Walter Johnson HS vs. Quince Orchard HS

[Anonymous]

I'm considering moving from DC to one of these high school districts, mainly because they have housing that falls in my price range. And each has sub-locations that have what I'm looking for -- places to walk to to play -- playgrounds, basketball courts, some sort of soccer field (even if small), and a neighborhood with other kids to become friends with. I know the reputations between the two high schools are very different, including their Great School scores. However, the difference between their US News Best High Schools ranking is not as large. In particular, QO is higher than WJ for the College Readiness Index Rank and College Curriculum Breadth Rank (CCBR) . If you look at the underlying data US News provides (scroll down and click "See More Test Scores" under "Test Scores") QO seems to not be as far "behind":

Proportion of 12th Grade Class Who Scored 3+ on an Exam: WJ 71%; QO 73%
Exam Takers in 12th Grade Class Who Scored 3+ on an Exam: WJ 90%, QO 82%.

Plus QO's CCBR score is higher. US News' definition of this is "The proportions of 12th graders who took and passed AP and IB exams in multiple areas. More exams are valued more than fewer exams up to a maximum of four. Passing an exam is worth three times more than taking."

However, I've heard that QO is a very sports oriented school, and getting more so, with the parents and administration caring more about sports. This worries me only because my son loves sports and doesn't love academics. He is who he is and I'll support him. But I'd at least like him to be in a school and find his "tribe" of peers that care about school and find it important.

Where does QO's high college readiness scores come from? Do they have a great AP program with good teachers? Or are the "parents / students that care" -- teaching themselves, and getting tutors as they need to; it is a high enough SES school that that could be the background strategy going on.

Thank you in advance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm considering moving from DC to one of these high school districts, mainly because they have housing that falls in my price range. And each has sub-locations that have what I'm looking for -- places to walk to to play -- playgrounds, basketball courts, some sort of soccer field (even if small), and a neighborhood with other kids to become friends with. I know the reputations between the two high schools are very different, including their Great School scores. However, the difference between their US News Best High Schools ranking is not as large. In particular, QO is higher than WJ for the College Readiness Index Rank and College Curriculum Breadth Rank (CCBR) . If you look at the underlying data US News provides (scroll down and click "See More Test Scores" under "Test Scores") QO seems to not be as far "behind":

Proportion of 12th Grade Class Who Scored 3+ on an Exam: WJ 71%; QO 73%
Exam Takers in 12th Grade Class Who Scored 3+ on an Exam: WJ 90%, QO 82%.

Plus QO's CCBR score is higher. US News' definition of this is "The proportions of 12th graders who took and passed AP and IB exams in multiple areas. More exams are valued more than fewer exams up to a maximum of four. Passing an exam is worth three times more than taking."

However, I've heard that QO is a very sports oriented school, and getting more so, with the parents and administration caring more about sports. This worries me only because my son loves sports and doesn't love academics. He is who he is and I'll support him. But I'd at least like him to be in a school and find his "tribe" of peers that care about school and find it important.

Where does QO's high college readiness scores come from? Do they have a great AP program with good teachers? Or are the "parents / students that care" -- teaching themselves, and getting tutors as they need to; it is a high enough SES school that that could be the background strategy going on.

Thank you in advance.

These bulk scores mean less than you'd imagine and reflect the overall SES of a school. Nevertheless, all these schools offer the same range of courses that appeal to a broad range of skills. Both schools are fine. The difference in academic opportunities isn't signficant. The same kid will do the same at either. Better off finding the community that feels right to you.

That being said WJ is currently very overcrowded and its boundaries will change once Woodward opens in roughly 2026.

[Anonymous]

DP. Yes but QO is also very overcrowded and its boundaries will change once Crown HS opens in 2027.

[Anonymous]

OP, your son will do great in either school. He'll find academically-inclined kids in both schools and kids who care about sports. I do have a slight preference for QO because I think their school spirit and sense of community are amazing.

[Anonymous]

WJ is a much larger school, 800 more students than QO.

[Anonymous]

2 kids at WJ, one sporty, one not. Both are happy and doing well. Yes, the school is overcrowded, but they work hard to make it seem smaller. One benefit of a large school, is that the kids can always find their people. Both of mine are in the APEX program, and both involved in clubs/activities that are important to them.

[Anonymous]

DP. Nothing really against either school. Both are comparable academically.

Where would I prefer to live, though? Probably closer to QO? It's just a pleasant area. No hard facts.

