Bishop Ireton - Alexandria

[Anonymous]

Academically is BI more rigorous than T.C. Williams (if your kid takes the most challenging classes offered)?

[Anonymous]

In regards to academics, does BI, O'Connell, Paul, and JP the Great (I think those are all the Arlington Diocese HS) all compare equally?
(Not a question about facilities or athletics.)

[Anonymous]

Currently, TC Williams is considered on a scale of 2 out of 10 according to GreatSchools.com. I know the private schools are not rated on there, but I have DC in 10th grade at Ireton and happy. The Catholic values are definitely a factor in the school both academically and through other programs. BI accepts students coming from public schools, but having a well-rounded attitude will keep them there and thriving. Last year, a 9th grader coming from a public school system had some issues and was immediately expelled for disrespecting a teacher in front of other students. She told the teacher that they don't know what their talking about in a very rude manner. This was not moral behavior and they made an example of this student. Most public schools would let this slide as it is not a means for expelling a student from the public school system. I believe this student is now attending West Potomac High School - a 4 out of 10 school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academically is BI more rigorous than T.C. Williams (if your kid takes the most challenging classes offered)?

TC Williams certainly has its issues, but if your kid is a strong, motivated student who can take advantage of the advanced courses offered there, s/he will get a top-notch education. BI is not as academically rigorous.

[Anonymous]

I don't believe there are big differences academically. The issue comes down to the environment your child can thrive in. As long as the bigger enrollment at TC (3,594 at TC vs 800 at BI) and less emphasis on values (pressed on students at Ireton, not public schools), then that's what the decision should come down to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe there are big differences academically. The issue comes down to the environment your child can thrive in. As long as the bigger enrollment at TC (3,594 at TC vs 800 at BI) and less emphasis on values (pressed on students at Ireton, not public schools), then that's what the decision should come down to.

There definitely is a difference in the academic standards between the two.

For example, up until this Fall, students at TC received a 40% for homework even if they did not do any homework. At Ireton, if you don't do homework, you get a 0.

The grading scale at Ireton is a bit tougher as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe there are big differences academically. The issue comes down to the environment your child can thrive in. As long as the bigger enrollment at TC (3,594 at TC vs 800 at BI) and less emphasis on values (pressed on students at Ireton, not public schools), then that's what the decision should come down to.

There definitely is a difference in the academic standards between the two.

For example, up until this Fall, students at TC received a 40% for homework even if they did not do any homework. At Ireton, if you don't do homework, you get a 0.

The grading scale at Ireton is a bit tougher as well.

Yes, but the exmissiobs are not that impressive from bi, especially for only 200 seniors. I bet more students from tc get into more impressive colleges.

[Anonymous]

My son, a generally happy, smart and athletic kid, has not felt welcomed at all at Bishop Ireton and this had a really strong impact on his academic performance. We moved here and he did not attend any of the feeder schools and the kids already have their groups. Beyond this I think the academics are really not that strong. My son's workload and curriculum was much more rigorous in public school. Many of the teachers at BI have been there way too long. It has been a big disappointment for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Currently, TC Williams is considered on a scale of 2 out of 10 according to GreatSchools.com. I know the private schools are not rated on there, but I have DC in 10th grade at Ireton and happy. The Catholic values are definitely a factor in the school both academically and through other programs. BI accepts students coming from public schools, but having a well-rounded attitude will keep them there and thriving. Last year, a 9th grader coming from a public school system had some issues and was immediately expelled for disrespecting a teacher in front of other students. She told the teacher that they don't know what their talking about in a very rude manner. This was not moral behavior and they made an example of this student. Most public schools would let this slide as it is not a means for expelling a student from the public school system. I believe this student is now attending West Potomac High School - a 4 out of 10 school.

I don't normally comment these things but, PP, your writing and grammar are incredibly poor. Your post is certainly not an inducement to send one's child to BI if you, with your extremely poor writing skills, believe this is a good school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Currently, TC Williams is considered on a scale of 2 out of 10 according to GreatSchools.com. I know the private schools are not rated on there, but I have DC in 10th grade at Ireton and happy. The Catholic values are definitely a factor in the school both academically and through other programs. BI accepts students coming from public schools, but having a well-rounded attitude will keep them there and thriving. Last year, a 9th grader coming from a public school system had some issues and was immediately expelled for disrespecting a teacher in front of other students. She told the teacher that they don't know what their talking about in a very rude manner. This was not moral behavior and they made an example of this student. Most public schools would let this slide as it is not a means for expelling a student from the public school system. I believe this student is now attending West Potomac High School - a 4 out of 10 school.

I don't normally comment these things but, PP, your writing and grammar are incredibly poor. Your post is certainly not an inducement to send one's child to BI if you, with your extremely poor writing skills, believe this is a good school.

I bet you got beaten up frequently as a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Academically is BI more rigorous than T.C. Williams (if your kid takes the most challenging classes offered)?

TC Williams certainly has its issues, but if your kid is a strong, motivated student who can take advantage of the advanced courses offered there, s/he will get a top-notch education. BI is not as academically rigorous.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Academically is BI more rigorous than T.C. Williams (if your kid takes the most challenging classes offered)?

TC Williams certainly has its issues, but if your kid is a strong, motivated student who can take advantage of the advanced courses offered there, s/he will get a top-notch education. BI is not as academically rigorous.

This.

I'm just curious-do you have kids at both TC and BI? How do you know BI is not as rigorous? People bring this up anytime anyone mentions considering Catholic schools over a local public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Academically is BI more rigorous than T.C. Williams (if your kid takes the most challenging classes offered)?

TC Williams certainly has its issues, but if your kid is a strong, motivated student who can take advantage of the advanced courses offered there, s/he will get a top-notch education. BI is not as academically rigorous.

This.

I'm just curious-do you have kids at both TC and BI? How do you know BI is not as rigorous? People bring this up anytime anyone mentions considering Catholic schools over a local public.

Exactly. Don't comment and try to damage a school's academic reputation as "not rigorous" unless you have some direct experience. The (mostly) unfounded Catholic school bashing on this forum is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Was there even one ivy league school on their college matriculation list?

[Anonymous]

So the matriculation for BI: (pretty sure this is a better crop than T.C)

American University
Berklee College of Music
Boston College
Brown University
Carnegie Mellon University
The Catholic University of America
Christopher Newport University
Clemson University
College of Charleston
College of William and Mary
Columbia University
The Corcoran College of Art and Design
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Elon University
Fordham University
George Mason University
The George Washington University
Georgetown University
James Madison University
Johns Hopkins University
Lehigh University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Marquette University
New York University
Northwestern University
Pepperdine University
Princeton University
Radford University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Saint Joseph’s University
Savannah College of Art and Design
Sewanee: The University of the South
Stanford University
Syracuse University
Trinity College Dublin
United States Air Force Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Merchant Marine Academy
United States Military Academy
United States Naval Academy
University of Chicago
University of Maryland
University of Mary Washington
University of Notre Dame
The University of North Carolina
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
University of St. Andrews Scotland
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest University