Langley pyramid vs. private school in mclean (the Langley school or Potomac)

[Anonymous]

So think a lot of this depends on your child’s personality and what they need out of a school. Our child who was shy thrived at Langley. With small class sizes, she was never overlooked—all the teachers knew her and understood her personality. She was encouraged year over year to try different experiences and by 8th grade was in student council, the plays, sports, etc. I think this confidence also helped her be successful academically. She went onto an academically rigorous high school and is doing very well. I also think switching schools somewhere along the way prior to college is key for kids learning how to make friends, adapt to new situations, etc

[Anonymous]

To the poster who asked if Langley is academic - SEL is important but Langley definitely prepares kids well for the private high schools and has an excellent track record for admissions. From last year's class of nearly 50, there were 4 to Sidwell, 4 to GDS, 4 to Potomac, 5-6 to Madiera, plus 1-2 each at STA, NCS, Maret, etc. plus a few to publics by choice and boarding schools. Langley's eighth grade teachers are all former high school and prepare the kids well to what is expected in HS. And to other posters, I'd say the difference with say, Potomac, is more philosophy on K-8 providing leadership opportunities, no high school influence, etc. The schools are similar below high school and while Potomac is a popular option with graduating Langley students, many students also prefer the DC schools.

[Anonymous]

Are little Langley students TJ-ready?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Stay in your pyramid through 6th and enter private for 7th. Steer clear of Langley School unless your child is questioning their gender identity. Langley has become woke beyond belief and the kids who are still busy being kids are either forced to go along with their agenda or end up leaving the school. Buyer beware.[/quote]

One vector that Langley differentiates on in the K-8 space is Social Emotional Learning which includes topics like gender identity in later years but also age appropriate discussions of self management, building relationships, diversity and understanding differences, etc. The last year or two, a vocal minority spoke out against this curriculum, which was highly valued by many families in the community. The same group of parents found fault with the head of school presenting diversity statistics on the school at a parents meeting, which made me often thing they just weren't in the right school. That group also cruelly gossiped that a couple older students who identified as non-binary, etc. had made decisions because of the schools SEL curriculum. A few of the families left last year for religious schools that are hopefully a better fit for them, as they always seemed to be angry. With any private, parents need to do their homework - Langley values diversity and their SEL focus is very clear. Perhaps because Youngkin sent his children to K-8 there, some people thought it was different. It is a lovely place with great teachers that really prepared my kids well for all aspects of high school (including building excellent relationships with a more diverse set of students) while providing leadership opportunities at a young age.[/quote]

Is it academic? Will kids be behind if they go to a public high school afterwards?

If they are indeed so liberal, it is funny that Youngkin sent his kids there.[/quote]

Langley has only gone ultra progressive the last couple of years . I doubt Youngkin would have enrolled his kids at the school if the school had the same direction it has today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How would you compare little Langley to Potomac school? And would people generally agree that the education in private school is more “rigorous” than in public or is it just a bunch of rich most White kids in private schools?

I can’t speak to Langley, but most people with experience in both would describe public as more rigorous in the lower years. More homework, faster pace with math topics. More differentiation earlier. A lot of people get frustrated by Potomac during those hears. In high school there’s no question that the rigor at Potomac is a higher level than Langley (have had kids at both, and honors level to honors level isn’t even close).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would you compare little Langley to Potomac school? And would people generally agree that the education in private school is more “rigorous” than in public or is it just a bunch of rich most White kids in private schools?

I can’t speak to Langley, but most people with experience in both would describe public as more rigorous in the lower years. More homework, faster pace with math topics. More differentiation earlier. A lot of people get frustrated by Potomac during those hears. In high school there’s no question that the rigor at Potomac is a higher level than Langley (have had kids at both, and honors level to honors level isn’t even close).

^^I can’t speak to Little Langley, I meant. I can speak to Langley HS and Potomac.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From last year's class of nearly 50, there were 4 to Sidwell, 4 to GDS, 4 to Potomac, 5-6 to Madiera, plus 1-2 each at STA, NCS, Maret, etc. plus a few to publics by choice and boarding schools.

Those numbers for private admissions sound plausible, but they also mean that more than half of the (little) Langley students did NOT end up at a top-ranked private. If one then subtracts the “sibling preference” and “legacy” admits from little Langley into the top privates, then it also means that a high achieving student without hooks might well not get into a local academically challenging private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And to other posters, I'd say the difference with say, Potomac, is more philosophy on K-8 providing leadership opportunities, no high school influence, etc. The schools are similar below high school and while Potomac is a popular option with graduating Langley students, many students also prefer the DC schools.

If in Potomac before Upper School, then one can stay for Upper School without the pressure of the mandatory transition.

