the "great schools" vs. the "avoid schools" -- education quality vs. college admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that ultra-wealthy kids and the schools that serve them often have their own set of issues. Maybe not the same issues as poor kids, but issues nonetheless. Think drugs, entitlement, lack of diversity, etc., etc.

+1

Definitely something to think about.

Totally understand that. I guess I just want teachers that have their act together (not the teachers who couldn't get a job anywhere else or are burned out by disrespectful kids) and a safe place (i.e. not scary).

Then avoid DCPS. you'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that ultra-wealthy kids and the schools that serve them often have their own set of issues. Maybe not the same issues as poor kids, but issues nonetheless. Think drugs, entitlement, lack of diversity, etc., etc.

+1

Definitely something to think about.

Totally understand that. I guess I just want teachers that have their act together (not the teachers who couldn't get a job anywhere else or are burned out by disrespectful kids) and a safe place (i.e. not scary).

Not the prior poster who had kids at McLean, but we also had kids there and thought most of the teachers were very good. Many had been there a number of years. There was a county-wide survey a couple of years ago in which the McLean teachers reported the greatest overall satisfaction with their school of teachers at any high school in FCPS.

There were a handful of bad teachers, though, and the administration mostly just puts up with them. It's hard to overstate how bad the worst are, so you do need to pay attention. You can't just assume they are all good simply because the overall test scores are good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that ultra-wealthy kids and the schools that serve them often have their own set of issues. Maybe not the same issues as poor kids, but issues nonetheless. Think drugs, entitlement, lack of diversity, etc., etc.

What does lack of diversity do? Disrupt class, cause poor PTA involvement? Are the elementary school kids doing drugs wait that's in the poor kids schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that ultra-wealthy kids and the schools that serve them often have their own set of issues. Maybe not the same issues as poor kids, but issues nonetheless. Think drugs, entitlement, lack of diversity, etc., etc.

What does lack of diversity do? Disrupt class, cause poor PTA involvement? Are the elementary school kids doing drugs wait that's in the poor kids schools.

It helps to foster prejudice, like yours. Too bad your parents didn't care about that aspect of your development and now you're permanently stunted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that ultra-wealthy kids and the schools that serve them often have their own set of issues. Maybe not the same issues as poor kids, but issues nonetheless. Think drugs, entitlement, lack of diversity, etc., etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many African-American or Hispanic students are there at Langley?

Is that seriously your only benchmark for diversity? There are kids from probably every nation who attend Langley. I'd call that diversity.

[Anonymous]

We bought a house with an impressive lot and gorgeous kitchen. We were very enthusiastic about having a school rated 10 by greatschools.com. But the county decided to close this excellent school. Now our kids attend a not so great school full of mediocre people working for the check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought a house with an impressive lot and gorgeous kitchen. We were very enthusiastic about having a school rated 10 by greatschools.com. But the county decided to close this excellent school. Now our kids attend a not so great school full of mediocre people working just for the check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought a house with an impressive lot and gorgeous kitchen. We were very enthusiastic about having a school rated 10 by greatschools.com. But the county decided to close this excellent school. Now our kids attend a not so great school full of mediocre people working for the check.

Clifton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Quotas.

I was a victim of this in the late 80s from a Fairfax Co. HS.

Top SATs, 4.2 gpA, class officer, varsity soccer and state HS Va champ since Freshman year, volunteer and wait-listed at UVA and William & Mary.

Better to be big fish in small pond.

Colleges will cap a certain number from each HS.

How odd. At my nova hs in the early 1990s, a very easy formula of well roundedness gout you into those places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a house with an impressive lot and gorgeous kitchen. We were very enthusiastic about having a school rated 10 by greatschools.com. But the county decided to close this excellent school. Now our kids attend a not so great school full of mediocre people working for the check.

Clifton?

You're right

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that ultra-wealthy kids and the schools that serve them often have their own set of issues. Maybe not the same issues as poor kids, but issues nonetheless. Think drugs, entitlement, lack of diversity, etc., etc.

What does lack of diversity do? Disrupt class, cause poor PTA involvement? Are the elementary school kids doing drugs wait that's in the poor kids schools.

There is much more drug use in higher SES schools. The drugs are also more hardcore. On the other hand, you have more physical alterations in the lower SES schools. In both, your kid can avoid the negative behavior by carefully picking friends. Pick your poison, but don't assume the negative behavior is limited to more diverse schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a house with an impressive lot and gorgeous kitchen. We were very enthusiastic about having a school rated 10 by greatschools.com. But the county decided to close this excellent school. Now our kids attend a not so great school full of mediocre people working for the check.

Clifton?

You're right

Why did the school get closed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a house with an impressive lot and gorgeous kitchen. We were very enthusiastic about having a school rated 10 by greatschools.com. But the county decided to close this excellent school. Now our kids attend a not so great school full of mediocre people working for the check.

Clifton?

You're right

Why did the school get closed?

Too small a site and too expensive to renovate/rebuild for the number of students that would have been served. It is still a very sore spot in Clifton, several years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that ultra-wealthy kids and the schools that serve them often have their own set of issues. Maybe not the same issues as poor kids, but issues nonetheless. Think drugs, entitlement, lack of diversity, etc., etc.

What does lack of diversity do? Disrupt class, cause poor PTA involvement? Are the elementary school kids doing drugs wait that's in the poor kids schools.

There is much more drug use in higher SES schools. The drugs are also more hardcore. On the other hand, you have more physical alterations in the lower SES schools. In both, your kid can avoid the negative behavior by carefully picking friends. Pick your poison, but don't assume the negative behavior is limited to more diverse schools.

Wherever there is money, there will be drugs. In these scenarios, the family making the choice would have the same SES, and therefore be at risk for the same issues regardless of which HS.