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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I suspect any issue with the English teacher will be addressed.  The Administration is generally very responsive.  SSSAS deserves credit for taking ChatGPT on directly.  Lots of other privates (and publics and colleges) are putting their heads in the sand.  I have no information on that teacher/class/issue, but High school English has always been bumpy as honors teachers push students to analyze and write.  Whether or not students previously relied upon ChatGPT (or help from parents), in-class essay writing is probably where they are going to run into trouble.

[b]SSSAS Academics are on par with other schools.[/b]  Our kids have graduated from a "Top 3 private", a high-end public and SSSAS.  Without a doubt, the happiest with their experience was the SSSAS student.  In our experience, the most challenging courses at SSSAS (starting in 10th grade through 12th grade) are on par with courses at the Top 3 Private and high-end public.  Our SSSAS DC was eligible for more college credit than their siblings and more credit than they could ever use at their college of choice. (Many colleges are offering less and less credit.)    Each of our DC have seen great continuity between their high school and college learning.   Finally, the incidence of transcendent classroom experiences was probably the same in all three school systems, meaning their are great teachers everywhere.  The only notable difference was a couple of disastrous public school teachers.

Our DC at SSSAS had a wonderful experience in each class, including English.  In particular, DC's writing, which was already at a high level improved tremendously.  The math department also deserves a special shout-out for its continuity, rigor, and success in preparing kids.  Part of what makes SSSAS different is that, along with the most challenging courses, there are others that are less rigorous.  Personally, I can't imagine dropping $200K on four years of high school to not take the most challenging classes, but every kid, family and situation is different.

[b]Having parented high schoolers for 7+ years and seen it from the inside out, I can say that the mode SSSAS students are generally less stressed, happier, and more comfortable in their own skin than their peers at high-end publics publics and "top" privates.  [/b]

SSSAS students do not attend Ivies at the same rate as their peers at "Top 3 Privates", but I would imagine that the outcomes for non-legacy students with rigorous course loads are probably about the same.  Children of Ivy alums enjoy at least a 10X advantage in admissions (around 35-40% of Harvard students are legacies)  I couldn't tell you where most of the SSSAS parents we know went to college, but the license plate holders, sweatshirts, ties and cocktail party banter at the Top 3 left no doubt as to each parent's alma mater.

No school is a golden ticket.   Choose the school that will make your kid happy, not make you proud of your car magnet. [/quote]
First, nope.  Not on par with other schools at the same cost.  And second, how can you possibly know that?  Your entire submission is just a school booster rant with zero evidence to back it up.  [/quote]

Isn't the point of SSSAS to have all the trapping of elite privates without the academic stress? Sort of like Flint Hill, but with better grounds? [/quote]
You are confusing academic stress with quality.  At $50K per year folks want quality I think.  [/quote]

Hard to have quality without stress. Either classes are taught at a high level requiring most students to work hard and some to still come up short or they are taught to a lower standard with less work, but all kids can do well and succeed. The former has quality, but stress. The latter lacks quality, but is stress free. [/quote]

This is a nutty perspective. I feel bad for your kids.[/quote]
+1.  You can get a "stress free" school for less than $50K.  And good luck then finding a "stress free" college.  [/quote]

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