Anonymous
10/09/2025 15:55
Subject: How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
Anonymous wrote:I have met HA alums who claim their high school experience consisted of late nights, burnout, and depression due to the "pressure cooker" nature of the school. I have also heard from current/past students and their families who say that the workload, content, etc is incredibly manageable and have plenty of free time outside of academics. Does anyone know why this is? Or what type of girls will have an easier time?
LOL it is not hard at all.
Anonymous
10/09/2025 15:55
Subject: How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
My Holton grad says college is less stressful than Holton. She is flying through college with As so Holton academically prepared her very well.
Anonymous
10/09/2025 14:27
Subject: How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:There are mean girls everywhere but without a doubt they’re concentrated at HA.
Nope troll. I have two very different girls there since LS. While one might not feel like she “fits” there, she has never had any bullying or social issues. The other one loves it and has successfully managed the hormones of MS and has found her group.
Maybe they have no bullying issues bc they are the bullies.
Anonymous
10/09/2025 14:23
Subject: How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
Why did the NCS alumna revive this thread?
Anonymous
10/09/2025 13:46
Subject: How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
Anonymous wrote:There are mean girls everywhere but without a doubt they’re concentrated at HA.
Nope troll. I have two very different girls there since LS. While one might not feel like she “fits” there, she has never had any bullying or social issues. The other one loves it and has successfully managed the hormones of MS and has found her group.
Anonymous
10/09/2025 13:41
Subject: How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
Anonymous wrote:In terms of plenty of free time, Holton doesn’t do weekend homework. Yes girls will do homework and projects over the weekend to make the week better. They also intentionally focus on girls well being through seminar, school days off, and parent education. I think those who do well are curious interested and driven academically, but also have other interests like sports, music, dance, and other creative arts. Holton cultivates well rounded girls who can (and do) take a break and have fun. There’s parent education around the mental health of girls so we don’t push them past their point. I think any girl who struggles with procrastination in general but falls in love with Holton, their motivation will be high to work hard and succeed. Holton is more about community than competition.
I don’t know one upper schooler who doesn’t have weekend work. Are you talking MA? If you’re daughter is in high school with no weekend homework you might want to check in on her rigor and grades.
Anonymous
10/09/2025 13:37
Subject: How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The toughest thing about Holton is the mean girls and the families they come from. Sharks in the water just waiting for you.
You mean NCS?
I have no direct connection to either school, but anecdotally, the girls and parents I’ve met at NCS are far nicer and more down to earth than those at HA
Why are you meeting girls?
Anonymous
10/09/2025 13:36
Subject: Re:How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
Anonymous wrote:While there are definitely a number of students that excel and make it a grind, I think a lot of it is marketing. If you look at their college placement it really doesn’t match with how they market themselves as STEM heavy or churning out women leaders.
Not at all true. The alumnae I know have high-powered roles as well and impressive niche professions.
You need to remember, college is massively expensive now. You’re looking at about 400k for a degree. A good percentage of the girls are on aid. Chasing merit (which ivy’s don”t provide) or OOS honors colleges with an in-state price tag is a real thing— especially for donut hole families. I know many who chose “lesser” ranked schools purely for financial reasons. This school isn’t only for rich girls.
Anonymous
10/09/2025 11:59
Subject: How difficult is Holton Arms actually?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I did not go there and neither did my children.
The only thing I can discuss are women that I know IRL who went there - outside counsel, friends, colleagues. None of them are super successful. Just regular worker bees.
How old are they? Holton used to be a pretty unimpressive, not very rigorous school for righ girls who couldn’t get into harder schools like Sidwell or ncs. Or didn’t want to work hard enough to go there. Supposedly it has gotten harder.
Exactly when are you talking about? I'd like a year. Because this trope that gets spread on DCUM does not match the class I graduated with over 30 years ago.
If you are talking about the 1950's then maybe. But any time from the 80s onward this is not true at all.
I went to NCS in the 90s and Holton was definitely known as the less academic school or the school you'd go to if you couldn't get into NCS. It has come a long way academically since then.