RM versus Wooton

[Anonymous]

When picking a school for education you may want to pay close attention to this line as well "Percent of Students Meeting University System of Maryland Entrance Requirements". Again for our family Wootton gave us everything... premium education and the diversity we needed.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Perhaps, but the W's also have a history of racially motivated hate incidents that recur regularly.

Can you please describe further? We aren't white and this is something we think about. -OP

NP here - we are not white from a biracial family and attend Wootton. I have family at RM and they are happy there as well. We chose Wootton because we wanted strong academics without the super wealth that happens at Churchill and Whitman. Can you get that at RM? Absolutely. For us we believed that from elementary to high school Wootton was the stronger cluster to be in so that is what we did. You get plenty of diversity both racially and socio economically at Wootton just like at RM. You also still see fights, drugs and vaping just like you do at RM. Again for us we decided Wootton was the better of the two options. Both give you the "real world".

wootton is only "plenty" diverse if you compare it to Whitman. In MCPS, neither schools are considered "diverse", either racially or SES. Just look at their stats compared to RM, QO, and county as a whole.

what's so f'king big deal about diversity? isn't your kid's learning more important? MoCo is one of the most diverse county in the country already. we cannot and should not trade good education with diversity crap. education should always come first.

1. I was responding to the ^^PPs point about diversity
2. Some people do care about diversity. Not all of us are white. Some people don't feel comfortable being one of only a handful of kids of a particular background. My nieces have gone through that. I would never do that to my kids.
3. Learning is important, but so is the social/emotional aspects of the learning environment. Kids spend six hours at school, and after school activities. Most of their friends are from school. Feeling included is important.
When I was in HS I did really well academically but not socially, and I was miserable. I don't want that for my kids.

My kids are at RM, and they like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When picking a school for education you may want to pay close attention to this line as well "Percent of Students Meeting University System of Maryland Entrance Requirements". Again for our family Wootton gave us everything... premium education and the diversity we needed.

which means "not much."

Honestly, Wootton is fine (have friends with kids there), but the school is falling apart and has mold issues. My friends complain about the state of the building.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Perhaps, but the W's also have a history of racially motivated hate incidents that recur regularly.

Can you please describe further? We aren't white and this is something we think about. -OP

NP here - we are not white from a biracial family and attend Wootton. I have family at RM and they are happy there as well. We chose Wootton because we wanted strong academics without the super wealth that happens at Churchill and Whitman. Can you get that at RM? Absolutely. For us we believed that from elementary to high school Wootton was the stronger cluster to be in so that is what we did. You get plenty of diversity both racially and socio economically at Wootton just like at RM. You also still see fights, drugs and vaping just like you do at RM. Again for us we decided Wootton was the better of the two options. Both give you the "real world".

wootton is only "plenty" diverse if you compare it to Whitman. In MCPS, neither schools are considered "diverse", either racially or SES. Just look at their stats compared to RM, QO, and county as a whole.

what's so f'king big deal about diversity? isn't your kid's learning more important? MoCo is one of the most diverse county in the country already. we cannot and should not trade good education with diversity crap. education should always come first.

1. I was responding to the ^^PPs point about diversity
2. Some people do care about diversity. Not all of us are white. Some people don't feel comfortable being one of only a handful of kids of a particular background. My nieces have gone through that. I would never do that to my kids.
3. Learning is important, but so is the social/emotional aspects of the learning environment. Kids spend six hours at school, and after school activities. Most of their friends are from school. Feeling included is important.
When I was in HS I did really well academically but not socially, and I was miserable. I don't want that for my kids.

My kids are at RM, and they like it.

No one is saying diversity is not important. My point is this entire area is already diverse enough. People tend to use diversity as an excuse to cover-up broken system. Gang issues? Well, but see how diverse we are. Low performance? Don't worry because we have one of the most diverse school systems...etc. I am glad you like RM. More power to you. But don't say RM is "better" because it's more diverse than other schools. I am not white either and I certainly do appreciate how it feels to be different. But, at the end of the day, kids need to learn.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Nope... non IB students can take IB classes. Wootton probably offers more AP because they don't have IB as an option for even non IB kids.

People are throwing "facts" out there without even knowing the truth (to coin Kelley Ann Conway).

Although there are some minor differences, all MCPS HS offer many AP or IB courses. The same kid can get a great education at any of these schools.

Stunningly naive view. Why do you think we have an achievement gap issue? County already offers the same courses, if I were to follow your logic.

