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[quote=Anonymous]'[quote]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]

Seems a  huge paradox.  If entry to Beauvoir is largely predicated on sibship, legacy, bucks, socioeconomic status (big donors) how can this be the most gifted group (gifted refers to intellect).   Bright, perhaps but not necessarily gifted.[/quote]

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