Langley School ("Little Langley") vs. Potomac - MCLEAN, VA

[Anonymous]

Can anyone tell me whether they contemplated sending their child/children to either Little Langley or Potomac for K-8 and why they chose one school over the other? Also if you did selected Little Langley then what school did you send your child/children to for highschool or what schools do the graduating 8th graders tend to attend? Is it easier to get into these schools the younger the child is?

[Anonymous]

Most people would choose Potomac over Little Langley if they had the chance. Just the reality of the perception of the quality of the schools (based on resources, facilities, and social status issues - which are given at least some weight by most parents). In other words, I typically find out within a half hour of meeting a Potomac school parent that their child goes to Potomac. It becomes that important to the family identity -- good if you like that, sad if you don't. Potomac also has the advantage of going all the way through to 12th grade, so you won't have to reapply. Note that is also a potential disadvantage as your child won't escape the same crowd for more than a decade. Little Langley also is pretty basic on the sports - if you have a budding ahtlete, Potomac might be better. But if you want a smaller, more friendly place -- that is Little Langley. The Potomac School has an aura of gravitas around it (just sit in the front reception foyer for a few minutes and you will understand this) -- and the administrators can sometimes act as if they are too important to return calls or to engage in other social niceties, which is the exact opposite of Little Langley (compare their reception area, which is a warm and inviting homestyle place). If I thought that the school "presence" would affect my child (which I doubt for my own child), I would rather raise a child that acts like Little Langley feels. As to high schools, the LL results are scattered -- apparently a couple to TJ every year, a couple to Madeira, some to East Coast boarding schools, Flint Hill, Potomac, and the public schools aren't too shabby around here either.

[Anonymous]

I agree with most of PP's comments. We declined Potomac for our rising K DC and people couldn't understand why we didn't just "punch that golden ticket for K-12." We prefer a K-8 school and have not regretted our decision.

[Anonymous]

My DC attends a preschool where many families are also Potomac families. Of all the parents I have met, only one father comes to mind that fits the previous description (he did in fact inform me that his other child attends Potomac within five minutes of meeting him, which I felt was humorous). The other parents, although each different, all seem very nice and excited about their children's education. I have only heard that it is a lovely school and that their children love to go there each and every day.

[Anonymous]

I think people who send their kids to Potomac do so because they perceive it to be one of the best schools in the metro area. It has a good overall program, students from various points in the DC area, goes through high school, and has a decent sports program. Its about as good as it gets. People who want to go there do what it takes to get in.

I think people attend Langley for different reasons. I'm sure some (many?) applied to both and were not accepted at Potomac. However, I know many people who didn't apply to Potomac at all. Some prefer Langley because its smaller. Some want the K-8 model. Some like the more personal attention at the admissions and administrative levels, which may be partially attributable to its being smaller than Potomac. Some like the idea of it being more of a local private school, with very few students coming from DC, Alexandria, Fairfax and Maryland. This aspect is nice because playdates are much easier to set up, you have classmates in your neighborhood, at the pool, etc. Also, the bussing aspect of Potomac may turn off some applicants. Some probably like the lesser influence of sports at Langley. Or its great preschool program, which has a strong sibling admittance policy. Some also think of Langley as a good place to be from to get admitted into bigger schools like Potomac, Madeira, Holton, GDS or Fairfax Co. G&T. Others start there because local school don't offer full-day K, although I think many stay longer than just K.

[Anonymous]

Our family has deep experience with Langley. We were also just accepted for 9th grade for our child at Potomac. I provide that simply as a baseline of our experience on this topic. I agree with a number of points that 13:08 posted. But I also disagree with several. Specifically:

I do think many people would choose Potomac over Langley. But for one primary reason: it goes right through high school. Many families prefer to have a longer term solution.

I totally agree with the comments on Langley being a friendly place. We have many good friends at Potomac. But being close to the school, I have always noted a pattern of what I view to be insecurity by many of the parents - hence the poster's comment on how they need to quickly establish that they are Potomac families.

I totally disagree about the athletics comment. Potomac is actually an extension of the quality and commitment to athetics that you get at Langley. In other words, they have ok athletics programs, but certainly not at the level of seriousness that you see at some of the schools of the Landon ilk. A student that does well in athletics at Langley would actually fit quite naturally into the programs at Potomac.