You have the stunningly naive view. Why do I think we have an achievement gap issue? Because I believe all learning/education begins at home. Teachers can only do so much with what they are given. If they are given children whose home lives don't value education, they won't be able to do as much with them as those teachers who are given children whose home lives do value education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Nope... non IB students can take IB classes. Wootton probably offers more AP because they don't have IB as an option for even non IB kids.

People are throwing "facts" out there without even knowing the truth (to coin Kelley Ann Conway).

Although there are some minor differences, all MCPS HS offer many AP or IB courses. The same kid can get a great education at any of these schools.

Stunningly naive view. Why do you think we have an achievement gap issue? County already offers the same courses, if I were to follow your logic.

You have the stunningly naive view. Why do I think we have an achievement gap issue? Because I believe all learning/education begins at home. Teachers can only do so much with what they are given. If they are given children whose home lives don't value education, they won't be able to do as much with them as those teachers who are given children whose home lives do value education.

So you would recommend Wootton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When picking a school for education you may want to pay close attention to this line as well "Percent of Students Meeting University System of Maryland Entrance Requirements". Again for our family Wootton gave us everything... premium education and the diversity we needed.

which means "not much."

Honestly, Wootton is fine (have friends with kids there), but the school is falling apart and has mold issues. My friends complain about the state of the building.

My kids are biracial and get plenty of diversity throughout their life. Through family, sports etc. When choosing a school for education you put academics first. My kids fit in anywhere and have friends from all walks of life. You can get that at both RM and Wootton but the educational stats are what they are. Take them as you wish.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Perhaps, but the W's also have a history of racially motivated hate incidents that recur regularly.

Can you please describe further? We aren't white and this is something we think about. -OP

NP here - we are not white from a biracial family and attend Wootton. I have family at RM and they are happy there as well. We chose Wootton because we wanted strong academics without the super wealth that happens at Churchill and Whitman. Can you get that at RM? Absolutely. For us we believed that from elementary to high school Wootton was the stronger cluster to be in so that is what we did. You get plenty of diversity both racially and socio economically at Wootton just like at RM. You also still see fights, drugs and vaping just like you do at RM. Again for us we decided Wootton was the better of the two options. Both give you the "real world".

wootton is only "plenty" diverse if you compare it to Whitman. In MCPS, neither schools are considered "diverse", either racially or SES. Just look at their stats compared to RM, QO, and county as a whole.

what's so f'king big deal about diversity? isn't your kid's learning more important? MoCo is one of the most diverse county in the country already. we cannot and should not trade good education with diversity crap. education should always come first.

1. I was responding to the ^^PPs point about diversity
2. Some people do care about diversity. Not all of us are white. Some people don't feel comfortable being one of only a handful of kids of a particular background. My nieces have gone through that. I would never do that to my kids.
3. Learning is important, but so is the social/emotional aspects of the learning environment. Kids spend six hours at school, and after school activities. Most of their friends are from school. Feeling included is important.
When I was in HS I did really well academically but not socially, and I was miserable. I don't want that for my kids.

My kids are at RM, and they like it.

No one is saying diversity is not important. My point is this entire area is already diverse enough. People tend to use diversity as an excuse to cover-up broken system. Gang issues? Well, but see how diverse we are. Low performance? Don't worry because we have one of the most diverse school systems...etc. I am glad you like RM. More power to you. But don't say RM is "better" because it's more diverse than other schools. I am not white either and I certainly do appreciate how it feels to be different. But, at the end of the day, kids need to learn.

1) There have been 0 gang incidents at any MCPS school in over a decade.
2) Some schools aren't all that diverse compared to the county.
3) Test score averages are simply a reflection of a school's overall SES but every MCPS school has rigorous course offerings.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Nope... non IB students can take IB classes. Wootton probably offers more AP because they don't have IB as an option for even non IB kids.

People are throwing "facts" out there without even knowing the truth (to coin Kelley Ann Conway).

Although there are some minor differences, all MCPS HS offer many AP or IB courses. The same kid can get a great education at any of these schools.

Stunningly naive view. Why do you think we have an achievement gap issue? County already offers the same courses, if I were to follow your logic.

You have the stunningly naive view. Why do I think we have an achievement gap issue? Because I believe all learning/education begins at home. Teachers can only do so much with what they are given. If they are given children whose home lives don't value education, they won't be able to do as much with them as those teachers who are given children whose home lives do value education.

In that sense, the schools don't matter that much. Or not as much as we all think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Nope... non IB students can take IB classes. Wootton probably offers more AP because they don't have IB as an option for even non IB kids.

People are throwing "facts" out there without even knowing the truth (to coin Kelley Ann Conway).

Although there are some minor differences, all MCPS HS offer many AP or IB courses. The same kid can get a great education at any of these schools.

Stunningly naive view. Why do you think we have an achievement gap issue? County already offers the same courses, if I were to follow your logic.

You have the stunningly naive view. Why do I think we have an achievement gap issue? Because I believe all learning/education begins at home. Teachers can only do so much with what they are given. If they are given children whose home lives don't value education, they won't be able to do as much with them as those teachers who are given children whose home lives do value education.

So you would recommend Wootton?

Wootton is a strong school overall, but there is low SES diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Nope... non IB students can take IB classes. Wootton probably offers more AP because they don't have IB as an option for even non IB kids.

People are throwing "facts" out there without even knowing the truth (to coin Kelley Ann Conway).

Although there are some minor differences, all MCPS HS offer many AP or IB courses. The same kid can get a great education at any of these schools.

Stunningly naive view. Why do you think we have an achievement gap issue? County already offers the same courses, if I were to follow your logic.

You have the stunningly naive view. Why do I think we have an achievement gap issue? Because I believe all learning/education begins at home. Teachers can only do so much with what they are given. If they are given children whose home lives don't value education, they won't be able to do as much with them as those teachers who are given children whose home lives do value education.

So you would recommend Wootton?

Wootton is a strong school overall, but there is low SES diversity.

Low in comparison to other schools but still a 15% farms rate....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Perhaps, but the W's also have a history of racially motivated hate incidents that recur regularly.

Can you please describe further? We aren't white and this is something we think about. -OP

NP here - we are not white from a biracial family and attend Wootton. I have family at RM and they are happy there as well. We chose Wootton because we wanted strong academics without the super wealth that happens at Churchill and Whitman. Can you get that at RM? Absolutely. For us we believed that from elementary to high school Wootton was the stronger cluster to be in so that is what we did. You get plenty of diversity both racially and socio economically at Wootton just like at RM. You also still see fights, drugs and vaping just like you do at RM. Again for us we decided Wootton was the better of the two options. Both give you the "real world".

wootton is only "plenty" diverse if you compare it to Whitman. In MCPS, neither schools are considered "diverse", either racially or SES. Just look at their stats compared to RM, QO, and county as a whole.

what's so f'king big deal about diversity? isn't your kid's learning more important? MoCo is one of the most diverse county in the country already. we cannot and should not trade good education with diversity crap. education should always come first.

1. I was responding to the ^^PPs point about diversity
2. Some people do care about diversity. Not all of us are white. Some people don't feel comfortable being one of only a handful of kids of a particular background. My nieces have gone through that. I would never do that to my kids.
3. Learning is important, but so is the social/emotional aspects of the learning environment. Kids spend six hours at school, and after school activities. Most of their friends are from school. Feeling included is important.
When I was in HS I did really well academically but not socially, and I was miserable. I don't want that for my kids.

My kids are at RM, and they like it.

No one is saying diversity is not important. My point is this entire area is already diverse enough. People tend to use diversity as an excuse to cover-up broken system. Gang issues? Well, but see how diverse we are. Low performance? Don't worry because we have one of the most diverse school systems...etc. I am glad you like RM. More power to you. But don't say RM is "better" because it's more diverse than other schools. I am not white either and I certainly do appreciate how it feels to be different. But, at the end of the day, kids need to learn.

Agree with this! I am not White and attended a white-majority school with very little diversity all through. Yea, it was tough, but I got a great public education.

I have a kid at RM and I agree that lots of listers are excusing the issues in the name of ‘better diversity’. That’s nuts.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Perhaps, but the W's also have a history of racially motivated hate incidents that recur regularly.

Can you please describe further? We aren't white and this is something we think about. -OP

In the past, I remember the N* word cards, or scandals involving kids in blackface as some of the more egregious examples, but more recently there was some antisemetic incident at one or more of them.

My kids attended a Jewish preschool and there were a rash of ‘anti-Semitic’ incidents and threats. Everyone was in high alert. When they caught the kid, it was a Jewish Israeli teen. The media didn’t really broadcast that.

