Langley pyramid vs Private

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same boat. We live in McLean and zoned for Langley. I have one kid in elementary and one in middle school and trying to decide if we should switch to private.

We have seen many friends switch to private. Some switched in 3rd grade, especially the families who felt their kid wrongfully did not get into AAP. Many kids switched during Covid. Then there are ones who switch during middle and high school. I feel like most of the ones who are rich switched. The UMC who can afford it but they would feel 100k tuition pain often stay in public if their kids are doing well.

I have one kid who is a stellar student with perfect grades and a fantastic friend group. I have another kid who is a good student and very social and hangs out with kids across the spectrum including some not so nice kids.

Do sizeable portions of families in Mclean/GF zoned for Langley go to private, similar to Whitman?

There are a number of Langley neighborhoods where half the kids or more go to privates. Over the years they have expanded Langley’s boundaries several times to prop up the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same boat. We live in McLean and zoned for Langley. I have one kid in elementary and one in middle school and trying to decide if we should switch to private.

We have seen many friends switch to private. Some switched in 3rd grade, especially the families who felt their kid wrongfully did not get into AAP. Many kids switched during Covid. Then there are ones who switch during middle and high school. I feel like most of the ones who are rich switched. The UMC who can afford it but they would feel 100k tuition pain often stay in public if their kids are doing well.

I have one kid who is a stellar student with perfect grades and a fantastic friend group. I have another kid who is a good student and very social and hangs out with kids across the spectrum including some not so nice kids.

Do sizeable portions of families in Mclean/GF zoned for Langley go to private, similar to Whitman?

In the more affluent neighborhoods zoned for Langley, I would estimate half or more of the kids go to private. We live in a neighborhood where houses are in the $5m range and we are the only house on the street who sends our kids to public. There are other neighborhoods in McLean where the majority attend the local public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same boat. We live in McLean and zoned for Langley. I have one kid in elementary and one in middle school and trying to decide if we should switch to private.

We have seen many friends switch to private. Some switched in 3rd grade, especially the families who felt their kid wrongfully did not get into AAP. Many kids switched during Covid. Then there are ones who switch during middle and high school. I feel like most of the ones who are rich switched. The UMC who can afford it but they would feel 100k tuition pain often stay in public if their kids are doing well.

I have one kid who is a stellar student with perfect grades and a fantastic friend group. I have another kid who is a good student and very social and hangs out with kids across the spectrum including some not so nice kids.

Do sizeable portions of families in Mclean/GF zoned for Langley go to private, similar to Whitman?

In the more affluent neighborhoods zoned for Langley, I would estimate half or more of the kids go to private. We live in a neighborhood where houses are in the $5m range and we are the only house on the street who sends our kids to public. There are other neighborhoods in McLean where the majority attend the local public.

+1

[Anonymous]

The rich kids who can’t outcompete the smart public kids usually switch to private. Then there are the kids who were always private school students.

There are a handful of truly talented brilliant kids who would excel in any environment. Depending on their family’s financial status, they will often stay in public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All kids at public schools learn the same thing - doesn't matter which school you go to. Private is the only rational choice. If you send to Langley might as well send to Justice or Oakton

This is an odd take. Justice has an IB program, Langley offers APs, Madison has a Career and Technical Education program. Outside of the fact that students choose their own schedules, therefore are on individualized paths, the offerings are not all the same.

I have kids in private and at Langley. It's a very strong school and talented students have endless opportunities. My private school kids went because of covid and they want to stay or they'd still be in the Langley pyramid too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kids at public schools learn the same thing - doesn't matter which school you go to. Private is the only rational choice. If you send to Langley might as well send to Justice or Oakton

This is an odd take. Justice has an IB program, Langley offers APs, Madison has a Career and Technical Education program. Outside of the fact that students choose their own schedules, therefore are on individualized paths, the offerings are not all the same.

