Why are people so mean on this thread, lol?

Anyway, can’t compare because my kids went to NPS not BVR. We (parents and kids) really liked NPS - we found the teachers to be warm and excellent at their jobs, particularly the long- time faculty members. We also liked that outplacement seemed to happen to many different schools. My son ended up at St Albans but I appreciated that it was not predetermined. I also appreciated he had two separate school experiences rather than staying on the close all 12 years. Finally, I like 7th grade as an entry. Being at NPS allowed us to delay things like cell phones and also gave my kid two years to learn a new school before high school.

It is small so can have classes that vibe together better than others. But since it ends in 6th, small worked for my kids (they benefited from that environment but happy to move on in 7th grade). I also have to say, if I am being candid, happy to have paid a lower price tag than the cost of upper school (BVR may be same, don’t know).

I know of many families who loved BVR too. I am sure your kid could be happy at either. Good luck!

I wonder how many parents at BVR also applied to NPS and vice versa. Very likely to be a significant overlap. So while the schools may have differences, the community of families - what OP asked about - is very much the same.

There are big differences in schools that end in 3rd grade v 6th grade in terms of what your kid is exposed to. A 3rd grader at NPS is hanging out with 10-12 year olds in After Care. A 3rd grader at Beauvoir is only exposed to 8 and 9 year olds. They see and hear different things in the halls. You may not think this is important but I promise you it is a difference that I have experience with. For some, it’s not a big deal but it is different.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no discernible difference. Truly. You are comparing Gala to Honey Crisp to Granny Smith to Fuji. It is the same population. Apply to both and if you get in to both, pick BVR if you want NCS/STA and NPS if you don’t. Don’t struggle so.

So, this response cracks me up because honey crisp and Granny Smith taste nothing alike.

+1 I chuckled a little too because, while I get the point being made, there is absolutely a discernible difference between them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no discernible difference. Truly. You are comparing Gala to Honey Crisp to Granny Smith to Fuji. It is the same population. Apply to both and if you get in to both, pick BVR if you want NCS/STA and NPS if you don’t. Don’t struggle so.

So, this response cracks me up because honey crisp and Granny Smith taste nothing alike.

Narcissism of small differences.

You're calling me a narcissist because I can taste a significant difference between a Honeycrisp and a Granny Smith? I'm guessing you don't eat a ton of apples.

Google the phrase—it’s a concept. It’s about how people get very hung up on small differences between two things that are largely similar. Yes, the apples taste different, but they taste a lot more similar than, say, charcoal briquettes and marzipan. Likewise, the schools are very similar.

It's a $40K decision. It's not narcissistic or "hung up" for OP to want to be as informed as possible before making it. People post threads here asking people to comment on minor differences between dresses or shoes that are pretty similar. I've posted in threads where people ask questions about recipes that are more similar than different. Because when you're investing time or money in something you want to get the decision right.

OP, I have no experience in either school. I opened this thread out of curiosity.

Anonymous wrote:If you’re looking for a community with a “vibe” and meal trains, OP, maybe you would feel more comfortable if you sent your child to public school?

There would certainly be fewer families with country club memberships.

I say this as a public school parent, so I honestly don’t mean to be snarky. Why wouldn’t you send your child to public school? At least for the first few years. (That’s a rhetorical question, really none of my business.)

This 100% OP. My kids went to the other snotty private elementary in town and if I had to do it over, I would have sent them to public. Meal trains exist for those who know you through Chevy Chase Club, maybe...And this will sound rude, too, OP, but if you don't know anybody there, then I wonder if you're on track to have your child admitted anyway. It's tough. With that said, to answer your question, at the very smallest margin, NPS probably has a slightly warmer vibe--though everything about that school feels "small" for the good and the bad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no discernible difference. Truly. You are comparing Gala to Honey Crisp to Granny Smith to Fuji. It is the same population. Apply to both and if you get in to both, pick BVR if you want NCS/STA and NPS if you don’t. Don’t struggle so.

So, this response cracks me up because honey crisp and Granny Smith taste nothing alike.

Narcissism of small differences.

You're calling me a narcissist because I can taste a significant difference between a Honeycrisp and a Granny Smith? I'm guessing you don't eat a ton of apples.

Google the phrase—it’s a concept. It’s about how people get very hung up on small differences between two things that are largely similar. Yes, the apples taste different, but they taste a lot more similar than, say, charcoal briquettes and marzipan. Likewise, the schools are very similar.

OP, the NPS people will say their school is wonderful. The BVR people will say theirs is magical. They will say their school is unique and more special than all the others. But they all apply to the same schools and end up at the same schools. So will you. The differences are so small and the families are the same people. Unless you want a Cathedral school later, pick the one closest to your house. You will be fine.

I have had three at Beauvoir. Both schools seem very similar to me, the kids and parent body at both are lovely. We liked having a school that ends after 3rd, some like a school like NPS that ends a little later. I do not think you could have better choices. Beauvoir and NPS were the one's we were deciding between as well. Good luck!

I don’t have any personal experience with BVR and I doubt that there are very many people with kids at both schools. I have three kids at NPS and we are very happy there. Our oldest joined at a later grade and was made to feel welcome entering already established friend networks. There is a strong culture of including all kids in things like birthday parties and the default is to invite the whole grade (or all the boys/girls in a grade) to parties or when organizing out-of-school classes and sports teams. This is very helpful since there are only 17-18 boys or girls in each grade. It’s a very small school so I feel like it gets a little overlooked by parents looking at schools, but it is a real gem. We feel lucky to have found it.

BVR has 20 in a class w/two lead teachers. Never 24 students but 22 has been the most I’ve ever seen albeit very rare.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no discernible difference. Truly. You are comparing Gala to Honey Crisp to Granny Smith to Fuji. It is the same population. Apply to both and if you get in to both, pick BVR if you want NCS/STA and NPS if you don’t. Don’t struggle so.

So, this response cracks me up because honey crisp and Granny Smith taste nothing alike.

Yes but they’re all apples. The Smiths may go to BVR and the Browns to NPS but it’s all pretty much the same

Yes and BVR and NPS are both schools. OP probably already knew that. If you were using Honeycrisp and Granny Smith as examples of how two things can be in the same category and have really different characteristics, that would make sense.

I know nothing about the schools. It's just apples I know about. Perhaps you are the opposite.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no discernible difference. Truly. You are comparing Gala to Honey Crisp to Granny Smith to Fuji. It is the same population. Apply to both and if you get in to both, pick BVR if you want NCS/STA and NPS if you don’t. Don’t struggle so.

So, this response cracks me up because honey crisp and Granny Smith taste nothing alike.

Yes but they’re all apples. The Smiths may go to BVR and the Browns to NPS but it’s all pretty much the same

If you’re looking for a community with a “vibe” and meal trains, OP, maybe you would feel more comfortable if you sent your child to public school?

There would certainly be fewer families with country club memberships.

I say this as a public school parent, so I honestly don’t mean to be snarky. Why wouldn’t you send your child to public school? At least for the first few years. (That’s a rhetorical question, really none of my business.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no discernible difference. Truly. You are comparing Gala to Honey Crisp to Granny Smith to Fuji. It is the same population. Apply to both and if you get in to both, pick BVR if you want NCS/STA and NPS if you don’t. Don’t struggle so.

So, this response cracks me up because honey crisp and Granny Smith taste nothing alike.

Narcissism of small differences.

You're calling me a narcissist because I can taste a significant difference between a Honeycrisp and a Granny Smith? I'm guessing you don't eat a ton of apples.