Langley college decisions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean's placement is almost always more impressive than Langley, in recent years.

How so? Every one of those schools is on the Langley list as well. You sound just a tad insecure.

I think there is some rivalry between Langley and McLean.

We moved to McLean 4 years ago and we wanted to buy a house on the McLean High side but we liked the houses on the Langley side better. Pretty sure back then McLean was considered the better high school and now Langley is. They are both great schools with an excellent students at both schools. McLean has more students even though some of McLEan high students got rezoned to Langley recently.

I think you have it backwards. Langley has always been considered the better HS but now it seems like McLean is as strong or better.

Here's the deal. Langley is wealthier and has very few disadvantaged kids. In general, that will translate into higher median test scores and a higher graduation rate. However, McLean students also tend, on average, to take more AP courses than Langley students. Given the algorithms that US News and other organizations that rate schools use, that means that Langley typically gets rated higher than McLean, but there have been years where McLean is rated higher than Langley. Nothing has really changed over the last four years, as the PP suggested.

Langley does have a nicer building than McLean, and that may lead more families with options to pick Langley over McLean. However, McLean neighborhoods aren't as spread out, and are generally closer to DC and Metro, and that may lead other families with options to pick McLean over Langley. And yet other families with options will pick other schools, whether in FCPS or other jurisdictions. Just be happy if you're among those with options, and recognize that at the end of the day most graduates of these schools are pleased with their experience and heading off to a wide range of schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

Langley underclassmen parent here. Where is the info showing that a 4.0 weighted puts you at 50%?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

Langley underclassmen parent here. Where is the info showing that a 4.0 weighted puts you at 50%?

NP - you have to ask your kids counselor. They will provide that info if you ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

As a Langely parent I second this take. It's a double edged sword b/c on the one hand the there is a tide that supports strong academics, but on the other it skews the competition for UVA b/c despite what they say in their admissions meetings.

Future Langley parent here. Can you clarify what you mean by “skews the competition for UVA”?

My oldest is in 7th grade at Cooper. There are some extremely smart kids in his friend group and his friends are mostly from his base elementary school. I’m sure there are so many other extremely smart kids from all the other schools he just doesn’t know yet.

On the whole, UVA offers seats to only the top x% at Langley (5-10%, someone else might have a better lock on the number) and because Langley is full of hardworking, smart kids it drives the stats up so the average stats of an accepted student from Langley are quite a bit higher than in other areas or oos. Last I heard something around a 4.4 GPA and a 1520 SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

Langley underclassmen parent here. Where is the info showing that a 4.0 weighted puts you at 50%?

This is not correct. It’s closer to 3.8.

Langley gate keeps AP classes. No APs for freshman, only 2-3 sophomore year. McLean does not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

As a Langely parent I second this take. It's a double edged sword b/c on the one hand the there is a tide that supports strong academics, but on the other it skews the competition for UVA b/c despite what they say in their admissions meetings.

Future Langley parent here. Can you clarify what you mean by “skews the competition for UVA”?

My oldest is in 7th grade at Cooper. There are some extremely smart kids in his friend group and his friends are mostly from his base elementary school. I’m sure there are so many other extremely smart kids from all the other schools he just doesn’t know yet.

On the whole, UVA offers seats to only the top x% at Langley (5-10%, someone else might have a better lock on the number) and because Langley is full of hardworking, smart kids it drives the stats up so the average stats of an accepted student from Langley are quite a bit higher than in other areas or oos. Last I heard something around a 4.4 GPA and a 1520 SAT.

Are those stats unusual? Seem like the numbers needed for admittance from any NOVA HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

Langley underclassmen parent here. Where is the info showing that a 4.0 weighted puts you at 50%?

This is not correct. It’s closer to 3.8.

Langley gate keeps AP classes. No APs for freshman, only 2-3 sophomore year. McLean does not.

*1 McLean “scores” high for how many APs are taken and how many students take APs but its AP test scores are consistently and substantially lower. (Langley APs are harder and better prepare for the exams.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

As a Langely parent I second this take. It's a double edged sword b/c on the one hand the there is a tide that supports strong academics, but on the other it skews the competition for UVA b/c despite what they say in their admissions meetings.

Future Langley parent here. Can you clarify what you mean by “skews the competition for UVA”?

My oldest is in 7th grade at Cooper. There are some extremely smart kids in his friend group and his friends are mostly from his base elementary school. I’m sure there are so many other extremely smart kids from all the other schools he just doesn’t know yet.

On the whole, UVA offers seats to only the top x% at Langley (5-10%, someone else might have a better lock on the number) and because Langley is full of hardworking, smart kids it drives the stats up so the average stats of an accepted student from Langley are quite a bit higher than in other areas or oos. Last I heard something around a 4.4 GPA and a 1520 SAT.

Are those stats unusual? Seem like the numbers needed for admittance from any NOVA HS.

Not unusual but the top 25% of the class might be extremely similar and UVA only takes the top 5-10%. So a lot of kids with UVA stats get rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

As a Langely parent I second this take. It's a double edged sword b/c on the one hand the there is a tide that supports strong academics, but on the other it skews the competition for UVA b/c despite what they say in their admissions meetings.

Future Langley parent here. Can you clarify what you mean by “skews the competition for UVA”?

My oldest is in 7th grade at Cooper. There are some extremely smart kids in his friend group and his friends are mostly from his base elementary school. I’m sure there are so many other extremely smart kids from all the other schools he just doesn’t know yet.

