Anonymous
11/10/2015 18:46
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Prep:
All boys
Great athletics
Good Jesuit, Catholic foundation.
Rigorous but not insanely difficult curriculum
Fairly homogeneous student body.
Lot of legacy and tradition
Disliked by DCUM because anything Catholic, sporty or male is bad and Prep checks all 3 boxes
Sidwell
CoEd
Sits at the kiddie table for sports
Quaker but not necessarily religious
Very rigorous curriculum
More diverse student body but upper SES prevails
Loved by DCUM - get your kid in and you will be the envy of all but be prepared for snark insinuating your child was accepted for reasons other than merit.
All boys
Great athletics
Good Jesuit, Catholic foundation.
Rigorous but not insanely difficult curriculum
Fairly homogeneous student body.
Lot of legacy and tradition
Disliked by DCUM because anything Catholic, sporty or male is bad and Prep checks all 3 boxes
Sidwell
CoEd
Sits at the kiddie table for sports
Quaker but not necessarily religious
Very rigorous curriculum
More diverse student body but upper SES prevails
Loved by DCUM - get your kid in and you will be the envy of all but be prepared for snark insinuating your child was accepted for reasons other than merit.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 18:15
Subject: Re:Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
9 pages and nobody has done a comparison of the academics.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 17:28
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Anonymous wrote:One could easily say that the responses reflect the notion that there can only be one "right" school for each child. I don't find it a stretch to believe some boys would do well at either school and, perish the thought, some parents might be interested in what school might be best for their child. Or is it a case of sporty Catholic boys need not apply to Sidwell because it is obviously the wrong school for them, regardless of their academic abilities?
In response to your question my response would be "pretty much." Unless, of course, for whatever strange reason, the student wanted to go someplace where there were as few people like him as possible.
That's not the way it works, of course, And the proof of this is just how few sporty, Catholic boys end up there.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 17:21
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Anonymous wrote:I still don't get why people are so incensed if a non Catholic prefers Prep to Sidwell or any other school. Yes, Sidwell is extremely selective in admissions, has a wonderful academic program, generates lots of NMSF and Ivy admissions and does many other things well. I know my son is a Sr. For a certain type of kid it is a great school. For another type of kids who loves really competitive team sports, wants to learn but only do two or so hours of home work a night and loves the comfortable easy going nature of some boys' school, Prep is great. I have had close relatives there and its a nice school with nice parents and about 25 percent non-Catholic now days. it does not have the stress level of Sidwell and that is just plain better for some kids. So let people go where their kid fits best. Why are people on this thread so judgmental about decisions that have no effects on them?
These two schools are not the only private schools in the area. If a family likes most things about Sidwell but wants an environment with more emphasis on sports, why would they jump all the way to Prep as an alternative?
They need to get out and look around more at the other schools.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 17:15
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
One could easily say that the responses reflect the notion that there can only be one "right" school for each child. I don't find it a stretch to believe some boys would do well at either school and, perish the thought, some parents might be interested in what school might be best for their child. Or is it a case of sporty Catholic boys need not apply to Sidwell because it is obviously the wrong school for them, regardless of their academic abilities?
Anonymous
11/10/2015 17:10
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
The odd thing about this discussion is that two schools were selected for comparison that are so very different in their emphasis and in the communities that they usually serve
Why would Prep be selected as an alternative to Sidwell?
Why wouldn't Landon be a better one? It's sort of like Prep in that it's sports-oriented and has students with a relatively broad range of academic ability and it's way more diverse. The student body isn't dominated by one religious or ethnic group and not everyone has to sit through Catholic religious services regularly.
Or St Albans vs. Sidwell? It's more academically-focused than GP snd Landon (If the posters on here have it right) But they play sports at a higher level.
Or Bullis? Or Potomac?
The basic question of Sidwell vs. Prep seems to me to suggest a very low level of understanding of private school alternatives here in the DMV.
Why would Prep be selected as an alternative to Sidwell?
Why wouldn't Landon be a better one? It's sort of like Prep in that it's sports-oriented and has students with a relatively broad range of academic ability and it's way more diverse. The student body isn't dominated by one religious or ethnic group and not everyone has to sit through Catholic religious services regularly.
Or St Albans vs. Sidwell? It's more academically-focused than GP snd Landon (If the posters on here have it right) But they play sports at a higher level.
Or Bullis? Or Potomac?
