Anonymous wrote:Sorry I seem cranky. I am tired. My grandson was also making a joke about the old dads. Serious question, Is the Grandparents Day coming up at Sidwell for the Upper School too?

I called the school to confirm it is for all parts of the school, though I believe it is. It's November 11 in Zartman.

I have always found it very odd when you meet a Georgetown Prep or Gonzaga alum and ask them where they went to school, they reply with the year they graduated from High School. Where you went to college is irrelevant for the majority of Catholics who grew up in the DC area and probably have never lived anywhere else.

Mars vs Venus.

Anonymous wrote: As a non-Catholic I would be concerned about fitting in for both my kid and for us as a family. We had a son play youth lacrosse for Club Blue and definitely felt the families and kids were very friendly and nice, but also felt very outside their group. I had only positive impressions of the GP families we met, but I also felt in the end that immersing our son at GP as a non-Jesuit would be a poor fit. GP seems very much a religious oriented school.

This poster has it right.

There are some non-Catholics at Prep. And it helps to be an athlete in one of the sports they care about (football, basketball or lacrosse). And as Grandma has observed, people are polite.

But as far as the kids or your family fitting in, well that's more difficult. The native DC Catholics frequently know one another, went to school with one another and may even be related. Breaking into that circle isn't easy.

These high schools play a critical role in keeping this community together. Many, if not most, believe that where you go to high school is more important than where you go to college.

Sorry I seem cranky. I am tired. My grandson was also making a joke about the old dads. Serious question, Is the Grandparents Day coming up at Sidwell for the Upper School too?

Anonymous wrote:Last word from the grandma. I can tell you are a snobby wasp and have absolutely no concept of what goes on at Prep. In all my years of attending Catholic school events and lots of sports events the Catholic dads are super solicitous of grandparents and always make sure I am comfortable and sit in the shade etc. the Catholic schools all have grandparents
Days. When I asked my Sidwell grandson if his school had a grandparents day he said the dads are so old their parents are already dead. BTW. I love Sidwell but that doesn't mean other schools do not have positive attributes. I have to go to bed it's 8:30!

Ok, Grandma. You first post was helpful but now you just seem cranky. The dads are so old their parents are dead as a reason for not having grandparent-related activities? And calling someone a WASP as an insult? Really? And, in all seriousness, you may want to ask your grandson at Sidwell about the grandparent event this month. It's been in the school's regular reminders to let them know if you have a grandparent who may be interested in attending.

Sidwell does have a "Grandparents & Special Friends Day"

Wow. This grandma posted a truly honest and insightful post. She spent some time on this. I also have first hand experience and can compare. She is right on. Thanks grandma.


To the haters-- she is agreeing that Sidwell is better academically. Is that the what you want?
But at what cost?

I have experience as a big law partner (seven figure salary) and then an executive at a big company. I can tell you that having an elite education has very little correlation to being successful in terms of large salary etc. it doesn't hurt but doesn't determine. I know many of you have had the same experience.

People skills are what matters.

Please discuss.

Last word from the grandma. I can tell you are a snobby wasp and have absolutely no concept of what goes on at Prep. In all my years of attending Catholic school events and lots of sports events the Catholic dads are super solicitous of grandparents and always make sure I am comfortable and sit in the shade etc. the Catholic schools all have grandparents
Days. When I asked my Sidwell grandson if his school had a grandparents day he said the dads are so old their parents are already dead. BTW. I love Sidwell but that doesn't mean other schools do not have positive attributes. I have to go to bed it's 8:30!

And u know this because u have kids at both schools and talk over their assignments etc?

A+ trolling OP

This Grandma has fallen and can't get up. Prep is a joke compared to Sidwell.

Bs. Not that it is your business but even though I am the grandmother I am probably younger than you. I had my first at 19 and have helped raise these boys with whom I am very close. I have spent many hours at both schools and hosted parties for both. I have driven to dances gone to plays and driven endless carpools. The boys and I talk a lot about things like rbullying religion sex etc. I'm sure have a much better idea of what goes on at these schools than most parents of teenagers . Stop insulting grandmothers you knucklehead

All this above from a grandmother who couldn't know the day-to-day subtleties of fitting-in this group during and after the high school years.

I am probably outing my kids because I am a grandparent with two grandsons currently enrolled at both schools, so I think my perception may be unique.

First of all the schools are not polar opposites although it may appear so on paper. Bother are private, have small classses, and have many wealthy students. But both have scholarship students as well (my boys).

The academic at Prep are not a joke. They ar not as difficult as Sidwell, and Prep caters to kids with a wider range of abilities, but at the top end the academics are just fine. If your child goes there and takes a rigorous schedule he will be well prepared for college. The language teaching may be better than Sidwell. I like the two year Larin requirement because it teaches kids how to learn a foreign language. MY GS is now translating Cicero. I do not consider this a joke. His math and science courses are on par with a W school.


Secondly, we are not Catholics nor are we Quakers, but my other GS has been made a member of the Quaker Life committee at Sidwell and it has helped him grow as an individual with a conscious, and help wied with stress control. He has represented the school at national Quaker conferences and I would not be surprised or unhappy if he ends up joining a Quaker community as an adult. Sidwells academic are without par, and there are opportunities for a FA recipient to do mazing things like travel abroad with FA assistance, sing with professional opera singers, meet Ambassadors for lunch, and I could go on and on.


As to the parents and kids at both schools they are very warm and welcoming to non Cahtolics at Prep ( I do have to admit it helps if your son is a good athlete), and both boys feel very much connected and accepted at their schools.


Although academics as Sidwell are superior, there is rampant grade deflation, and the kids work like dogs to keep up -- even the very brightest. There is a lot of self imposed pressure, and kids need to be able to advocate for themselves with their teachers. It would not work well for a shy or soft-spoken anxious kid no matter how bright. Also the sports teams are mediocre at best, which may or may not matter to you. The good news if your kid wants to ply he can probably make any team at the school.

If you kid loves team sports like my other GS, then Prep is a dream school. The facilities are gorgeous. You get the equivalent of private training in the weigh rooms, the film room is lovely, and the coaches are great people. What I like is that they support multi-sport athletes which si healthier for teenagers who can suffer from over training if the do one sport all year round.


Lastly, yes there are rich people at both schools and at every private school in metro DC. So what. Kids do not compare or ridicule and in high school kids are popular because of their own personalities. Parents status doesn't mean much day to day at either school. There are mnay many non Catholics at Prep and like my GS they seem percetly at home. What I like about the school is that the boys seem relaxed and happy, while at Sidwell the academic pressure is just too much for some kids. My GS thrives there, but he he gets about 5-6 hours of sleep per night he has so much homework.


So as usual, it comes down to what is the best fit for your son. Visit and go with your gut. Many of the nay-sayers on thsi borad have never set foot on either campus and there are very few who know both schools well, so I would ignore those who adamantly say one school is terrible and the other great, or that Catholic education is terrible and that Sidwell is fake Quaker. How would they know?