So, I’ll take these ‘anti-Semitic’ incidents with a grain of salt until they find out who is behind them. Also, my kid is at RM and plenty of kids use the N word in a daily basis. Even some parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Nope... non IB students can take IB classes. Wootton probably offers more AP because they don't have IB as an option for even non IB kids.

People are throwing "facts" out there without even knowing the truth (to coin Kelley Ann Conway).

Although there are some minor differences, all MCPS HS offer many AP or IB courses. The same kid can get a great education at any of these schools.

Stunningly naive view. Why do you think we have an achievement gap issue? County already offers the same courses, if I were to follow your logic.

You have the stunningly naive view. Why do I think we have an achievement gap issue? Because I believe all learning/education begins at home. Teachers can only do so much with what they are given. If they are given children whose home lives don't value education, they won't be able to do as much with them as those teachers who are given children whose home lives do value education.

So you would recommend Wootton?

Wootton is a strong school overall, but there is low SES diversity.

Low in comparison to other schools but still a 15% farms rate....

The county's average is closer to 40%.

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Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page

? What does that have to do with anything? Trust me - I know white, UMC kids from RM who have gone on to UMD and other good schools. The non-IB kids ARE NOT all gang members.

Real-estate agents try to spin this to inflate housing prices, but of course, RM is the same as any other MCPS HS. The same kid will do as well as they would anyplace else. The differences aren't the school but the home life and parents.

Op here. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Lots to think about.

Good luck. Select wisely.

Yes, just read some of the stereotyping some anti-RM posters have of a diverse school. Too many of "those" kids.

That's the kind of folks your kids would be exposed to - people who stereotype an entire school and the families who go there based on what they hear about but probably have zero experience in.

No one said RM is perfect, but some anti-RM posters are seriously clueless about the student body at RM.

People are not anti-RM. What you are seeing is people pushing back on posts that make non-IB RM like it's something special. It's not. Non IB RM is no different than any other MCPS HS (except W schools and BCC). They are all pretty f'ed.

This is what I am reading also. Non-IB is nothing special.

No one said it was "special", just not the ganglandia that some are making it out to be.

True but Wootton test scores are the same if not better than RM with an IB department. An IB that takes the smartest kids from all over the county. Which shows you that scores without IB would probably be similar to schools like Rockville and QO. Not terrible, but I would prefer the Wootton area. I also think they are the least likely to get overhauled with the 2 new high schools being built and rezoned. Besides that Rio area, Wootton's neighborhoods are all petty much around the high school and far away from the other high schools. I feel like RM has a chance to move to Crown or Gaithersburg and I would be leery about buying in that area because of it.

The other perk is that Wootton projected growth is level for the next 6 years. RM projections are going up another 600 students over the next 6 years. So obviously that means redistricting or a ton more portables on what is a pretty new school.

If you have time and reasonable googling skills, you can estimate this. I have done it years ago (when SAT was based on 2400). It is not hard to calculate and it was not pretty.

? ok, how would you do this? You are making the assumption that the top scores are all for IB students, and I don't think that's true.

find out class size, number of kids who took SAT, avg SAT score, number of IB kids, IB avg SAT score (and assume of IB kids took the exam which is a reasonable assumption). after that it's just simple math

The issue with this is approach is there are 25% IB spots reserved for RM students, and more IB seats open up in 11/12 grade, excluding IB kids scores is like taking out all the top students from RM.

Yes, there are much better opportunities for an advanced learner at RM.

Only if you apply into IB. Wootton actually has more AP offerings than RM

Nope... non IB students can take IB classes. Wootton probably offers more AP because they don't have IB as an option for even non IB kids.

People are throwing "facts" out there without even knowing the truth (to coin Kelley Ann Conway).

Although there are some minor differences, all MCPS HS offer many AP or IB courses. The same kid can get a great education at any of these schools.

Stunningly naive view. Why do you think we have an achievement gap issue? County already offers the same courses, if I were to follow your logic.

You have the stunningly naive view. Why do I think we have an achievement gap issue? Because I believe all learning/education begins at home. Teachers can only do so much with what they are given. If they are given children whose home lives don't value education, they won't be able to do as much with them as those teachers who are given children whose home lives do value education.

So you would recommend Wootton?

Wootton is a strong school overall, but there is low SES diversity.

Low in comparison to other schools but still a 15% farms rate....

The county's average is closer to 40%.

SO WHAT?!?!