You will grow to HATE the commute.

Don’t buy trouble.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here , DS does play a sport and part of a classical orchestra . Has a few friends going to Prep but knows a few kids at Potomac . We are not Catholic - he shadowed both and liked both but preferred Potomac . The commute to the school and back in VA makes me nervous even if they have a great bus system!

It’s as if the Catholic aspect of Prep is some minor attribute.

For many of the parents who send their sons there it’s a very important thing. The great majority of the students, alumni, teachers and staff are Catholics. The school is owned by a Catholic religious order, is headed by a Jesuit priest and adheres to Jesuit educational principles. Catholic religious ceremonies are mandatory parts of the experience.

The student body interacts/dates/hangs out mostly with girls who go to Catholic schools (SR, Visi, AHC and Holy Child).

And yet this core attribute of the school is traded-off somehow against an easier commute.

Very true. And parents who send their DS to Prep because of the faith (and that's most of the parents), the Catholic culture and how it is lived is crucial. The students are reminded to "see God in all things".

these two schools are so different ...

Anonymous wrote:OP here , DS does play a sport and part of a classical orchestra . Has a few friends going to Prep but knows a few kids at Potomac . We are not Catholic - he shadowed both and liked both but preferred Potomac . The commute to the school and back in VA makes me nervous even if they have a great bus system!

It’s as if the Catholic aspect of Prep is some minor attribute.

For many of the parents who send their sons there it’s a very important thing. The great majority of the students, alumni, teachers and staff are Catholics. The school is owned by a Catholic religious order, is headed by a Jesuit priest and adheres to Jesuit educational principles. Catholic religious ceremonies are mandatory parts of the experience.

The student body interacts/dates/hangs out mostly with girls who go to Catholic schools (SR, Visi, AHC and Holy Child).

And yet this core attribute of the school is traded-off somehow against an easier commute.

As someone who went to a HS that was a hike from my house (and relied on a bus system) ... it's really not that big a deal in high school. I wouldn't sign up for that in elementary, for sure; but as long as your kid can get themselves back and forth most of the time, I wouldn't overemphasize this aspect. It's four years and they can get a drivers license at the halfway point. Plus half your games won't be at home anyway.

That said, these are REALLY different schools. Does your kid want a Catholic, all boys school where he needs to wear a tie? Or secular, co-ed, and less formal? I can't see not having a preference.

We have two boys in US at Potomac, so I am biased, but the school is hard to beat. We have a long commute in the opposite direction, but it’s really not a big deal. The boys take the late bus after sports. Half of the games are away, so you’d be driving to those regardless. One thing that appealed to us is that our kids are able to do music and sports at the same time at Potomac, whereas they couldn’t have been in honors music groups and sports teams at some of the other schools we applied to. We’ve found there to be enough choice with electives, and the concentration programs that begin in 10th are wonderful. I’ve hear some people upset about not getting into honors classes even after appealing, but mine have always gotten in after appealing. In one instance, one dropped down after starting the honors bc the regular and extended levels at Potomac are plenty challenging. The classes are intense and the level of work expected is high, but the amount of homework is really manageable bc they only have half of their classes each day. You can also build a study hall in, and all freshmen have one.

Anonymous wrote:OP here , DS does play a sport and part of a classical orchestra . Has a few friends going to Prep but knows a few kids at Potomac . We are not Catholic - he shadowed both and liked both but preferred Potomac . The commute to the school and back in VA makes me nervous even if they have a great bus system!

And, think about visits to the campus that you will want to make. Do you really want to battle that afternoon/ evening traffic for games and performances?

I have a DD at Potomac currently in 9th grade. And while not a DS, the school has been great for her. A challenging curriculum, a core group of friends, etc. And she is NOT an athlete, and there are plenty of things for her to do outside of the the curriculum. As previous posters have said, two very different schools, but if he shadowed both and prefers Potomac, seems like the decision has been made. Do what's best for the child, not you the adult.

Anonymous wrote:DS was accepted to both for 9th grade and we are having a tough time deciding since both great options ! We are in MD so close to Prep but Potomac ‘s curriculum offerings are very impressive. Any advice is welcome !

Go to Prep. If you dig into it, the curricular structure at Potomac is actually really rigid until senior year, with little opportunity for taking electives. Also can be really difficult to get into advanced classes. Commute also makes a big difference in daily life and friendships.

Totally different schools! Should be an easy choice.

Anonymous wrote:All things being relatively equal (and based on what you said, I’d say they are), go with the better commute. Long bus rides—especially when you combine that with sports—are not worth it unless there’s truly some special reason that the far away school has something to offer your kid.

+1

All things being relatively equal (and based on what you said, I’d say they are), go with the better commute. Long bus rides—especially when you combine that with sports—are not worth it unless there’s truly some special reason that the far away school has something to offer your kid.

OP here , DS does play a sport and part of a classical orchestra . Has a few friends going to Prep but knows a few kids at Potomac . We are not Catholic - he shadowed both and liked both but preferred Potomac . The commute to the school and back in VA makes me nervous even if they have a great bus system!

What does he want? Did he shadow both? Does he have friends at either or friends that will be going to either? Are you Catholic and coming from a Catholic? Does he play any sports or what are his interests?

DS was accepted to both for 9th grade and we are having a tough time deciding since both great options ! We are in MD so close to Prep but Potomac ‘s curriculum offerings are very impressive. Any advice is welcome !