SR alumna here, from many years back. I loved the school, and many of my closest friendships date back to my SR days. Long before schools has volunteer service hour requirements, Stone Ridge had a social action program embedded within the curriculum. It was such an important part of my education. It continues to be an integral part of the school and very different from most other schools in that way. My career choices have been heavily influenced the values of service instilled in me by Stone Ridge.

I don't see this as an issue at SR. Even my middle schooler has developed friendships with boys at Mater Dei and The Heights. Maybe a child who is inclined to be awkward or nervous might have that experience but OP already stated that her child is confident and outgoing. She's also coming from public so she has been around boys through 6th.

Anonymous wrote:

One thing SR doesn't have is St Albans boys. SR girls have prep as a brother school but they don't mix that often. StA and NCS seem to mix more.

If this is your focus not sure why you would send your child to a single sex school. Husband hunting in high school is sad

Not husband hunting, but healthy interaction with boys leads to a less awkward young woman. I'm a proponent of single-sex education, but if not done correctly it can lead to young women who are intimidated and uncomfortable around young men.

Anonymous wrote:One thing SR doesn't have is St Albans boys. SR girls have prep as a brother school but they don't mix that often. StA and NCS seem to mix more.

Agree with above. I have a DD at NCS and was pleasantly surprised how much social and academic mixing there is with STA and NCS in the HS.

Academically NCS is a challenging place and I think that affects the friendships formed to some degree. There seems to less academically variety than at SR, where my niece goes to school. I think this cuts both ways. Both give an execellent education, but different flavors.

One thing SR doesn't have is St Albans boys. SR girls have prep as a brother school but they don't mix that often. StA and NCS seem to mix more.

If this is your focus not sure why you would send your child to a single sex school. Husband hunting in high school is sad

One thing SR doesn't have is St Albans boys. SR girls have prep as a brother school but they don't mix that often. StA and NCS seem to mix more.

Anonymous wrote:Stone Ridge does not fill quotas from parishes. Yes it is Catholic but is an Independent school. No money is received from the church

Yes, the idea that they would do that is crazy!

Here is a different perspective OP - If she chooses NCS she will be around many Type A kids and while this can be good it can also be difficult to stand out. Not sure if you've read Gladwell's David and Goliath but there's a section in there about a student who was very strong and went to Brown to study science (can't recall what) but ended up feeling inferior to the uber brilliant kids and ultimately ended up changing course because she felt like she was at the bottom of the class. Had she gone somewhere else where she felt more capable than a lot of her classmates, she might have taken on even more challenges and excelled. SR is a great place filled with smart girls but not everyone is vying for the top of the top so your daughter could really stand out there in high school whereas at NCS she may feel like she's middle of the pack. I speak from experience because I have a daughter who was top of her middle school class in a good school who went to another top DC school for high school where she has started to question herself more than I would like because everyone there is as smart (or maybe smarter) than her. She will be fine but she might have really stood out at a different school. SR also has great sports, community service and school spirit. I don't know a lot about NCS but I'm sure she will be fine at either school, just wanted to offer another perspective.

Anonymous wrote:Stone Ridge does not fill quotas from parishes. Yes it is Catholic but is an Independent school. No money is received from the church

Yes, that's a Visi thing but not a SR thing.
SR does not take girls who cannot do the work, even siblings, whereas Visi has a lower level diploma even to adapt to their population (graduate with less than a 2.0). Not the same school at all.

SR has great advanced classes and AP's but you are only allowed to take 3 a year (3 honors before that).
They are purposely a bit less intense. And very service oriented. DD is more likely to be able to play on sports teams there though NCS has wonderful no cut sports teams too (track, swimming).

Which subjects is she primarily interested in? Any idea at all?

NCS is a bit more into what colleges the girls get into. And the parents are to.

SR girls go to great colleges (one year I saw 5 girls going to Georgetown it looked like) but it isn't the main feel of the school.

Stone Ridge does not fill quotas from parishes. Yes it is Catholic but is an Independent school. No money is received from the church

Anonymous wrote:Being near the house is better. She's more likely to have friends nearby.

