Reply to Ranking privates academic rigor

Forum Index » Private & Independent Schools

Reply to "Ranking privates academic rigor"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Well, I'll offer an experience. DD is about to graduate Madeira, and chose it over NCS and a couple of others.

It's not "coddling", but it is designed to not be a pressure cooker. They will push the kids as much as they can handle, but not to the breaking point. It's an individual thing (DD is pushed to the edge of her capability) rather than a collective thing where girls are played against one another.

They engender teamwork more than competition. An example: the graduation speaker isn't based on academic rank; it's a girl chosen by her peers based on an audition process.

In our experience this yields exceptionally self-aware and confident young women who have been in the workplace (successfully) several times in the last few years through the co-curricullum process. It may not be seen by those here (who tend to be very much flag-wavers) as being as rigorous as some others, but it is much more predictably lower pressure and less cut-throat.

There's remarkably little drama and bullying, and there's virtually no mean-girl vibe. Indeed, they encourage each other: during the recent musical, for example, girls cheered their peers who were changing the set between scenes.

DD has been accepted at one of her top-3 choices already. I believe she is exceptionally well prepared not only for college, but for life.[/quote]

Love reading this. Had the best vibe yesterday at admitted students day. [/quote]

Me again -- another thought in case anyone is still reading this as an actual source from existing parents.

Two things strike me that I would tell four-years-ago me.

First, the girls really look forward to revisit day as a chance to show who they are. There's not a huge sense of "show" to it but they are proud of their school and rightfully so.

And second, to my point about them being pushed: my DD is not a fan of math, but was encouraged and celebrated even when her results were mid-pack, because these were significant results for her. On the humanities side she soared and achieved things that frankly graduate students would be proud of. So they seemed to figure out how hard to push, and where. And one of the first people to call out her humanities achievements was a math teacher, so they are aware across disciplines and show a care beyond their own subject matter.[/quote]

No need for more convincing. We are on board. [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics