<p>@OP: I think that parents with kids going to different schools are in the best position to answer your questions. I am sure there are some out there, so keep the thread alive for a while to maximize the chance of getting those parents to chime in. For what it’s worth, years ago we did exactly the opposite, i.e. we skipped the non-acronym schools altogether (although we were not aware of the “acronym” at the time), and DC spent 4 years in one of the best known boarding schools. To us, it was truly a rewarding and joyful journey, and I’d make the same choice in a heartbeat. At the same, it was definitely NOT a “walk in the park”, but rather full of challenges and sometimes getting very difficult. </p>
<p>However, my answer to your question would be - If you have good reasons to believe that the acronym schools share certain common traits that make them as a whole a non-fit to your kid, go ahead and “skip” them. You know your 14/15 year-old more than anyone else, and sometimes even more than they themselves, and you are in a high impact, high stake position in the process. One interesting observation from this board is that almost none of the parents with kids going to “hidden gems” have ever complained about their schools or their kids’ experience while more than one acronym school parents have come on here and expressed their disappointment one way or another. I am not quite sure what’s the takeaway from this observation (there may be more than one), but that may be something that could help you make a decision down the road. Good luck!</p>