The basic question of Sidwell vs. Prep seems to me to suggest a very low level of understanding of private school alternatives here in the DMV.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 15:51
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Anonymous wrote:http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=72291
No national merit semi finalists from GP, Landon, Bullis. One from Heights. MoCo publics an excellent showing.
Same list for DC has 3 GDS, 3 Maret, 4 NCS, 16 from Sidwell, 6 from STA, 4 St Johns
Same list on the Fairfax County side showed a ridiculous number for Thomas Jefferson HS showed over 160. Not a typo.
At least in terms of National Merit Scholar Semifinalists, this is a pretty objective measure in favor of Sidwell and then STA and St Johns. Horrendous for the MoCo preps. Very impressive for some of the MoCo publics, and a surprise to me by the count. Thomas Jefferson -- well, WOW.
There is one listed for Prep under "North Bethesda." Not that I believe this is the best measure by which to compare schools.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 15:51
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Yeah, that TJ crowd crowing about test scores is just way below the GP crowd crowing about the newest lacrosse commit to Delaware or Furman.
You walked right into that one.
You walked right into that one.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 15:45
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Anonymous wrote:"While it may be a valid measure, that does not mean it is objective; rather, it may only suggest that Sidwell/STA place a greater emphasis on test scores in the admissions process. Good scores for entry likely support good NMSF rates down the road. Certainly that is the case with TJ. Again, this is not criticism of any of the schools, there is certainly nothing wrong with great NMSF."
Isn't that a little like saying, Sidwell may be just as good at sports as GP but GP places a greater emphasis on athleticism in the admissions process? I guess I don't follow your logic.
Precisely. The comment simply questions whether the standard is truly objective. Test scores are not the be all end all but if you admit better test takers, you produce better test takers. To then pick one aspect of education (standardized testing) and cite is as objective doesn't establish anything if the underlying assumption (that admissions at one school places a greater emphasis on standardized testing) is true. Often on these boards I see TJ crowing about test results compared to privates but that really misses the point. I think the same holds true here.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 15:35
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
GP made the same mistake on a less grand scale that Yow made at UMD. Spend a bloody fortune on sports facilities and hope that donors with trucks of money come later to make it work. GP has a real problem. No endowment base to speak of, and now it has to sell out one way or the next. Pretty sure all the Chinese pouring in to fill up their dorms aren't old line Jesuits. Having compatibles and substitutes like STJ and Gonzaga at 35% less tuition is also a killer. So far as sports is concerned, Gonzaga seems to be the Goliath locally now.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 15:24
Subject: Re:Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
prep has become a lot less catholic than it was 5 - 10 years ago.
It will accept most families who can write a check for $35K / year
Of course the booster families will deny this but Prep is losing to many Catholic kids to SJC, GC and Gonzaga in this day and age. This was not the case 5 - 10 years ago.
Father George building spree has hurt Prep, even though the facilities are top notch!
It will accept most families who can write a check for $35K / year
Of course the booster families will deny this but Prep is losing to many Catholic kids to SJC, GC and Gonzaga in this day and age. This was not the case 5 - 10 years ago.
Father George building spree has hurt Prep, even though the facilities are top notch!
Anonymous
11/10/2015 15:12
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
I still don't get why people are so incensed if a non Catholic prefers Prep to Sidwell or any other school. Yes, Sidwell is extremely selective in admissions, has a wonderful academic program, generates lots of NMSF and Ivy admissions and does many other things well. I know my son is a Sr. For a certain type of kid it is a great school. For another type of kids who loves really competitive team sports, wants to learn but only do two or so hours of home work a night and loves the comfortable easy going nature of some boys' school, Prep is great. I have had close relatives there and its a nice school with nice parents and about 25 percent non-Catholic now days. it does not have the stress level of Sidwell and that is just plain better for some kids. So let people go where their kid fits best. Why are people on this thread so judgmental about decisions that have no effects on them?
Anonymous
11/10/2015 15:11
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Anonymous wrote:Are NMSF assigned based on geography?
Yes. The score to required to become NMSF is highest in DC (221 for the last year I kept track, 2014 I believe), then MD (219), then VA (217). Some (all?) of the MD prep NMSFs might not quality in DC.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 14:54
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Anonymous wrote:Are NMSF assigned based on geography?
No.
Anonymous
11/10/2015 14:50
Subject: Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell
Are NMSF assigned based on geography?