Admissions process and Acceptance Rates at Private Schools in Austin

[COCUE]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

St. Francis School, Paragon Prep are both north central and secular.

If you want something similar to Regents (Christian/Classical) then Brentwood Christian or Hill Country Christian. Hyde Park Baptist high school is north. Holy Family and St. Theresa are both Catholic (sub for St. Gabriels and less expensive).

Thanks. Maybe its because my kids arent old enough and not used to school drop offs :-) Just mapped my house to St Francis and its about 17 miles.. From the advice folks here give about commute, that seems crazy far durimg rush hour, is it?
Also St Andrew's and St Stephen's are often mentioned here as really the best of the best here in Austin... not even sure what that means.. Are we talking like Exeter and Andover etc kind of schools? Are they the only ones like that here in town if someone were so inclined? Just curious.. Perhaps public school will turn out to be great for us.. who knows..

Also the parochial that you mentioned, what is the typical quality assuming you know anyone attending those schools. Holy Family is literally down the road from us in Avery Ranch as well as Hill Country a few miles down on 620..

[sloppymeg]

Originally Posted by COCUE

Thanks. Maybe its because my kids arent old enough and not used to school drop offs :-) Just mapped my house to St Francis and its about 17 miles.. From the advice folks here give about commute, that seems crazy far durimg rush hour, is it?
Also St Andrew's and St Stephen's are often mentioned here as really the best of the best here in Austin... not even sure what that means.. Are we talking like Exeter and Andover etc kind of schools? Are they the only ones like that here in town if someone were so inclined? Just curious.. Perhaps public school will turn out to be great for us.. who knows..

Also the parochial that you mentioned, what is the typical quality assuming you know anyone attending those schools. Holy Family is literally down the road from us in Avery Ranch as well as Hill Country a few miles down on 620..

Ask about HF on the AROA FB page. I've known several of kids in AR who go there as well as Summit Christian Academy, Round Rock Christian Academy, and Hill Country Christian School.

My youngest spent 2 years at Rutledge before going on to Stiles. I wasn't very impressed, but I didn't think it was bad.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by COCUE

Thanks. Maybe its because my kids arent old enough and not used to school drop offs :-) Just mapped my house to St Francis and its about 17 miles.. From the advice folks here give about commute, that seems crazy far durimg rush hour, is it?
Also St Andrew's and St Stephen's are often mentioned here as really the best of the best here in Austin... not even sure what that means.. Are we talking like Exeter and Andover etc kind of schools? Are they the only ones like that here in town if someone were so inclined? Just curious.. Perhaps public school will turn out to be great for us.. who knows..

Also the parochial that you mentioned, what is the typical quality assuming you know anyone attending those schools. Holy Family is literally down the road from us in Avery Ranch as well as Hill Country a few miles down on 620..

I do know Phillips Exeter grads who live in Austin and who send their kids to St. Andrews. St. Andrews isn't exactly comparable though. St. Andrews is a day school and has a shorter history, Austin-flavor, and is more laid back. But yes, SAS also has small classes, lots of discussion and hand-ons, in depth learning, no standardized tests to take, and a smaller environment and community all around.

I've heard it said that public schools provide a good-to-great education for about two-thirds of kids. And that seems about right. Private schools by and large are working to educate kids who would not be a good fit in public schools. St. Stephen's for example was founded as day and boarding school in the 1940s, in part to educate the very smart kids of West Texas -- and it still does. Imagine that you are the smartest 8th grader in Van Horne, Texas, or Alpine. Maybe you have already taken half the math classes offered in your high school in middle school. Maybe you are already getting bullied for being smart or different. Those kids go to St. Stephen's and thrive.

A very small number of kids in Austin are going to private schools because of "prestige" or get into an Ivy someday. Most are there in part because they "fit" there better, they can learn there better. And if that is one of your kids . . . well parents drive a lot further than 17 miles for that.

You really need to visit and talk to current parents to get a read on Holy Family and Hill Country. I have been to both campuses, interacted with kids and families, I would say that both are solid schools but can't offer any first-hand information about academics.

[COCUE]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

I do know Phillips Exeter grads who live in Austin and who send their kids to St. Andrews. St. Andrews isn't exactly comparable though. St. Andrews is a day school and has a shorter history, Austin-flavor, and is more laid back. But yes, SAS also has small classes, lots of discussion and hand-ons, in depth learning, no standardized tests to take, and a smaller environment and community all around.

I've heard it said that public schools provide a good-to-great education for about two-thirds of kids. And that seems about right. Private schools by and large are working to educate kids who would not be a good fit in public schools. St. Stephen's for example was founded as day and boarding school in the 1940s, in part to educate the very smart kids of West Texas -- and it still does. Imagine that you are the smartest 8th grader in Van Horne, Texas, or Alpine. Maybe you have already taken half the math classes offered in your high school in middle school. Maybe you are already getting bullied for being smart or different. Those kids go to St. Stephen's and thrive.

A very small number of kids in Austin are going to private schools because of "prestige" or get into an Ivy someday. Most are there in part because they "fit" there better, they can learn there better. And if that is one of your kids . . . well parents drive a lot further than 17 miles for that.

You really need to visit and talk to current parents to get a read on Holy Family and Hill Country. I have been to both campuses, interacted with kids and families, I would say that both are solid schools but can't offer any first-hand information about academics.

Centralaustinite, you are a rockstar. Merci beaucoup!!!

Will totally investigate further including visits once this goes beyond just thinking... Right now, my twins are doing okay in K but they are just so different that DH and I have started to think that one may be better suited for public than her sister. We really like our school but my hypothesis (still being formed, i have to say) is that its easier for the shy, quiet kids who dont make any waves, dont get in trouble and who are not at the either end of "smarts" continuum can easily fall through the cracks and no one would notice. There are 21 kids in each of my kid's K class. 1 of them thrives in this chaos and is queen bee and the other not so much.. so got us thinking.. But then, still early days, for her to find her "tribe"