Breck or Blake school? (St. Paul, Minnetonka: house, school district, colleges)

[cupcakesprinkles]

I am looking at the Breck School or Blake school for one of my children. I am looking for all opinions / experiences on both of these schools from the elementary/middle/or high school perspective. Also, which of these two schools is considered the top academically, athletically, and just overall reputation. Your own opinions or what you've heard from others are equally welcomed.

Thank you!

[golfgal]

Neither schools are outstanding athletic schools-the are marginal at best. Frankly, there are public schools that are better academically and athletically then both of these as well as the rest of the private schools, just so you know. You don't need a private school in MN to get top notch education.

The best athletic private school is probably Cretin-Durham Hall if that matters. Academically the best private school is probably St. Paul Academy, but then you pay about $15,000/year too.

[Bongopercylou]

I agree with Golfgal on this one. Both schools are notoriously overrated. Especially Blake.

[SlyFrog]

Are you freaking kidding me? I work with several people whose kids went to Breck and Blake. Their kids are all in Ivies now. So are their friends. It wasn't because I just happened to hit a random statistical bubble - those schools are great.

(Not comparing them with SPA, which is also great, just suggesting that to say that there are public schools that are better academically is making an implication that I think is grossly misleading.)

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by SlyFrog

Are you freaking kidding me? I work with several people whose kids went to Breck and Blake. Their kids are all in Ivies now. So are their friends. It wasn't because I just happened to hit a random statistical bubble - those schools are great.

So are many of the public schools in the Twin Cities.

(Not comparing them with SPA, which is also great, just suggesting that to say that there are public schools that are better academically is making an implication that I think is grossly misleading.)

Would you really like seeing Blake or Breck compared with the likes of Edina or Minnetonka?

Go ahead -- most sites will probably show that those public schools would win against the private schools you cite in almost all categories.

Private schools, in general, are not worth it in the Twin Cities, at least in terms of academics.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by SlyFrog

Are you freaking kidding me? I work with several people whose kids went to Breck and Blake. Their kids are all in Ivies now. So are their friends. It wasn't because I just happened to hit a random statistical bubble - those schools are great.

So are many public schools.

(Not comparing them with SPA, which is also great, just suggesting that to say that there are public schools that are better academically is making an implication that I think is grossly misleading.)

Would you really like seeing them compared with the likes of Edina High School or Minnetonka?

Go ahead -- My strong suspicion is that most statistics will show that those public schools would win in almost all categories when compared to the private schools you cite.

Just going by the numbers, they are better schools.

People don't tend to send their kids to private schools in the Twin Cities for academic reasons.

[SlyFrog]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

So are many of the public schools in the Twin Cities.


Would you really like seeing Blake or Breck compared with the likes of Edina or Minnetonka?

Go ahead -- most sites will probably show that those public schools would win against the private schools you cite in almost all categories.

Private schools, in general, are not worth it in the Twin Cities, at least in terms of academics.

I actually had a detailed conversation with one of them who live in Edina and sent his kid to Blake for exactly academic reasons. Said that he was basically a year behind after getting to Blake (e.g. Edina had not prepared him and he had to play "catch up").

This is a guy who thinks the Edina schools are great. Don't stick assumptions into this. It is not a "bash the public schools" point. Instead, it is simply suggesting that anyone who believes Breck and Blake are "overrated" academically is smoking something. They are both very good schools.

Now are they worth the price if you could send your kid to Edina or Wayzata for free? That's a different question. But to suggest they are inferior is ridiculous.

[cupcakesprinkles]

Thank you for all your replies. I welcome more discussion. I moved to the twin cities 3 years ago from the
west coast where
my kids were in very good private schools. We picked our public school district first then found a house within the district. We love Wayzata Schools and picked it over Edina, Orono and Minnetonka for various reasons. Their elementary school is amazing! SmartBoards in every 2nd,3rd,4th & 5th grade classroom.
Blake and Breck have not matched that and I doubt there is another pirvate school in the area that has.
OUr kindergarten
enjoys class sizes of 19-20 and 3rd grade about 21-22 kids. I am looking at Blake or Breck (not SPA because of location) for a child going into middle school - not strictly for academic reasons, although I have found those schools to be top notch. Every junior at Blake takes AP English, for example.

I went to a top 3 IVY league college and he aspires to do the same. I have no doubt it is possible to get there graduating from Wayzata HS, if the child has extreme self motivation. While he is doing good, he could do a lot better at achieving his potential if he were in an environment that really pushed supported and encouraged him to do his best and where his peers were striving for the same thing. ONe of my classmates went to Breck, another went to Hopkins and another went to Wayzata HS.I just need to put him in a school that is best for him.

I plan on
keeping my others at the public school for at least elementary. They are all so different. And I think several of them are self motivated enough to stay the course at Wayzata which I am still thrilled with.

I just ask for opinions on these 2 schools because we are not from around here and I know there are reputations and biases. My classmate from Breck says Blake kids are way snottier, more materialistic etc. but we were in high school 15 years ago so I know things have probably changed everywhere.

Thank you for all your replies and I would love to hear more opinions and discussion

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by SlyFrog

I actually had a detailed conversation with one of them who live in Edina and sent his kid to Blake for exactly academic reasons. Said that he was basically a year behind after getting to Blake (e.g. Edina had not prepared him and he had to play "catch up").

Interesting. A fair point, if true. However, I'm curious if there's anything other than anecdotal evidence to back it up?

Now are they worth the price if you could send your kid to Edina or Wayzata for free? That's a different question. But to suggest they are inferior is ridiculous.

I never suggested they were inferior, but I find it hard to believe that they are substantially superior.

I could see some programs being better, or the overall environment being better, but that's quite different.

I'm mostly speculating, though, so I'll shut up now.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Neither schools are outstanding athletic schools-the are marginal at best. Frankly, there are public schools that are better academically and athletically then both of these as well as the rest of the private schools, just so you know. You don't need a private school in MN to get top notch education.

The best athletic private school is probably Cretin-Durham Hall if that matters. Academically the best private school is probably St. Paul Academy, but then you pay about $15,000/year too.

I have to disagree here. Breck and Blake can open doors for kids that they wouldn't have opened at other school. It's all about networking, connections, and reputation. Their alumni take care of their own, and they are VERY well represented in business, colleges, and grad schools.

Many people who send their children to schools like Breck and Blake, have a plan for their kids future. And when I mean "plan", I mean future financial success. $$