Very much child dependent. There are def girls in my daughter’s class (US) who are content with not getting As. Girls who are striving to be at the top of the class are likely going to be similarly driven at any school; competitiveness/drive/perfectionism is not caused by simply attending NCS. And their college admissions are solid. As a PP said, there is a bottom 10-20% of any class, not everyone is going to a T20 or even T50 school and guess what?! That’s ok! If the top 10% of girls were only getting into Alabama then that would be a different conversation.

As someone with firsthand experience there, I would not call it a pressure cooker. I would say it is rigorous, but with an enormous amount of support. Students are not left floundering. If anything, all the built in support may leave students slightly unprepared if/when they don't find that same kind of support in college.

Yes, it is.

Yes, it’s a lot of work. On advanced material, compellingly taught, in a peer group who all care about academics. My daughter really wanted to be in that environment and is thriving.

I don't think so. Our daughter loves that NCS is challenging and that she's able to take advanced classes. No complaints about pressure, she and her friends are really happy.

Depends on the child. Some girls find it more difficult and more pressure than others. They are more than prepared for college, that's for sure.

Anonymous wrote:Or is it a myth?

Lots of schools, including publics, have super competitive kids who create pressure cooker environments.

I’ve heard NCS alum talk about the pressure cooker environment but wouldn’t one say they have nothing to compare it to?

Also, why work so hard just to get into Clemson or Alabama?

There is a bottom 10-20% of every single school, even the absolute top ones. Most of the girls you see that end of up at a school like Alabama or Clemson (or TCU, etc.) at an NCS or Holton come from money and the HS they go to really is more of a pedigree thing than anything else.

Anonymous wrote:Yes it’s a pressure cooker. Many of the girls find college to be pretty easy once they graduate. They are doing college level work in high school.

This sounds good! Why can’t high schoolers work harder?

Yes it’s a pressure cooker. Many of the girls find college to be pretty easy once they graduate. They are doing college level work in high school.

+ 100

My friend with a daughter at NCS told me that the motto of the school should be something along the lines of: Where the excellent go to feel like they suck

Anonymous wrote:Growing their brains and learning seems purpose enough for me

Yes...if it were not at serious cost of mental and emotional health. And that is the cost our daughter is paying. We will likely move her.

Growing their brains and learning seems purpose enough for me

As a NCS parent, I wonder if these girls are working so hard for a purpose. It seems like grinding just for the sake without a long term view.

Or is it a myth?

Lots of schools, including publics, have super competitive kids who create pressure cooker environments.

I’ve heard NCS alum talk about the pressure cooker environment but wouldn’t one say they have nothing to compare it to?

Also, why work so hard just to get into Clemson or Alabama?