As a former family I can say without hesitation it is not worth that unless you are seeking out, lowell because your child was previously in a very unsupportive or damaging school prior to moving there. That would be very specific and a small number of people. For your typical family in the DMV area looking for private middle schools I would hesitate to recommend Lowell at that price. Astounding.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did Lowell just have a very large tuition increase? 10%+? Why is it significantly more expensive than other K-8s in the area, like St. Pat's and WES?

What is the current tuition for MS?

North of 52K for next year.

Anonymous wrote:Did Lowell just have a very large tuition increase? 10%+? Why is it significantly more expensive than other K-8s in the area, like St. Pat's and WES?

What is the current tuition for MS?

Did Lowell just have a very large tuition increase? 10%+? Why is it significantly more expensive than other K-8s in the area, like St. Pat's and WES?

We have a very bright child at a K-8 who is not athletic and will probably not get into a very competitive private high school. Thinking back, we should have just moved to a different school district. I know I could just do that now, but then DC would be in a very large high school where most of the kids know each other already and have for a very long time and doesn't have the social skills for that environment. We should have moved in 4th grade and given DC time to settle and make friend groups. So, that's my advice - if you won't be truly happy in DCPS for high school, then move now.

We love Lowell!!!!! And more importantly, so does our middle school child.

Lowell cannot guarantee you admission to your top high school. They can just set you up extremely well.

Here are things Lowell does that your public probably does not: a teacher will be assigned to mentor your DS for HS application process (mock interviews, work together on essays); the MS division head and HoS will call the HoS at your top choices and be able to relay personal details about your DS and why they are a perfect fit for the school (if true); your DS’s teacher recommendations will reflect personal knowledge of your student and their strengths and what makes them unique.

Also true per above that Lowell will not provide a great athletic environment (most of the athletes there play on travel teams, so the school team isn’t their primary one). But they will provide excellent instruction in writing (the top HSs in the area regularly say this about Lowell grads), an intro to the progressive curriculum that most of the top private HSs in the area feature, and a top notch education in self-advocacy (Lowell kids know how and when to ask for what they need to succeed in the classroom).

Lowell is a great school and if you want a great middle school for your kid then consider it. If you just want to get your kid in some specific high school, and don’t really care which MS experience they have, then I don’t know what to say. Pick a school because your kid will flourish there — Lowell may not be right for your kid but base it on the school now and what it provides your kid and not on some obsession you have with a follow on high school.

My experience with Lowell was quite a few years ago under different leadership but I would offer the following:

1. Being in the independent private school circle can help your child move into other independent private schools with the right push from the administration and strong stats. The middle school was just starting when my kids left Lowell but I'm expect it offers a strong education at that level if you like the progressive education model.

2. Lowell is a small school You are coming in at middle school. How strong do you think your child will be academically compared to others who stayed for middle school (some may have left for other privates or for magnet publics.) How involved will you be with the school (committees and such.)

3. But most importantly, don't put your put your kid in Lowell now because you want a specific other private high school that's super hard to get into if you'll be crushed should it not work out.

4. Between them, my kids got numerous rejections and wait lists from a few of the more prestigious DC privates. At the time, it was very stressful for both the kids and the parents and the outcomes seemed more connected to factors such who was most liked by the administration (kids and families), diversity, athleticism, and family wealth than to academics.

5. My kids landed in a fantastic private that many on DCUM wrongly consider "second tier." They had a fanstastic experience and got a first rate education. We forget that schools deemed second tier in DC are probably better than 95% of privates in the country because of the intense competition and demanding parent pool in the DMV.

6. Both my kids graduated from a top Ivy that the vast majority of kids from the most elite DC schools cannot get into. Secondary education certainly matters, but the differences between reputation-wise top/second tier schools is inconsequential.

7. One of my kid's high school friends who was very smart went to an honors program in a state school for his BS. Then got a Phd from one of the top programs in his field in the country and now works in probably the top lab in his field in the world.

Keep perspective and take deep breaths.

If your child is excited to be in a small environment that focuses on diversity and identity then Lowell is it. You can do soccer outside of school, as most serious athletes do. Personality matters more here. And math will be ok if you don’t need higher than algebra 2 in 8th.
This depends on the kid a lot.
Usually very inclusive community and nice families.