Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any impressions of 2021? My son, god willing, will be a member of that class next year as an entering 9th grader.

The 2021 class seems to be made up of a nice group of kids. The parents as a whole are also not of the insufferable variety that we have encountered with another son's class.

One person's perspective. Here is mine. There is a core group of pretty boy, jocks and popular boys. They are friendly enough. But if you are not athletic, do not expect to break into the inner circle. Things like parties and dances are just starting up for this grade. So the tension below the calm surface is about to erupt in spades.

Here's another perspective. The classes are small. Even in upper school, there will be fewer than 90 boys in a graduating class, in my son's class, substantially fewer than 90. If only the "pretty boy, jocks and popular" boys hung out together, you'd be talking a group of no more than 10 in each class. That gets boring fast. Because of the small numbers, and more to the point, because of the sense of brotherhood that STA instills, high school cliques like the ones you may have experienced simply do not exist as firm lines of demarcation between the boys. Within the class, and really within the school, the lax bros for instance embrace the less athletic mathletes. It is as advertised, a "brotherhood" for life. That alone leaves me comfortable in the fact that we are spending a boatload of money for this opportunity.

I find the truth somewhere in the middle. There's a lot of interaction and relationships that cross over various activities, and the family-style lunch with assigned seatings helps with breaking up the sort of school-day cliques that are featured in Breakfast Club type movies or many of our own memories. But it's still high school. It's easier to be "popular" if one is a handsome athlete. But that's not the only path to being respected and liked, by any means. Good place overall.

Agree with prior poster that the 2021s are made up of some very nice boys. Also agree that there is a strong sense of brotherhood, and that Breakfast Club cliques are not as perceptible as perhaps from your experience. But also agree that there is a "popular type" boy in that class, as is true throughout the school, of the handsome athlete.

What is happening now within the class of 2021, in other words the current 8th grade class, is a handful of boys who have never been a good fit for the school are, on the verge of graduating middle school and entering upper school, jockeying with increasing intensity for more acceptance and popularity. Hence a lot of name calling, social bullying and even physical altercations.

My prediction is there will be quite a few boys in that class, who will finally persuade their parents that being able to put that STA logo on their cars is just not worth all the pressure of that environment, and will depart for better fit pastures.

Let me understand, you're saying these troubles are because boys don't fit in ... So the boys who fit in have the right to mistreat those you supposedly don't fit??? I'd love to know how the boys of color in the class of 2021 are surviving? We are applying for 9th grade so this is all very interesting.

That's right: the mother of the previous post dismisses the nasty attitude of her "popular" son toward those who look like they may be finally coming into their own as warranted. The truth is, her once "popular" son is shaking in his boots as he realizes that not everything in life will continue to be handed to him on a silver platter. Trust me, there is a handful of boys in this grade with very wealthy parents and no clue of exactly what they have earned versus what's simply been handed to them. Their king of the hills status is on the rocks and mom thinks the best way to help is to get those boys who may be threatening it "counseled out" "for fit." Please.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any impressions of 2021? My son, god willing, will be a member of that class next year as an entering 9th grader.

The 2021 class seems to be made up of a nice group of kids. The parents as a whole are also not of the insufferable variety that we have encountered with another son's class.

One person's perspective. Here is mine. There is a core group of pretty boy, jocks and popular boys. They are friendly enough. But if you are not athletic, do not expect to break into the inner circle. Things like parties and dances are just starting up for this grade. So the tension below the calm surface is about to erupt in spades.

Here's another perspective. The classes are small. Even in upper school, there will be fewer than 90 boys in a graduating class, in my son's class, substantially fewer than 90. If only the "pretty boy, jocks and popular" boys hung out together, you'd be talking a group of no more than 10 in each class. That gets boring fast. Because of the small numbers, and more to the point, because of the sense of brotherhood that STA instills, high school cliques like the ones you may have experienced simply do not exist as firm lines of demarcation between the boys. Within the class, and really within the school, the lax bros for instance embrace the less athletic mathletes. It is as advertised, a "brotherhood" for life. That alone leaves me comfortable in the fact that we are spending a boatload of money for this opportunity.

I find the truth somewhere in the middle. There's a lot of interaction and relationships that cross over various activities, and the family-style lunch with assigned seatings helps with breaking up the sort of school-day cliques that are featured in Breakfast Club type movies or many of our own memories. But it's still high school. It's easier to be "popular" if one is a handsome athlete. But that's not the only path to being respected and liked, by any means. Good place overall.

Agree with prior poster that the 2021s are made up of some very nice boys. Also agree that there is a strong sense of brotherhood, and that Breakfast Club cliques are not as perceptible as perhaps from your experience. But also agree that there is a "popular type" boy in that class, as is true throughout the school, of the handsome athlete.

What is happening now within the class of 2021, in other words the current 8th grade class, is a handful of boys who have never been a good fit for the school are, on the verge of graduating middle school and entering upper school, jockeying with increasing intensity for more acceptance and popularity. Hence a lot of name calling, social bullying and even physical altercations.

