Yorktown VS Washington liberty non-IB

[Anonymous]

We are looking at two neighborhoods for homes, and they are zoned for these two different schools. We have looked into both, and it seems that WL is Considered more academically rigorous, but DS is not interested in pursuing an IB, but would prefer to do AP courses. How does the academics compare between the two schools when you don’t follow the IB path. DS is not sporty, really just likes school and academics, kind of a nerd. Will he be bullied at Yorktown?

Also, they seem to be planning to increase WL to 3000 students, Yorktown is 2300. Well that increase the student population affect the schools performance? It’s a big jump. Did they add more cafeteria space and field space?

[Anonymous]

The academics are the same. The kids are different.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to W-L (it's our zoned school). They have done a mix of AP and IB classes and had no interest in doing the full IB program. They have been plenty challenged academically, have good friends and I've been happy with support from the counselors and teachers when DD was going through a difficult patch. One potential downside of not doing full IB is that it does put you at a disadvantage in applying to some colleges in that you will not be seen as having taken the most rigorous program. That's particularly important for UVA, if that matters to you. Neither of my kids cared about that. One is now at VT and feels very well prepared. The other is aiming for LACs.

One of mine has been happy participating in band and does a couple clubs. For the other, while he had a good group of friends, had difficulty finding a spot that felt right in ECs. One downside of the big school is that there are so many kids in any activity. He tried the service club but felt like it didn't matter that he was there, they had so many kids for any event. He enjoyed doing stage crew but again so many kids wanted to work the shows that he only could work one performance. He ended up spending his time more in out-of-school activities where he felt more needed. I think it is probably easier to find your place if involved in a group like band/chorus or a sport.

The school is going to get bigger but, no, they aren't adding cafeteria or outside space.

I don't know much about Yorktown but have friends with kids there and have heard no complaints. It is true, however, that the really high achieving kids are skimmed off to go to the W-L IB program so that might be an issue for a more academic/nerdy kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The academics are the same. The kids are different.

The kids aren’t even that different.

Yorktown is generally more rigorous. It’s racial demographics most closely match those of Arlington County overall. That said, WL is more racially diverse because it draws more students from less super-high income areas. Wakefield is probably the least diverse school in the county.

More Affluenza at Yorktown.

All schools are above average in terms of resources and curriculum. None of them are super feeders to ivies or anything like that but there are always a few acceptances, more recently from W-L.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The academics are the same. The kids are different.

The kids aren’t even that different.

Yorktown is generally more rigorous. It’s racial demographics most closely match those of Arlington County overall. That said, WL is more racially diverse because it draws more students from less super-high income areas. Wakefield is probably the least diverse school in the county.

More Affluenza at Yorktown.

All schools are above average in terms of resources and curriculum. None of them are super feeders to ivies or anything like that but there are always a few acceptances, more recently from W-L.

Yorktown parents always like to tout this as if it's meaningful. Yorktown skews more white than the STUDENT population overall, which is the relevant metric.

Yorktown 65% White, 16% Hispanic, 11% low-income
W-L 44% white, 32% Hispanic, 23% low-income
Wakefield 26% white, 43% Hispanic, 19% Black, 32% low-income

Agree definitely more affluenza at Yorktown and it has a reputation of having more drug use (of course I know that goes on at all HSs)

I have no direct experience with Yorktown but went to a pretty universally high income HS myself and avoided Yorktown when we were house hunting for that reason. It contributed to a pretty toxic social culture. I like the greater SES diversity at W-L and my kids have friends across the spectrum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The academics are the same. The kids are different.

The kids aren’t even that different.

Yorktown is generally more rigorous. It’s racial demographics most closely match those of Arlington County overall. That said, WL is more racially diverse because it draws more students from less super-high income areas. Wakefield is probably the least diverse school in the county.

More Affluenza at Yorktown.

All schools are above average in terms of resources and curriculum. None of them are super feeders to ivies or anything like that but there are always a few acceptances, more recently from W-L.

Yorktown parents always like to tout this as if it's meaningful. Yorktown skews more white than the STUDENT population overall, which is the relevant metric.

Yorktown 65% White, 16% Hispanic, 11% low-income
W-L 44% white, 32% Hispanic, 23% low-income
Wakefield 26% white, 43% Hispanic, 19% Black, 32% low-income

Agree definitely more affluenza at Yorktown and it has a reputation of having more drug use (of course I know that goes on at all HSs)

I have no direct experience with Yorktown but went to a pretty universally high income HS myself and avoided Yorktown when we were house hunting for that reason. It contributed to a pretty toxic social culture. I like the greater SES diversity at W-L and my kids have friends across the spectrum.

Arlington doesn’t have a middle class, so it’s hardly a spectrum. It’s a tale of two cities.

[Anonymous]

If you read between the lines the answer is to pass on APS. It’s not well managed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The academics are the same. The kids are different.

The kids aren’t even that different.

Yorktown is generally more rigorous. It’s racial demographics most closely match those of Arlington County overall. That said, WL is more racially diverse because it draws more students from less super-high income areas. Wakefield is probably the least diverse school in the county.