[Anonymous]

We have lived in both districts so I can tell from experience with one child who went to qo and one who goes to wj.. although both are great schools and you will do well in either school, wj Is unquestionably more academically oriented. The sheer number of "extras" that wj offers can't be beat. Small example but WJ has zoom meetings every few weeks offering parents and students the opportunity to learn more about college applications, sat preparedness, financial aid, etc..unless qo has added that recently.
The counseling department at WJ is more hands on and indepth. The teachers at WJ reach out immediately if there are academic concerns. You will not hear anything at qo unless you monitor parentvue regularly. It should also be mentioned that qo is more sports oriented which means your dc will not necessarily get playing time in their sport due to the sheer number of great players at qo. People who have student athletes with good chances of getting sports scholarships Move to qo because they get on the recruiting radar more readily. This means the teams are highly competitive although wj does stamd out in some sports- like track.

[Anonymous]

Thank you. Although overcrowded, does the staff size keep up, so that classes are not too large, and if you want a class you can get it - eg, there’s rare.” chance of not being able to get in a class because there’s not enough room. I wonder this ab WJ. But now that it was posted that QO is overcrowded too, I wonder about it for them as well. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Although overcrowded, does the staff size keep up, so that classes are not too large, and if you want a class you can get it - eg, there’s rare.” chance of not being able to get in a class because there’s not enough room. I wonder this ab WJ. But now that it was posted that QO is overcrowded too, I wonder about it for them as well. Thank you.

Getting into the class you want is a problem at both schools but more so if you are late or try to switch after enrolling. Both class sizes are about the same. Wj has more students but also more staff so there isn't any difference in that regard

[Anonymous]

Family in QO here. I’d choose WJ if I had the choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, your son will do great in either school. He'll find academically-inclined kids in both schools and kids who care about sports. I do have a slight preference for QO because I think their school spirit and sense of community are amazing.

Both schools are great. I remember seeing the SAT average by demographic cohort a few years back, and I remember WJ had the highest average of any W for our cohort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Although overcrowded, does the staff size keep up, so that classes are not too large, and if you want a class you can get it - eg, there’s rare.” chance of not being able to get in a class because there’s not enough room. I wonder this ab WJ. But now that it was posted that QO is overcrowded too, I wonder about it for them as well. Thank you.

Getting into the class you want is a problem at both schools but more so if you are late or try to switch after enrolling. Both class sizes are about the same. Wj has more students but also more staff so there isn't any difference in that regard

We have switches classes at WJ after the start of the semester without issue. I'm sure that's not true all the time but classes aren't too packed.

[Anonymous]

These responses have been so amazing and helpful. Thank you.

My son does travel soccer. I'm OK with him not being on "high radar" sports recruiting high school. I figure we can strategize recruiting on our own outside of school, and instead for school prioritize strong academics and college oriented-ness over sports recruiting.

I have another Q if not too much. As I stated earlier, my son doesn't like doing schoolwork and studying, but understands it's important - we've had lots of conversations. So I want him to go to a strong academic school so that it's not just me, but the whole culture, administration, organization cultivating those values, and through friends and teachers he gains ideas for study skills, and a love of academic learning, etc.

What I wonder though... by being in such a strong academic large school like WJ, is his GPA likely to be lower than being in an academically weaker school. I know I may not be saying things in the nicest most appropriate nice way, but since GPA is so important for colleges, ... I can't help but wonder. -- Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These responses have been so amazing and helpful. Thank you.

My son does travel soccer. I'm OK with him not being on "high radar" sports recruiting high school. I figure we can strategize recruiting on our own outside of school, and instead for school prioritize strong academics and college oriented-ness over sports recruiting.

I have another Q if not too much. As I stated earlier, my son doesn't like doing schoolwork and studying, but understands it's important - we've had lots of conversations. So I want him to go to a strong academic school so that it's not just me, but the whole culture, administration, organization cultivating those values, and through friends and teachers he gains ideas for study skills, and a love of academic learning, etc.

What I wonder though... by being in such a strong academic large school like WJ, is his GPA likely to be lower than being in an academically weaker school. I know I may not be saying things in the nicest most appropriate nice way, but since GPA is so important for colleges, ... I can't help but wonder. -- Thank you.

You can view the grade distribution sections in both schools' profiles to get a sense of this. This is the document the counselors send to colleges the students are applying to, to explain the academic context at their school.

WJ: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/r-w/wjhs/uploadedfiles/counseling/wj-profile-2022--2023.pdf

QO: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B-IOAqiAxZHBUL6UsC2xRk3cBZodn4NP/view