Oakton vs Madison

[Anonymous]

My child is still in elementary within the Oakton pyramid (western side). We are considering moving to Vienna to be closer to work and the house is within the Madison pyramid. Should we stay at Oakton? Or is Madison considered comparable? It seems like there is a strong rivalry between the two schools (parents who feel strongly one way or the other)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is still in elementary within the Oakton pyramid (western side). We are considering moving to Vienna to be closer to work and the house is within the Madison pyramid. Should we stay at Oakton? Or is Madison considered comparable? It seems like there is a strong rivalry between the two schools (parents who feel strongly one way or the other)

Usually the biggest rivalries are between schools that have a lot in common and that's the case here.

Oakton is bigger, draws from more areas (Vienna, Oakton, Fairfax, and Herndon), and has more Asian kids. Madison is smaller, draws from fewer areas (Vienna and Oakton, with a particularly strong affiliation with the Town of Vienna), and is the whitest high school in FCPS. Madison is very sports-oriented, but Oakton is no slouch in that department, either.

If you have non-school related reasons to move, such as a shorter commute to work, and it won't be particularly disruptive to a kid who isn't even in middle school yet, I wouldn't have any reservations about moving from one pyramid to the other.

[Anonymous]

They are both good schools. Madison is a lot more homogeneous race-wise, if that is a concern. We prefer the diversity at Oakton, even if there still isn't as much socioeconomic diversity as we would like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are both good schools. Madison is a lot more homogeneous race-wise, if that is a concern. We prefer the diversity at Oakton, even if there still isn't as much socioeconomic diversity as we would like.

I think people often end up where they end up, and then back into claiming that they prefer the features of their assigned schools.

Madison is whiter than Oakton, and Oakton is more Asian, but when it comes to diversity Madison is about 17% Black/Hispanic and Oakton is about 19% Black/Hispanic, so neither is going to win a medal at the Diversity Olympics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are both good schools. Madison is a lot more homogeneous race-wise, if that is a concern. We prefer the diversity at Oakton, even if there still isn't as much socioeconomic diversity as we would like.

I think people often end up where they end up, and then back into claiming that they prefer the features of their assigned schools.

Madison is whiter than Oakton, and Oakton is more Asian, but when it comes to diversity Madison is about 17% Black/Hispanic and Oakton is about 19% Black/Hispanic, so neither is going to win a medal at the Diversity Olympics.

What are you talking about?

Madison is 16% Asian, 2% Black, 16% Hispanic, 58% White, 8% Other
Oakton is 32% Asian, 6% Black, 12% Hispanic, 41% White, 8% Other

Oakton is absolutely more diverse. It's a majority. minority school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is still in elementary within the Oakton pyramid (western side). We are considering moving to Vienna to be closer to work and the house is within the Madison pyramid. Should we stay at Oakton? Or is Madison considered comparable? It seems like there is a strong rivalry between the two schools (parents who feel strongly one way or the other)

Usually the biggest rivalries are between schools that have a lot in common and that's the case here.

Oakton is bigger, draws from more areas (Vienna, Oakton, Fairfax, and Herndon), and has more Asian kids. Madison is smaller, draws from fewer areas (Vienna and Oakton, with a particularly strong affiliation with the Town of Vienna), and is the whitest high school in FCPS. Madison is very sports-oriented, but Oakton is no slouch in that department, either.

If you have non-school related reasons to move, such as a shorter commute to work, and it won't be particularly disruptive to a kid who isn't even in middle school yet, I wouldn't have any reservations about moving from one pyramid to the other.

Madison draws from Herndon too

[Anonymous]

I have a son in college and another is currently at Oakton (we are white if that matters. I wouldn't think it does but it came up in just about every previous post). There is absolutely no question that both kids would have rather gone to Madison. They both continually asked if there was a way for them to transfer. They hated Oakton and they were both quite popular there through sports and clubs. They think that most of the kids are just rich, entitled a-holes...and I can see it too. They both have friends from Madison and they like that group so much more...and so do we. It could just be coincidence, but, in hindsight, I wish my kids would have been able to go to Madison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is still in elementary within the Oakton pyramid (western side). We are considering moving to Vienna to be closer to work and the house is within the Madison pyramid. Should we stay at Oakton? Or is Madison considered comparable? It seems like there is a strong rivalry between the two schools (parents who feel strongly one way or the other)

Usually the biggest rivalries are between schools that have a lot in common and that's the case here.

Oakton is bigger, draws from more areas (Vienna, Oakton, Fairfax, and Herndon), and has more Asian kids. Madison is smaller, draws from fewer areas (Vienna and Oakton, with a particularly strong affiliation with the Town of Vienna), and is the whitest high school in FCPS. Madison is very sports-oriented, but Oakton is no slouch in that department, either.

If you have non-school related reasons to move, such as a shorter commute to work, and it won't be particularly disruptive to a kid who isn't even in middle school yet, I wouldn't have any reservations about moving from one pyramid to the other.

