Madison HS or the IB program at Marshall HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the lists and counted the "top tier" maybe I missed some:
Madison-- Dartmouth, McGill, Duke, West Point, 20 UVA, 9 W&M
Marshall: Wake Forest, Yale 1.5, Georgetown 2, George Washington, Berkeley, Barnard. UVA 15, W&M 6

Seems like Marshall slightly better with elite privates, Madison slightly better with Va state schools (did not count them all, just UVA and W&M)

You left out foreign universities at Marshall: University of St. Andrews (Scotland), International Christian University (Japan), University of Canberra, Yale-NUS Singapore.

Also, comparing numbers makes little sense here - as was pointed out multiple times, Madison's numbers are accepts, Marshall's are attends.

Does it really matter to try and split the atom here over the few Ivies and many good state schools? Isn't it obvious by now that a given kid will do the same at Marshall and Madison?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm not talking about the institution, but the material studied. Who cares if IBO is based in Europe or the College Board is a U.S. institution -- the important thing and the relevant part for students here is what is actually being studied. You sound a little US-centric for a globalized world.

And you sound as if you're only capable of speaking in platitudes, served up by the IBO, about becoming a "global citizen." If you want to focus on content, you'll learn at least as much in AP World History as a typical IB course, except that there might not be as much focus on Fidel Castro.

Shen me?

Huh? Seems like you're the one fixated on IBO and platitudes, though your Castro comment offers some clues on where your fear comes from. Sounds like you need to get out in the world a bit more.

And I'm sure a World History AP course offers a lot as well. I'm not the one pooh-poohing AP. Has it occurred to you that both programs could be good?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the lists and counted the "top tier" maybe I missed some:
Madison-- Dartmouth, McGill, Duke, West Point, 20 UVA, 9 W&M
Marshall: Wake Forest, Yale 1.5, Georgetown 2, George Washington, Berkeley, Barnard. UVA 15, W&M 6

Seems like Marshall slightly better with elite privates, Madison slightly better with Va state schools (did not count them all, just UVA and W&M)

You left out foreign universities at Marshall: University of St. Andrews (Scotland), International Christian University (Japan), University of Canberra, Yale-NUS Singapore.

Also, comparing numbers makes little sense here - as was pointed out multiple times, Madison's numbers are accepts, Marshall's are attends.

Does it really matter to try and split the atom here over the few Ivies and many good state schools? Isn't it obvious by now that a given kid will do the same at Marshall and Madison?

Yes, but it's only obvious to those with half a brain which excludes lots of DCUM posters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the lists and counted the "top tier" maybe I missed some:
Madison-- Dartmouth, McGill, Duke, West Point, 20 UVA, 9 W&M
Marshall: Wake Forest, Yale 1.5, Georgetown 2, George Washington, Berkeley, Barnard. UVA 15, W&M 6

Seems like Marshall slightly better with elite privates, Madison slightly better with Va state schools (did not count them all, just UVA and W&M)

You left out foreign universities at Marshall: University of St. Andrews (Scotland), International Christian University (Japan), University of Canberra, Yale-NUS Singapore.

Do not really know how these universities rank, except McGill (the Harvard of Canada) gave a .5 to Yale in Singapore -- not sure what that is. Sorry!

[Anonymous]

You can look them up in the World University Rankings. University of St. Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland.

I would also put up there the London School of Economics and Sciences - Po in Paris.

[Anonymous]

Note: It is Sciences Po - not London School of Economics and Sciences. It just looked kind of strange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the lists and counted the "top tier" maybe I missed some:
Madison-- Dartmouth, McGill, Duke, West Point, 20 UVA, 9 W&M
Marshall: Wake Forest, Yale 1.5, Georgetown 2, George Washington, Berkeley, Barnard. UVA 15, W&M 6

Seems like Marshall slightly better with elite privates, Madison slightly better with Va state schools (did not count them all, just UVA and W&M)

You left out foreign universities at Marshall: University of St. Andrews (Scotland), International Christian University (Japan), University of Canberra, Yale-NUS Singapore.