I have kids in private and at Langley. It's a very strong school and talented students have endless opportunities. My private school kids went because of covid and they want to stay or they'd still be in the Langley pyramid too.

The curriculum is still the same though, regardless of where you go. Also some kids from other schools go to other schools that offer certain programs, so they equalize even more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kids at public schools learn the same thing - doesn't matter which school you go to. Private is the only rational choice. If you send to Langley might as well send to Justice or Oakton

This is an odd take. Justice has an IB program, Langley offers APs, Madison has a Career and Technical Education program. Outside of the fact that students choose their own schedules, therefore are on individualized paths, the offerings are not all the same.

I have kids in private and at Langley. It's a very strong school and talented students have endless opportunities. My private school kids went because of covid and they want to stay or they'd still be in the Langley pyramid too.

The curriculum is still the same though, regardless of where you go. Also some kids from other schools go to other schools that offer certain programs, so they equalize even more.

Putting forth kids being allowed to move between schools to follow their individual interests as if it’s a negative is a strange take, but your “the curriculum is the same” comment in regards to schools with hundreds of courses to choose from is a complaint I’m not following.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kids at public schools learn the same thing - doesn't matter which school you go to. Private is the only rational choice. If you send to Langley might as well send to Justice or Oakton

This is an odd take. Justice has an IB program, Langley offers APs, Madison has a Career and Technical Education program. Outside of the fact that students choose their own schedules, therefore are on individualized paths, the offerings are not all the same.

I have kids in private and at Langley. It's a very strong school and talented students have endless opportunities. My private school kids went because of covid and they want to stay or they'd still be in the Langley pyramid too.

The curriculum is still the same though, regardless of where you go. Also some kids from other schools go to other schools that offer certain programs, so they equalize even more.

Putting forth kids being allowed to move between schools to follow their individual interests as if it’s a negative is a strange take, but your “the curriculum is the same” comment in regards to schools with hundreds of courses to choose from is a complaint I’m not following.

ALL schools in Fairfax County are run by the county, which elects a superintendent and a school board that approves the material that will or will not be taught during the school year. Therefore, the material taught in AP US History at Falls Church HS and Langley HS will be the exact same. Yes, there are schools that offer IB and thus may have a slightly different schedule than schools that offer AP, but when you compare two schools that both offer AP, the courses will the be exact same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same boat. We live in McLean and zoned for Langley. I have one kid in elementary and one in middle school and trying to decide if we should switch to private.

We have seen many friends switch to private. Some switched in 3rd grade, especially the families who felt their kid wrongfully did not get into AAP. Many kids switched during Covid. Then there are ones who switch during middle and high school. I feel like most of the ones who are rich switched. The UMC who can afford it but they would feel 100k tuition pain often stay in public if their kids are doing well.

I have one kid who is a stellar student with perfect grades and a fantastic friend group. I have another kid who is a good student and very social and hangs out with kids across the spectrum including some not so nice kids.

Do sizeable portions of families in Mclean/GF zoned for Langley go to private, similar to Whitman?

There are a number of Langley neighborhoods where half the kids or more go to privates. Over the years they have expanded Langley’s boundaries several times to prop up the school.

Public school is for the house poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kids at public schools learn the same thing - doesn't matter which school you go to. Private is the only rational choice. If you send to Langley might as well send to Justice or Oakton

This is an odd take. Justice has an IB program, Langley offers APs, Madison has a Career and Technical Education program. Outside of the fact that students choose their own schedules, therefore are on individualized paths, the offerings are not all the same.

I have kids in private and at Langley. It's a very strong school and talented students have endless opportunities. My private school kids went because of covid and they want to stay or they'd still be in the Langley pyramid too.

The curriculum is still the same though, regardless of where you go. Also some kids from other schools go to other schools that offer certain programs, so they equalize even more.

Putting forth kids being allowed to move between schools to follow their individual interests as if it’s a negative is a strange take, but your “the curriculum is the same” comment in regards to schools with hundreds of courses to choose from is a complaint I’m not following.