You choose ncs of you want to prioritize academics.

You choose stone ridge if you are catholic and want your daughter to be with kids who are have a broader range of intelligence and drive than the ncs girls.

If she is very smart and driven, choose ncs.

By broader range I mean a broader range of IQs and academic capability. The catholic schools have to take a certain number of kids from each parish so they can't be as selective. Or at least that what's the head of visitation told me a decade or so ago. He said, "We are not as rigorous as NCS, and we don't try to be."

Being near the house is better. She's more likely to have friends nearby.

You choose ncs of you want to prioritize academics.

You choose stone ridge if you are catholic and want your daughter to be with kids who are have a broader range of intelligence and drive than the ncs girls.

If she is very smart and driven, choose ncs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SR parent in the class above. It's a really nice class (2022) and good parents, sweet kids, mix of athletes, musicians, theater kids etc. I don't know NCS very well so I can't comment about that but I think she's be happy at SR. The school is very warm and welcoming and the sports are very good if that's a factor. New AD last year is doing a lot of great stuff with sports. Good choices either way I am thinking but I vote SR.

NCS is a more intense, competitive experience. Ask your daughter which she wants.
We have DD's at SR but several close friends DD's at NCS.
NCS is very competitive and driven, parents and kids. SR is more of a mix and they try to tone that down some which we like.
One of our DD's is very bright and would do well anywhere - what she needed was the service and character shaping at SR so she is there.
We know she's a top student already. She's very driven too so I like that SR is slightly toned down otherwise she might need some serious interventions by the end of HS.
The other DD is more just above average and is a bit challenged at SR but likes it fine.

At NCS even the sports teams are very competitive in middle school. Some of the girls switched out sports because they were made fun of at school for not being on the higher level travel team associated with the sport. It's just a bit intense.

We know great girls and families at both schools.

Ask DD what she wants.

OP here, thanks for the very helpful information. DD now says 'you decide'

What? That's too much - you decide?
Well, if your daughters are anything like mine whatever happens, especially stuff that goes wrong, it will be 'your fault'.
Whether you decide if she decides. My mom friends say that they could be across the country but anything that happens is 'their fault'.
Wait - that's not comforting is it.

Can she spend the day at either school again? Which one is closer?

None really as one is near the job and the other near the house,

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SR parent in the class above. It's a really nice class (2022) and good parents, sweet kids, mix of athletes, musicians, theater kids etc. I don't know NCS very well so I can't comment about that but I think she's be happy at SR. The school is very warm and welcoming and the sports are very good if that's a factor. New AD last year is doing a lot of great stuff with sports. Good choices either way I am thinking but I vote SR.

NCS is a more intense, competitive experience. Ask your daughter which she wants.
We have DD's at SR but several close friends DD's at NCS.
NCS is very competitive and driven, parents and kids. SR is more of a mix and they try to tone that down some which we like.
One of our DD's is very bright and would do well anywhere - what she needed was the service and character shaping at SR so she is there.
We know she's a top student already. She's very driven too so I like that SR is slightly toned down otherwise she might need some serious interventions by the end of HS.
The other DD is more just above average and is a bit challenged at SR but likes it fine.

At NCS even the sports teams are very competitive in middle school. Some of the girls switched out sports because they were made fun of at school for not being on the higher level travel team associated with the sport. It's just a bit intense.

We know great girls and families at both schools.

Ask DD what she wants.

OP here, thanks for the very helpful information. DD now says 'you decide'

What? That's too much - you decide?
Well, if your daughters are anything like mine whatever happens, especially stuff that goes wrong, it will be 'your fault'.
Whether you decide if she decides. My mom friends say that they could be across the country but anything that happens is 'their fault'.
Wait - that's not comforting is it.

Can she spend the day at either school again? Which one is closer?

Ask her which place most feels like 'home'. Her gut reaction will probably be the right one.

I am sure your daughter will do well at either school. I would consider which school is the easiest to take her to. Starting your morning off with a stressful commute is no way to live life...choose the path of least resistance