VA Middle and high school selection and rent/buy choice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem you'll have if you make decisions based on getting your kids into UVA or VA Tech is that no one knows what criteria they will be using in 7-10 years. DD's private school friends seemed to have a much easier time getting into UVA this past cycle. Maybe they liked private school this year. Maybe they'll prefer kids from rural areas the year your kids apply. Maybe they'll favor artistic kids, or kids who were really involved with community service. Who know how GPA and SAT scores will count (or not) in 7-10 years.
My point is, you're looking for which school gives your kid the best chance and that's not even a valid question to ask. There's no correct answer.

Big universities don't say to themselves, "hey let's take more private school kids this year" or "how about we have a class that's primarily rural kids this year." Your DD's private school friends had better qualifications and essays, simple as that.

[Anonymous]

Thank you. OP again. I thought the same but McLean high area has 30-40% price increase in the last two years. I can not make any upgrade house wise if buying there. I am also concerned about my son not being able to make to AAP in Fairfax. Is it worthy to paying all the “premiums” to be in McLean to be non-AAP students? I have more confidence in my daughter making to AAP starting 3rd grade next year.
Regarding Marshall high, is it much better than WL? Do we have data how much UVA admission for Marshall and McLean?

[Anonymous]

May I ask why not tossing school names to kids? They will rebel?

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read you want your kids to go to UVA or VT. good luck! those are fast becoming lottery schools! Please don't mention those names in front of your kids. Get them the best education possible that you can and see where life leads them. Don't toss names in front of them. Good luck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. OP again. I thought the same but McLean high area has 30-40% price increase in the last two years. I can not make any upgrade house wise if buying there. I am also concerned about my son not being able to make to AAP in Fairfax. Is it worthy to paying all the “premiums” to be in McLean to be non-AAP students? I have more confidence in my daughter making to AAP starting 3rd grade next year.
Regarding Marshall high, is it much better than WL? Do we have data how much UVA admission for Marshall and McLean?

Marshall and W-L both have the IB program. Can’t say one is better than the other. W-L will end up a lot bigger in a few years given the school’s recent expansion. One difference is W-L offers both IB and AP classes but Marshall is only IB.

McLean always has more kids going to UVA than Marshall but it’s a wealthier school so maybe the same kid’s odds of getting into UVA would be the same coming from each school.

Personally prefer AP to IB as it’s more flexible and AP schools offer more courses and don’t have specific two-year sequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read you want your kids to go to UVA or VT. good luck! those are fast becoming lottery schools! Please don't mention those names in front of your kids. Get them the best education possible that you can and see where life leads them. Don't toss names in front of them. Good luck

+1

Same sentiment here. Signed, mom of recent admits

[Anonymous]

op again. Let us say if a kid is top 70 in WL, likely he can get in UVA, assuming 20 goes to IVY league and other prestigious universities, and 50 goes to UVA. The same kid if in McLean high, can not even be top 70 because it is more competitive there, and let us say he is top 100, assuming 30 goes to IVY league and 65 goes to UVA, this same kid may not even get into UVA. I don’t know how off is my numbers and I want to see which high school gives us better chance.

I am wondering if and where I should post in any other topics in addition to the Real Estate. Thanks a lot, have a good evening whoever is reading and responding.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. OP again. I thought the same but McLean high area has 30-40% price increase in the last two years. I can not make any upgrade house wise if buying there. I am also concerned about my son not being able to make to AAP in Fairfax. Is it worthy to paying all the “premiums” to be in McLean to be non-AAP students? I have more confidence in my daughter making to AAP starting 3rd grade next year.
Regarding Marshall high, is it much better than WL? Do we have data how much UVA admission for Marshall and McLean?

Marshall and W-L both have the IB program. Can’t say one is better than the other. W-L will end up a lot bigger in a few years given the school’s recent expansion. One difference is W-L offers both IB and AP classes but Marshall is only IB.

McLean always has more kids going to UVA than Marshall but it’s a wealthier school so maybe the same kid’s odds of getting into UVA would be the same coming from each school.

Personally prefer AP to IB as it’s more flexible and AP schools offer more courses and don’t have specific two-year sequences.

[Anonymous]

You already live in a desirable school pyramid and Swanson is traditionally very highly regarded with a close-knit community of neighborhood families. I would not be scared off by today’s news story of disrespectful kids bothering shoppers in Westover. I doubt Swanson parents will let that continue.

