Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 12:37     Subject: Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I went to Potomac and a big 3 and found the Big 3 harder, but that was 35 years ago. It sounds like folks on this thread have more recent and relevant feedback to the contrary.

Potomac’s high school is only 37 years old so yeah, I don’t think your experience is relevant. Things have changed since then.


Sorry, I should have been more specific. I went to Potomac through 8th grade. My class would have been the first class to be able to go 9-12 at the then ‘new’ high school. What I found academically difficult was the move from 8th grade at Potomac to 9th grade at a Big 3. There was a lot of catching up. Again, others have much more recent and relevant experience.


NP. Still not relevant. The US literally didn’t even exist. Move along.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 12:36     Subject: Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:The reality at the top 3/5/7/9 local privates is that many of the students accepted at Ivy/T15/T20 each year have some kind of hook (athletics, legacy, or whatever).

One cannot know the full set of hooks in play, so impossible to separate a hooked result from an unhooked result. So none of those school’s college results are really indicative for the unhooked student who is applying to college.


Nice way to hijack a thread on a topic already covered ad naseum. What does this have to do with OP’s question?
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 11:48     Subject: Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I went to Potomac and a big 3 and found the Big 3 harder, but that was 35 years ago. It sounds like folks on this thread have more recent and relevant feedback to the contrary.

Potomac’s high school is only 37 years old so yeah, I don’t think your experience is relevant. Things have changed since then.


Sorry, I should have been more specific. I went to Potomac through 8th grade. My class would have been the first class to be able to go 9-12 at the then ‘new’ high school. What I found academically difficult was the move from 8th grade at Potomac to 9th grade at a Big 3. There was a lot of catching up. Again, others have much more recent and relevant experience.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 10:51     Subject: Re:Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Call Potomac and ask about workload and homework. My child’s school puts homework expectations right in the handbook and so far, it has been accurate. For freshmen/sophomores, 10-15 hours of homework a week. For junior/senior, 20 hours with a caveat that AP classes may require more than that. I don’t have any experience with Potomac, but when we were looking to apply to private HS, I got the impression from an admissions counselor and our school counselor that Potomac was pretty similar to Big 3s.



20 hours a week?!?! Assume 5 classes, that’s four hours per class. Most schools have some sort of block schedule. Hypothetically, assume 4 days per week. That’s an hour per class each time it meets? For non-honors classes? What school is this? I’m applying my kid out and that’s too much for him.


That's totally normal (and maybe even low) for a school like this when you take rigorous schedule. It's important to know this and I'm glad you recognize whether this is something that is good or not for your child.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 10:30     Subject: Re:Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
My kid went to GDS and one of their best friends went to Potomac. Both were top students taking the hardest classes. The workload at GDS is more intense than the workload at Potomac - much more writing especially. But Potomac is more intense than the public high school.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 09:50     Subject: Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:I think it all evens out. There’s more work assigned in Big 3 but the kids are also smarter so…


Only the ones who were admitted in the 9th grade. The lifers are less so.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 09:03     Subject: Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
The reality at the top 3/5/7/9 local privates is that many of the students accepted at Ivy/T15/T20 each year have some kind of hook (athletics, legacy, or whatever).

One cannot know the full set of hooks in play, so impossible to separate a hooked result from an unhooked result. So none of those school’s college results are really indicative for the unhooked student who is applying to college.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 08:55     Subject: Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:I don't think you will find relief at Potomac - their hard track will be just as much work. Plus, they have a big EC requirement - which would be a big time commitment added vs Sidwell or GDS (maybe on par with STA).


+1.

From an academic workload perspective, there really is not much difference (at least on the hard academics track) among GDS, Potomac, StA/NCS, & Sidwell. Several have additional requirements for after-school (athletic or other) participation in upper school, btw. Several also have community service requirements on top of that.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 08:39     Subject: Re:Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:Call Potomac and ask about workload and homework. My child’s school puts homework expectations right in the handbook and so far, it has been accurate. For freshmen/sophomores, 10-15 hours of homework a week. For junior/senior, 20 hours with a caveat that AP classes may require more than that. I don’t have any experience with Potomac, but when we were looking to apply to private HS, I got the impression from an admissions counselor and our school counselor that Potomac was pretty similar to Big 3s.



20 hours a week?!?! Assume 5 classes, that’s four hours per class. Most schools have some sort of block schedule. Hypothetically, assume 4 days per week. That’s an hour per class each time it meets? For non-honors classes? What school is this? I’m applying my kid out and that’s too much for him.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2024 06:49     Subject: Re:Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Potomac is a big 3. Bullis and St Andrews are not. Potomac as intense as St Albans/NCS, Sidwell, GDS. Bullis and St Andrews are second tier snd not as intense. .
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2024 12:55     Subject: Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:I went to Potomac and a big 3 and found the Big 3 harder, but that was 35 years ago. It sounds like folks on this thread have more recent and relevant feedback to the contrary.

Potomac’s high school is only 37 years old so yeah, I don’t think your experience is relevant. Things have changed since then.
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2024 12:33     Subject: Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
I went to Potomac and a big 3 and found the Big 3 harder, but that was 35 years ago. It sounds like folks on this thread have more recent and relevant feedback to the contrary.
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2024 12:21     Subject: Re:Potomac vs Big 3 - academic workload
Anonymous wrote:From our tutor who works with kids from all the top whatever places, the Big 3, GDS, Potomac, and Maret pretty similar in HS (big differences in MS; fwiw our kids are 5th/7th). That tracks our anecdata.



Former tutor here, and I agree. I wouldn't attempt a switch if you're looking for less intensity - that's not Potomac's thing.