Wakefield vs Yorktown HS for average APS student (who dislikes school)?
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Anonymous
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DS, an 8th-grader at a N Arlington middle school, is an "average" student--mostly Bs, scattered with As and Cs, all intensified classes (I guess he's below average by NoVA standards, because he does study and complete all of his work). DS generally dislikes middle school except for PE, recess, school team sports, and hanging with his friends. Given the choice, he'd play games on his iPad in class or chat with friends, and do his school work later at home. It's possible he has some attention issues and we plan to have him tested by freshman HS year.
We are zoned for Yorktown but DS has the option to attend Wakefield because Ex-DH lives in that zone. Ex-DH and I are seriously evaluating the two schools for best fit HS for DS. Even though Yorktown is more highly-rated, we think its students (parents) are overly competitive AP 4.++ achievers and our average kid may fall through the cracks or feel dumb in comparison. We both dislike the upper-UMC, non-diverse frat boy vibe we've picked up from attending many sporting events. And, Ex-DH thinks our very sporty, travel athlete would have an easier time making soccer or basketball teams at Wakefield (and maybe less favoritism?). DS prefers attending Yorktown with his middle school friends but he's open to considering both schools however he's heard mostly negative feedback about Wakefield. He does want to attend college so also wondering if he'd have a better chance getting into a decent state school from a Title 1 school. We'd appreciate feedback and other considerations, especially from parents of "average" students! |
Anonymous
| I think it’s hard to make soccer and basketball teams at Wakefield. Hard to make baseball at Yorktown. Why do you live in Yorktown district if you don’t like the UMC vibe? My kid is not a frat boy type and is liking Yorktown. I’m sure your kid will find their people anywhere. Wakefield will have more drugs/ODs and last year or the year before had a drug dealer go into the school. Yorktown has drugs too. |
Anonymous
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I don't think those teams are any easier to make at Wakefield.
Why do you have a kid who is studying and completing work in intensified classes if he is getting some Bs and Cs? I would worry less about the high school and worry more about your own kid and why he's putting in effort at school and getting lower grades. Middle school isn't that hard. It's going to ramp up. I also have a non-fratty boy who goes to Yorktown and is very happy. Honestly, your "very sporty, travel athlete" who mostly likes hanging out with his friends will probably fall in with the bro-crowd where ever he goes and that's all good. Let him stay with his friends. |
Anonymous
| YHS has close to like 500 kids on a class. Even in your distorted scenario — fwiw, there just aren’t that many frat boy dads in YHS (they are lately lawyers etc who were dorks in HS) — like how many frat boy bros do you think exist amongst the 250 boys? Seems like your kids has found people on MS and will likely find people in HS. Wakefield is way more diverse, specifically economically, and that brings with it all kinds of benefits and downsides. Non intensitied classes at Wakefield are going to have kids requiring help in a likely way more significant way. Sounds like your kid should downshift anyway if this is his MS experiment. |
Anonymous
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Full disclosure, I love Wakefield. WHS is not Title 1, as far as I can see. https://www.apsva.us/titlei/about-title-i/ It does, however, currently receive USDA funding for free lunch and breakfast for all, sans paperwork. Many WHS kids go on to great colleges, check out the WHS acceptances IG. WHS has a lot of kids in very rigorous AP classes, it also houses the HS Immersion program. WHS Robotics Team is going to the nationals. Kids in high school try drinking and sometimes drugs. My WHS has never been offered drugs but we hear a lot about Daddy's Money YHS cocaine and house parties. WHS sports are just as competitive to get a spot as any other HS sport here, particularly the sports that cut. Good luck with any soccer team. send your kid where he can be with friends and walk to friend's houses after school. Connections matter. Your framing of WHS needs adjustment, though. There are many high achieving families at Wakefield. |
Anonymous
| I think WHS might be a tough school to join if your kid is not going to be in top classes, wasn't at a feeder middle school and may not make the sports teams. My kids are at Wakefield and generally have had a good experience but they are in the bilingual program and most of their friends are in that program and most of the students in top classes are in that program too so they are fairly tight group. Sounds like your kid would not be in those classes (which is fine!) but given that they would start without a group of friends, I would worry a bit about them finding their crowd. |
Anonymous
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As an immigrant who was dropped into a very competitive high school from a “non preferred” country, let me tell you tour kid WILL figure it out anywhere. You just be the strong sounding board at home, feed him high quality foods, make sure he gets enough rest and let him find his way!
