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[quote=Anonymous]Hi OP.  I am a Potomac US parent.  I also have a kid who came into Potomac from another school and I share the following based on our experience:

1.) The other school was probably not as rigorous as you thought - that is common - even if your kid tests into the most advanced course, there is going to be a learning curve for new kids.  Potomac is hard. Kids who come from other schools with great reputations and top grades often struggle at first (mine did).
2.) HS is always a step up in rigor and requires probably [u]twice[/u] as much work/studying to achieve the same grades as a student got in 7th/8th.  Double the amount of time your kid was spending last year.  Plus, studying is a long-term effort, not just for the week (or day) before a test/quiz.  Every night there has to be some review of material and real studying, not just doing "homework".
3.) If your kid is losing interest, he or she should move down a level to where he or she will be more comfortable and engaged.  Kids lose interest when they are bored or lost, sounds like your's is the latter.
4.) Private school kids' GPAs are not judged as lacking against those with higher public school weighted-GPAs (college admission folks know what is what and Potomac has a excellent reputation for rigor -see getting rid of AP thread).  Its a non-issue.
5.) There are kids with straight As or mostly As at Potomac, so ignor the person who says its unheard of, its just not many kids.  It is achievable but it may well be that kid's only focus.  Every kid I know with straight As at a top private in the area spent most of their time on schoolwork/studying.

I'd advise, based on your post, that you request you kid be moved out of the accelerated/advanced classes for sophomore year, its not worth it if he/she is getting Cs and Ds and isn't learning what he needs to learn.  The more advanced classes are really just moving faster, not learning different material.   Maybe keep one but not 2 or 3.  Also, freshman year is hard, at all of the top private schools, for almost all kids, but it will get better.  [/quote]

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