Edmund Burke

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any experience with Edmund Burke School that they'd like to share?

[Anonymous]

I'd like to hear about it too. My daughter wants to go there but I'd like to know if it is worth $27,000 a year.

[Anonymous]

Burke is a great school. Do you have specific questions? It's a small setting with personal attention. Individuality and creativity is valued. Graduates go to top colleges.

[Anonymous]

The arts and music programs seem amazing, but how are they for sports? I'm also concerned about the open campus (at GDS too), the lack of open space, and frankly, how much freedom the students have -- is there enough structure? Also, the college placements seem good, but not stellar, given the tuition. Is it just that the students there seem to be drawn to "off the beaten track" schools? I love the small classes and I really liked the teachers and staff, however.

[Anonymous]

Burke actually has a lot more space now with their new building. They still have an open campus but not for the younger grades (I believe). There are also restrictions for students on how far from the school property they can go at lunch.

[Anonymous]

This may be too outdated to be much use to current applicants, but DH graduated from Burke and to this day credits the school with much of his later scholarly successes.

Pre-Burke, he went through elementary school in NY and a short time at Sheridan here in DC, where he was constantly labelled a 'problem kid', mistakenly placed in special ed classes and/or kicked out of school. Turns out he was dyslexic, but nobody knew much about it back then.

Burke was the only place to give him a "second chance." It had a curriculum interesting, challenging and flexible enough to bring his focus back to school, sustain his creative side and inspire him to do well. He went on to Colgate U., then transfered to Columbia & went to Yale for his JD. Classmates who haven't seen him in a while are stunned to see that he has traded in his blue hair for a conservative crop, and his beatnik books for tax law! But he still has his tatoos, kickboxing and art projects going...

FWIW, he is also the only person I know who has maintained close contact with so many of his high school peers. So the community lives on long after they are done w/ Burke.

[Anonymous]

I've heard good things about the school, especially for kids who do better in non-traditional settings, but geez, $28,000 and no playing fields, no tennis courts, no cafeteria??

[Anonymous]

I'm a parent of young children. I graduated from Burke and can say that it really made a difference for me. I would feel privileged to send my children there. 25% of families receive financial aid at Burke. I don't know how that compares to other schools. Burke has more of a family atmosphere.

[Anonymous]

10:14, that was helpful. I've been wondering whether Burke would really challenge my daughter -- who is a little bit like your son. I'm reluctant to pull her out of her public school which has an excellent writing program (but is not so good on other academics) but it does sound like the kind of school which might suit her. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

17:30, you're welcome. Mind you, I was referring to my husband(!) rather than my son. We're in our late 30's, so it is amazing to me that he still has such a close tie to his HS classmates and teachers. He was there when the school was pretty new. Know things have changed enormously since then, which is why I wasn't sure how applicable my comments would be. Best of luck to your daughter. FWIW, my husband was also a pretty strong writer (rife w/ spelling mistakes, but all the same...)

[Anonymous]

As a Burke alum, I was more prepared than many others on my freshman floor because I knew how to write. At Burke, I had done term papers and essays and other freshmen were stressing out because they hadn't. It's a really supportive environment. I still feel at home there when I visit.