More Affluenza at Yorktown.

All schools are above average in terms of resources and curriculum. None of them are super feeders to ivies or anything like that but there are always a few acceptances, more recently from W-L.

Yorktown parents always like to tout this as if it's meaningful. Yorktown skews more white than the STUDENT population overall, which is the relevant metric.

Yorktown 65% White, 16% Hispanic, 11% low-income
W-L 44% white, 32% Hispanic, 23% low-income
Wakefield 26% white, 43% Hispanic, 19% Black, 32% low-income

Agree definitely more affluenza at Yorktown and it has a reputation of having more drug use (of course I know that goes on at all HSs)

I have no direct experience with Yorktown but went to a pretty universally high income HS myself and avoided Yorktown when we were house hunting for that reason. It contributed to a pretty toxic social culture. I like the greater SES diversity at W-L and my kids have friends across the spectrum.

Arlington doesn’t have a middle class, so it’s hardly a spectrum. It’s a tale of two cities.

Is it the same person who keeps posting this? It’s totally hilarious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The academics are the same. The kids are different.

The kids aren’t even that different.

Yorktown is generally more rigorous. It’s racial demographics most closely match those of Arlington County overall. That said, WL is more racially diverse because it draws more students from less super-high income areas. Wakefield is probably the least diverse school in the county.

More Affluenza at Yorktown.

All schools are above average in terms of resources and curriculum. None of them are super feeders to ivies or anything like that but there are always a few acceptances, more recently from W-L.

Yorktown parents always like to tout this as if it's meaningful. Yorktown skews more white than the STUDENT population overall, which is the relevant metric.

Yorktown 65% White, 16% Hispanic, 11% low-income
W-L 44% white, 32% Hispanic, 23% low-income
Wakefield 26% white, 43% Hispanic, 19% Black, 32% low-income

Agree definitely more affluenza at Yorktown and it has a reputation of having more drug use (of course I know that goes on at all HSs)

I have no direct experience with Yorktown but went to a pretty universally high income HS myself and avoided Yorktown when we were house hunting for that reason. It contributed to a pretty toxic social culture. I like the greater SES diversity at W-L and my kids have friends across the spectrum.

Arlington doesn’t have a middle class, so it’s hardly a spectrum. It’s a tale of two cities.

Is it the same person who keeps posting this? It’s totally hilarious.

Yeah, its not like the county instituted housing study to address the missing middle.


https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Housing/Housing-Arlington/Tools/Missing-Middle
https://dcist.com/story/21/11/18/arlington-virginia-missing-middle-housing/
https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/caught-in-the-middle/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The academics are the same. The kids are different.

The kids aren’t even that different.

Yorktown is generally more rigorous. It’s racial demographics most closely match those of Arlington County overall. That said, WL is more racially diverse because it draws more students from less super-high income areas. Wakefield is probably the least diverse school in the county.

More Affluenza at Yorktown.

All schools are above average in terms of resources and curriculum. None of them are super feeders to ivies or anything like that but there are always a few acceptances, more recently from W-L.

Yorktown parents always like to tout this as if it's meaningful. Yorktown skews more white than the STUDENT population overall, which is the relevant metric.

Yorktown 65% White, 16% Hispanic, 11% low-income
W-L 44% white, 32% Hispanic, 23% low-income
Wakefield 26% white, 43% Hispanic, 19% Black, 32% low-income

Agree definitely more affluenza at Yorktown and it has a reputation of having more drug use (of course I know that goes on at all HSs)

I have no direct experience with Yorktown but went to a pretty universally high income HS myself and avoided Yorktown when we were house hunting for that reason. It contributed to a pretty toxic social culture. I like the greater SES diversity at W-L and my kids have friends across the spectrum.

Arlington doesn’t have a middle class, so it’s hardly a spectrum. It’s a tale of two cities.

Is it the same person who keeps posting this? It’s totally hilarious.

Yeah, its not like the county instituted housing study to address the missing middle.


https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Housing/Housing-Arlington/Tools/Missing-Middle
https://dcist.com/story/21/11/18/arlington-virginia-missing-middle-housing/
https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/caught-in-the-middle/

What exactly is the plan here? Teachers and firefighters and nurses want to live in SFH too, so building a lot of townhouses and condos priced for middle income will lay fallow or end up as group homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to W-L (it's our zoned school). They have done a mix of AP and IB classes and had no interest in doing the full IB program. They have been plenty challenged academically, have good friends and I've been happy with support from the counselors and teachers when DD was going through a difficult patch. One potential downside of not doing full IB is that it does put you at a disadvantage in applying to some colleges in that you will not be seen as having taken the most rigorous program. That's particularly important for UVA, if that matters to you. Neither of my kids cared about that. One is now at VT and feels very well prepared. The other is aiming for LACs.

