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[quote=Anonymous]'Best post ever' author here  :)   A couple of items to note...

It's indisputable that the Beauvoir boys get an advantage entering in 4th grade. That said, several of the absolute top students in our grade -- very, very gifted kids -- are from Beauvoir. On the other hand, we have a few laggards from that original Beauvoir group. My son is very mid-pack in classroom and sports...academics are demanding for all the boys and there is a lot of work.

I think the school is successful in the big picture, and maintains its elite status, through a more multi-faceted group of factors driven by its very strong culture. I think it would be difficult to find a school in the area with STA's tradition, heritage and bone-deep commitment to transmitting a certain kind of culture. It's the mix of factors -- smart boys + strong teachers, sports, arts, religion and 'Cathedral effect' -- all steeped in the school's unique culture and tradition that produces the 'end result' of impressive graduates. They aren't fixated on admitting only Mensa-level intellects: there's more to the recipe.

And re: overrated... The elite college criteria is all-consuming on these boards, and I think it reflects accurately the zeitgeist among upper-middle class Washingtonians; we're all about getting kids in fancy colleges. Using that criteria, STA's matriculation really speaks for itself -- more than 1/2 (probably more like 2/3) of the '09 class went to Ivies, fancy LACs, UVA or other 'name' institutions you'd be happy to stick onto your car's back window. Is that a shallow, reductionist way of viewing your child's education, absolutely. But that's how we all seem to be keeping score...we're not shelling out $35k a year to wear a JMU sweatshirt in five years...  :)[/quote]

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