The music is amazing and no school in the area can touch it. None. Singing at the Cathedral does not count...so please do not go there...let me re phrase, the Episcopal Church Welcomes you, but the music is not better than Landon's?

Music and approach to foreign languages??? That's a good one!

I hate to get into this tit for tat about schools, but . . . my son was accepted at STA and a top-tier co-ed school (didn't apply to Sidwell) and we chose Landon. It was a close call and STA is a fantastic school (so not knocking STA) but ultimately selected Landon because of its music and arts program, approach to foreign language, and proximity to our house. And my son just felt a bit more comfortable in a more suburban environment. He loves school and has made great friends and is challenged academically, plays three different sports a year (although not at the highest level), and sings. We were a concerned about the transition at first because he didn't come in as part of a major expansion year, but he seemed to fit right in after a few weeks.

My advice to the OP is to get engaged in the school early and to encourage softly in activities with classmates outside of school. Some parents are extremely involved in the school, while others just do drop-off and pick-up. Both my husband and I work and have two kids at other schools so don't do as much with the school as others, but certainly make as many school concerts, parent events, home games, and schoolwide events as possible. It's as much or as little as you make of it.

I hope you have the same positive experience at Landon as we have.

I'm not so sure. I know several Landon boys, who were admitted to St. Abans and/or Sidwell, and who chose Landon, for varying reasons.

You aren't seriously comparing the academic rigor/profile of STA versus Landon, are you? There is no comparison in terms of the quality of the student bodies. None.

Whether your son is recruited to play sports in the IVY league or a NESCAC conference, or is admitted to mommy and daddy leagacy connections, what difference does it make? Landon may very well send its star athletes to the Ivy League but you can't tell me everyone from STA who was admitted to an Ivy League based entirely on academic merit. It goes both ways.

Similarly, people who consider/aim for STA and Sidwell do not consider Landon at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is too much. We are considering Landon for Upper School and although the school's reputation concerns us we have had nothing but positive experiences with alumni, teachers, and students. In terms of All-boys, Landon is probably not as strong as STA but I don't think any of the other all-boys or co-ed schools (Except for Sidwell) are at the same level.

What's wrong with Georgetown Prep?

Nothing is wrong with Prep. It serves a different market --- a different set of DC area families ---than do Landon or St Albans.

Boys and their families that consider Prep also consider Gonzaga but rarely consider Landon or St Albans.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think Prep academically is on the same level as Landon.

Look at the number of NMS each school has produced in the past 10 years and the level of Ivy League placement or NESCAC college placement.

That may be because the Catholics at Prep prefer schools like Notre Dame, BC, Georgetown and Holy Cross to some Ivies and all of the NESCAC schools.

Really? Please look at the cover of Forbes under 40. Landon Grad. Math phenom. Wife went to Holton. If they could support his Math interest I figure they can support my sons. The math teacher mentioned in the article is my sons math teacher...

More on this later!

Anonymous wrote:I don't think Prep academically is on the same level as Landon.

Look at the number of NMS each school has produced in the past 10 years and the level of Ivy League placement or NESCAC college placement.

Neither school has a great academic reputation. Regarding Landon, look at the number of kids who go Ivy/NESCAC and are NOT recruited athletes, and it's a handful.

I don't think Prep academically is on the same level as Landon.

Look at the number of NMS each school has produced in the past 10 years and the level of Ivy League placement or NESCAC college placement.

Anonymous wrote:This thread is too much. We are considering Landon for Upper School and although the school's reputation concerns us we have had nothing but positive experiences with alumni, teachers, and students. In terms of All-boys, Landon is probably not as strong as STA but I don't think any of the other all-boys or co-ed schools (Except for Sidwell) are at the same level.

What's wrong with Georgetown Prep?

Wait till you see those parents on the sidelines. Total nightmares.

My son loves it too. We were a little skeptical at first but has developed a great group of friends in his middle school class. We do not belong to a Country Club and my husband and I both work. There is certainly a mix of parents at Landon.