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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here: thanks for the responses so far. We have no connections to STA and would just be applying in 4th like everyone else if we turn down Beauvoir. We do love Beauvoir for Beauvoir, I just get a huge pit in my stomach wondering if we can make the finances work...[/quote]

OP, I am a former Beauvoir parent with a son at STA , and have gotten to know many of the familes of non-Beauvoir boys at STA . I have also been through the admissions process at both schools as a , like you, completely unconnected family. I'm only posting this to try to help you not make a huge miscalcualtion. Yes, Saint Albans does admit from DCPS, but in the vast majority of cases, though these boys do come from DCPS, their father, and in many cases their grand father, attended Saint Albans.

Yes, STA does take boys from DCPS, but almost all of those boys are not being accepted for their " DCPS roots" , they are being accepted from some  NW DC public school , not because they are a "public school charity case", but because  their GGF was Secretary of Defense and every member of their family going back 50 years has attended STA or NCS. Not all, but many,many ,many. Who else, would "sit tight" in DCPS, granted at Mann or Eaton, knowing that they did not have to worry about DS ending up at Wilson ?? Who does that ?

Think about that. Not to be rude, but if you are "not sure that you can swing the finances" it is likely you are not a family with a very high profile in Washington, correct? Do you really want to be competig against these people in 5 years with a negative outcome being your child is going to Deal , and eventually Wilson ?

If you are thinking that you might get into a financial crunch later on, know that [i] STA does give FA and so does Beauvoir to familes that they have made a committment to[/i] . If you worry about finances down the road, it may just work in your favor that you will have an opportunity to have another school ( STA FA process is separate from Beauvoir's)  evaluate your need for FA in 5 years . Keep in mind awarding FA is a huge investment on the part of a school, and one that a school probably thinks very long and hard about. I would think that if your DS was a Beauvoir child applying to STA, your child would stand a better chance of being granted some FA because STA would be confident that they have a LOT of intel your DS and your family  that they would trust: years of glowing reports, a rave from the Hesd of School in your DS's file, for example. Compare that to recs that a teacher at Key might write. They may be great recs, from a fine school, but unlikely that the STA AD is going to feel he has the complete picture of your child and your family as he would if DS were to be coming from Beauvoir. If you need FA, doubly so that STA wants to have a very clear picture of your child to know if he is a good investment. Something to think about.

Lastly, many people going through this application and decision process think that the Beauvoir admits( who later attend STA) are the " Washington elite" and that the "other boys" at STA are "regular kids". From my experience, I'd say that though it is not exactly the opposite( there are several Beauvoir families that fall into that alum or high profile family category), Beauvoir actively tries to admit a very diverse group. [b]Saint Albans does also, but many of those "regular boys" found in C form at Saint Albans are actually coming to them from Beauvoir, not DCPS.[/b] That is what a lot of people who are trying to make this decison do not realize, especially if you read DCUM's and don't know a lot of actual Beauvoir families. There are lots and lots of "regular families" and kids with very diverse backgrounds at Beauvoir, some of which will not choose STA for 4th grade.

So, in a sense, the Beauvoir families are "softer competition" than your DS will face later when he might  ( depending on your decision) be competing for admission to STA against the sons of Saint Albans' alums.  In fact, some of those boys at Beauvoir wont be choosing Saint Albans, which will make your Ds's chances even better as STA wants as many Beauvoir kids as are a good fit. A Beauvoir 3rd grade boy who is not admitted to STA by choice or by "not a good fit" will be headed to Sidwell, Maret , Potomac or GDS. No need for tears there and this does not pose a "problem" fro STA come decision time. The son of an STA alum, however, who is not admitted to Saint Albans for 4th grade is being relegated to Deal and Wilson. The pressure on STA [i]to not do tha[/i]t would, I think, be immense. Unlikely your DS is admitted over theirs. This is a school that keeps a lifelong committment to its families. STA Alum familes "sit tight" at Mann for a few years,  or maybe they send their son to Saint Pats, because they know they have a great chance later. They do.

I'm sure that your DS is wonderful and if Beauvoir AD has admitted him, it is because she feels your child will add a lot to the community. It is likely that your child will also one day add a lot to STA community as well. I hope to see you there one day. Good luck.

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