will matter more to get you through the door and how people in whatever environment you’re in will remember you. I’m fine with sending my kids to either school because either way, they’ll get a fine education. No need to tear down another school.

NP. True, but I don't think this is what is being referred to here. Graduating from a "brand name" school like Sidwell can pay off for years, through alumni connections, alum groups and activities around the world, etc. It's true that there is not a school in the DMV that comes close in name recognition and value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP does your son have another option?

Not OP since this thread goes back a couple years, but I think I’m the poster you are responding to. DS was also admitted to Bullis, GDS, and SFS. I think Bullis is officially off the table and the more we learn about GDS that too is unlikely. So, at this stage we are weighing the pros and cons for Landon v Sidwell. I think he’d get a great education at both and there are plenty of happy families to sing the schools’ praises, but trying to get a real sense of how our son would fit in has been surprisingly difficult.

I'd like to help you here. Landon kids are more balanced and happier. Sidwell kids are more stressed out and I'd make a bet that more Sidwell kids and GDS kid have therapy then Landon.

Really? You are basing this on what? Your personal survey of all students at both schools?

PP, my son had a choice between SFS and Landon several years ago. Chose Sidwell for multiple reasons, including proximity to our house, which is important. Very happy with the decision, although he has many friends at Landon and we assume they are truly happy there (as opposed to what everyone superficially reports.)

I will say this: We are learning through older DCs who are now in college and in the work world that Sidwell does have national and even international name recognition. No one outside of DC has ever heard of Landon. And yes, there will be times in your son's life that this will matter.

Why so angry? No one truly cares once you graduate what high school you attended unless that is your only attribute. We know Sidwell is rigorous and sought after because of the presidential connections throughout the years. College will matter more to get you through the door and how people in whatever environment you’re in will remember you. I’m fine with sending my kids to either school because either way, they’ll get a fine education. No need to tear down another school.

NP. True, but I don't think this is what is being referred to here. Graduating from a "brand name" school like Sidwell can pay off for years, through alumni connections, alum groups and activities around the world, etc. It's true that there is not a school in the DMV that comes close in name recognition and value.

That’s only if you make the right connections while you’re there. I am quick to say only if you’re connected will you have that opportunity. All of these schools have alumni connections, reunions, giving days etc. My DC attends a Big 3 and we see alums from 40, 50 years ago still coming back and engaging with the community. Dare I say it happens around the world? My mom attended a prestigious boarding school abroad and they still have reunions and my mother is in her late 60s. Yes, it may get you through the door, but you’ll only stay there due to your own hard work and reputation.

Any of these schools can get you there. Landon, GDS, NCS/STA etc all send kids to the ivys, not only Sidwell. To the poster deciding between the two, do a gut check and go with what you feel is best. As another person mentioned, you’re the only one writing that check!

[Anonymous]

How much insight are parents able to have at Landon into the curriculum, positive or not good issues that come up in class, etc. DS not the most communicative about what going on in classes or upcoming tests and would like to understand how parents gain insights from teachers apart from usual teacher conferences or is it entirely through sons.