What private schools for high school are the hardest to get into?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are confusing hard to get into because the school is a top school and only takes the very best students (Maret, Sidwell, STA/NCS) with schools that cater to a niche that is underserved and so has limited spots (St Anselms and Field). The later group of school are fantastic but really serve a very specific populAction, not the traditional neuro-typical academic superstar.

It's now clear that you are not familiar with St Anselms and who attends St Anselms.

I am familiar with St Anselms. I know someone who works there and several families with sons there. The boys who attend are all, except one, exceptionally smart but also quirky, and all but two display some attributes of neu-differences. All are very high functioning and capable of operating in the normal world. They just would not get in to, say Sidwell or STA, because their behavioral quirks are too outside the "norm" from those completely mainstream and rigorous schools.

I was absolutely not suggesting that Field is a special needs school. Far from it, really. Field is a school for kids who don't really like the mainstream and aren't able or willing to function in the high stress, highly competitive, very traditional academic environment at the top schools. Field is a great school but its for kids who need/want to do things in a less structured, more flexible environment with more artistic options and choices. These are kids who might really like Maret or Sidwell or GDS but aren't likely to get in due to their less intense attitude toward (or maybe aptitude for) serious academics.

Our K-8 admissions counselor described it similarly. Did not recommend Field for a kid who needs to be pushed a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I am familiar with St Anselms. I know someone who works there and several families with sons there. The boys who attend are all, except one, exceptionally smart but also quirky, and all but two display some attributes of neu-differences. All are very high functioning and capable of operating in the normal world. They just would not get in to, say Sidwell or STA, because their behavioral quirks are too outside the "norm" from those completely mainstream and rigorous schools.

My DS goes there. Most of the kids do not have neu-differences. Some do, including my DS, but most do not. Many kids go there not because they couldn't get into Sidwell but because they come from families that are Catholic and value the religious aspect of the school.

My DS is also a student there, and plenty NT. Some of us like the school -- and wouldn't have even considered Sidwell -- because we value the diversity, lack of pretention, and location (which fosters the first two as well). And the strong emphasis on service and spirituality, which is not exactly something I hear routinely about the Big 3.

You might be very pleasantly surprised if you took a closer look at Sidwell, especially at the spiritual and service-focus aspects. I Aldo haven't found the community to be at all pretentious, but I guess that's a matter of opinion and based on who you happen to know. I've also heard terrific things all around about St. amselm's.

+1

Quite a few Sidwell Upper School Students take Quaker Life, and a commitment to peace and social justice very seriously. There is academic pressure but it is self-inflicted. Parents and students tend to be welcoming and supportive of each other. Take a look for yourself. Don't go by rumors.

[Anonymous]

Hardest private HS to get into are :

1. The one(s) that WL your DC, -or-
2. The one(s) that your DC got into but someone you know personally were rejected or WL at!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hardest private HS to get into are :

1. The one(s) that WL your DC, -or-
2. The one(s) that your DC got into but someone you know personally were rejected or WL at!

+1000

[Anonymous]

The school with the largest percentage of applicants is the easiest academically. People are ell aware that STA and NCS are far and above the other schools because in addition to the best academics they develop the mind, body, and character. NCS and STA are full of leaders and the other schools are full of attenders. NCS and STA are cities on a hill. Just watch the other schools compete against NCS or STA. Win, lose, or draw they play dirty and try and do everything legal or illegal to gain an advantage. NCS/STA students play by the rules. God is watching.

[Anonymous]

All you have to do is to observe the NCS/STA students. The schools are hives of industry and intelligence...the students
well prepared for leading society forward. Just look at the National lists. Maret? GDS? Field? Even Sidwell. Once the Obama girls move on it's lights out on Wisconsin Ave. Cocktail party is over. Take down the bunting and snuff the candles.

[Anonymous]

You mean the STA kids who get caught, or the ones who don't get caught but are still cheating. The prior two posts are such laughable tripe.

[Anonymous]

It's all over. I was surprised to receive a forwarded email from a major DC lawyer and parent, full of organizing / study tips and answers from answer key prior to final exam week. Helicopter much?

[Anonymous]

01:23

The only thing you receive is spam. You're FOS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read this whole thread but this is very hard to quantify. I haven't seen anyone post admissions numbers to prove what some are saying. And just to throw in another factor, I also know from friends who applied that NCS and Sidwell are pulling from their wait lists for next years' admissions which means people are turning them down as well so they are getting the cream of the crop they wanted. There is just so much at play here to measure this.

First hand knowledge, no pulling from Sidwell upper school wait list, but nice try.

[Anonymous]

Worst school ever. Hires unqualified teachers and makes parents feel totally unwelcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Worst school ever. Hires unqualified teachers and makes parents feel totally unwelcome.

Which school are you referring to?

[Anonymous]

This thread is great... the hardest school for your kid to successfully apply is the one where the Admissions Office has determined, from a mix of quantitative and qualitative data, that the fit of the school for your child is not as good as it is for a number of other applicants. If you want to know what that number is, the formula is (# of students needed/yield %) and that's it.

Rather than putting the different schools in rankings objectively, just rank them as to how well they fit your value system... that's the place that your kid will be happiest. If the school that best matches your value system doesn't offer your child a spot, move down a tier and go for that. Rinse and repeat, and your kid will end up in a place where they'll be more or less happy for their high school years, and then 'Presto, chango!' you've got a happy adult on your hands. It's not rocket surgery.

I would ask that people also keep their local public school in mind as an option... your family just might play a more important role in the local community than you know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school with the largest percentage of applicants is the easiest academically. People are ell aware that STA and NCS are far and above the other schools because in addition to the best academics they develop the mind, body, and character. NCS and STA are full of leaders and the other schools are full of attenders. NCS and STA are cities on a hill. Just watch the other schools compete against NCS or STA. Win, lose, or draw they play dirty and try and do everything legal or illegal to gain an advantage. NCS/STA students play by the rules. God is watching.

NCS destroys mind, body and character. Trust me, I have way too much direct experience. STA is very different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school with the largest percentage of applicants is the easiest academically. People are ell aware that STA and NCS are far and above the other schools because in addition to the best academics they develop the mind, body, and character. NCS and STA are full of leaders and the other schools are full of attenders. NCS and STA are cities on a hill. Just watch the other schools compete against NCS or STA. Win, lose, or draw they play dirty and try and do everything legal or illegal to gain an advantage. NCS/STA students play by the rules. God is watching.

NCS destroys mind, body and character. Trust me, I have way too much direct experience. STA is very different.

Both of the PPs are ridiculous. I promise you that there are people who have had both terrible and incredible experiences at every school. There are wonderful and awful people associated with each school. Get over it. The real competition is not on DCUM.