If you find a larger house you like nearby that should be a good move. Alternatively Falls Church City and nearby Fairfax County have good school pyramids from ES through HS as others here have mentioned: Langley, McLean, Marshall, Madison, Yorktown, Meridian high schools, etc. Further out Oakton and South Lakes high schools are also well regarded.

[Anonymous]

Just in case people want to read about the fine students at W-L, here's the story:

https://www.arlnow.com/2023/10/31/the-italian-store-in-westover-discontinues-meal-deal-for-swanson-students-after-alleged-egging-of-customers-employees/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just in case people want to read about the fine students at W-L, here's the story:

https://www.arlnow.com/2023/10/31/the-italian-store-in-westover-discontinues-meal-deal-for-swanson-students-after-alleged-egging-of-customers-employees/

That’s a shame. And what a way to kick a gift horse in the mouth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just in case people want to read about the fine students at W-L, here's the story:

https://www.arlnow.com/2023/10/31/the-italian-store-in-westover-discontinues-meal-deal-for-swanson-students-after-alleged-egging-of-customers-employees/

They could be future Yorktown students too. Anyways, these are likely spoiled kids up to no good. Very upsetting for sure, but this won’t last and the kids will be disciplined.

[Anonymous]

I personally think you are splitting hairs here.

Any bright child with involved parents will do well at any of these schools and be competitive for UVA or VT. Doesn't mean they will automatically get in but they'll be competitive.

This whole post is really emblematic of the stereotype of striver culture here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally think you are splitting hairs here.

Any bright child with involved parents will do well at any of these schools and be competitive for UVA or VT. Doesn't mean they will automatically get in but they'll be competitive.

This whole post is really emblematic of the stereotype of striver culture here.

This line usually gets trotted out when someone might be considering an alternative to a generally MC/UMC school like W-L. You’d likely have no issue steering them away from Wakefield or its equivalents in Fairfax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think you are splitting hairs here.

Any bright child with involved parents will do well at any of these schools and be competitive for UVA or VT. Doesn't mean they will automatically get in but they'll be competitive.

This whole post is really emblematic of the stereotype of striver culture here.

This line usually gets trotted out when someone might be considering an alternative to a generally MC/UMC school like W-L. You’d likely have no issue steering them away from Wakefield or its equivalents in Fairfax.

I don't know what Wakefield or its equivalents in Fairfax are so I'm not trotting out whatever line you think I am. My point is that there's very little measurable difference in all of these schools for the type of kids whose parents are posting here. It's very worth it to consider IB vs. AP or if you think your kid would have a shot at TJ, but regular, above average kids like the kids in APS and FCPS will do well in any of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read you want your kids to go to UVA or VT. good luck! those are fast becoming lottery schools! Please don't mention those names in front of your kids. Get them the best education possible that you can and see where life leads them. Don't toss names in front of them. Good luck

I can't mention my alma mater to my kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem you'll have if you make decisions based on getting your kids into UVA or VA Tech is that no one knows what criteria they will be using in 7-10 years. DD's private school friends seemed to have a much easier time getting into UVA this past cycle. Maybe they liked private school this year. Maybe they'll prefer kids from rural areas the year your kids apply. Maybe they'll favor artistic kids, or kids who were really involved with community service. Who know how GPA and SAT scores will count (or not) in 7-10 years.
My point is, you're looking for which school gives your kid the best chance and that's not even a valid question to ask. There's no correct answer.

Big universities don't say to themselves, "hey let's take more private school kids this year" or "how about we have a class that's primarily rural kids this year." Your DD's private school friends had better qualifications and essays, simple as that.

DP. As someone who went to private school and has a close friend who worked in admissions at an Ivy for many years this isn’t wholly accurate. Many elite private schools do not externally rank so it has the effect of getting more kids who are smart but aren’t necessarily tippy top of the class in. Many colleges also have stronger connections with individual private schools and do things like host alumni interviews on campus AND may have specific schools that have their own person in admissions assigned. So for example I know that a few years ago at my university there was one person in charge of one entire state in the Midwest and Choate. Finally, many private school kids have college consultants who may help “edit” essays etc. so better essays probably but many of the kids who get in from private schools don’t have better qualifications that public school kids who did not.

UVA or any state school doesn’t want the entire school to be made up of people from northern Virginia only so of course it would be easier for students in rural VA to get in when fewer kids from that region apply.