Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

They don’t want too many Black kids at STA.

This kind of post must be called out and challenged because it is so deliberately misleading to the great many AA parents in the DC metro area who aspire to a great education for their sons.

The FACTS: there is no other Private School in Washington that admits a higher percentage of AA Boys AND, not to say that AA boys need FA, but it is also true that STA provides more FA than ANY other Private.

Once admitted, these young men are genuinely respected for what they bring with them: various academic, gifts in the Arts ( music, chorister, theatre, writing) and Athletics.

And STA has been doing that for decades and decades and certainly NOT by being sanctimonious like some schools, but by admitting that it is imperfect, that it is determined to improve and then by doing so.

Read this interview by Skip Grant, who was recruited to STA by HOS Martin ( hired away from CYO and SJC, I think ) in the 1960's I believe:https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a36673974/skip-grant-athletic-director-interview/

This has been such a huge push to the point of disadvantaging other minorities who a re grossly underrepresented at thge school. The statement that STA doesn't want AA students is absurd.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

They don’t want too many Black kids at STA.

This kind of post must be called out and challenged because it is so deliberately misleading to the great many AA parents in the DC metro area who aspire to a great education for their sons.

The FACTS: there is no other Private School in Washington that admits a higher percentage of AA Boys AND, not to say that AA boys need FA, but it is also true that STA provides more FA than ANY other Private.

Once admitted, these young men are genuinely respected for what they bring with them: various academic, gifts in the Arts ( music, chorister, theatre, writing) and Athletics.

And STA has been doing that for decades and decades and certainly NOT by being sanctimonious like some schools, but by admitting that it is imperfect, that it is determined to improve and then by doing so.

Read this interview by Skip Grant, who was recruited to STA by HOS Martin ( hired away from CYO and SJC, I think ) in the 1960's I believe:https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a36673974/skip-grant-athletic-director-interview/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

AA not so much Hispanic (very underrepresented), Persian, Indian, or Asian

In other words, Smart.... and similar to the kids from past many years.

Joe Viola is a very fine man and, if for some reason your child is not accepted, you can be sure he looked hard at it and he was fair

This sounds like STA admin to me, keep up the posting.

Nope, just a very satisfied parent who's child got a great education and interaction with Dr Viola was from when he was Lower School Dean

His roles are very different now. Your past interaction with him as Lower School Dean has no bearing on those who have interacted with him as AD. He was not a good pick for his current role. He is better suited to his former one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

AA not so much Hispanic (very underrepresented), Persian, Indian, or Asian

In other words, Smart.... and similar to the kids from past many years.

Joe Viola is a very fine man and, if for some reason your child is not accepted, you can be sure he looked hard at it and he was fair

This sounds like STA admin to me, keep up the posting.

Nope, just a very satisfied parent who's child got a great education and interaction with Dr Viola was from when he was Lower School Dean

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

+1. He talks a good game, but in the end, most admits are siblings, legacies (a lock for admission) and families with hooks/ connections of some sort.

To expand on what you are saying so as to not mislead people:

Joe Viola isn't just " talking a good game" . He is a very decent man, a sincere human being and ultimately wants to admit students who will thrive at STA and contribute to the school. That is his job. His job is not to admit your kid because you want him to.

As for a large percentage of admits being son's of STA graduates or brothers of current STA students, let's take that apart a bit: Say, for example, the AD has to choose between 2 applicants for the last 2 spots in a class that has 10 openings and among those 6 applicants are:

A) the son of an STA grad and that STA Alum had been Valedictorian at STA 30 years ago and also IAC champion for the school and then went onto to Harvard Law and later to head role in US Government and/or founded a corporation that employs thousands of people

VS

B) A very bright kid from MOCO public who's parents are both lawyers, but neither has any connection to the school and their area of practice is say- personal injury law

Which would the school admit and why would they be wrong to Admit the son of A)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

+1. He talks a good game, but in the end, most admits are siblings, legacies (a lock for admission) and families with hooks/ connections of some sort.

