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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We were in a similar position for DS in middle school and did not find any DC privates that worked logistically for transportation. We ended up sending him to SSSAS and he has loved it. There is a pretty good bus system, which is crucial for us due to work schedules. It's not Sidwell but completely fine academically and not a pressure cooker. The only big drawback is that most of his friends are in Alexandria so we spend much of our weekends driving there and back. [/quote]

Both YHS and W&L are very comparable (and likely much better) academically than SSSAS.   For math and science specifically, you are losing a lot with SSSAS over YHS or W&L; the AP offerings alone are not comparable. SSSAS had very few fast tracked math kids, like none.  The facilities at both public schools are also, amazingly, much nicer than at SSSAS.  I was a little shocked when I went there how dated it was.  I do know kids who went there but it was usually a need—they weren’t “succeeding” at the north Arlington elementary or needed individual attention for some reason or another.  It’s definitely a useful place to get out of ACPS, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t draw a ton from Arlington for these reasons.   Not to say you shouldn’t look at it, but kids who transfer back in find APS more challenging which is a little scary. [/quote]

The problem is not the high schools. The problem is the middle school system in APS. It is a weak link, both socially and academically. Private school is absolutely worth avoiding many of the APS middle schools. [/quote]

And once you get to private you see the massive difference and end up staying there for HS. [/quote]

This is correct. I am PP who sent my son to SSSAS to avoid APS public middle school. The person who posted that APS high schools are superior seems to have limited experience with SSSAS. Our daughter went to APS through senior year, and her experience was a night-and-day difference from that of our son at SSSAS. The school has paid far closer attention to him and has challenged him far more than anything our daughter has experienced. Although he has multiple teachers, we have a single point of contact each year, and that has made all the difference. We considered sending him back to APS once he reached ninth grade, as we are zoned for a "good" high school, but the quality of education at SSSAS is just so much greater. [/quote]

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