Madison draws from Herndon too

Fair enough but it’s a very small part of 20171 zoned to Flint Hill ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are both good schools. Madison is a lot more homogeneous race-wise, if that is a concern. We prefer the diversity at Oakton, even if there still isn't as much socioeconomic diversity as we would like.

I think people often end up where they end up, and then back into claiming that they prefer the features of their assigned schools.

Madison is whiter than Oakton, and Oakton is more Asian, but when it comes to diversity Madison is about 17% Black/Hispanic and Oakton is about 19% Black/Hispanic, so neither is going to win a medal at the Diversity Olympics.

What are you talking about?

Madison is 16% Asian, 2% Black, 16% Hispanic, 58% White, 8% Other
Oakton is 32% Asian, 6% Black, 12% Hispanic, 41% White, 8% Other

Oakton is absolutely more diverse. It's a majority. minority school.

It’s a shame you never learned to read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are both good schools. Madison is a lot more homogeneous race-wise, if that is a concern. We prefer the diversity at Oakton, even if there still isn't as much socioeconomic diversity as we would like.

I think people often end up where they end up, and then back into claiming that they prefer the features of their assigned schools.

Madison is whiter than Oakton, and Oakton is more Asian, but when it comes to diversity Madison is about 17% Black/Hispanic and Oakton is about 19% Black/Hispanic, so neither is going to win a medal at the Diversity Olympics.

What are you talking about?

Madison is 16% Asian, 2% Black, 16% Hispanic, 58% White, 8% Other
Oakton is 32% Asian, 6% Black, 12% Hispanic, 41% White, 8% Other

Oakton is absolutely more diverse. It's a majority. minority school.

It’s a shame you never learned to read.

It's sa shame you never learned math and that you don't realize that Asians also add diversity. It's not just black and hispanic kids, you idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are both good schools. Madison is a lot more homogeneous race-wise, if that is a concern. We prefer the diversity at Oakton, even if there still isn't as much socioeconomic diversity as we would like.

I think people often end up where they end up, and then back into claiming that they prefer the features of their assigned schools.

Madison is whiter than Oakton, and Oakton is more Asian, but when it comes to diversity Madison is about 17% Black/Hispanic and Oakton is about 19% Black/Hispanic, so neither is going to win a medal at the Diversity Olympics.

What are you talking about?

Madison is 16% Asian, 2% Black, 16% Hispanic, 58% White, 8% Other
Oakton is 32% Asian, 6% Black, 12% Hispanic, 41% White, 8% Other

Oakton is absolutely more diverse. It's a majority. minority school.

It’s a shame you never learned to read.

It's sa shame you never learned math and that you don't realize that Asians also add diversity. It's not just black and hispanic kids, you idiot.

They add ethnic diversity in FCPS but not a lot of economic diversity. Both Madison and Oakton are very much at the lower end of FCPS high schools when it comes to economic diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are both good schools. Madison is a lot more homogeneous race-wise, if that is a concern. We prefer the diversity at Oakton, even if there still isn't as much socioeconomic diversity as we would like.

I think people often end up where they end up, and then back into claiming that they prefer the features of their assigned schools.

Madison is whiter than Oakton, and Oakton is more Asian, but when it comes to diversity Madison is about 17% Black/Hispanic and Oakton is about 19% Black/Hispanic, so neither is going to win a medal at the Diversity Olympics.

What are you talking about?

Madison is 16% Asian, 2% Black, 16% Hispanic, 58% White, 8% Other
Oakton is 32% Asian, 6% Black, 12% Hispanic, 41% White, 8% Other

Oakton is absolutely more diverse. It's a majority. minority school.

It’s a shame you never learned to read.

It's sa shame you never learned math and that you don't realize that Asians also add diversity. It's not just black and hispanic kids, you idiot.

They add ethnic diversity in FCPS but not a lot of economic diversity. Both Madison and Oakton are very much at the lower end of FCPS high schools when it comes to economic diversity.

Not true for the Asian population at Oakton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a son in college and another is currently at Oakton (we are white if that matters. I wouldn't think it does but it came up in just about every previous post). There is absolutely no question that both kids would have rather gone to Madison. They both continually asked if there was a way for them to transfer. They hated Oakton and they were both quite popular there through sports and clubs. They think that most of the kids are just rich, entitled a-holes...and I can see it too. They both have friends from Madison and they like that group so much more...and so do we. It could just be coincidence, but, in hindsight, I wish my kids would have been able to go to Madison.

OP here. My kid is mixed but looks Asian. Not connected to the strong Asian immigrant communities here though because I don’t speak or understand any language other than English (my grandparents were born in the U.S. and only knew English)

Do you think I should take into consideration my kid being more Asian looking? We are in an elementary with very high Asian population but I don’t really care about that at all. Just not sure how diversity factors in for kids high school experiences as mine is very young