<p>Hi. I just enrolled my daughters (K and 2nd grade) at Westminster in Virginia (outside DC). Wanted to get folks opinions on it. I want them to go to a brand name school for 9th grade as this school is K to 8. Do you think they will have a better chance getting into Sidwell, Holton, NCS, Visitation, or Gtown Day, coming from a private school?</p>
<p>Related: What is the top private school for girls, coed or all girls, in DC area.</p>
<p>My 6th grader is applying to GDS, Maret & WIS. We ARE liberal people and don’t mind that bent at all. He’s been in public school to date and ready to break out, we care about great academics but we care about school culture more. He is absolutely qualified and competitive to be offered a spot in any of the above privates. Any thoughts? Also we’re in boundary for Deal MS and and wonder if he would thrive here and save private school for HS. He’s also fluent in a second language.</p>
<p>This is an old post, but just a correction above – Georgetown Prep is 75% day and 25% boarding.</p>
<p>We’re getting a lot of old threads these days…</p>
<p>Yup, I’m from DC Represent ! Ask me about your questions :)</p>
<p>I went to the Potomac School ([Potomac</a> School: Home](<a href=“http://www.potomacschool.org%5DPotomac”>http://www.potomacschool.org)) in Mclean, Virginia for 13 years and I applied to my first choice college Early Decision and got in. I’m currently at a university consistently ranked in the Top 15 in the country and I was well prepared by the Potomac curriculum. I never had an A-average all four years if that tells you how challenging our courses are. Our matriculation list is impressive, with UVA and UPenn being the most frequently attended colleges, and the faculty are great people.</p>
<p>If you want a school with great athletics, great people, and a great chance at attending a Top 20 school, pick Potomac. Plus, our whole campus was just re-done and the buildings are amazing.</p>
<p>From the little exposure I’ve had, I’d say that out of the private schools, in terms of academic rigor, the best coed school would be Sidwell Friends, the best all girls school would be the National Cathedral School (NCS), the best all boys school would be St. Albans (STA). </p>
<p>Although, of course, none of these schools can even BEGIN to compete with the top tier boarding schools… ;)</p>
<p>Actually, they all can…</p>
<p>Is NCS cliche-y? In terms of academics, it seems exactly my speed and I like their general philosophy and methods (from what I gathered via their website and greatschools.com, at least). But I’ve always been the type of girl who gets along best with guys, particularly starting in middle school when all the girls started getting really over dramatic and obsessed about looks, so I wonder if I would fit in at NCS. Anybody here know attend the school and can give me some insight? Also, will I be very out of place as a NOVA public school transfer?</p>
<p>(Also applying to WIS, SF, Andover, and Exeter if anybody wants to chime in on their thoughts on those schools - particularly WIS - is it really all legacy?)</p>
<p>I haven’t been on this site in years, but somehow I’m still getting email updates for this thread. I graduated from WIS in '07 and don’t know of anyone in my class who was a legacy (which isn’t to say there may not have been a couple). I got into the middle school because I aced the French section of the admissions test, but I have friends who had no language background and still got in. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.</p>
<p>I also have a relative who went to NCS and loved it, despite being down-to-earth, athletic, not especially concerned with looks, and an alumna of DCPS.</p>
<p>Ok so i went to NCS and my brother went to STA and all of you people are so exaggerating the good and the bad in the schools. </p>
<p>first of all, NCS is rigorous in its academics, i will not deny that i have multiple breakdowns when i was there thinking that i was going to fail and my life would be over. The teachers would attempt to help if a student was having trouble. However, there was not much time to interact with the teachers. because all of the girls and boys are going through this, there is a lot of academic help in-between students. this helps create a bond between the students on a social level while still having the academic competitiveness that the schools are known for. </p>
<p>Second: just because you went to NCS or STA doesn’t mean you get special treatment. I went to NCS from 4th through 10th grade then went to Loomis Chaffee. whenever i went to any interview for a job or for school, people never talked about the schools as if NCS or STA were above other schools. This surprised me at first because in the DC area, NCS and STA are very well known and we are often made to feel as though we are above other schools. also, a B at NCS/STA is not really considered any different from one at any other prep school. At NCS i was always made to feel like my grades could be a little lower that people at other schools but mine would be considered higher in the long run. yes, colleges do take into account that you went to a rigorous prep school, but there are only so many of those kids that they can take. they also need to have the kids from public schools to mix into the class. </p>
<p>third: many have said that the girls at NCS are not respectful of each other. this depends on the class, my grade was great with each other and we rarely had any problems. that is not a common concept in any school. REALITY CHECK: HAVE YOU EVER MET A TEENAGE GIRL WHO DID NOT GOSSIP ABOUT SOMEONE OR HURT SOMEONES FEELINGS? some grades are mean to each other. my sisters grade had someone write like gossip girl type emails to people about people in their grade and update people on the latest gossip. this went on for almost four months before someone told. </p>
