I am a working mom. My daughter has been accepted at all schools to which she applied. We have narrowed it down to the Baldwin School and Agnes Irwin School. Both seem wonderful and offer generous grants of similar values. AI also awarded her a scholar award which is more prestige than funding. Baldwin may be a bit more nurturing. Both provide academic excellence.
AI is has newer/contemporary facilities but transportation relies on limited shuttles to trains and car line. Nothing is walkable.
Baldwin has older/Harry Potter style facilities (but not deficient by any means), but the train, town, brand new town library, movie theater, restaurants, Bryn Mawr College, etc. are all walkable.
I understand why newer facilities of AI might be more attractive as is the fact that one of her good friends is attending from my daughter’s elementary school, but as a working mom, the transportation is limiting.
I also understand that at Baldwin, my daughter has no friends attending from her elementary school, but again, as a working mom, I know she can wait for me at the beautiful new library one block away; not to mention a starbucks, etc.
My daughter initially loved Baldwin, but has been leaning toward AI over the past few months. She has been in a beautiful, nurturing, blue ribbon school of excellence since kindergarten (somewhat sheltered) and very nurturing. I want her to be happy and excited about high school. She already stated that she prefers AI but will be fine with whatever I decide. I am torn as to what to do. Can anyone offer some suggestions/advice? Thank you in advance.
Both schools are wonderful. Baldwin is more multi-cultural, more Jewish, more academic - a superb education. AI is more old school WASP, more athletic, newer facilities - also a top notch education.
Thank you for your response. When I chatted casually with an Admissions person at Baldwin, she said they were starting up a Catholic club which made me wonder why so compellingly. It also made me wonder why other student from my daughter’s Catholic (lite) (but quite diverse) school applied to Baldwin. I wouldn’t say we are devout Catholic but believe in the Christian faith(s). Do you think my daughter, or I as a parent, would feel the difference?
I know both schools and have friends whose daughters graduated from AI and Baldwin. I think the two schools have been stereotyped over the years. The most often heard trope is if you want your daughter to marry the CEO send to X but if want your daughter to be CEO send to Y. I think both schools have great alumni ties and do equally well getting their students into great colleges. There is a stereotype that one school is more Jewish than the other but I am not sure that is so true anymore. If your daughter likes AI better than I would go with her wishes. The fact she received a scholar award means they have a vested interest in her success. You will not go wrong with either school.
You’d definitely feel the difference @mdundovi,but it would not make either choice any less great. My mother and my sisters went to AI, but if I lived I the area, I’d probably want my kids to go to Baldwin. It’s important to be exposed to people different than you in high school and earlier.
I bemoaned Episcopal’s move to Newtown Square. When the old campus was located along city line, it felt less suburban, WASPY, and white bread, which by the way is the category I fall into. I just don’t want my life or my kids lives to feel or be that homogenous. Naturally, it’s a very individual decision.
@ThacherParent you are right about Episcopal’s move to Newtown Square. I do not know what the student boy looks like after the move but I know that it is considered an excellent school. I just wonder how much of an effect the move had on the student body.
It is curious that Baldwin gets knocked for being too Jewish yet seems to have greater diversity. I just think that these schools get stereotyped and I believe you have to visit the school to assess the diversity for yourself. I visited Baldwin many years ago and was impressed that back in 2000 they had diversity organizations and even a Gay/Straight Alliance.
I never visited AI and none of my kids ever applied or attended either school. One of my kids attended a summer course during high school at AI but I doubt it reflected the school since it was coed. The teacher was an excellent teacher and he was regular AI faculty.
Perhaps Baldwin is more diverse due to its close lactation to the train station. Transportation is a big issue for @mdundovi and as a working mom it can be difficult to arrange pickup and drop off. @mdundovi I wish you luck with your decision.