Which privates have the most challenging math curriculum?

[Anonymous]

We live in Arlington and I thinking of switching to private for high school. We’d be open to Virginia schools as well as upper northwest schools. Our son loves math and has done the tag program, and is consistently at the top of his class. He loves other subjects to but we’re curious what privates have the best reputation for math and related subjects like computer, science, engineering, and robotics

[Anonymous]

Check out the #1 school, Basis in McLean

[Anonymous]

Genuinely, the solid publics are going to be much stronger in those areas if he is truly top of the class and that's his thing.

[Anonymous]

None until grade 9. Instruction is quite poor as well until then.

Go public or use tutors or supplementing, for foundational stuff or accelerating.

[Anonymous]

Expectations too low in lower schools here for math.

[Anonymous]

Of the independent schools, Math 1-4 Sidwell upper school

[Anonymous]

Basis or public

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basis or public

+TJ

[Anonymous]

If zoned for Yorktown, then maybe try for TJ with Yorktown as the backup. Supplement outside school if desired - Kumon, RSM, or Mathnasium.

At least, GDS and StA/NCS and Potomac all have several very advanced math classes in their official curriculum, but those are not offered every year. Only offered if several students at a given school are both interested in taking the course and also are well-prepared.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If zoned for Yorktown, then maybe try for TJ with Yorktown as the backup. Supplement outside school if desired - Kumon, RSM, or Mathnasium.

At least, GDS and StA/NCS and Potomac all have several very advanced math classes in their official curriculum, but those are not offered every year. Only offered if several students at a given school are both interested in taking the course and also are well-prepared.

yes, the problem with the small classes is that it doesn't have the economies of scale to provide advanced courses every year. You have to have the demand to offer it, even in private school.

If you really want advanced math courses with a strong peer group, I would move to a highly rated public. More than likely, that school will have advanced math courses in high demand.

[Anonymous]

OP there is no private that has better accelerated math than public.

No comparison at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If zoned for Yorktown, then maybe try for TJ with Yorktown as the backup. Supplement outside school if desired - Kumon, RSM, or Mathnasium.

At least, GDS and StA/NCS and Potomac all have several very advanced math classes in their official curriculum, but those are not offered every year. Only offered if several students at a given school are both interested in taking the course and also are well-prepared.

yes, the problem with the small classes is that it doesn't have the economies of scale to provide advanced courses every year. You have to have the demand to offer it, even in private school.

If you really want advanced math courses with a strong peer group, I would move to a highly rated public. More than likely, that school will have advanced math courses in high demand.

Serious question. Why are public schools so much stronger than privates in math? I’m assuming that the parents of private school don’t want to pay $50k a year so that their kid can get just basic, grade level math instruction… Or maybe they do? What am I missing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP there is no private that has better accelerated math than public.

No comparison at all.

meh - our kids took multivariable, linear algebra and number theory after taking BC Calc at their private school. They could have also taken differential equations. I don't see accelerated public math students going much further.

the science/engineering side is a totally different story though.

[Anonymous]

My kid came from DCPS to private and the math has been MUCH harder in private. He took Algebra 2 in DCPS middle school but it was a joke--very surface level class. He took Algebra 2 honors (as a do-over) in 9th grade in private and it was like he had never seen the material before. Now as an upperclassmen what he is learning in math is much harder than what his friends are doing at Jackson Reed. They study together.

MCPS and FCPS are probably much different but in our experience, DCPS math instruction is a joke.

[Anonymous]

Privates aren’t challenging, they’re thorough. Public schools are challenging.