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Spence vs. Brearley vs. Chapin vs. NBS -- Compare and contrast.
23 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]they are all great schools. go look at them all and decide which one is right for your dc and your family
[ Reply | Options ]The schools are all good. Brearley has a more progressive lower school, but things ramp up academically as the girls get older. It also has a more progressive/diverse parent body. Spence has a wealthier, less diverse parent body (that's kind of an understatement) with "fancier" girls (tory burch loafers on my friend's daughter's fifth grade classmates). But excellent academics (although they are more "female" in theme than brearley, which seems more invested in exposing the girls to a wider variety of opportunities within their program). Chapin is even less diverse than Spence (but not as showy in the money - and much more conservative overall parent body). Chapin may be slightly better for the girl who likes independent learning (Brearley is big on group activities and working together). And Nightingale is the most "old school" academically. A very good, strong program, but not a lot of forward thinking (read: progressive). A bit old fashioned (which is not necessarily a bad thing), with a more formal classroom setting (rows of desks instead of cluster, etc.). As a family, people may feel more comfortable with one school over another. But, at the end of the day, you can't go wrong with any of them from an educational standpoint.
[ Reply | Options ]oops, its seems to be cut off...... (Brearley includes a lot group projects/activities than Chapin). Nightingale is the most "old school" of the four. This doesn't make it a bad academic program though. It's just not as forward thinking (read:progressive). The desks are set up in rows, for instance, instead of clusters. And it feels a bit like an old fashioned british school than the others. Families may find that it "feels" more comfortable (socially) at one school more than another. However, at the end of the day, you can't go wrong with any of them (from an educational perspective, at least).
[ Reply | Options ]So wrong- Spence is better for independent learner.Spence is no more showy than Chapin and I have three dd at Chapin. Do don't believe these people,
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Found Spence the best balanced and most outgoing girls. Extremely welcoming administration and admissions process. This money image is total BS. Fabulous academics (as are they others.)
[ Reply | Options ]Sorry Spence Mom. Spence is showy and the girls in the upper grades are obnoxious. My niece is in tenth grade now and I went there. No reason to conduct a PR campaign on UB anyway. We all know it's a fine school. Just with some unsightly warts, that's all.
[ Reply | Options ]np; not a SS mom here but Spence moms seem the most obnoxious on UB and too uptight.
[ Reply | Options ]I don't have a dd but ds goes to a boys school and the Moms with dds at Spence are the worst in our school in terms of flash. Chapin Moms are pretty normal if a bit formal at times and the Brearley Moms a bit quirky but fun. The Spence Moms are the ones most concerned with dress, etc. Obviously, I am only seeing a cross section of Moms who also have ds's in a single school but it does seem to be telling.
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I don't know what is more stupid, a question to compare and contrast schools asked to a population who at best toured the schools for a limited amount of time and know absolutely nothing of the makeup of each school's population or people answering like they have in depth knowledge about each school and how the student populations differ. It makes me laugh when they try to categorize each group of girls from the various schools. Some girls are more girly, some girls are smarter, some girls are more well rounded, some schools have wealthier parents. Its all BS.
[ Reply | Options ]I agree. Most of the negative posts about these schools are from people who went through the admissions process and didn't feel like the school liked them or their dc. they really know very little about the schools. unless you have 4 girls at each one of these schools, you can't really comment on the nuances to each school that people go into here. the fact is that they are all excellent schools with a variety of girls. These schools get their pick of the litter and they know it. they try to build balanced classes and they usually can because they generally get who they want.
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