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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Academically, there are tougher/most prestigious schools than Gonzaga.  Athletically, they are the biggest dog in the area now.  Great school spirit there, too.

Sidwell used to be the top academically, but no more.  Athletically, they have always been at the bottom. Now they will lower academic standards to get impact athletes.  Sad.[/quote]

Gonzaga is a terrific school -- it is large enough to accomodate some brilliant students and athletes alike, and has an interesting vibe from its city location.  Unbelievably loyal alums, too.  (Read Pat Conroy's "My Losing Season" for a wonderful portrait of Gonzaga in the early 1960s.) Nobody should get angry and call it a "joke" -- that's just silly.

I think Sidwell's academic  demise might just be wee bit overstated, however.  In this year's senior class at area schools in DC, here are the number of National Merit Semifinalists (cite to Georgetown Patch article below):

Sidwell - 17
Maret - 3
GDS - 9
St. Albans - 8
NCS - 8
Gonzaga - 6
Visitation - 6

So, looks like they're still squeezing a few scholars in, aren't they?  :wink:

Moreover, as someone who has been around independent schools in this area for many years, they all (even non-sports oriented GDS, god bless 'em) take great athletes, and most actively recruit for them.  Much more for boys than girls (although there are exceptions -- think St. Stephens St. Agnes for girls lax, for example), but, again, every one of the bigger/more well known independent schools in this area gives "credit" in admissions for athletic ability.  The WCAC most of all, followed by IAC, followed by ISL -- but they all do it.  Alumni and the community like to win, smart Division I level kids translate to Ivy recruits, etc.  Heck, the new Bullis Head has made it the cornerstone of his strategy, pretty successfully so far.

Sidwell people, I suggest you just turn the other cheek on this one -- your school continues to be a flak magnet, but, then again, so is Harvard (and they recruit hard for sports too!).

http://georgetown.patch.com/articles/area-schools-students-national-merit-semifinalists[/quote]

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