Burke still has many AP classes, especially in science and math.

Agree re Sandy Spring.

unless you are moving here

Anonymous wrote:How would you rank these schools if you got into all 5 and location wasn't an issue?

Do you have a private helicopter? There's no way location can't matter.

SAES & Burke are the most competes Le and best quality of the group. They do have different pros & cons in terms of urban/suburban and demographic differences. Ultimately each of these schools has a self selected constituency, but the educational quality for the talented, mainstream student is with Burke & SAES.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Oh good grief. Field isn't a good first choice for any child."

I'm a Burke parent and Burke would be my first choice among all of these choices (my kid actually turned down Big 3), but I hear wonderful things about Field.

Who says wonderful things about Field? Definitely not anyone with direct experience over the past five or ten years. That place is a mess.

I have a hunch that this negative Field poster is a former teacher/administrator. Interesting how they never identify themselves or report any recent or accurate information. I’m super curious to know who it is. I have my suspicions. They’re obviously still
unemployed if they have the time to constantly dredge up ancient threads about Field. Pathetic.

Our K-8 no longer recommends parents send their kids there.

Which k-8?

Same caveat - don’t know Flint Hill.

Based on info as of five years ago:
For most kids probably - SAES. It has the benefits of a good private but course options and culture are closer what most of us think of as a good “regular” high school, albeit with the light touch of an Episcopal school. For a kid who really feels more comfortable with city life , arts and a bit more comfort with “ alternative” youth culture, Burke is the place (to be clear, there are plenty of other types there as well). Both SAES and Burke used to offer AP classes; Field in the past did not, but that could have changed. Field used to be committed
to a larger number of younger teachers - take that as a pro or con - not sure if it’s philosophy there has changed. Probably a few more students on higher academic ends at SAES and Burke than field - look at college placement lists to get a feel for that. That can be good or bad depending on the kid.




I would only consider Field if it really felt right

SAES.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ranking these schools without knowing the kid doesn't make much sense to me. For some, Burke would be the clear first choice. For others, not so much. Same for Field and SAES. We did not look at Flint Hill and don't know anything about it.

Oh good grief. Field isn't a good first choice for any child.

Everyone keeps talking about it for kids with learning disabilities, but it is a terrible place for those kids. It has very inexperienced teachers and only recently got its first learning specialists. And it's not a couple of kids in each class needing accommodations, but lots. We visited twice before Covid and the classrooms were chaotic. Everyone we know with a child there has tried to transfer out. A mess.

And that Learning Specialist was run out of the school. Great person but even she saw what a disaster the new head is. And it's the head that hired her and not someone held over from the last head.

So back to no learning specialist, and a school full of kids with needs? And few teachers with any real teaching experience?

Nice.

Yup and at $50k+ a year, you would expect more from them.

OP, as stated above, it would be hard to make a recommendation without knowing more about your child or family. These are all at the same time very similar and yet very different schools. They are similar in their inclusive, progressive approach, but differ primarily in demographic. Burke & Field are in the city, with Field’s location giving it some appeal to close in NoVA suburbs. St. Andrew’s draws primarily from Bethesda & Potomac, but its reputation also pulls families from the district and as far as northern MoCo, PG County, and NoVA. Like others on this thread, I know nothing about Flint Hill. It is not considered by most in traditional private feeder schools. It was not on our radar. My guess is it draws almost exclusively from public schools in the suburbs.

The one school that is usually referenced with Burke, Field, and St. Andrew’s isn’t Flint Hill, it is Sandy Springs Friends School . Similar to SAES, SSFS’ reputation attracts applicants from the city and many surrounding suburbs.

Someone above referenced choosing one of these schools over a Big 5 While that is rare, it does happen. Our child chose SAES over GDS and for them it is perfect as they’ve been able to excel in academically stimulating ways. Our DC chose it specifically to get away from the cut throat competition they saw from older friends at the Big 5. My observation as a parent is much of the competition in the schools comes more from families more than the school itself. Choosing a Big 5 is about choosing culture. Choosing one of the others is about academic fit and opportunity.

Good luck with your search...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ranking these schools without knowing the kid doesn't make much sense to me. For some, Burke would be the clear first choice. For others, not so much. Same for Field and SAES. We did not look at Flint Hill and don't know anything about it.

Oh good grief. Field isn't a good first choice for any child.

Everyone keeps talking about it for kids with learning disabilities, but it is a terrible place for those kids. It has very inexperienced teachers and only recently got its first learning specialists. And it's not a couple of kids in each class needing accommodations, but lots. We visited twice before Covid and the classrooms were chaotic. Everyone we know with a child there has tried to transfer out. A mess.

And that Learning Specialist was run out of the school. Great person but even she saw what a disaster the new head is. And it's the head that hired her and not someone held over from the last head.

So back to no learning specialist, and a school full of kids with needs? And few teachers with any real teaching experience?

Nice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ranking these schools without knowing the kid doesn't make much sense to me. For some, Burke would be the clear first choice. For others, not so much. Same for Field and SAES. We did not look at Flint Hill and don't know anything about it.

Oh good grief. Field isn't a good first choice for any child.

Everyone keeps talking about it for kids with learning disabilities, but it is a terrible place for those kids. It has very inexperienced teachers and only recently got its first learning specialists. And it's not a couple of kids in each class needing accommodations, but lots. We visited twice before Covid and the classrooms were chaotic. Everyone we know with a child there has tried to transfer out. A mess.

And that Learning Specialist was run out of the school. Great person but even she saw what a disaster the new head is. And it's the head that hired her and not someone held over from the last head.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Oh good grief. Field isn't a good first choice for any child."

I'm a Burke parent and Burke would be my first choice among all of these choices (my kid actually turned down Big 3), but I hear wonderful things about Field.

Who says wonderful things about Field? Definitely not anyone with direct experience over the past five or ten years. That place is a mess.

I have a hunch that this negative Field poster is a former teacher/administrator. Interesting how they never identify themselves or report any recent or accurate information. I’m super curious to know who it is. I have my suspicions. They’re obviously still
unemployed if they have the time to constantly dredge up ancient threads about Field. Pathetic.

Our K-8 no longer recommends parents send their kids there.

Didn’t you write the same sentence verbatim in the other Field thread? Seems weird that you’re so highly interested in a school you don’t plan on attending.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Oh good grief. Field isn't a good first choice for any child."

I'm a Burke parent and Burke would be my first choice among all of these choices (my kid actually turned down Big 3), but I hear wonderful things about Field.

Who says wonderful things about Field? Definitely not anyone with direct experience over the past five or ten years. That place is a mess.

I have a hunch that this negative Field poster is a former teacher/administrator. Interesting how they never identify themselves or report any recent or accurate information. I’m super curious to know who it is. I have my suspicions. They’re obviously still
unemployed if they have the time to constantly dredge up ancient threads about Field. Pathetic.

Our K-8 no longer recommends parents send their kids there.