Anonymous
Post 10/27/2025 09:25     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
These rankings are ridiculous and arbitrary. I say this with kids at a school that’s listed at #1 or #2 in much of this thread.
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2025 21:41     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Co-ed:
1. Sidwell
2. GDS
3. Potomac

All-Boys:
1. STA
2. St. Anselm’s Abbey
3. Georgetown Prep

All-Girls:
1. NCS
2. Holton
3. Visi/Stone Ridge/Madeira, somewhat interchangeable according to preference and location
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2025 19:47     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
1. Maret
2. Whittle
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2025 19:35     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:no consideration for campus, sports, location, etc


1. 2. NCS/STA interchangeable order
3. Sidwell
4. GDS
5. St. Anselms
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2025 05:31     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:NP. Some folks clearly feel really threatened by Potomac. Therefore it must be good enough.

What kind of threat is Potomac imposing?
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2025 05:29     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What decent private school says you can only do 3 years math? That’s insane and math is my kids much weaker subject


It's a minimum standard.

If weak in math they need 4 years.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 20:38     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:What decent private school says you can only do 3 years math? That’s insane and math is my kids much weaker subject


It's a minimum standard.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 15:12     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just look at matriculation lists. That's the only metric.

Don't lose sight of the plot...ie getting your child into the school that they want to go to, whether it a state school or an Ivy doesn't matter, only where the kid wants to go. IF the private school is too caught up in their own brand and doesn't help that mission, it isn't worth it.


Lot of noise there given legacy donators, URM preferences, no testing the last few years.

May as well go to top public. Those are academic and grads in our neighborhood went to top colleges, found it easy and now are at top internships and full time jobs across a range of disciplines.


Agree. Some may want jesuit education, smaller class rooms, broad or narrow curriculum, single sex etc. There are plenty of reasons to want to go private. My only point is that I would chose a place that best helps my kid get into a university they want to go to and is happy.

Nobody cares where one go's to HS once you get to college (unless you live in Baltimore..subtle joke). I want my kids to be prepared, yes, but not killed, by academics and the culture of the school...and also be happy. I have seen plenty of unhappy, idiots out of the Big 3 and plenty of super successful, happy people out of PS 120.


One of the signs that a city is dying is whether people ask where you went to high school or college. I've never been asked to former except when I briefly lived in St Louis


From NYC - still asked where I went to high school (private) by others from privates in NYC - decades later.


+1
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 09:49     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:A typical student of a top private would not last a quarter at Basis, particularly if he/she/they entered later in the curriculum after (borderline irresponsible) middle school content acceleration has kicked in.. many of the top privates are already doing away with APs out of fear from having their students perform poorly. In contrast, Basis pushes a lot of APs and integrates the AP grades into the students course grades shown in their transcripts... meaning that if you flunk an AP there are real repercussions to the grade of that subject in the transcript... if you do well, there are good repercussions !


Do most schools not do this? My lowly public high school in the Midwest used our AP grades in our regular GPA.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 08:50     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
That logic doesn’t make sense at all.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 08:12     Subject: Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
NP. Some folks clearly feel really threatened by Potomac. Therefore it must be good enough.
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 22:10     Subject: Re:Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:PP either has an axe to grind or is a troll. This alone is enough to put Potomac in top 5:

https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/2025-scholars/

Keep dreaming if you think that alone should put Potomac in top 5.
It's a really great accomplishment, but every average team has a great season, once in a blue moon
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 20:39     Subject: Re:Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:PP either has an axe to grind or is a troll. This alone is enough to put Potomac in top 5:

https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/2025-scholars/


Classic pay to play “student-led” projects that are very popular with the Potomac crowd.
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 19:55     Subject: Re:Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
PP either has an axe to grind or is a troll. This alone is enough to put Potomac in top 5:

https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/2025-scholars/
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 18:49     Subject: Re:Based solely on academics, rank the top 5 private high schools in DC/VA/MD
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:1. BIM
2. Sidwell
3. GDS
4. STA/NCS
5. Maret


How is Potomac not on this list if we are talking National Merit semifinalists? At least beats 2 of these schools.

Potomac is not top 5. Plain and simple.


It’s better than BIM, which makes it #1

What does BIM have to do with anything? Niche doesn’t even have them in the top 10 anymore.

Potomac may be #1 in McLean. I think Madeira is better for girls though. For boys, I think Potomac is the #1 in McLean.


Well this post is specifically asking about academics. There is no objective metric by which Potomac is #1 academically over Basis. Not by a long shot. But Potomac definitely deserves to be on that top 5 list over some of the Maryland/DC schools.

Potomac doesn't belong on that list.