Do kids need all As to get into STA? (upper school)

Anonymous wrote:Can current parents elaborate and give an example of what one week of homework looks like?

It’s intense. About 3 to 4 hours of homework a night and of course there’s sports practice or play rehearsal, or etc on a daily basis. So expect late nights. There’s not a typical week because how much time you spend on a subject can vary depending on if a paper is due or if there are tests. And then in the spring there’s the huge history research paper each year that takes up a lot of time.

Anonymous wrote:Our 7th grader gets mostly A's and a few B's. She is involved in a lot of activities and is probably like a lot of bright, outgoing kids in the area. What does a school like Sidwell look for aside from grades if they don't look at SSAT's anymore? I know her teachers will give glowing references which they will probably do for any kid in their class. Is it money (full pay?), connections? Do you need straight As? We love the school and our neighbor's kids go there. They seem similar to my kid as far as intellect, activities etc. I don't know the family well enough to ask but they don't have extraordinary skills or accolades. Just nice kids.

Connections. Or minority plus luck.

My kids came from a K-8 that sends 3-4 to Sidwell each year. They don’t necessarily take the smartest kids in the grade however each kid has a major hook. And, the kids who go each year are extremely wealthy, not just full pay.

Anonymous wrote:Can current parents elaborate and give an example of what one week of homework looks like?

With the tutor or parent help or without it?

If you're getting Bs in middle school then Sidwell isn't the right fit for you. it's a miserable place for kids who don't want to work really hard in high school. It's not just prestigious name--it's a sweatshop. How do parents not understand this? middle school should be a no -brainer, cake walk for a kid who is a good fit for Sidwell high school. they counsel out their own B students They're not looking to replace them with other B students in 9th grade.

I have a kid there and another who is in 8th elsewhere . kid #2 is just as bright and had As but doesn't thrive on work, work, work. not a good fit (at all) for this kid. we are applying elsewhere.

Can current parents elaborate and give an example of what one week of homework looks like?

Current Sidwell Parent. The school is VERY intense. It is not enough to be an excellent student in MS coming in. They are probably 3 or 4 students at the very top who find it to be easy going. The rest have to work pretty hard.

Anonymous wrote:How sad that these big 3 schools which offer so much have unhappy kids! Wow. That really hits. What is the matter with these schools that have all the resources in the world that they cannot take good care of kids and provide rigor in a smoother way?

The PP said a student that isn't highly qualified to be there won't be happy.
For students that are highly motivated, don't mind hard work, and want a true prep school that'll really get then ready for college, Sidwell is a great fit.
There are plenty of other schools out there for students that want a more laid back experience.

Anonymous wrote:It’s a full picture thing. Is there else anything about your kid that makes her stand out? You have to assume that every kid applying will have similar or slightly better academic profile. Be assured, there will be some 3.5 kids that get entry ahead of some 4.0 students and it’s not just URM or Athletics. What does she do in her spare time that could be viewed as unique? Think of it as a pre-college process.

+1. Parents and kid are going to need to articulate why Sidwell is a great fit. Is she coming from private or public?

It’s a full picture thing. Is there else anything about your kid that makes her stand out? You have to assume that every kid applying will have similar or slightly better academic profile. Be assured, there will be some 3.5 kids that get entry ahead of some 4.0 students and it’s not just URM or Athletics. What does she do in her spare time that could be viewed as unique? Think of it as a pre-college process.

How sad that these big 3 schools which offer so much have unhappy kids! Wow. That really hits. What is the matter with these schools that have all the resources in the world that they cannot take good care of kids and provide rigor in a smoother way?

Yes, for 9th grade admission.
And honestly, they should. I would not send an A/B student there. In my experience it's a challenge even for a kids who previously got very high As in public---and there's nothing worse than being in a school that's a bad fit.
It's just makes for an unhappy kid and there are lots of unhappy kids at the Big3 schools because they're overwhelmed by the workload in high school. They're really only a great fit for kids who love to work hard and put themselves to the academic limit.

Yes. Sidwell is a top school and will always have exceptional students trying to gain admission.

Our 7th grader gets mostly A's and a few B's. She is involved in a lot of activities and is probably like a lot of bright, outgoing kids in the area. What does a school like Sidwell look for aside from grades if they don't look at SSAT's anymore? I know her teachers will give glowing references which they will probably do for any kid in their class. Is it money (full pay?), connections? Do you need straight As? We love the school and our neighbor's kids go there. They seem similar to my kid as far as intellect, activities etc. I don't know the family well enough to ask but they don't have extraordinary skills or accolades. Just nice kids.