<p>fourth: ncs and sta are not just schools for people who are good at standardized testing. the majority of my grade struggled at standardized testing. although it really depends on the kid. they are not going to kick you out if you don’t do well on these tests. they might kick you out if you did badly on the tests and were also failing in the first place. </p>
<p>this school is good for a certain type of kid.you have to take into account on what is best for the kid and not just what is ranked best.</p>
<p>Which are the best prep schools in the Washington DC area? Academics, Athletics, Arts, and Student Body? Any recent information is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>If you are interested in 100% boarding, consider [Episcopal</a> High School EHS Website](<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org%5DEpiscopal”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org) located in Alexandria, VA. It’s otherwise known as “The High School.” My DS is a freshman and loves his classes, teachers, classmates, and facilities. Since 100% of the students and over 85% of the teachers live on campus, it is a very tight knit community. </p>
<p>Besides rigorous academics and a dedicated teaching faculty, the school’s buildings and facilities are world class. Since 2010, the entire school has either been renovated or new buildings added. Here is a link to pics of this beautiful school:</p>
<p>[Episcopal</a> High School: Campus Slideshow](<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/our-campus/campus-slideshow/index.aspx]Episcopal”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/our-campus/campus-slideshow/index.aspx)</p>
<p>Here are some quick stats: </p>
<p>FACULTY/ACADEMICS
<p>ATHLETICS/AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES
<p>FACILITIES INCLUDE:
<p>ART
The Ainsle Arts Center is the home of the EHS Art program, a 42,000 square foot facility that house art studios, classrooms, and a professional, multi-track recording studio.</p>
<p>68% of students are enrolled in art courses each year. You will be hard-pressed to find a high school with better arts opportunities than EHS. Offerings include:
<p>STUDENT BODY
<p>Students and Alumni love “The High School” as evidenced by their $190 million endowment fund. EHS’s endowment ranks as one of the highest per student per Boarding School Review.</p>
<p>As this “Hidden Gem” is discovered, especially in New England, expect the acceptance rate to decrease. </p>
<p>Here are some links that further convey the philosophy of EHS.
Academics - [Episcopal</a> High School: Videos: The EHS Experience](<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/ehs-experience/index.aspx]Episcopal”>Episcopal High School | Welcome to the Hill)</p>
<p>Athletics - [Episcopal</a> High School: Sports Videos: The Maroon & Black](<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/athletics/maroon-and-black/index.aspx]Episcopal”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/athletics/maroon-and-black/index.aspx)</p>
<p>Hope the above helps.</p>
<p>St. Albans is the best all-boys option.
The college matriculation list for St. Albans is impressive; over the last five years 38 students have gone to Harvard and Yale.
The matriculation list is at the bottom of the following page:
<a href=“http://www.stalbansschool.org/page.aspx?pid=2755”>http://www.stalbansschool.org/page.aspx?pid=2755</a></p>
<p>In terms of athletics, the school has a great tradition. Danny Hultzen, the 2rd overall draft pick for the Mariners a few years ago, graduated in 2008. NFL hall of famer Jonathan Ogden graduated in the 1992. The baseball team was the city runner-up in the spring, and the soccer team won the city championship last year. </p>
<p>Academically STA is always one of, if not the best in the area. The environment is admittedly competitive, but also focuses on personal growth. The teachers are really supportive and welcome one-on-one meetings with students. </p>
<p>The arts program is also top tier, with a fall play, a winter musical, a spring dance gala, and a student-directed festival of one act plays. The chorale is a 180 voice coed choir (coordinated with National Cathedral School) and it has sung in Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina on the international trip it makes every 4 years. The Madrigal Singers is the select 40 voice coed group that has sung with other prestigious groups, most recently in the National Gallery with the U.S. Army Chorus. </p>
<p>As an inside-the-beltway institution, social service and politics play a huge role in the lives of the students and alumni. Al Gore, Josh Bolton, and Evan Bayh are just a few of the notable graduates. Over the summer, the school runs a school of public service, the only one of its kind as far as I know. </p>
<p>St. Albans is not only one of the best high schools in the D.C. Metro area, but also in the country. If you can get in, and are fine with single-sex education, go. It will be a life-changing experience that will help your character, intellect, and body. The college you get into will just be the added bonus.</p>
<p>This thread is really old…</p>
<p>~X( </p>
<p>Well actually someone posted in November, so its still somewhat relevant for someone who wants to apply to schools in the DC area.</p>
looks like the 2016 rankings are up now: https://www.lotusprep.com/best-high-schools-dc/
We are looking at both WIS and NCS for our daughter who will be applying in a few years. She speaks two languages fluently and a third one well, not very athletic but very smart. We like WIS’s diversity and the opportunity it would provide our daughter to continue studying languages, we are concerned though about the supposed student turnover. Any thought on this? NCS seems more stable student wise but we have heard that it’s more of a cliquish culture. Any and all advice appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
You may want to try the site DC Urban Mom for a local perspective, but given your address you may be familiar with that site.