And, because Potomac breaks K-8 into 3 separate schools (Lower = k-3; middle=4-6; intermediate=7-8), which have separate leadership, staff, and buildings, most would say that Potomac equally offers leadership opportunities across the same grades (k-8) as Langley or any other school.

And many graduating Langley students apply to all/most of the top 5-6 local privates, as a kind of insurance to increase the chance that DC will get into at least one academically challenging private. This is important because Upper School admissions at many schools is so crazy competitive - tough even before the pandemic and tougher now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would you compare little Langley to Potomac school? And would people generally agree that the education in private school is more “rigorous” than in public or is it just a bunch of rich most White kids in private schools?

I can’t speak to Langley, but most people with experience in both would describe public as more rigorous in the lower years. More homework, faster pace with math topics. More differentiation earlier. A lot of people get frustrated by Potomac during those hears. In high school there’s no question that the rigor at Potomac is a higher level than Langley (have had kids at both, and honors level to honors level isn’t even close).

If you can afford Potomac school and your kid is accepted, it is a no brainer not to go to Potomac school.  The reason I chose to live next to CIA HQ in Langley is because my kids could attend Langley HS as the last resort in case they didn't get accepted by Potomac school.

I had kids at both Langley HS and Potomac school (graduated a few years ago) and Potomac school, without questions, prepared kids a whole lot better for college.  My older child was at Potomac school and she was struggling with academics there but once she got into college, an Ivy, she did really well there.  My other child, a straight A with 10 AP courses from Langley HS, really struggled at the same Ivy.  My nephew also experienced the same thing in college and he also graduated from Langley HS.  Langley HS is one of the best public schools in Virginia but it is definitely not Potomac.  YMMV.  

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:more than half of the (little) Langley students did NOT end up at a top-ranked private

Why is that surprising or problematic? In any given school and class, there is always a top half and bottom half of students no matter how you want to rank them...by grades, intelligence, character, overall achievement, whatever. Do you think that the bottom half should also end up at, in your words, a "top-ranked private"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: My main question is why do people choose the private school Road when the Langley pyramid seems to be so well rang? Are there any apparent deficiencies in the Langley pyramid that push people to go private?

I definitely have the answer. All the people I know of with kids in the Potomac Langley School are grossly over privileged, wealthy, obscenely high incomes, kids are micro managed and spoiled down to every activity, the parents all hang out with each other in this ridiculous over the top catered parties, the level of wealth, privilege and access is just insane. It’s just rich people cosplay 24/7. Of course that is why they opted for it! It’s not education. It’s certainly NOT diversity. It’s access to wealth and privilege and cementing your own wealth and privilege. And seeing the exact same people in your school, your social circle, your overpriced camps, and your vacations in Aruba, Atlantis, Vail and Italy!!! Constant privilege cosplay. It’s crazy.

[Anonymous]

Calm your tits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in McLean.

Those 2 FCPS pyramids look good on paper, but have good scores primarily because so many kids in those pyramids get outside school supplements such as Kumon, Mathnasium, etc. The curriculum and teaching is the same as the rest of FCPS.

That’s true.
We also live in McLean (Langley High). I send my kids to Basis Independent McLean. Most of their classmates live in McLean too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in McLean.

Those 2 FCPS pyramids look good on paper, but have good scores primarily because so many kids in those pyramids get outside school supplements such as Kumon, Mathnasium, etc. The curriculum and teaching is the same as the rest of FCPS.

That’s true.
We also live in McLean (Langley High). I send my kids to Basis Independent McLean. Most of their classmates live in McLean too.

I don’t get this. Is FCPS bad? What’s wrong with the curriculum? From what I can tell all the private school parents are swallowing a load of hogwash re: superiority of curricula and just want their rich entitled kids surrounded by other privileged entitled kids. Why pretend that it’s about more than that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: My main question is why do people choose the private school Road when the Langley pyramid seems to be so well rang? Are there any apparent deficiencies in the Langley pyramid that push people to go private?

I definitely have the answer. All the people I know of with kids in the Potomac Langley School are grossly over privileged, wealthy, obscenely high incomes, kids are micro managed and spoiled down to every activity, the parents all hang out with each other in this ridiculous over the top catered parties, the level of wealth, privilege and access is just insane. It’s just rich people cosplay 24/7. Of course that is why they opted for it! It’s not education. It’s certainly NOT diversity. It’s access to wealth and privilege and cementing your own wealth and privilege. And seeing the exact same people in your school, your social circle, your overpriced camps, and your vacations in Aruba, Atlantis, Vail and Italy!!! Constant privilege cosplay. It’s crazy.

I can’t speak to Potomac. But this poster is totally off the mark with (little) Langley. The families there are very down to earth. A large number of dual income families. This person seems to be weirdly invested in people choosing a different path for their kids. “Rich people cosplay”? LOL OP, it sounds as if some private school mommies did you wrong. I think you need to seek therapy.