ALL schools in Fairfax County are run by the county, which elects a superintendent and a school board that approves the material that will or will not be taught during the school year. Therefore, the material taught in AP US History at Falls Church HS and Langley HS will be the exact same. Yes, there are schools that offer IB and thus may have a slightly different schedule than schools that offer AP, but when you compare two schools that both offer AP, the courses will the be exact same.

Don’t some schools offer more AP choices and varied foreign language choices?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kids at public schools learn the same thing - doesn't matter which school you go to. Private is the only rational choice. If you send to Langley might as well send to Justice or Oakton

This is an odd take. Justice has an IB program, Langley offers APs, Madison has a Career and Technical Education program. Outside of the fact that students choose their own schedules, therefore are on individualized paths, the offerings are not all the same.

I have kids in private and at Langley. It's a very strong school and talented students have endless opportunities. My private school kids went because of covid and they want to stay or they'd still be in the Langley pyramid too.

The curriculum is still the same though, regardless of where you go. Also some kids from other schools go to other schools that offer certain programs, so they equalize even more.

Putting forth kids being allowed to move between schools to follow their individual interests as if it’s a negative is a strange take, but your “the curriculum is the same” comment in regards to schools with hundreds of courses to choose from is a complaint I’m not following.

ALL schools in Fairfax County are run by the county, which elects a superintendent and a school board that approves the material that will or will not be taught during the school year. Therefore, the material taught in AP US History at Falls Church HS and Langley HS will be the exact same. Yes, there are schools that offer IB and thus may have a slightly different schedule than schools that offer AP, but when you compare two schools that both offer AP, the courses will the be exact same.

Don’t some schools offer more AP choices and varied foreign language choices?

Yes, it’s one of the most commonly used loopholes for the underserved. Many students from terrible schools in Herndon/Falls Church/Fairfax take languages like Japanese so they can go to Langley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kids at public schools learn the same thing - doesn't matter which school you go to. Private is the only rational choice. If you send to Langley might as well send to Justice or Oakton

This is an odd take. Justice has an IB program, Langley offers APs, Madison has a Career and Technical Education program. Outside of the fact that students choose their own schedules, therefore are on individualized paths, the offerings are not all the same.

I have kids in private and at Langley. It's a very strong school and talented students have endless opportunities. My private school kids went because of covid and they want to stay or they'd still be in the Langley pyramid too.

The curriculum is still the same though, regardless of where you go. Also some kids from other schools go to other schools that offer certain programs, so they equalize even more.

Putting forth kids being allowed to move between schools to follow their individual interests as if it’s a negative is a strange take, but your “the curriculum is the same” comment in regards to schools with hundreds of courses to choose from is a complaint I’m not following.

ALL schools in Fairfax County are run by the county, which elects a superintendent and a school board that approves the material that will or will not be taught during the school year. Therefore, the material taught in AP US History at Falls Church HS and Langley HS will be the exact same. Yes, there are schools that offer IB and thus may have a slightly different schedule than schools that offer AP, but when you compare two schools that both offer AP, the courses will the be exact same.

Don’t some schools offer more AP choices and varied foreign language choices?

Yes, it’s one of the most commonly used loopholes for the underserved. Many students from terrible schools in Herndon/Falls Church/Fairfax take languages like Japanese so they can go to Langley.

Falls Church HS offers Japanese so no one from Falls Church is transferring to Langley to take Japanese.

There aren't a ton of kids transferring into Langley, but it's one of the few "top" schools that's under-enrolled, so it gets some transfers. Top five schools sending kids to Langley this past year were South Lakes (26), Herndon (20), Marshall (18), Westfield (17), and McLean (15). Two of those schools (South Lakes and Marshall) are IB schools, so you can transfer for AP. The kids transferring from Herndon, Westfield, and McLean likely transfer to take a language offered at Langley that isn't offered at those schools.