YHS, WHS, pretty well any APS school will be just fine for a travel athlete with Bs. I’d personally be thinking about supplementing at home if classroom instructions isn’t working for him, since it doesn’t sound like there is anything at all wrong with your kid. Quite the contrary! |
Anonymous
| Its incredibly hard to make basketball or soccer teams at both schools, so I wouldn't use that as a factor. |
Anonymous
| The vibe at Yorktown is definitely fratty, boorish, and extremely white, at least at sporting events. Kids frequently show up drunk at events and the administration usually does nothing about it. Wakefield is obviously more diverse and the kids don’t act like such entitled boors in public settings. And it has the nicest building in APS. |
Anonymous
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If your son is a decent (basketball or soccer) travel athlete, he has a roughly equal chance at making the teams at Yorktown or Wakefield. (W-L traditionally is less sports oriented but as the largest school, I don't think making teams there is easier. And I don't think anyone here tracks the number of students who show up at try outs at the high schools.) Obviously the athletes at Wakefield would come from a more varied socio-economic background. Making the lacrosse team is a different story, as that sport along with other VHSL sports like golf tend to be most competitive/successful at the wealthiest schools.
Yes you're right the student section culture has been a problem at Yorktown for decades. That's why APS for a few years temporarily moved rivalry games between W-L and Yorktown to the middle of the week or the weekend, to curtail that "frat boy" atmosphere you so despise. Wakefield's student section has always been spirited but polite in general, staying true to VHSL values of sportsmanship. Regarding academics, I think he'd be fine at either school. APS doesn't have the "tiger mom" culture of some nearby FCPS high schools. Experiencing and adapting to the diversity at Wakefield might actually be a benefit for many students. Arlington is also small enough that athletes, and students in general, have friends at all the schools. You may want to consider Arlington Tech as well, if your son is into a more hands-on / STEM approach to learning. Sports would be at the home school, so either Yorktown or Wakefield in your case. |
Anonymous
Yes. We’ve also had a good experience at Wakefield. We are zoned for Yorktown but send our kid to WHS for immersion. Also not crazy about the YHS vibe. I do think, though, that given how large all of the APS high schools are, your child will find friends/people to whom he relates at any of them. There’s really no bad option. |
Anonymous
| I’d keep him with his friends. |
Anonymous
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My daughter is smart and sporty (2 varsity sports, 2 rec sports) and we have been happy with the culture at yorktown. She and her friends joke about the fratty types but those people aren't the majority. The parents and kids I know are mostly terrific, and the PTA and administration are good. I liked most of her teachers at BTS night and she does too. None of her friends drink; they know some kids do show up at games after drinking. The administration is aware and does what they can.
I know people with kids at every APS high school and most are pretty happy. |
Anonymous
Correction wakefield HAD more drug problems that made the news. Yorktown has plenty thay dont. And let's be clear the issue you are referring to was in 2023 |
Anonymous
Definitely consider Tech! FWIW, also a boy of a non-frat bro at YHS. Doesn’t do school sports (but does a sport that YHS doesn’t offer), his lunch table & many friends are native Spanish speakers (we are white non Hispanics), & he does a mix of regular & AP/hons classes playing to his interests (aka, we aren’t all uptight tiger parents either). It’s a huge school with kids interested in a lot of things. All that said, I also think Wakefield is a great school that prepares kids for college & offers many unique opportunities. Arlington is so lucky to have so many great high school options |