In the dc area what do middle class family’s do for school?

[Anonymous]

We supplemented a lot at home in elementary, and then kids went to magnet programs.

[Anonymous]

Move to a decent pyramid where you get the house you want and supplement as necessary. Most economical way to proceed. With a little effort your kid(s) will be more prepared than their peers wherever they go to college.

[Anonymous]

In DCPS and kids go to the local school. Is it a challenging environment, of course it is. However, we had a huge financial hardship several years ago (severe illness that nearly bankrupt us) and we can’t move. My DH is now permanently disabled and can’t work so we rely on my salary. They are upper elementary and late middle school now. I’m worried about high school (Dunbar) but we are pretty stuck where we are. I do take solace in we aren’t alone, most of their peers also don’t have the option of higher ranked schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: In DCPS and kids go to the local school. Is it a challenging environment, of course it is. However, we had a huge financial hardship several years ago (severe illness that nearly bankrupt us) and we can’t move. My DH is now permanently disabled and can’t work so we rely on my salary. They are upper elementary and late middle school now. I’m worried about high school (Dunbar) but we are pretty stuck where we are. I do take solace in we aren’t alone, most of their peers also don’t have the option of higher ranked schools.

Obviously they’ll apply to the DCPS magnet high schools, though. And lottery for Eastern, which is at least better than Dunbar. Unless you’re intentionally trying to sabotage their education to score points on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: In DCPS and kids go to the local school. Is it a challenging environment, of course it is. However, we had a huge financial hardship several years ago (severe illness that nearly bankrupt us) and we can’t move. My DH is now permanently disabled and can’t work so we rely on my salary. They are upper elementary and late middle school now. I’m worried about high school (Dunbar) but we are pretty stuck where we are. I do take solace in we aren’t alone, most of their peers also don’t have the option of higher ranked schools.

Obviously they’ll apply to the DCPS magnet high schools, though. And lottery for Eastern, which is at least better than Dunbar. Unless you’re intentionally trying to sabotage their education to score points on DCUM.

Goddamn, lottery spaces are hard to find, and her husband is paralyzed, give her a break🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a teeny tiny house in Bethesda and send our kids to public school.

Teeny house in Bethesda is still a million plus. Not middle class.

You can find some under 1M still plus some in KP. Or an apartment or condo or TH. This is zoned to WJ for instance:
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Bethesda/5225-Pooks...-1412N/home/12450426

[Anonymous]

Students in poorer public school districts have an easier time getting in to the more prestigious colleges. Pick a lower tier school district over TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Students in poorer public school districts have an easier time getting in to the more prestigious colleges. Pick a lower tier school district over TJ.

I have experience with this I’m class of 2009, and I had the option of going to paint branch high school in moco, or Dematha catholic high school. I chose the former, and got into brown due to being a big fish in a small pond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a teeny tiny house in Bethesda and send our kids to public school.

Teeny house in Bethesda is still a million plus. Not middle class.

You can find some under 1M still plus some in KP. Or an apartment or condo or TH. This is zoned to WJ for instance:
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Bethesda/5225-Pooks...-1412N/home/12450426

Honesty, I would get a cheaper townhome maybe 350-450k and do private. Basically the same amount of space as that condo and once the kids or kid graduate, you have a low mortgage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly? They live in the exurbs, where they can get into a better school district for a cheaper price.

Close in DC is filled with childless people, rich people and people in subsidized housing. Maybe in a few instances someone that bought a long time ago in an area that boomed, but honestly most of that gentrification wave was 05-15 and not 15-25 so they would have had to buy before they had kids to still have school age kids right now.

The further out you go, the more real middle class people there are.

In this case what are the exurbs? As even those seem to have bad schools.

Like... Quince Orchard or Northwest High or Sherwood in MoCo. Those aren't tippy top schools but they are pretty good. Lots of middle class kids at those schools.

Or Loudoun County. Ashburn is cheaper than close in, and Western Loudoun is even cheaper. You get schools like Woodgrove which are an 8/10 on greatschools.

[Anonymous]

Idk what you’re defining as middle class, but I consider us middle class ($375k HHI). Moved from DC to Loudoun. Great schools, big lot, safe neighborhood. Only have to be in the office 1-2 times a month, so worth it for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly? They live in the exurbs, where they can get into a better school district for a cheaper price.

Close in DC is filled with childless people, rich people and people in subsidized housing. Maybe in a few instances someone that bought a long time ago in an area that boomed, but honestly most of that gentrification wave was 05-15 and not 15-25 so they would have had to buy before they had kids to still have school age kids right now.

The further out you go, the more real middle class people there are.

In this case what are the exurbs? As even those seem to have bad schools.

Like... Quince Orchard or Northwest High or Sherwood in MoCo. Those aren't tippy top schools but they are pretty good. Lots of middle class kids at those schools.

Or Loudoun County. Ashburn is cheaper than close in, and Western Loudoun is even cheaper. You get schools like Woodgrove which are an 8/10 on greatschools.

Or you go somewhere like Haymarket. Battlefield HS is a 9/10 in greatschools. Haymarket, Frederick, Aldie, Purcellville/Round Hill, Berryville all have good school pyramids within them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Idk what you’re defining as middle class, but I consider us middle class ($375k HHI). Moved from DC to Loudoun. Great schools, big lot, safe neighborhood. Only have to be in the office 1-2 times a month, so worth it for us.

Like 100-150k yr what do they do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Idk what you’re defining as middle class, but I consider us middle class ($375k HHI). Moved from DC to Loudoun. Great schools, big lot, safe neighborhood. Only have to be in the office 1-2 times a month, so worth it for us.

Like 100-150k yr what do they do?

Send kids to bad schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Idk what you’re defining as middle class, but I consider us middle class ($375k HHI). Moved from DC to Loudoun. Great schools, big lot, safe neighborhood. Only have to be in the office 1-2 times a month, so worth it for us.

Like 100-150k yr what do they do?

Depends. For a good student, it's worth applying to private and filling out FA forms. Big 3 schools might not be interested unless the kid is truly a standout but there are a lot of private schools that want to improve their recognition. Many will offer generous aid to kids who have excellent grades, high scores on standardized tests and no discipline issues.