Anonymous wrote:As a prospective parent I would love to see more balanced reviews. Both by those that leave and by those that stay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But as with any reviews, how would you know it is truly accurate or just someone with an axe to grind? For my money and my kids’ education, I will rely on people I talk with directly, not some anonymous review.

This. When someone offers a vague and subjective criticism, how helpful is it really? "The teachers aren't very good" "The math isn't rigorous enough" "I didn't like the writing instruction" "teacher are too strict" "the music program is weak" "the lacrosse team sucks" and so on. What does any of that really mean? You have no idea what ideal such a person has in their head and how realistic or unrealistic it may be. They could mean 5th graders should allowed to take linear algebra, thus the math isn't rigorous enough. Or they are mad their kid wasn't first violin and so decided to trash the music program. Or it turns out that the "too strict" teacher isn't what you may have imaged by such a review, one who yells, and doesn't let children laugh or smile, rather one who gives a zero when homework isn't turned in on time. Or it may be that kids are punished by being placed in closets - who knows?

I can't speak for everyone but this helps me flag items that are best to ask multiple people about. I'm not going to ask every source/contact every question. Or perhaps more follow up questions, especially if the answers seem vague.

Also, your deal breakers are not my deal breakers.

That's the point though, you have no idea what they actually mean.

"We left because the school did not address my child's need for learning accomodations." Not a deal breaker for me.

"We left because I was never informed of my child's progress in reading, writing, or math despite repeated outreach to the teachers and division head over the course of six months." This would be a deal breaker for me.


Agree that a lot would still be vague but at least it would be more helpful than this thread with a lot of shade being thrown at mystery schools...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But as with any reviews, how would you know it is truly accurate or just someone with an axe to grind? For my money and my kids’ education, I will rely on people I talk with directly, not some anonymous review.

This. When someone offers a vague and subjective criticism, how helpful is it really? "The teachers aren't very good" "The math isn't rigorous enough" "I didn't like the writing instruction" "teacher are too strict" "the music program is weak" "the lacrosse team sucks" and so on. What does any of that really mean? You have no idea what ideal such a person has in their head and how realistic or unrealistic it may be. They could mean 5th graders should allowed to take linear algebra, thus the math isn't rigorous enough. Or they are mad their kid wasn't first violin and so decided to trash the music program. Or it turns out that the "too strict" teacher isn't what you may have imaged by such a review, one who yells, and doesn't let children laugh or smile, rather one who gives a zero when homework isn't turned in on time. Or it may be that kids are punished by being placed in closets - who knows?

I can't speak for everyone but this helps me flag items that are best to ask multiple people about. I'm not going to ask every source/contact every question. Or perhaps more follow up questions, especially if the answers seem vague.

Also, your deal breakers are not my deal breakers.

That's the point though, you have no idea what they actually mean.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But as with any reviews, how would you know it is truly accurate or just someone with an axe to grind? For my money and my kids’ education, I will rely on people I talk with directly, not some anonymous review.

This. When someone offers a vague and subjective criticism, how helpful is it really? "The teachers aren't very good" "The math isn't rigorous enough" "I didn't like the writing instruction" "teacher are too strict" "the music program is weak" "the lacrosse team sucks" and so on. What does any of that really mean? You have no idea what ideal such a person has in their head and how realistic or unrealistic it may be. They could mean 5th graders should allowed to take linear algebra, thus the math isn't rigorous enough. Or they are mad their kid wasn't first violin and so decided to trash the music program. Or it turns out that the "too strict" teacher isn't what you may have imaged by such a review, one who yells, and doesn't let children laugh or smile, rather one who gives a zero when homework isn't turned in on time. Or it may be that kids are punished by being placed in closets - who knows?

I can't speak for everyone but this helps me flag items that are best to ask multiple people about. I'm not going to ask every source/contact every question. Or perhaps more follow up questions, especially if the answers seem vague.

Also, your deal breakers are not my deal breakers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But as with any reviews, how would you know it is truly accurate or just someone with an axe to grind? For my money and my kids’ education, I will rely on people I talk with directly, not some anonymous review.

This. When someone offers a vague and subjective criticism, how helpful is it really? "The teachers aren't very good" "The math isn't rigorous enough" "I didn't like the writing instruction" "teacher are too strict" "the music program is weak" "the lacrosse team sucks" and so on. What does any of that really mean? You have no idea what ideal such a person has in their head and how realistic or unrealistic it may be. They could mean 5th graders should allowed to take linear algebra, thus the math isn't rigorous enough. Or they are mad their kid wasn't first violin and so decided to trash the music program. Or it turns out that the "too strict" teacher isn't what you may have imaged by such a review, one who yells, and doesn't let children laugh or smile, rather one who gives a zero when homework isn't turned in on time. Or it may be that kids are punished by being placed in closets - who knows?

Anonymous wrote:But as with any reviews, how would you know it is truly accurate or just someone with an axe to grind? For my money and my kids’ education, I will rely on people I talk with directly, not some anonymous review.