Does anyone know the number of national merit semifinalists from the school?

I hear the school has a vermin problem. Too many snakes and spiders etc...

My youngest is graduating from Hogwarts this year so I have some inside knowledge. Below is what we feel are the relative reputations of the comparative schools, though I realize that these are sweeping generalizations. You really need to make a full comparison between Smeltings, Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts before making a decision if for no other reason than it will provide you with fodder to trash the other schools when you make your final decision. Please ignore the last sentence, my computer doesn't have a backspace button and I wrote it before my filter told me that it was in bad taste.

Anyway-
Hogwarts is a bit of a crap shoot. Though it has had it share of scandals, it is a very good school. It is not the hardest to get into but this is deceiving as students are tracked early. If your child is in the lower track, they will never reach NEWT level. If you have a bright child and they are in the upper track, then the possibilities are endless. Also, I would argue that it is a great school for a child who has average sports ability and wants to join the team. I wouldn't worry about house selection so much. There are bright students in every house and as many PP's have noted the sorting hat does take student preference into account. If you did choose Hogwarts, I would encourage you to visit each of the different houses to see which one works the best for you. Generally speaking Gryffindor have a higher percentage of kids come from lower SES backgrounds/muggle families but they are generally very brave and well behaved. Ravenclaw students are generally not good at sports and have the highest percentages of NEWT's. If you have a very smart and kid of even below average athletic ability, they could really shine in Ravenclaw. Slytherin's- If you are status conscious and like to flaunt, this is the house for you. I've heard that the house is even open to muggle born wizards as long as they are of the right "class". One of my DD's was in Slytherin and she did quite well. She complained about the mean girls but they exist everywhere. My youngest was a Hufflepuff and I really think the house is underrated. As such, my younger child would have probably been an average Ravenclaw but by choosing Hufflepuff was exceptional. I think it was really good for his self esteem.

Beauxbatons-

Honestly, I would never send my kids to that school. It is where all the dumb rich kids end up. I think they teach entitlement and the academics are subpar. Their reputation is much better than is deserved because so many of their families have connections that they get great jobs when they graduate. For people who think it is not as important as it once was, I will tell you that my DD's best friend was not half the student of DD and got a much better job after graduation.

Durmstrang-

It has a reputation as a jock school and if your DD is not good at sports, I would look elsewhere. If your child wants to play Quidditch professionally, this is definitely the school to attend. Viktor Krum may be one of the best known players to have come from the that school in recent years but is by no means the first. I know the school had problems historically with having death eaters for teachers but I think the rumors have been stretched out of proportion. In terms of academics, as you probably know they really do have a great focus now on Dark Arts. Yes more people end up at Azkaban from that school than any other but I just think it is due to the jock culture.


Smeltings Academy-

At the risk of causing a uprising on DCURBANMOM, I will tell you the truth. You only go there if your child can't get accepted anywhere else. Oh yes, some people will say that they are doing their civil duty sending their child to a muggle school when they are clearly wizarding material but no parent in their right mind would do this. They are just trying to keep up pretenses that their kid could have gone to the better schools but they chose the high road and decided to mix their kids with the masses.

I have some concerns about the Dining Hall. There seems to be an overemphasis on sweets and dessert offerings at mealtimes. Will the in house elves in the kitchens prepare gluten-free vegan options from my child and will the prefects make sure child doesn't eat any of the desserts?

Funniest thread ever!

Anonymous wrote:My DD can be very emotional, both when her favorite team loses at a quidditch game, as well as when one of her friends is murdered. I'm really wondering if Hogwarts is the right place for her. From what I understand there is very little supervision from adults and teachers. And I've heard the paintings tend to roam around - what happens when the adults are not in the picture?

Sheesh, so many helicopter parents on this board. Surely by 11 a kid should be able to handle a few murders without someone holding their hand. Next thing you know you're going to say you don't think sending children off into the Forbidden Forest with a cowardly dog, to find a unicorn killer isn't an appropriate form of detention.

My DD can be very emotional, both when her favorite team loses at a quidditch game, as well as when one of her friends is murdered. I'm really wondering if Hogwarts is the right place for her. From what I understand there is very little supervision from adults and teachers. And I've heard the paintings tend to roam around - what happens when the adults are not in the picture?

Hogwarts is merely a public magnet for the masses--the poor kids like Harry and the talented muggles. I hear the Hogwarts kids are now even required to treat the house elves with respect. *shudder*

We're sending our kids to Smeltings Academy. There's no way any school that accepts the hoi polloi is going to be as good as a private like Smeltings. Simply inconceivable.

Anonymous wrote:This is what happens when women from Assburn, Des Moines and stockton CA stumble onto a web page created for residents of the District of Columbia. They migrate over from the expectant moms forum and then can't handle what they read iin Independent Schools

Then they decide it can't be true because it doesn't reflect their lives in BeigeTown and North Bumblefuck Estates, and they attempt humor and mockery.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP We are considering Hogwarts for our DD. Since she has muggle born parents, we would like to make sure we are dressed in the latest fashion when we go to the Open House Sunday from 10-1 to make a good impression, We don't own any cloaks. Any recommendations on what styles are in? Are there different designers? Please help. We just made the decision to go to the Open House today.

Lose the blond highlights and expensive cut that you got for those DC schools. Instead, dye your hair black and tease it out. Too much eyeliner is never enough. Have you considered green or purple contacts? Also, you can't go wrong with white face powder.

Anonymous wrote:We would NEVER sent our DS to Hogwarts. Ok he's a muggle but there is no comparison between that school and my alma mater, Smeltings Academy. We are thrilled that he is going to a sensible school.

I agree and the uniforms at Smeltings are so handsome! Nothing like those ratty black Hogwarts robes.

Two Beauxbatons grads were on TV recently, which is reason enough to go to Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts.

Anonymous wrote:NP We are considering Hogwarts for our DD. Since she has muggle born parents, we would like to make sure we are dressed in the latest fashion when we go to the Open House Sunday from 10-1 to make a good impression, We don't own any cloaks. Any recommendations on what styles are in? Are there different designers? Please help. We just made the decision to go to the Open House today.

Lose the blond highlights and expensive cut that you got for those DC schools. Instead, dye your hair black and tease it out. Too much eyeliner is never enough. Have you considered green or purple contacts? Also, you can't go wrong with white face powder.

NP We are considering Hogwarts for our DD. Since she has muggle born parents, we would like to make sure we are dressed in the latest fashion when we go to the Open House Sunday from 10-1 to make a good impression, We don't own any cloaks. Any recommendations on what styles are in? Are there different designers? Please help. We just made the decision to go to the Open House today.

Remember many of the Hogwart critics here are just trying to get you to not apply or reject an acceptance so their poor, poor testing and surely unconnected spawn might get in!