Finally, the schools that Langley students go on to are actually quite excellent. Yes, there is a range. But it certainly tips well to the quality side. This year there are student heading on to NCS, Madeira, St. Albans, Sidwell, Georgetown Day, Georgetown Prep, a couple of the New England boarding schools, just to name a few.

And yes, we declined on Potomac. It is an excellent school. But we had a couple of other preferred choices.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you are in McLean, I also would encourage you to vist and consider Norwood.

[Anonymous]

Or St. Patrick's

[Anonymous]

@ 22:09 - where are you sending your child and when did your child start at Little Langley?

[Anonymous]

I'm a Langley parent and I think its easier to get in at younger grades only because they have more openings. However, I've noticed that at the primary school there are so many siblings that there really isn't room for a lot of non-siblings. I think there are usually about 20-25 openings for Kindergarten, and most siblings enter at either PS or JK and are already in, so that is probably the easiest year for admissions overall. I'm not thinking too hard about high school right now, but will probably consider Potomac as well as other schools. The guidance office supposedly does a good job of placing kids at schools that will encourage their interests. I don't know any parents of former 8th graders who are unhappy with the placement process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:@ 22:09 - where are you sending your child and when did your child start at Little Langley?

Sorry, I would prefer not to say, simply because our child is the only one from Langley going to that particular school. As for the second part of your question, it was a transfer from public elementary school in the earlier years. Sorry to be so vague.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you are in McLean, I also would encourage you to vist and consider Norwood.

If I live in McLean, why would I do this? It is certainly not a better school overall.

[Anonymous]

@ 22:09 - No worries regarding not disclosing the new school and a congratulations to you and your family.

@ 11:39 - You believe Little Langley is better than Norwood? Why is that? I have no idea but would appreciate your thoughts.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, why would anyone in McLean send their kid to Norwood or St. P's? Maybe if they worked near those schools, but it seems silly to drive so out of the way, and there aren't many high-end jobs that support private school in Potomac Village. I can see circumstances where it would be warranted to consider them, but not for most when there are such good schools in McLean already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our family has deep experience with Langley. We were also just accepted for 9th grade for our child at Potomac. I provide that simply as a baseline of our experience on this topic. I agree with a number of points that 13:08 posted. But I also disagree with several. Specifically:

I do think many people would choose Potomac over Langley. But for one primary reason: it goes right through high school. Many families prefer to have a longer term solution.

I totally agree with the comments on Langley being a friendly place. We have many good friends at Potomac. But being close to the school, I have always noted a pattern of what I view to be insecurity by many of the parents - hence the poster's comment on how they need to quickly establish that they are Potomac families.

I totally disagree about the athletics comment. Potomac is actually an extension of the quality and commitment to athetics that you get at Langley. In other words, they have ok athletics programs, but certainly not at the level of seriousness that you see at some of the schools of the Landon ilk. A student that does well in athletics at Langley would actually fit quite naturally into the programs at Potomac.

Finally, the schools that Langley students go on to are actually quite excellent. Yes, there is a range. But it certainly tips well to the quality side. This year there are student heading on to NCS, Madeira, St. Albans, Sidwell, Georgetown Day, Georgetown Prep, a couple of the New England boarding schools, just to name a few.

And yes, we declined on Potomac. It is an excellent school. But we had a couple of other preferred choices.

PP, our family has direct experience with both schools (kids have attended both) - so while I agree with your many glowing comments re: Langley, I do disagree with some of your comments re: Potomac. Perhaps the fact that you have not had direct experience with a child attending Potomac leads your comments to be more about perception than experience.

In our experience, we have found both parent and student communities to be full of EXTREMELY nice and warm people. Sure, you have a few exceptions at each school - but by and large they both seem to go out of their way to attract and admit normal people who have a kind disposition. I think that's one of the positive things that really distinguishes both schools. If anything, the fact that Langley is more of a local school leads to a little bit more of an insular feel if you are not a part of the McLean/Vienna clique. Potomac, because of its size and geographic diversity, does not seem to have as big an issue with that.

As for sports - respectfully, I think you are off on that point. Potomac has a very strong athletics program that is on par with it's chief rivals (Sidwell, Flint Hill, SSSAS, Maret). It might not be at the consistent level across all sports that you'd find at Landon or Georgetown Prep, but it's very solid - and getting better every year. Go check out the win/loss records on Potomac's website. And see this link for Potomac grads that are playing sports at the college level - http://www.potomacschool.org/athletics/panther-alumni/index.aspx

No school is perfect, but with Langley and Potomac you have two excellent schools to choose from.