We sent our son to SJC and pulled him out after a year, despite decent grades, some strong teachers, good experience in sports and music. There were drugs in the bathroom. He had stuff stolen out of the classroom and locker room. He was physically accosted in lunchroom, threatened multiple times, regularly called a religious / ethnic slur despite being a Catholic kid with partial jewish ancestry, etc., etc. Mr. T. was not helpful. In my view, the administration doesn't care or just can't manage because the school is too big. We had heard a ton of good things before sending him there. Felt like we were sold a bill of goods.

We had two very different kids go through SJC. There is a lot being posted here that was not our experience, but it is a big school and there are likely a lot of different experiences. There were apparently partiers but neither of my kids was part of that scene and didn't seem to feel left out or that it was an overwhelming vibe at the school like an '80s movie! Getting into the higher-level classes requires certain grades/performance on tests - so in that sense it can be hard if your child doesn't meet the threshold on the test/grade. Don't agree that rigor is lacking both kids are at college doing well and were well prepared. I would speak to some current parents about your concerns. It is not run like an independent school where there is a lot of outreach to parents - so that might be off putting to some, but my kids both really were happy with their time there

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at SJC. If your kid is not athletic, SJC is not for them. I would never choose it again and regret sending him there.

I went to the SJC open house in October, as we were considering applying there for my DD.

In any case, I was kind of amazed by the weight room -- it was very impressive -- heck, it seemed like something an NFL team would have.

Kevin Plank enters the chat.

Anonymous wrote:The kids I know who go there are all athletes. I did hear of a really wild SJC party where a 14 year old girl was taken away in an ambulance recently. Only adding because people upthread mentioned sports and a problematic party culture.

My kids go there and one is not an athlete and many of her friends are not athletes either.

Do you have any direct experience with the school?

The kids I know who go there are all athletes. I did hear of a really wild SJC party where a 14 year old girl was taken away in an ambulance recently. Only adding because people upthread mentioned sports and a problematic party culture.

My kid is shy, smart and on the track and c country teams. Shes having a blast. God football games to watch too. Like the rest of the country has.

So should a shy nerdy girl apply here? Would there be space for her (say, if she didn't make it into the honors program)?

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at SJC. If your kid is not athletic, SJC is not for them. I would never choose it again and regret sending him there.

I went to the SJC open house in October, as we were considering applying there for my DD.

In any case, I was kind of amazed by the weight room -- it was very impressive -- heck, it seemed like something an NFL team would have.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, what's the best course of action for an untethered student going into 9th grade (already accepted)? Above average student but not an extremely hard worker. SJC has 1200 students; they all can't be D1 athletes.

What are your options? Both my smart, lazy boys learned how to study and discipline at SJC. It’s a very nice community.

Why waste money on lazy kids? You are a bad parent for many reasons, among which are, raising lazy boys, wasting money to send lazy boys to private school.

DP. Judgmental much? They literally said their boys learned how to study and be disciplined. Students can’t skate by in the crowd in private the way they can in public, so the private school environment can be the catalyst some “lazy” kids need to actually get work. Seems to have worked for pp. Sounds like money well spent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, what's the best course of action for an untethered student going into 9th grade (already accepted)? Above average student but not an extremely hard worker. SJC has 1200 students; they all can't be D1 athletes.

What are your options? Both my smart, lazy boys learned how to study and discipline at SJC. It’s a very nice community.

Why waste money on lazy kids? You are a bad parent for many reasons, among which are, raising lazy boys, wasting money to send lazy boys to private school.

Bitter much? People send their kids to private schools because they do not want them exposed to the trauma of public school. Read the posts in the public forum. Not all private school parents are thinking Ivy League, most want kids to be safe, have moral training, and to be prepared for college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, what's the best course of action for an untethered student going into 9th grade (already accepted)? Above average student but not an extremely hard worker. SJC has 1200 students; they all can't be D1 athletes.

What are your options? Both my smart, lazy boys learned how to study and discipline at SJC. It’s a very nice community.

Why waste money on lazy kids? You are a bad parent for many reasons, among which are, raising lazy boys, wasting money to send lazy boys to private school.

16:19 here- that is what I said (I have two DC at SJC). I think it is good also.
I have a DC at another Catholic and it is the same there.

Anonymous wrote:In many of the Catholic schools you need a high grade and a teacher rec to get into Honors or AP classes.

They have more traditional course offerings so there are not as many choices as you would see in public schools.

Having minimum requirements is not particular. SJC has minimum grade requirements to get into honors or AP. There is nothing wrong with that.

In many of the Catholic schools you need a high grade and a teacher rec to get into Honors or AP classes.

They have more traditional course offerings so there are not as many choices as you would see in public schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SJC is not a good school for someone who wants more rigor in their coursework or who wants more diversity of thought among the student body/administration. It is a very rigid school.

Pls talk with any benilder student families; you are misinformed or uninformed.

I am finding this true. They are very particular about who can take accelerated classes and there really aren’t that many of them to chose from.

Can you please give examples of how they are particular and what other accelerated classes you'd like to see?