One of mine has been happy participating in band and does a couple clubs. For the other, while he had a good group of friends, had difficulty finding a spot that felt right in ECs. One downside of the big school is that there are so many kids in any activity. He tried the service club but felt like it didn't matter that he was there, they had so many kids for any event. He enjoyed doing stage crew but again so many kids wanted to work the shows that he only could work one performance. He ended up spending his time more in out-of-school activities where he felt more needed. I think it is probably easier to find your place if involved in a group like band/chorus or a sport.

The school is going to get bigger but, no, they aren't adding cafeteria or outside space.

I don't know much about Yorktown but have friends with kids there and have heard no complaints. It is true, however, that the really high achieving kids are skimmed off to go to the W-L IB program so that might be an issue for a more academic/nerdy kid.

OP here, I heard this about WL, that it will be harder to get into some sports or ECs (and DS isn't an athlete but does like to play sports, but clearly he won't make the cut if there is one), so they will instead expand the offerings? But if the clubs are already so large, why has that not already happened? There are limits to sports because of field/gym space I guess and they aren't building more, but couldn't they have like clubs in classrooms?

Also, with the extra 600 kids, are they hiring more guidance counselors, maybe another assistant principal, etc? Or will WL just operate with a higher ratio of student:admin staff, which can gum up the works in things like counseling and discipline pipeline?

[Anonymous]

I live in Arlington.

There are a lot of families who have lived here a long time and are normal 2-income families including plenty of teachers, by the way. This idea that everyone here is super rich is just not reality. Does your money buy you less here? Absolutely. And take a minute and drive around. Plenty of people live in small and old houses.

Firefighters are not really middle income in this area in any county if you look at the stats. But it would be nice if they could live in a brand new SFH in Arlington. Yes that’s true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to W-L (it's our zoned school). They have done a mix of AP and IB classes and had no interest in doing the full IB program. They have been plenty challenged academically, have good friends and I've been happy with support from the counselors and teachers when DD was going through a difficult patch. One potential downside of not doing full IB is that it does put you at a disadvantage in applying to some colleges in that you will not be seen as having taken the most rigorous program. That's particularly important for UVA, if that matters to you. Neither of my kids cared about that. One is now at VT and feels very well prepared. The other is aiming for LACs.

One of mine has been happy participating in band and does a couple clubs. For the other, while he had a good group of friends, had difficulty finding a spot that felt right in ECs. One downside of the big school is that there are so many kids in any activity. He tried the service club but felt like it didn't matter that he was there, they had so many kids for any event. He enjoyed doing stage crew but again so many kids wanted to work the shows that he only could work one performance. He ended up spending his time more in out-of-school activities where he felt more needed. I think it is probably easier to find your place if involved in a group like band/chorus or a sport.

The school is going to get bigger but, no, they aren't adding cafeteria or outside space.

I don't know much about Yorktown but have friends with kids there and have heard no complaints. It is true, however, that the really high achieving kids are skimmed off to go to the W-L IB program so that might be an issue for a more academic/nerdy kid.

OP here, I heard this about WL, that it will be harder to get into some sports or ECs (and DS isn't an athlete but does like to play sports, but clearly he won't make the cut if there is one), so they will instead expand the offerings? But if the clubs are already so large, why has that not already happened? There are limits to sports because of field/gym space I guess and they aren't building more, but couldn't they have like clubs in classrooms?

Also, with the extra 600 kids, are they hiring more guidance counselors, maybe another assistant principal, etc? Or will WL just operate with a higher ratio of student:admin staff, which can gum up the works in things like counseling and discipline pipeline?

I would expect them to stick to the staffing ratios standards so, yes, there will be more counselors, teachers, etc.

There are plenty of clubs and kids can start their own (my DD participates in two that were started by friends) but, yes, the popular ones are too big to be meaningful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't know much about Yorktown but have friends with kids there and have heard no complaints. It is true, however, that the really high achieving kids are skimmed off to go to the W-L IB program so that might be an issue for a more academic/nerdy kid.

No. This is not true. High achieving kids in in the YHS pyramid do go to YHS. That's nonsense.

There is a lot of weird info. Your kid is not more likely to get bullied at one school vs. the other. The kids who are bullies YHS also exist at WL. Would your kid like IB? Would they like a bigger school? If so, pick WL. If not, go YHS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in Arlington.

There are a lot of families who have lived here a long time and are normal 2-income families including plenty of teachers, by the way. This idea that everyone here is super rich is just not reality. Does your money buy you less here? Absolutely. And take a minute and drive around. Plenty of people live in small and old houses.

Firefighters are not really middle income in this area in any county if you look at the stats. But it would be nice if they could live in a brand new SFH in Arlington. Yes that’s true.

So teachers make around $90k in Arlington.

https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/public-school-teacher-salary/arlington-va

So a two teacher family makes $150k. And they are buying $900k SFH?

you are talking about families that bought in like 2000, most likely with parents help because what teacher is buying a $400k home at 23, and had their kid in their mid 30s or early 40s and now have a middle schooler.

There is no way a middle class family with elementary or middle school kids is buying a house in Arlington today.