Tell me about South Lakes

[Anonymous]

Looking at houses zoned to South Lakes - it's not rated as highly as Chantilly and Oakton, but that just means it's more diverse, right? Do your kids attend? What do you think? Is it overcrowded? Any classes in trailers? What are the teachers/community/extracurriculars like?

I also saw that it's an IB school. What are DD's options if she wants an AP school and not an IB one?

[Anonymous]

South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

[Anonymous]

South Lakes is a good school, one of the stronger IB programs in the county. I agree with PP that the likely nearest AP transfer school is Herndon, which is fine but not as strong as South Lakes.

[Anonymous]

Two of DCs best friends are South Lakes graduates. One was a STEM oriented student who did the full IB diploma, the other was into the arts and took only the basic required classes in core subjects. Both liked it there and their parents were happy with the quality of education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two of DCs best friends are South Lakes graduates. One was a STEM oriented student who did the full IB diploma, the other was into the arts and took only the basic required classes in core subjects. Both liked it there and their parents were happy with the quality of education.

Where did they go to college if they did?

[Anonymous]

I graduated from South Lakes, did the full IB Diploma, and went to University of Virginia regular decision. It is a good school with solid teachers and the IB program is amazing and I think prepared me for college more than some of my counterparts who did the AP program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from South Lakes, did the full IB Diploma, and went to University of Virginia regular decision. It is a good school with solid teachers and the IB program is amazing and I think prepared me for college more than some of my counterparts who did the AP program.

I forgot to mention in my graduating year 17 kids went to UVA, a bunch went to Tech, one went to UPenn, one to Carnegie Mellon, a handful to W&M, and one to Johns Hopkins.

[Anonymous]

My son graduated fromSouth Lakes (2014). It’s a very good school. The lower ratings ar e absolutely a mark of the diversity. The college bound kids go to where the other FCPS grads go. UVA WM Tech JMU plus Ivies Duke Michigan etc. the IB diploma is very rigorous and highly regarded (my son took IBs but not the whole diploma). If you wanted AP you could pupil place at Herndon but that is a pain. Another bonus is SLHS area is very walkable. You won’t be driving kids all the time. Love living in Reston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from South Lakes, did the full IB Diploma, and went to University of Virginia regular decision. It is a good school with solid teachers and the IB program is amazing and I think prepared me for college more than some of my counterparts who did the AP program.

Here we go again with the insecure IB posters claiming it’s better preparation. They just can’t help themselves.

[Anonymous]

Yikes. Avoid!

[Anonymous]

We knew several families who sold their houses in Vienna at a substantial loss after they got redistricted from Madison to South Lakes.

They didn’t want the IB program and, while FCPS had promised to add more AP courses to South Lakes, they didn’t think FCPS would keep its word. They were right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We knew several families who sold their houses in Vienna at a substantial loss after they got redistricted from Madison to South Lakes.

They didn’t want the IB program and, while FCPS had promised to add more AP courses to South Lakes, they didn’t think FCPS would keep its word. They were right.

So that says that a bunch of years back, like 16 years ago, your friends choose AP over IB. It does nothing to help the OP because it tells them what they know, SLHS is an IB school. It fails to tell them what the school is like today.

We are zoned for SLHS. The neighbors are happy with the school and the IB program but we don’t have any personal experience yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from South Lakes, did the full IB Diploma, and went to University of Virginia regular decision. It is a good school with solid teachers and the IB program is amazing and I think prepared me for college more than some of my counterparts who did the AP program.

Here we go again with the insecure IB posters claiming it’s better preparation. They just can’t help themselves.

I'm a prof and I think the IB students are better prepared. They have at least written one extensive research paper which few high school students otherwise do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from South Lakes, did the full IB Diploma, and went to University of Virginia regular decision. It is a good school with solid teachers and the IB program is amazing and I think prepared me for college more than some of my counterparts who did the AP program.

Here we go again with the insecure IB posters claiming it’s better preparation. They just can’t help themselves.

I'm a prof and I think the IB students are better prepared. They have at least written one extensive research paper which few high school students otherwise do.

If they do the full IB diploma program, and some AP courses also require longer papers.

Chantilly and Oakton kids have higher test scores and are at least as well prepared.

[Anonymous]

How does a middle of the road student do in an IB school? Are there still Honors classes if a student wants to do more than general ed but not IB?