Bullis is the only school on the list with weak academics. It caters to the average kid who likes sports and who lives out in the suburbs. It will pick up a few scholarship case kids from urban DC who also are great athletes.

Hmm. GDS is as or more challenging academically as/than any of the other schools mentioned.

But perhaps PP wants to emphasize the demand in "demanding." Rather than cracking the whip, GDS throws down the gauntlet. But it doesn't require each kid to pick up every one. Different kids gravitate toward different kinds of challenges. It's not a good place for a kid who needs to be pushed. But it's a great place for a kid who is intellectually ambitious or who thrives in a cohort of intellectually ambitious kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Sidwell, Maret and GDS perhaps focused too much on academics ... without providing the balance needed for healthy & holistic development (including nurturing sports & art talent)?

It shouldn't be "either or" - either top academics or sports/art. There are kids who excel in both, who have the potential to get into an Ivy League AND take a shot at reaching the top in sports
... for such kids, what is the right choice in the Washington DC area?

Sidwell, Potomac, StA, NCS, and Holton all have a pretty good balanced approach to academics, sports, arts, social, etc.

GDS, Maret, and WIS probably tilt more academic than athletic.

Landon, Georgetown Prep, SSSAS, and Flint Hill probably tilt more athletic than academic.

GDS and maret are NOT as demanding academically as some of the other schools. There are levels of sports leagues- MAC , IAC, etc. The big splits between academics and athletics are in some of the huge catholic schools like Dematha and Good Counsel.

So, which schools are academically most challenging? How can we tell?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Sidwell, Maret and GDS perhaps focused too much on academics ... without providing the balance needed for healthy & holistic development (including nurturing sports & art talent)?

It shouldn't be "either or" - either top academics or sports/art. There are kids who excel in both, who have the potential to get into an Ivy League AND take a shot at reaching the top in sports
... for such kids, what is the right choice in the Washington DC area?

Sidwell, Potomac, StA, NCS, and Holton all have a pretty good balanced approach to academics, sports, arts, social, etc.

GDS, Maret, and WIS probably tilt more academic than athletic.

Landon, Georgetown Prep, SSSAS, and Flint Hill probably tilt more athletic than academic.

GDS and maret are NOT as demanding academically as some of the other schools. There are levels of sports leagues- MAC , IAC, etc. The big splits between academics and athletics are in some of the huge catholic schools like Dematha and Good Counsel.

PP, if discipline-driven means straight forward, 'by the book' education, then I would agree. Not much out of the box going on on the educational side.

Among the 6 schools, Landon appears the most discipline-driven and conservative.

Not sure what this implies for gifted students (academically and/or in arts/sports).

GDS and Maret certainly emphasize arts as well as academics. I think the arts programs at both are, if anything, more highly-regarded than those of the first 5 schools you've listed. (Don't know about WIS).

Re social life -- probably depends on the kid and what kind of society s/he prefers.

Neither of the NCS grads I know well would use "balanced approach" to describe their education.

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Sidwell, Maret and GDS perhaps focused too much on academics ... without providing the balance needed for healthy & holistic development (including nurturing sports & art talent)?

It shouldn't be "either or" - either top academics or sports/art. There are kids who excel in both, who have the potential to get into an Ivy League AND take a shot at reaching the top in sports
... for such kids, what is the right choice in the Washington DC area?

Sidwell, Potomac, StA, NCS, and Holton all have a pretty good balanced approach to academics, sports, arts, social, etc.

GDS, Maret, and WIS probably tilt more academic than athletic.

Landon, Georgetown Prep, SSSAS, and Flint Hill probably tilt more athletic than academic.

Put away your Penguin Freud, dah-ling.

We all know that the primary function of ranking various schools is to sell magazines, books, test prep, and consulting services.

Anonymous wrote:Bullis, Landon and Potomac don't belong on that list. Sorry to be so blunt. Completely different schools from the others.

If you're only focused on DC based schools, then yes. If you believe there is life outside the District of Columbia, then at least some of these schools should absolutely be on your radar. Potomac has been ranked above the DC schools in some national publications (though I personally believe its impossible to try and force a ranking between SFS, Potomac, GDS, Maret, STA, and NCS... all wonderful schools and widely recognized as such. As has been said before, trying to force a ranking of these schools is merely to engage in petty social climbing - usually driven by low self esteem).

Bullis, Landon and Potomac don't belong on that list. Sorry to be so blunt. Completely different schools from the others.

DC attends GDS. He participates in sports there, but the school does not offer all organized sports, such as football. What they do offer is very well done. I must say the arts programs are beyond outstanding. We do not feel the school is an either/or, because he is there for the academics and art--and does enjoy his sport at GDS. But, we understood what GDS offered when dc applied. From what I hear, Sidwell and Maret are great schools as well.

Isn't Sidwell, Maret and GDS perhaps focused too much on academics ... without providing the balance needed for healthy & holistic development (including nurturing sports & art talent)?

It shouldn't be "either or" - either top academics or sports/art. There are kids who excel in both, who have the potential to get into an Ivy League AND take a shot at reaching the top in sports
... for such kids, what is the right choice in the Washington DC area?

Honestly, seven years is not "many years ago."

Also, the school did not deal with it in an active and forthright manner, the school dealt with it because it had no choice. Everyone in the community knew about the cheating within days, including people at Holton where the cheating occurred. So the school was forced to deal with it.

But the school's outside general counsel first ignored the issue when he learned of it. And 8 kids do not walk into the SAT planning to cheat together if they have never cheated before.

PP, you have no idea what you are talking about. The cheating scandal was many years ago, and Landon dealt with it an an active and forthright manner. My son is at Landon, and I've been very impressed with the small class sizes, the wonderful teachers, the art and music program, and yes, the focus on physical activity being part of a well-rounded education.