This is true that rejected acceptances are filed away for later and if you ever might consider reapplying, think carefully before you do!

Anonymous wrote:One consideration re Beauvoir is that admission to Sidwell at 4th or later grades is challenging no matter how great your child is. I recall hearing that Sidwell generally admits something like only 3-6 Beauvoir students at 4th. I can think of 4-5 friends off top of my head who had hoped to switch over at 4th from Beauvoir but had to wait until later grades to get admitted from NCS/STA (or in one case never got admitted after repeated tries). Just beware the switch is not easy.

We also know a family that did not get acceptance from BVR to Sidwell but reapplied at a later grade and was accepted. (Had also been rejected at SFS when applying at K).

In a completely different note - if you intend your child to attend a certain school for a later grade - do not reject an acceptance to that school at an earlier grade. Chances are, once you reject SFS, they will not accept your child later.

The fact that you don't know much about either makes me think you should be prepared to send your kid to the Catholic school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Me again - I will note that there are kids that remain through HS with support of a lot of tutoring - but since our child was new 9th grader in HS, I'm less familiar with how common this is.

There are also plenty of LS kids who remain through high school without any tutors.

Agreed - didn’t mean to say all (or even a large proportion) need tutors. Just know that some families support their kids in staying at Sidwell (Vs being counseled out).

Anonymous wrote:
Me again - I will note that there are kids that remain through HS with support of a lot of tutoring - but since our child was new 9th grader in HS, I'm less familiar with how common this is.

There are also plenty of LS kids who remain through high school without any tutors.

One consideration re Beauvoir is that admission to Sidwell at 4th or later grades is challenging no matter how great your child is. I recall hearing that Sidwell generally admits something like only 3-6 Beauvoir students at 4th. I can think of 4-5 friends off top of my head who had hoped to switch over at 4th from Beauvoir but had to wait until later grades to get admitted from NCS/STA (or in one case never got admitted after repeated tries). Just beware the switch is not easy.

Anonymous wrote:If you know you want Sidwell later go that route. If you know you want to revaluate choices for 4th, Beauvoir is absolutely wonderful. The head is smart and kind. I believe Beauvoir was the only school that opened in September. I've had two go through Beauvoir and one there now. Beauvoir is a good feeder to the cathedral schools but plenty get into Sidwell and go that route too. We are very happy that we will be able to take a fresh look at schools for our third. Beauvoir is a nurturing and happy place.

This...plus, then there is the Beauvoir playground, the Olmstead woods, the Beauvoir pool and the Life Rules also being applied to parents - refreshing in this town

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are close to both - I assume you are in NWDC, which means you aren't close to the Sidwell LS campus. So there's that.

Agreed on above if you want to be set to go all the way through 12th.

I'm pretty certain that any kid that isn't going to be prepared for HS at Sidwell/NCD/STA will be counseled out by the school before you get to HS.

Both are highly competitive, so you will be very lucky if you happen to have a "choice" of which school your child will attend.

Final note - not sure if sibling policy is stronger at BVR than Sidwell - but that could be a consideration too if you have younger kids that will need to apply later.

Are you kidding? These are exactly the kids who are primarily counseled out. They were admitted as kindergarteners based on their parents/ family recommendations and not much else.

Yes - we are saying the same thing. The issue isn't that the school's curriculum doesn't prepare students for HS. The issue is that kids who were accepted as K that turn out not to be a good match for the rigors of the HS curriculum and standards (or MS , or LS for that matter) will be counseled out along the way.

The OP asked if kids were prepared for HS. The kids that stay at the school through to HS will be prepared for HS. I'm saying that the kids that don't have the academic skills to succeed are told so and leave before HS.

Me again - I will note that there are kids that remain through HS with support of a lot of tutoring - but since our child was new 9th grader in HS, I'm less familiar with how common this is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are close to both - I assume you are in NWDC, which means you aren't close to the Sidwell LS campus. So there's that.

Agreed on above if you want to be set to go all the way through 12th.

I'm pretty certain that any kid that isn't going to be prepared for HS at Sidwell/NCD/STA will be counseled out by the school before you get to HS.

Both are highly competitive, so you will be very lucky if you happen to have a "choice" of which school your child will attend.

Final note - not sure if sibling policy is stronger at BVR than Sidwell - but that could be a consideration too if you have younger kids that will need to apply later.

Are you kidding? These are exactly the kids who are primarily counseled out. They were admitted as kindergarteners based on their parents/ family recommendations and not much else.

Yes - we are saying the same thing. The issue isn't that the school's curriculum doesn't prepare students for HS. The issue is that kids who were accepted as K that turn out not to be a good match for the rigors of the HS curriculum and standards (or MS , or LS for that matter) will be counseled out along the way.

The OP asked if kids were prepared for HS. The kids that stay at the school through to HS will be prepared for HS. I'm saying that the kids that don't have the academic skills to succeed are told so and leave before HS.

Anonymous wrote:If you are close to both - I assume you are in NWDC, which means you aren't close to the Sidwell LS campus. So there's that.

Agreed on above if you want to be set to go all the way through 12th.

I'm pretty certain that any kid that isn't going to be prepared for HS at Sidwell/NCD/STA will be counseled out by the school before you get to HS.

Both are highly competitive, so you will be very lucky if you happen to have a "choice" of which school your child will attend.

Final note - not sure if sibling policy is stronger at BVR than Sidwell - but that could be a consideration too if you have younger kids that will need to apply later.

Are you kidding? These are exactly the kids who are primarily counseled out. They were admitted as kindergarteners based on their parents/ family recommendations and not much else.

Anonymous wrote:If you know you want Sidwell later go that route. If you know you want to revaluate choices for 4th, Beauvoir is absolutely wonderful. The head is smart and kind. I believe Beauvoir was the only school that opened in September. I've had two go through Beauvoir and one there now. Beauvoir is a good feeder to the cathedral schools but plenty get into Sidwell and go that route too. We are very happy that we will be able to take a fresh look at schools for our third. Beauvoir is a nurturing and happy place.

OP here: Beauvoir is what I am leaning towards. I would love the option of being able to re-evaluate once we really know what kind of student she is and what she needs in a school. I am glad to hear that it is a happy place, with good options afterward.

If you know you want Sidwell later go that route. If you know you want to revaluate choices for 4th, Beauvoir is absolutely wonderful. The head is smart and kind. I believe Beauvoir was the only school that opened in September. I've had two go through Beauvoir and one there now. Beauvoir is a good feeder to the cathedral schools but plenty get into Sidwell and go that route too. We are very happy that we will be able to take a fresh look at schools for our third. Beauvoir is a nurturing and happy place.

If you are close to both - I assume you are in NWDC, which means you aren't close to the Sidwell LS campus. So there's that.

Agreed on above if you want to be set to go all the way through 12th.

I'm pretty certain that any kid that isn't going to be prepared for HS at Sidwell/NCD/STA will be counseled out by the school before you get to HS.

Both are highly competitive, so you will be very lucky if you happen to have a "choice" of which school your child will attend.

Final note - not sure if sibling policy is stronger at BVR than Sidwell - but that could be a consideration too if you have younger kids that will need to apply later.

I would choose sidwell simply because then you are set all the way till 12th grade unless sidwell outplaces you

How well are Sidwell lower school kids prepared for the upper school compared to NCS/Beauvoir for LS?

These are the two schools that are closest to us, and we applied to both and a catholic school as a back-up for kinder. Trying to learn more information about them.