Do you blame him? The big donors and VIPs at Sta and on the cathedral close have a lot of power and believe me they use it for themselves and for their friends. I don’t blame him for not going up against them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

AA not so much Hispanic (very underrepresented), Persian, Indian, or Asian

In other words, Smart.... and similar to the kids from past many years.

Joe Viola is a very fine man and, if for some reason your child is not accepted, you can be sure he looked hard at it and he was fair

Yeah right, how do you know him so well?

Anonymous wrote:Everyone gets lost in lala land when staring at the top schools included on these 5 year matriculation lists. Sure the top group is outstanding (and equally good at many top DMV schools), but it's the lesser schools that 60% (majority) of students feed into. Parents always think their child will fall into the top 20% or, worst case scenario, top 40% of the class. STA hand picks smart students, but not all succeed in achieving the top 20% or even 40% of their class. Parents are often disappointed when their child is in the upper middle of the pack (with like a 3.5 for example) or bottom 60% and don't end up at a top 25 school or even a top 50 or 75 or 100 school. After paying almost $50K per year you need to make sure you are happy with your son attending all the schools on this list (and there are a lot), not just the tippy top ones.

I’d say a majority of my friends in the 3.0-3.5 range got into top 30 schools, back in 2018. Many for sports, of course, but I’m not sure they could’ve pulled off a Dartmouth or UVA acceptance with a 3.0 from many other places (a handful for sure). So I’m not disagreeing with getting lost in la la land, but there’s also the potential upshot factor that wouldn’t exist otherwise for the middle / low of the pack kids. Many (definitely not all) in the bottom 40% either had hooks anyway, or were excited about targeting strong state schools where they had really good chances out of state. As you said, disappointment from inflated helicopter parent expectations isn’t unique to STA among these dc schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

AA not so much Hispanic (very underrepresented), Persian, Indian, or Asian

In other words, Smart.... and similar to the kids from past many years.

Joe Viola is a very fine man and, if for some reason your child is not accepted, you can be sure he looked hard at it and he was fair

This sounds like STA admin to me, keep up the posting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

They don’t want too many Black kids at STA.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

AA or other forms of diversity?

AA not so much Hispanic (very underrepresented), Persian, Indian, or Asian

In other words, Smart.... and similar to the kids from past many years.

Joe Viola is a very fine man and, if for some reason your child is not accepted, you can be sure he looked hard at it and he was fair

My son got in for 6th grade few years ago from another private
Overall SSAT was around 93
He played an individual sport in a high level
But nothing else to stand out.
And no hook!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the word on the new AD in terms of who he favors. The last 2 coached lax and soccer so it was no surprise who had an edge in admissions. The new guy is not a coach so I’m hoping some reasonableness returns to the admissions equation??

Define "reasonableness". His agenda seems to be one of "diversity"

+1. He talks a good game, but in the end, most admits are siblings, legacies (a lock for admission) and families with hooks/ connections of some sort.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think these stats are readily available, yet this is the percentage quoted in Business Insider's list of selective schools. Given it's the only source I've ever encountered, I question its veracity.

True or not? And would that statistic roughly apply to NCS and Beauvoir as well? Seems high...

I think that high rate might be limited to 4th grade and reflects the high percentage of BVR boys who apply and are accepted.

I think in DC's 4th grade class there were about 12 boys accepted from all of DC/MD/NOVA area who applied for 4th ( non- BVR)

In 9th, I think its about 10 % accept rate.

Easiest track into STA is via BVR, provided your child is smart enough to do the work and well behaved. BVR parents generally know when their kid cannot handle STA and they don't apply so some years STA may take more than 10-12 in 4th, but really that number reflects how well BVR chose 5 years prior.

Also some beauvoir boys do not want STA. We are a beauvoir family and at least 6 boys chose coeds like Sidwell, Maret, and GDS and they wanted more diverse schools.