If OP thinks she can just waltz her 9th grader into the top private schools in DC, it has to be because she and the school she's coming from have connections. So let them recommend the right place, not randos on any anonymous website.

Anonymous wrote:Top of mind is Holton Arms (secular) and National Cathedral School (Episcopalian). Next tier for all girls would be Madeira (secular), Visitation (Catholic), and Stone Ridge (Catholic).

For co-ed, there are a lot of choices. Sidwell Friends (Quaker), Georgetown Day, Maret and Potomac School are among the most sought-after. St. John’s College has a strong honors program. Basis Independent in McLean is super strong in STEM, but is not a “kind, supportive atmosphere” (gross understatement).

I would have listed the same schools other than Basis Independent (a lot of organizational issues)and Madeira (strong boarding school component and not as strong reputation as some of the others listed). I also agree with what other people have said about BC calculus in 10th not being that common in private schools. That said, your daughter could still end up at the same college studying STEM as a private school classmate that completed BC calculus in 12th grade so you have to weigh if her enjoyment of math is such that it is more important than some of the other things and should drive the decision or if it’s just one piece to be weighed with other opportunities.

OP, other than finding a place that is welcoming to newcomers/easy for a transfer to fit in, what are the top two things that are most important for your dd in a new school? There are lots of paths/schools that would have her well prepared to study a STEM field in college, it’s very difficult to find strong math cohort with kids accelerated 3 years in math, great robotics team, great debate team, and at the level that your daughter would want and could play for two sports (i.e. may not be competitive enough or too competitive where she wouldn’t make the team or play) and has spots available for 10th.

Gds and Sidwell are far more open to advanced math than either NCS or Holton. GDS was 100% fine with calc in 10th. Sidwell was also open to it. Just went through this with our kid.

Anonymous wrote:OP, what kind of school is DD at now?

She’s at a progressive all girls school. But we’d also be open ti co-Ed at this point

Holton + NCS are your 2 choices for day schools based on what you wrote: otherwise, explore boarding schools.

OP, what kind of school is DD at now?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are possibly relocating to the DC area with our daughter who is currently in 9th grade. Obviously this isn’t a great time to move and uproot a high schooler. She currently goes to a rigorous private school in our area and I realize we would need to have our headmistress reach out ti help find her a spot somewhere. She is a tip top student in terms of grades , honors classes, standardized tests and likes challenging classes but a kind , supportive atmosphere. She’s very committed to STEM, involved in two school sports, and involved in speech and debate. She is thinking about computer science as an area of interest for college or engineering, along with economics
If we make this move we could have some flexibility to try to live near a school that is a good fit. We’d consider both all girls and co-Ed schools. Any suggestions on where to look ?

Top of mind is Holton Arms (secular) and National Cathedral School (Episcopalian). Next tier for all girls would be Madeira (secular), Visitation (Catholic), and Stone Ridge (Secular).

For co-ed, there are a lot of choices. Sidwell Friends (Quaker), Georgetown Day, Maret and Potomac School are among the most sought-after. St. John’s College has a strong honors program. Basis Independent in McLean is super strong in STEM, but is not a “kind, supportive atmosphere” (gross understatement).

Hmm. Some of those are real pressure cookers - Holton, Sidwell, NCS.

Stone Ridge is Catholic, not secular. Visi is a nice school but does not have alter academic rigor OP says she is speaking. Basis is a dumpster fire.

Anonymous wrote:Op here: thinking of moving at this point Is really making me sad!

Also interested in schools that really value teachers and high quality instruction m.

And schools that can accommodate post calculus math. She will be in BC calculus as a sophomore

This will be a problem at most if not all privates. I would look at public. Whitman, Blair magnet, TJ in Virginia.

Anonymous wrote:You all just need to be quiet. OP's headmistress knows more about the girl's fit than any of you.

Um, Op asked us.

You all just need to be quiet. OP's headmistress knows more about the girl's fit than any of you.

Calc in 10th is just not routine at the DC privates. Some
are open to it for a kid here and there, some are not for anyone. You need to call and talk to admissions b. we just went through this with a boy applying from public (who took algebra in 6th)

TJ magnet in Virginia does allow for a few transfers. You must live in district.

Anonymous wrote:NCS is way over-enrolled for the current 9th grade. They had the highest yield they've ever had this year and the class is about 95 girls (in contrast this year they just graduated about 75). Girls are having trouble getting electives and classes are large.
I've heard that GDS 9th is also overenrolled for 9th.
I don't know about Holton.
I know Sidwell 9th went to the waitlist so they may be a good bet because they managed enrollment well.
Debate is not a big thing at NCS. Sidwell has a team but the top schools for debate in the DMV are Potomac (the had the top debater in the US last year and she's currently a senior) and GDS.

Debate is not a big deal at NCS, but Government Club is. She’d have to try out though and as a new kid she might not make it in.

Op, have you considered buying in BCC or Whitman and going public? MCPS has good STEM.

Anonymous wrote:OP, in your shoes, I would seriously consider delaying your move until your DD graduates. Or have the parent changing jobs commute if that is your situation.

Would like to avoid a move but it may not be possible and living apart from their father to commute on weekends doesn’t seem like the best thing for our family. We would only do this move if we really need to work wise

OP math at DC privates is lacking.

I am not sure you will find courses for your daughter at those schools.

I would call each one myself and ask.

My kids are major math students STEM graduated already but we moved out of private for that reason.