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[quote=SAM2]I’ve noticed that on the private school admissions thread, many of the same discussions tend to get repeated over and over again, as parents new to the process often ask several of the same questions. To focus the discussion and hopefully help out some of the new parents, I’ve written this FAQ. Almost every one of these topics is controversial. I’ve tried to note those contentious issues, but also keep this FAQ position-neutral. This approach may make the FAQ less interesting, but hopefully more useful. If you think other topics should be added, or if you have useful additions to fill in gaps in existing topics, please post them. I can edit the original post to add them as appropriate, and to keep the FAQ updated over time. I'm going to maintain some editorial control though, so don't expect me to post everything anyone proposes. [b][u]Part 1[/u][/b] [b]Basic School Info: Dealing with Information Overload[/b] [i]Is there a simple list somewhere of private schools in the DC/MD/VA area?[/i] Yes. Here are links to a few lists: http://www.independenteducation.org/our-schools https://m360.aimsmddc.org/frontend/search.aspx?cs=1883 http://www.vais.org/members_find2.asp?source=map®ion=2 http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/businesscareers/21125.html [i]What are the entry grades/numbers for each school?[/i] [To be added once research complete. Please help by posting info for each school. [url=https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?hl=en&key=0AnukIDABt_JKdDdZYXlQbnFUQ0VfMHRpTFp1SUIxS2c&hl=en&gid=13]A partial list is here[/url].] [i]What's the difference between a "progressive" and a "traditional" school?[/i] These terms refer to educational philosophy and teaching approach, not political leanings. Below are some links to information on progressive and traditional education approaches, and you can find many discussions by [url=http://fwd4.me/EMR]searching the DCUM archive[/url]. Neither approach is necessarily better or worse, but some people prefer one over the other. In the DC area, schools like Green Acres and Friends Community School are known for being progressive in approach. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_education http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_theory (describing various educational theories) http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/10907.page [i]What are the "Big 3"?[/i] When someone posts about the "Big 3," she's usually referring to Sidwell, StAlbans/NCS, and GDS. People will debate at length whether this term should instead refer to other schools, and whether or not other schools are better. Similarly, some people post about the "Big 4," the "Big 5," or the "Big 10." There really is no way to rank any of the schools definitively -- the best school is the one that fits your child and your family. It's probably a good idea to avoid all of these "Big __" terms whenever you can, because they really upset some people and can quickly lead a discussion thread off-topic with debates about terminology and rankings. It's often best just to refer to specific schools by name, or to refer generically to "well-regarded schools" or something similar. If you search the DCUM archive, you can easily find a [url=http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/jforum.page?module=search&action=search&search_forum=31&match_type=all&search_keywords=%22big+3%22+sidwell+gds+albans+maret]dozen threads with people fighting[/url] about these terms and their implications. [i]"Hey, why did someone just trash the school my child is applying to?!?"[/i] Don't get too upset when someone trashes your favorite school. It happens all the time on DCUM. Sometimes the reasons are legitimate, sometimes they’re spiteful, and sometimes they might be strategic. Use your own judgment about how much weight different comments deserve. [i]Where can I find info about all these schools?[/i] Spend time looking at each school's website, because it will have lots of info about the school's curriculum, teaching philosophy, sports, extracurriculars, test scores, etc. [url=https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnukIDABt_JKdDdZYXlQbnFUQ0VfMHRpTFp1SUIxS2c&hl=en_US]Some data on test scores and other academic awards is compiled here[/url]: http://goo.gl/GgQvR . Information on college matriculation for many schools is analyzed here: http://matriculationstats.org/ . Try to find the school that is right for your child and your family, and don't make important educational decisions based on some simplistic ranking of schools. [i]How do the private schools compare to public schools? Is private school really worth it?[/i] There are many different private and public schools, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, so it's difficult to compare them universally. A lot also depends on your own personal views and experiences. This can be a very controversial topic, so proceed with care. You can get lots of different [url=http://fwd4.me/D0O]opinions[/url], but rarely much agreement. ----------- [b]New - August 2, 2020[/b] As this has not been updated since 2012, some updates/edits have been made to reflect the private school admissions process in 2020 (and beyond). Much of this guide is taken from this post, with some additions and edits. (This is a living document, so please reply with any suggestions and I’ll see what I can do! Also, any links included were live at the time of writing, send me a note if links become dead.) Below you can find the new and improved guide: [url]https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSN8OzCoj6PEDIFRV0_xOGPgSeDctjtxrp3dvYZSMyWnYccx5Hdt2knP30zUWXY6VTOYe_Fq2crBQFQ/pub[/url] [/quote]
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