My prediction is there will be quite a few boys in that class, who will finally persuade their parents that being able to put that STA logo on their cars is just not worth all the pressure of that environment, and will depart for better fit pastures.

Let me understand, you're saying these troubles are because boys don't fit in ... So the boys who fit in have the right to mistreat those you supposedly don't fit??? I'd love to know how the boys of color in the class of 2021 are surviving? We are applying for 9th grade so this is all very interesting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any impressions of 2021? My son, god willing, will be a member of that class next year as an entering 9th grader.

The 2021 class seems to be made up of a nice group of kids. The parents as a whole are also not of the insufferable variety that we have encountered with another son's class.

One person's perspective. Here is mine. There is a core group of pretty boy, jocks and popular boys. They are friendly enough. But if you are not athletic, do not expect to break into the inner circle. Things like parties and dances are just starting up for this grade. So the tension below the calm surface is about to erupt in spades.

Here's another perspective. The classes are small. Even in upper school, there will be fewer than 90 boys in a graduating class, in my son's class, substantially fewer than 90. If only the "pretty boy, jocks and popular" boys hung out together, you'd be talking a group of no more than 10 in each class. That gets boring fast. Because of the small numbers, and more to the point, because of the sense of brotherhood that STA instills, high school cliques like the ones you may have experienced simply do not exist as firm lines of demarcation between the boys. Within the class, and really within the school, the lax bros for instance embrace the less athletic mathletes. It is as advertised, a "brotherhood" for life. That alone leaves me comfortable in the fact that we are spending a boatload of money for this opportunity.

I find the truth somewhere in the middle. There's a lot of interaction and relationships that cross over various activities, and the family-style lunch with assigned seatings helps with breaking up the sort of school-day cliques that are featured in Breakfast Club type movies or many of our own memories. But it's still high school. It's easier to be "popular" if one is a handsome athlete. But that's not the only path to being respected and liked, by any means. Good place overall.

Agree with prior poster that the 2021s are made up of some very nice boys. Also agree that there is a strong sense of brotherhood, and that Breakfast Club cliques are not as perceptible as perhaps from your experience. But also agree that there is a "popular type" boy in that class, as is true throughout the school, of the handsome athlete.

What is happening now within the class of 2021, in other words the current 8th grade class, is a handful of boys who have never been a good fit for the school are, on the verge of graduating middle school and entering upper school, jockeying with increasing intensity for more acceptance and popularity. Hence a lot of name calling, social bullying and even physical altercations.

My prediction is there will be quite a few boys in that class, who will finally persuade their parents that being able to put that STA logo on their cars is just not worth all the pressure of that environment, and will depart for better fit pastures.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any impressions of 2021? My son, god willing, will be a member of that class next year as an entering 9th grader.

The 2021 class seems to be made up of a nice group of kids. The parents as a whole are also not of the insufferable variety that we have encountered with another son's class.

One person's perspective. Here is mine. There is a core group of pretty boy, jocks and popular boys. They are friendly enough. But if you are not athletic, do not expect to break into the inner circle. Things like parties and dances are just starting up for this grade. So the tension below the calm surface is about to erupt in spades.

Here's another perspective. The classes are small. Even in upper school, there will be fewer than 90 boys in a graduating class, in my son's class, substantially fewer than 90. If only the "pretty boy, jocks and popular" boys hung out together, you'd be talking a group of no more than 10 in each class. That gets boring fast. Because of the small numbers, and more to the point, because of the sense of brotherhood that STA instills, high school cliques like the ones you may have experienced simply do not exist as firm lines of demarcation between the boys. Within the class, and really within the school, the lax bros for instance embrace the less athletic mathletes. It is as advertised, a "brotherhood" for life. That alone leaves me comfortable in the fact that we are spending a boatload of money for this opportunity.

I find the truth somewhere in the middle. There's a lot of interaction and relationships that cross over various activities, and the family-style lunch with assigned seatings helps with breaking up the sort of school-day cliques that are featured in Breakfast Club type movies or many of our own memories. But it's still high school. It's easier to be "popular" if one is a handsome athlete. But that's not the only path to being respected and liked, by any means. Good place overall.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ED outcome??

Only what I hear from murmuring moms. The usual allotment of IVy acceptances. But there were some extremely strong applicants rejected and a surprising number of shutouts from non-ivy schools.

Anonymous wrote:So there was a fight between two boys at an all-boys school. So what? That's just how boys resolve things sometimes. Now they'll have to deal with the consequences of their behavior, which is part of learning to be a man.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by social bullying? Just wondering as I don't see school getting involved in social dynamics of the class, friend groups of boys, and so on..

This may help answer your question:

"Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships.
Social bullying includes:
Leaving someone out on purpose
Telling other children not to be friends with someone
Spreading rumors about someone
Embarrassing someone in public"

Anonymous wrote:ED outcome??

Anonymous wrote:Interested in ED outcome for this class. Any news to share?

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by social bullying? Just wondering as I don't see school getting involved in social dynamics of the class, friend groups of boys, and so on..