On the whole, UVA offers seats to only the top x% at Langley (5-10%, someone else might have a better lock on the number) and because Langley is full of hardworking, smart kids it drives the stats up so the average stats of an accepted student from Langley are quite a bit higher than in other areas or oos. Last I heard something around a 4.4 GPA and a 1520 SAT.

Are those stats unusual? Seem like the numbers needed for admittance from any NOVA HS.

Not unusual but the top 25% of the class might be extremely similar and UVA only takes the top 5-10%. So a lot of kids with UVA stats get rejected.

But there are schools in VA that may send no kids to UVA.

Is it a hard cut off at 10%? I don’t know how gpa and rank is calculated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

As a Langely parent I second this take. It's a double edged sword b/c on the one hand the there is a tide that supports strong academics, but on the other it skews the competition for UVA b/c despite what they say in their admissions meetings.

Future Langley parent here. Can you clarify what you mean by “skews the competition for UVA”?

My oldest is in 7th grade at Cooper. There are some extremely smart kids in his friend group and his friends are mostly from his base elementary school. I’m sure there are so many other extremely smart kids from all the other schools he just doesn’t know yet.

On the whole, UVA offers seats to only the top x% at Langley (5-10%, someone else might have a better lock on the number) and because Langley is full of hardworking, smart kids it drives the stats up so the average stats of an accepted student from Langley are quite a bit higher than in other areas or oos. Last I heard something around a 4.4 GPA and a 1520 SAT.

Are those stats unusual? Seem like the numbers needed for admittance from any NOVA HS.

Not unusual but the top 25% of the class might be extremely similar and UVA only takes the top 5-10%. So a lot of kids with UVA stats get rejected.

But there are schools in VA that may send no kids to UVA.



Is it a hard cut off at 10%? I don’t know how gpa and rank is calculated.

It’s less than 10% at Langley, and probably McLean too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

As a Langely parent I second this take. It's a double edged sword b/c on the one hand the there is a tide that supports strong academics, but on the other it skews the competition for UVA b/c despite what they say in their admissions meetings.

Future Langley parent here. Can you clarify what you mean by “skews the competition for UVA”?

My oldest is in 7th grade at Cooper. There are some extremely smart kids in his friend group and his friends are mostly from his base elementary school. I’m sure there are so many other extremely smart kids from all the other schools he just doesn’t know yet.

On the whole, UVA offers seats to only the top x% at Langley (5-10%, someone else might have a better lock on the number) and because Langley is full of hardworking, smart kids it drives the stats up so the average stats of an accepted student from Langley are quite a bit higher than in other areas or oos. Last I heard something around a 4.4 GPA and a 1520 SAT.

Are those stats unusual? Seem like the numbers needed for admittance from any NOVA HS.

4.4 and 1520 is top 8-10% at Langley.

[Anonymous]

The obsession with UVA is not universal to LHS.

Plenty of parents can afford the $80K for full freight higher ranked private colleges. Why settle for UVA? My DS will likely only apply to UVA if he does not get into his ED1 or ED2 schools.

[Anonymous]

Seems like some Langley parents chasing their own tails on this thread. They are desperate to make the case that Langley is “better” than other schools but then claiming it’s harder to get into UVA and other schools coming from Langley.

Race to nowhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems like some Langley parents chasing their own tails on this thread. They are desperate to make the case that Langley is “better” than other schools but then claiming it’s harder to get into UVA and other schools coming from Langley.

Race to nowhere?

As a Langley parent, I would say this is somewhat true. My qualification would be that, in the end, students have the education they’ve earned. Wherever Langley students attend college, they are well prepared.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for this thread. We were considering sending our kids to private school instead of Langley. Dh wanted to keep them in public. He always says he doesn’t want to pay $40k per year for 3 kids for schools that have the same or worse college admissions than our local public.

Just remember that’s it’s harder to shine at Langley. You’re reading about the top 10% of the class. “Everyone” is in honor society and in a class of 400, leadership roles are harder to get. A weighted 4.0 puts you at 50% , which isn't persuasive in admissions. Some colleges seem to understand this and judge differently (OOS), some don’t (UVA.)

It’s a good school but IMO, there’s far too much emphasis on AP rigor for the sake of rigor, and not enough on learning. Though, to be fair, that’s a public school problem in general. If I could have afforded private for our DC, it would have been better for them: mentally and academically.

Langley underclassmen parent here. Where is the info showing that a 4.0 weighted puts you at 50%?

This is not correct. It’s closer to 3.8.

Langley gate keeps AP classes. No APs for freshman, only 2-3 sophomore year. McLean does not.

*1 McLean “scores” high for how many APs are taken and how many students take APs but its AP test scores are consistently and substantially lower. (Langley APs are harder and better prepare for the exams.)

Not so sure about that (or why you'd say "Langley APs are harder" when AP courses are based on the College Board's requirements, not determined by individual schools).

* The latest Challenge Index circulated by Jay Matthews this year indicates that McLean kids took more AP courses by the time they graduated than Langley kids (4.48 vs. 4.21) and that the "Equity & Excellence" rating (i.e., percentage of kids graduating with a passing score on an AP exam) was higher (78% vs. 74%).

* In addition, the latest information posted by FCPS for the 2020-21 school year indicates that the percentage of Asian and Hispanic kids at Langley with passing scores on AP exams was higher than at McLean, and that the percentage of Black, White, and "Other" (i.e., multi-racial) kids at McLean with passing scores on AP exams was higher than at Langley.

All of this was just context in an earlier post for why Langley often gets rated higher than McLean, and sometimes McLean gets rated higher than Langley. Different publications have different algorithms.