What's it really like at the Big 3?

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[Post New]05/15/2010 11:32
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

It'll depend. How rich (or not), how powerful (or not), even how good looking (or not). That the Big 3 are populated mainly by "elite" families is an urban myth. But most are reasonably well off, reasonably powerful, and reasonably good looking. If you don't hit on 2 out of 3, you may be a "second-class" citizen. But the saving grace is that if your DC is well-liked and popular, you'll find DC, and by extension your family, will be among the "first-class," regardless of how poor, powerless, or ugly you may be.



You have got to be kidding. If you consider GDS and Sidwell in "your Big 3" you are so wrong. GDS, for one, has some really really unattractive (dare I say flat out ugly) kids and parents and some of Sidwell's aren't far behind. Ugh.


Have to agree with this based on attending HS sports games at nearly all the independent schools over the last couple of years.

I thought this was a ridiculous post, and I guess it is in one sense, but I cannot deny that there is some grain of truth here. Perhaps uglier people are smarter?
[Post New]05/15/2010 14:51
Anonymous
wow.
[Post New]05/15/2010 21:38
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
I believe St. Albans does teach its students how to judge the probative value of primary and secondary sources and to analyze arguments;


or to memorize the names of all the countries?

Sorry--I'm a total outsider and have no idea who any of these people are.
[Post New]05/16/2010 11:47
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

It'll depend. How rich (or not), how powerful (or not), even how good looking (or not). That the Big 3 are populated mainly by "elite" families is an urban myth. But most are reasonably well off, reasonably powerful, and reasonably good looking. If you don't hit on 2 out of 3, you may be a "second-class" citizen. But the saving grace is that if your DC is well-liked and popular, you'll find DC, and by extension your family, will be among the "first-class," regardless of how poor, powerless, or ugly you may be.



You have got to be kidding. If you consider GDS and Sidwell in "your Big 3" you are so wrong. GDS, for one, has some really really unattractive (dare I say flat out ugly) kids and parents and some of Sidwell's aren't far behind. Ugh.


Have to agree with this based on attending HS sports games at nearly all the independent schools over the last couple of years.


I thought this was a ridiculous post, and I guess it is in one sense, but I cannot deny that there is some grain of truth here. Perhaps uglier people are smarter?


Are you kidding me, PP?
[Post New]05/16/2010 20:26
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:In my experience, Sidwell has the friendliest Big 3 parents and the most socioeconomic diversity.

Unless you have kids at each of the Big 3, how can you possibly tell where they are friendliest based on a handful of playdates at 2 and many years' experience at just 1?

Each parent at each of the Big 3 will claim theirs is the friendliest.
[Post New]05/17/2010 10:06
Anonymous
"Friendliest" is not something anyone can accurately state as a fact about the parents at any school, including any of the Big 3. As they say, "your mileage may differe. It can be only a gross generalization to say a school's parents are the "friendliest."
[Post New]05/17/2010 12:37
Anonymous
What's it really like at the Big 3? Not as snooty and elitist as one might think. We went from a MoCo close-in public elementary school to STA, and we found probably more ethnic diversity at STA, 'though I cannot attest to the realtive socioeconomic diversity because I do not have enough information. I still have a child at the public, and one PTA parent made a comment assuming that the parents at STA were more snooty, but as I told her, I really found them no more so than at this public. One could argue that I am comparing STA to a predominantly white public that has rich and snooty parents, but my point is that the private schools may be more diverse and no more snooty than the publics.
[Post New]05/17/2010 12:47
Anonymous
That is so true pp. I'll take DC privates any day over close in MD publics when it comes to diversity.
[Post New]05/17/2010 13:05
SAM2
Member Offline
I put some diversity numbers together a while ago, using "official" numbers from the DOE, and the results were pretty interesting. Here is the "diversity index" number for several schools, geographic regions, and local neighborhoods:



Comparing and contrasting the numbers for particular locations requires a little time. But the bottom line is that if you're coming from Bethesda, CC, Ward 3, or McLean, most of the schools likely will be more diverse than your neighbors.
[Post New]05/17/2010 13:12
Anonymous
Some privates are breathylizing kids at prom. I think its a terrible idea. With the stakes so high, i don't the schools need to go out of their way to bust kids for drinking.
[Post New]05/17/2010 13:22
Anonymous
Really? I think if drinking is a problem then breathalyzing is a good idea.
[Post New]05/17/2010 13:33
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Some privates are breathylizing kids at prom. I think its a terrible idea. With the stakes so high, i don't the schools need to go out of their way to bust kids for drinking.

I would rather see my kid at a less selective college (if that is what you mean by high stakes) than in the morgue--this helps cut down on drunk driving and as such is a great idea. Also, as the Huguely murder shows, alcohol can heighten violence ( particularly in this age group ).
[Post New]05/17/2010 14:13
Anonymous
The way rules are now, a kid who gets caught drinking can be arrested, suspended or expelled from school on the first instance. Yes, colleges are notified if a kid is suspended and/or expelled but that's not really what I meant. This kind of policy ignores the reality that a lot of kids are drinking no matter what the rules are. Under the current regime, a kid can't go to an adult and say a friend has drunk too much because everyone will get suspended expelled or arrested. It's a dangerous policy
[Post New]05/17/2010 14:14
Anonymous
Very well said.
[Post New]05/17/2010 14:18
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Some privates are breathylizing kids at prom. I think its a terrible idea. With the stakes so high, i don't the schools need to go out of their way to bust kids for drinking.

I would rather see my kid at a less selective college (if that is what you mean by high stakes) than in the morgue--this helps cut down on drunk driving and as such is a great idea. Also, as the Huguely murder shows, alcohol can heighten violence ( particularly in this age group ).


Better than th morgue. So right.
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