Top 10 Schools in MoCo

[Anonymous]

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Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Whitman HS: 61%
Churchill HS: 56%
Wootton HS: 59%
Walter Johnson HS: 66%

Clarksburg HS: 69%
Northwest HS: 70%
Richard Montgomery HS: 68%
Northwood HS: 55%
Blair HS: 65%

The percentage of students taking APs is accurate data, students taking the SAT is not. A ton of students only take the ACT and some colleges are test-optional.

So you're saying that the percentage of students at Whitman (for example) who took the SAT is actually not 61%?

No. PP meant the percentage of kids taking the SAT isn’t a good proxy for the number of college bound kids, since lots of kids take the ACT and some go to test optional schools.

Test optional schools are the schools that accept everybody as long as they have the means to pay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Whitman HS: 61%
Churchill HS: 56%
Wootton HS: 59%
Walter Johnson HS: 66%

Clarksburg HS: 69%
Northwest HS: 70%
Richard Montgomery HS: 68%
Northwood HS: 55%
Blair HS: 65%

The percentage of students taking APs is accurate data, students taking the SAT is not. A ton of students only take the ACT and some colleges are test-optional.

So you're saying that the percentage of students at Whitman (for example) who took the SAT is actually not 61%?

No. PP meant the percentage of kids taking the SAT isn’t a good proxy for the number of college bound kids, since lots of kids take the ACT and some go to test optional schools.

Test optional schools are the schools that accept everybody as long as they have the means to pay?

If you consider the following schools to be in that category then sure:


Bates College
Bowdoin College
Bryn Mawr College
The George Washington University
Hofstra University
Pitzer College
Sarah Lawrence College
Smith College
University of Iowa
University of Texas at Austin
Wake Forest University
Wesleyan University

Hampshire College requests that students not send test scores.

Test flexible schools (aka schools that will accept IB, AP scores, etc. in lieu of the SAT/ACT):


Colby College
Colorado College
Hamilton College
Middlebury College
New York University (NYU)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Whitman HS: 61%
Churchill HS: 56%
Wootton HS: 59%
Walter Johnson HS: 66%

Clarksburg HS: 69%
Northwest HS: 70%
Richard Montgomery HS: 68%
Northwood HS: 55%
Blair HS: 65%

The percentage of students taking APs is accurate data, students taking the SAT is not. A ton of students only take the ACT and some colleges are test-optional.

So you're saying that the percentage of students at Whitman (for example) who took the SAT is actually not 61%?

No. PP meant the percentage of kids taking the SAT isn’t a good proxy for the number of college bound kids, since lots of kids take the ACT and some go to test optional schools.

Test optional schools are the schools that accept everybody as long as they have the means to pay?

If you consider the following schools to be in that category then sure:


Bates College
Bowdoin College
Bryn Mawr College
The George Washington University
Hofstra University
Pitzer College
Sarah Lawrence College
Smith College
University of Iowa
University of Texas at Austin
Wake Forest University
Wesleyan University

Hampshire College requests that students not send test scores.

Test flexible schools (aka schools that will accept IB, AP scores, etc. in lieu of the SAT/ACT):


Colby College
Colorado College
Hamilton College
Middlebury College
New York University (NYU)

I see, you are talking about the second tier colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Whitman HS: 61%
Churchill HS: 56%
Wootton HS: 59%
Walter Johnson HS: 66%

Clarksburg HS: 69%
Northwest HS: 70%
Richard Montgomery HS: 68%
Northwood HS: 55%
Blair HS: 65%

The percentage of students taking APs is accurate data, students taking the SAT is not. A ton of students only take the ACT and some colleges are test-optional.

So you're saying that the percentage of students at Whitman (for example) who took the SAT is actually not 61%?

No. PP meant the percentage of kids taking the SAT isn’t a good proxy for the number of college bound kids, since lots of kids take the ACT and some go to test optional schools.

Test optional schools are the schools that accept everybody as long as they have the means to pay?

If you consider the following schools to be in that category then sure:


Bates College
Bowdoin College
Bryn Mawr College
The George Washington University
Hofstra University
Pitzer College
Sarah Lawrence College
Smith College
University of Iowa
University of Texas at Austin
Wake Forest University
Wesleyan University

Hampshire College requests that students not send test scores.

Test flexible schools (aka schools that will accept IB, AP scores, etc. in lieu of the SAT/ACT):


Colby College
Colorado College
Hamilton College
Middlebury College
New York University (NYU)

I see, you are talking about the second tier colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Whitman HS: 61%
Churchill HS: 56%
Wootton HS: 59%
Walter Johnson HS: 66%

Clarksburg HS: 69%
Northwest HS: 70%
Richard Montgomery HS: 68%
Northwood HS: 55%
Blair HS: 65%

The percentage of students taking APs is accurate data, students taking the SAT is not. A ton of students only take the ACT and some colleges are test-optional.

So you're saying that the percentage of students at Whitman (for example) who took the SAT is actually not 61%?

No. PP meant the percentage of kids taking the SAT isn’t a good proxy for the number of college bound kids, since lots of kids take the ACT and some go to test optional schools.

This made me laugh.

[Anonymous]

Chicago just went test optional

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I feel like a lot of parents use GS ratings. JUst based on test scores, here are the GS ratings top 10 First number is overall GS rating/second number is test score/3rd number is college readiness

1. Churchill- 10/10/10
2. Wootton- 9/9/10
3. Poolesville- 9/8/10
4. WJ- 9/8/10
5 QO- 8/8/8
6 Sherwood-7/8/8
7. BCC- 9/7/10
8. Damascus- 8/7/9
9. Clarksburg 7/7/8
10. Northwest- 8/6/9

RM's ratings are 7/6/8
Blair, Magruder are 6/6/7

Simple averages for standardized state test that GS uses for its ratings only serves to identify which high-schools draw a higher percentage of rich kids. A better, refined analysis looks at the granular data. When you isolate for race which is proxy a for socioeconomic status there is not much of a disparity between the performance of kids of the same backgrounds across these schools. For example, when you compare average SAT scores for MCPS schools for a larger demographic common to all these schools the GS narrative falls apart and it becomes clear they're not all that different.

Blair 1326
Walter Johnson 1275
Wooton 1262
Churchill 1257
Wheaton 1173
Einstein 1148

I'm not sure if avg SAT scores are a good indicator of school quality. SAT scores are more of an indicator of how much prepping the kids are doing outside of school.

Isolating for demographic differences on a national test like the SAT seems like a better indicator of a school's academic prowess than an average for a state-mandated test that measures minimal competency

Sorry I still disagree. A school's academic prowess cannot be measured by the average SAT scores of students (who choose to take the test) especially since scores can be drastically improved by those who have the economic means to take practice tests and attend prep classes. In this approach, schools with higher FARM rates are already going to be at a disadvantage.

So how can we measure a school's academic prowess?

I would want to know if the school offers college-level or advanced courses, what are the graduation rates, the school's performance on standardized tests, student participation rates on extracurricular activities, percentage of experienced teachers. I'm sure there are more.

You’re not going to find much variation among MCPS schools on those counts, with the exception of standardized tests, which speak more to kids’ access to prep classes.

Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Graduation rates have a direct correlation to SES and is consistent adjusting for this across all MC schools.

In general that's true but there are some cases where that's not always the case. In MOCO for instance the 10 schools with the highest FARM rates are not the exact same schools with the 10 lowest graduation rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Whitman HS: 61%
Churchill HS: 56%
Wootton HS: 59%
Walter Johnson HS: 66%

Clarksburg HS: 69%
Northwest HS: 70%
Richard Montgomery HS: 68%
Northwood HS: 55%
Blair HS: 65%

The percentage of students taking APs is accurate data, students taking the SAT is not. A ton of students only take the ACT and some colleges are test-optional.

So you're saying that the percentage of students at Whitman (for example) who took the SAT is actually not 61%?

No. PP meant the percentage of kids taking the SAT isn’t a good proxy for the number of college bound kids, since lots of kids take the ACT and some go to test optional schools.

This made me laugh.

What, pray tell, was so funny?

[Anonymous]

This entire thread is such garbage. It really should be deleted.

[Anonymous]

Churchill, Whitman, Wootton, all tied for best school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Churchill, Whitman, Wootton, all tied for best school.

You must be a Wootton parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Churchill, Whitman, Wootton, all tied for best school.

You must be a Wootton parent

Yes definitely. I'd say WJ, BCC, Poolesville, and QO all are better schools and definitely offer a better high school experience too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I feel like a lot of parents use GS ratings. JUst based on test scores, here are the GS ratings top 10 First number is overall GS rating/second number is test score/3rd number is college readiness

1. Churchill- 10/10/10
2. Wootton- 9/9/10
3. Poolesville- 9/8/10
4. WJ- 9/8/10
5 QO- 8/8/8
6 Sherwood-7/8/8
7. BCC- 9/7/10
8. Damascus- 8/7/9
9. Clarksburg 7/7/8
10. Northwest- 8/6/9

RM's ratings are 7/6/8
Blair, Magruder are 6/6/7

Simple averages for standardized state test that GS uses for its ratings only serves to identify which high-schools draw a higher percentage of rich kids. A better, refined analysis looks at the granular data. When you isolate for race which is proxy a for socioeconomic status there is not much of a disparity between the performance of kids of the same backgrounds across these schools. For example, when you compare average SAT scores for MCPS schools for a larger demographic common to all these schools the GS narrative falls apart and it becomes clear they're not all that different.

Blair 1326
Walter Johnson 1275
Wooton 1262
Churchill 1257
Wheaton 1173
Einstein 1148

Seems more insightful analysis than the great schools nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Whitman HS: 61%
Churchill HS: 56%
Wootton HS: 59%
Walter Johnson HS: 66%

Clarksburg HS: 69%
Northwest HS: 70%
Richard Montgomery HS: 68%
Northwood HS: 55%
Blair HS: 65%

The percentage of students taking APs is accurate data, students taking the SAT is not. A ton of students only take the ACT and some colleges are test-optional.

So you're saying that the percentage of students at Whitman (for example) who took the SAT is actually not 61%?

No. PP meant the percentage of kids taking the SAT isn’t a good proxy for the number of college bound kids, since lots of kids take the ACT and some go to test optional schools.

Test optional schools are the schools that accept everybody as long as they have the means to pay?

Universities have found that SAT/ACT scores are a poor predictor of success (HS GPA is a much better predictor). Test optional schools focus on HS GPA and other things (recommendations, essays, etc) for the students who don't submit test scores. U Chicago just went test optional and will not take any more students next year than they did last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually there are a few schools with graduation rates that would concern me. Id also want to know the participation rates of students taking AP courses and percentage of students taking SATs as these are good indicators of students who are oriented towards college.

Whitman HS: 61%
Churchill HS: 56%
Wootton HS: 59%
Walter Johnson HS: 66%

Clarksburg HS: 69%
Northwest HS: 70%
Richard Montgomery HS: 68%
Northwood HS: 55%
Blair HS: 65%

The percentage of students taking APs is accurate data, students taking the SAT is not. A ton of students only take the ACT and some colleges are test-optional.

So you're saying that the percentage of students at Whitman (for example) who took the SAT is actually not 61%?

No. PP meant the percentage of kids taking the SAT isn’t a good proxy for the number of college bound kids, since lots of kids take the ACT and some go to test optional schools.

Test optional schools are the schools that accept everybody as long as they have the means to pay?

Universities have found that SAT/ACT scores are a poor predictor of success (HS GPA is a much better predictor). Test optional schools focus on HS GPA and other things (recommendations, essays, etc) for the students who don't submit test scores. U Chicago just went test optional and will not take any more students next year than they did last year.

Unless it becomes a much larger movement, test optional schools won't reduce # students taking the SAT. Students apply to many schools, only a few of which would be test optional. Also, I'm guessing most kids take the test, and decide whether or not to report to the test optional schools based on their scores.