TC Williams: what does a family new to Alexandria need to know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are moving to Alexandria and my DC will spend 8th at a local private, but then likely go to TC. TC parents, what, if anything, should we be thinking abut or doing to increase the likelihood that DC will have a good transition to TC? I have heard people talk about things like the STEM academy. Are there programs we need to get DC signed up for in advance?

DC is a strong but not stellar student: generally gets B+ to A grades in academic subjects at a reasonably demanding private. Love the arts; enjoys sports but is not super athletic. Incredibly quick and creative but has never been a strong standardized test taker. Very strong writer.

Any advice welcomed.

They send a solid amount of graduates to UVA and VT. Also, if you compare non-farm kids test scores with other non-farm kids test scores in arlington, you'll see a small difference.

[Anonymous]

What you need to know: everyone on this board will tell you that you need to go private, move to the suburbs, or find another alternative to TC even though the school is fine and better than what you'll find in most of the country. Same can be said about the middle schools and elementary schools too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current TC parent here. "Yale or Jail" is a myth. TC's size is a help and not a hindrance - every elective, every team, every co-curricular, every club, every special program under one roof. And the size means that there is basically somebody for everybody at TC. TC is a busy place, but a kid with his/her head on right and an accommodating home environment can do well. I'm a demanding parent, ivy, lawyer, not from Alexandria, etc., and I think a goodly amount of the complaining about TC that I see on this board really isn't accurate or fair.

-- Contact TC now and procure the course catalog. There's a posted e-version as well but a bit cumbersome. Please, ASAP, go through the course offerings and programs with DC.

-- Collect all of DC's recent school records if you are going to try for a special program.

-- Find out, now, who DC's counselor will be, and reach out to the TC front office. Can be helpful in breaking occasional log-jams with class scheduling.

ACPS is just a contentious community. There's a disuniform quality of teaching (but that's everywhere), and the school has been through multiple principals in just a few years. The school board, which is much more of a direct-management body than other school boards in the area, is just a terrible embarrassment - totally unqualified, unrealistic, not candid. There are problems, and real ones. But the problems that you might observe that specifically affect TC are relatively few, they can usually be mitigated or fully solved. A capable student with an engaged parent can do very well, other parents are engaged and the overall TC family community is intelligent and supportive. Many of the fac and admin are genuinely good or even excellent. Some of the co-curriculars are spectacular.

Good luck. Don't assume a disaster and don't believe over-generalized condemnation. As a TC parent, you'll have to be active and alert, but not much more than you would have to be elsewhere. The experience is valuable and we truly believe that our DD benefits from being at TC.

+1. Key for OP is to ignore the nonsense that some who moved from Alexandria to Arlington repeatedly post to make themselves better about moving to uglier neighborhoods full of boring people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

And less fights in the halls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

And less fights in the halls.

Fewer fights. Are you a Wakefield grad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

And less fights in the halls.

Fewer fights. Are you a Wakefield grad?

Nope. Also not a pretentious jackass trying to pretend TC is something it isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

And less fights in the halls.

Fewer fights. Are you a Wakefield grad?

Nope. Also not a pretentious jackass trying to pretend TC is something it isn't.

NP here with no dog in this fight, but you come across as the pretentious one. TC Williams has plenty to offer motivated students, and Wakefield has some of the lowest test scores in NoVa. PP's post was good for a laugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

And less fights in the halls.

Fewer fights. Are you a Wakefield grad?

Nope. Also not a pretentious jackass trying to pretend TC is something it isn't.

NP here with no dog in this fight, but you come across as the pretentious one. TC Williams has plenty to offer motivated students, and Wakefield has some of the lowest test scores in NoVa. PP's post was good for a laugh.

I wonder if they will be able to scrape the crew sticker off their car?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are moving to Alexandria and my DC will spend 8th at a local private, but then likely go to TC. TC parents, what, if anything, should we be thinking abut or doing to increase the likelihood that DC will have a good transition to TC? I have heard people talk about things like the STEM academy. Are there programs we need to get DC signed up for in advance?

DC is a strong but not stellar student: generally gets B+ to A grades in academic subjects at a reasonably demanding private. Love the arts; enjoys sports but is not super athletic. Incredibly quick and creative but has never been a strong standardized test taker. Very strong writer.

Any advice welcomed.

- 9th grade is actually in a separate building - Minnie Howard Campus - that is within walking distance to TC. Unfortunately, it is overcrowded as well. They are hopefully improving the building at some point.

- It's a very big school in terms of number of students but the building itself is too small now. It's over 3K students. We will select private based on this as my child doesn't like big and prefers small. OTOH plenty of kids love big.

- STEM Academy was created to appeal to students who were at risk of dropping out and for lower income students. The only barrier to entry to the program is space. So students apply but no student is actually turned away for poor grades, etc despite the appearance on the application that could happen. They changed the program this year and instead of having cohorts of students that meet together in special STEM classes, they did away with the cohort classes.

- Honors and AP classes are open to anyone. Again, no barrier to entry and they rarely remove under performing students. T

- The spring musical was "Dream Girls". Despite having good diversity stats, the cast was overwhelmingly white.

[Anonymous]

My husband grew up in the area - when we had our child, and were looking in buy in Nova he had one rule ANYWHERE but TC.

If you are planning to stay in the area, I think you've received good advice - I'd reach out to people who actually go to the school. Most posters probably don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

And less fights in the halls.

Fewer fights. Are you a Wakefield grad?

Nope. Also not a pretentious jackass trying to pretend TC is something it isn't.

NP here with no dog in this fight, but you come across as the pretentious one. TC Williams has plenty to offer motivated students, and Wakefield has some of the lowest test scores in NoVa. PP's post was good for a laugh.

I wonder if they will be able to scrape the crew sticker off their car?

Is there something wrong with rowing crew? Is basketball considered the only acceptable sport at Wakefield?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

And less fights in the halls.

Fewer fights. Are you a Wakefield grad?

Nope. Also not a pretentious jackass trying to pretend TC is something it isn't.

Call me pretentious, if that makes you feel better, but answer me this: why would anyone give your opinion any weight when you demonstrate clearly through your writing that you received a shitty education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move to Wakefield.

Why? Wakefield has a much smaller number of bright kids than TC.

And less fights in the halls.

Fewer fights. Are you a Wakefield grad?

Nope. Also not a pretentious jackass trying to pretend TC is something it isn't.

Call me pretentious, if that makes you feel better, but answer me this: why would anyone give your opinion any weight when you demonstrate clearly through your writing that you received a shitty education?

Perhaps... but my shitty education has gotten me far. My kids won't be subjected to TC.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We don't want to send our kids to a private HS. We value the diversity at TC. Please, really not interested in having anyone fight about TC versus somewhere else, public or private. Saying "go somewhere else" is not responsive. Assume TC. Given TC, looking for tips, insights and strategies, programs to seek out or avoid, etc.