Also, comparing numbers makes little sense here - as was pointed out multiple times, Madison's numbers are accepts, Marshall's are attends.

Does it really matter to try and split the atom here over the few Ivies and many good state schools? Isn't it obvious by now that a given kid will do the same at Marshall and Madison?

Yes, but it's only obvious to those with half a brain which excludes lots of DCUM posters.

Agreed. This is a pretty silly thread. I'd be thrilled to live in bounds for either.

[Anonymous]

The University of St Andrews is one of the top 100 in the world, according to a new international league table published today (Tuesday 10 September 2013)

[Anonymous]

I'd stay in the Madison HS district. Great school.

[Anonymous]

I would attend St. Andrews...great golf team and not a bad course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the lists and counted the "top tier" maybe I missed some:
Madison-- Dartmouth, McGill, Duke, West Point, 20 UVA, 9 W&M
Marshall: Wake Forest, Yale 1.5, Georgetown 2, George Washington, Berkeley, Barnard. UVA 15, W&M 6

Seems like Marshall slightly better with elite privates, Madison slightly better with Va state schools (did not count them all, just UVA and W&M)

You left out foreign universities at Marshall: University of St. Andrews (Scotland), International Christian University (Japan), University of Canberra, Yale-NUS Singapore.

Also, comparing numbers makes little sense here - as was pointed out multiple times, Madison's numbers are accepts, Marshall's are attends.

Does it really matter to try and split the atom here over the few Ivies and many good state schools? Isn't it obvious by now that a given kid will do the same at Marshall and Madison?

Yes, but it's only obvious to those with half a brain which excludes lots of DCUM posters.

Agreed. This is a pretty silly thread. I'd be thrilled to live in bounds for either.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've read through the articles and comments above and there seems to be a lot of emphasis on whether or not your DC gets college credit for AP vs. IB. Who cares? What I want is a rigorous program that prepares to succeed in college. The independent research project alone was a big draw for us to the IB program. I have a friend who is a college professor who cannot believe students are graduating from well regarded high schools without having ever written a full length term paper.

In my senior year in high school all seniors were required to write a cross disciplinary paper across three classes - one of which has to be English as 1/3 of the grade was to be on the actual writing while the other subject matter teachers would cover the substance. I did not come across another similar assignment until graduate school.

I agree with you. It seems as though the argument on this board in favor of AP is that their "math and science kid" will do better in AP (meaning they aren't good at writing, and have no interest in furthering their skills), or that AP classes get more college credit.
FCPS is weak in teaching writing. I have a 4th grader at an independent school in DC who has already learned more about the mechanics of writing, and can literally write a better essay than my AAP center 8th grader. The work was just never given to allow my older child to improve writing skills.

If you are concerned that ib is weak in math and science(which is unfounded), Marshall is opening a full scale stem governors academy next year with guaranteed college credit.

One of the primary goals of the STEM academy is reducing the dropout rate at Marshall, more so than addressing weaknesses in the math/science IB curriculum.

If you look at the doe sol scores marshall has a very good graduation rate, almost the same as Madison , so your assumption is incorrect.

[Anonymous]

I think both schools are excellent and your kid will thrive and learn at both schools. Personally I would pick which ever school feeds into the neighborhood that makes the most sense for your commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think both schools are excellent and your kid will thrive and learn at both schools. Personally I would pick which ever school feeds into the neighborhood that makes the most sense for your commute.

OP is already in the more desirable Madison district.

[Anonymous]

Until FCPS is prepared to cut back on wasteful, under-utilized programs like IB, its claims of budget woes aren't going to get much sympathy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/fairfax-schools-funding-an-annual-battle-with-county-board/2013/11/25/50082c52-4324-11e3-a624-41d661b0bb78_story_1.html

FCPS could be paying for more teachers and classrooms instead of IB coordinators at schools where few students bother to get IB diplomas.