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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I posted about the arts program and Cappies.  In response to the person who asked why we wouldn’t have selected BI, the answer is because we aren’t Catholic and that is a large Catholic.  And we don’t live in Alexandria.  So we were looking at FH, Potomac, some in DC and in Maryland.  No Catholic and mostly coed.  Regarding the AP question, those are not formally taught at Potomac, Sidwell or the Cathedral schools.  Yes, students attending those schools can and do take the tests.  But they aren’t offered and based on my experience talking with parents of students at those schools, they take the major academic APs because those are easier to prepare for via a tutor.  APs offered in the arts or higher level languages aren’t done as much at the schools that don’t offer the classes.  SSSAS has many AP options.  Children have to be approved to take the classes based on their grades.  Regarding arts, we looked at many schools.  Some had a less than robust arts program.  For example FH offers theater but very little in terms of theater classes and they don’t have strings or an orchestra at all. Unexpectedly Bullis has a great program but it wasn’t a fit logistically.  St Albans and NCS require sports and theater is done AFTER sports (starting at 6pm) and does not count as an activity credit.  Potomac allows some theater to be swapped for some sports but not completely.  In other words, those schools place a higher priority on sports and theater suffers as a result.  For families that don’t do theater, it is a non-issue.  I hope that helped answer some questions.  In the end we are spread across several schools and I am an alum of a local school.  They are mostly all great but fit does matter.  And my general point is that there are some amazing people at every school and some really rotten people at every school.  There is not a single school filled with amazing perfect people that everyone likes.  Doesn’t exist.  But there seems to be a lot of hate on here about SSSAS and I think it is a few people with an ax to grind.  Stop grinding the ax and move on.  [/quote]
We are now a Potomac family, and that is just not true at all about sports and theater. You can do all performing arts instead of any sports if you'd like. You do need at least one per year to be something where you get some movement in, but the musicals count as movement/"sweaty". The Potomac theater and arts program and facilities are light years ahead of SSSAS (we are a former SSSAS family). Potomac also offers a VPAC (visual performing arts) concentration in US. You apply to that but can do it for theater, music, visual arts, singing, etc. Alums who come back often comment that the classes were better and more rigorous than those they are taking in college. The music and arts program is truly phenomenal and has been a highlight for my children. The weak program at SSSAS was one (of many) reasons that we left. I don't mean to be grinding the ax but don't spread mis-information about other schools.

Several of the top privates (Sidwell, potomac, etc) all decided to drop official AP classes at the same time. Honors classes at Potomac are essentially the same, and the school will arrange for you to sit for any AP test at school that you want.[/quote]

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