Feedback on Yorktown HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re loving WMS. Believe it. Love it. Have a high achiever and he is very well served there. Private isn’t an option for us. But we have plenty of friends in DC at the big 3 and middle school doesn’t sound terribly different. At least for the academicly inclined. Also, don’t know why you think I wouldn’t take pot shots at the vocal entitled-parent population at WMS and YHS. Why not?! Many deserve it. They treat admin and staff like they expect individual attention. Most of the unhappy parents I know fall firmly in that category.

+1 My kid went from WMS to a big 3 for HS and was at no academic disadvantage compared to the private school kids.

So why didn’t you send them to Yorktown (which is what the thread is about)?

Not busting your balls my kid is going to private instead of WL. Just curious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re loving WMS. Believe it. Love it. Have a high achiever and he is very well served there. Private isn’t an option for us. But we have plenty of friends in DC at the big 3 and middle school doesn’t sound terribly different. At least for the academicly inclined. Also, don’t know why you think I wouldn’t take pot shots at the vocal entitled-parent population at WMS and YHS. Why not?! Many deserve it. They treat admin and staff like they expect individual attention. Most of the unhappy parents I know fall firmly in that category.

Have you considered that their children may be struggling and NEED more attention?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re loving WMS. Believe it. Love it. Have a high achiever and he is very well served there. Private isn’t an option for us. But we have plenty of friends in DC at the big 3 and middle school doesn’t sound terribly different. At least for the academicly inclined. Also, don’t know why you think I wouldn’t take pot shots at the vocal entitled-parent population at WMS and YHS. Why not?! Many deserve it. They treat admin and staff like they expect individual attention. Most of the unhappy parents I know fall firmly in that category.

+1 My kid went from WMS to a big 3 for HS and was at no academic disadvantage compared to the private school kids.

OP here. Thanks so much for sharing this. Would love to hear more about why you decided to forego Yorktown for a private HS. That's the boat we're in and would love to hear more of the pros and cons you weighed.

[Anonymous]

My kid is a senior at Yorktown this year, and I wish I had sent him/her elsewhere. I think it is admirable for the school to encourage most students take several AP classes but the resulting environment reminds me of the phrase by the villain in The Incredibles movie that "when everyone is super, no one will be". By this, I mean that (1) teachers want to to give out mostly high grades to they don't have to deal with parents complaints, and at the same time (2) large numbers of kids taking AP classes means these classes are dumbed down, and the non-AP classes are taught at an even lower standard. For example, my kid has had 16 AP classes but has never written a research paper. Grades are primarily based on box checking criteria, such as whether the student correctly uploaded by midnight of a due date images showing that pages and pages of text were copied from an online source using correct colored pencils. In an effort to homogenize the students, the school creates a very stressful environment in which kids are asked to do a lot of mindless work without any joy of learning or interesting content. Then, you combine this academic structure with a student body in which any type of interests or passion is socially discouraged, you get a place that is really soulless. It is like going to a play in which each kid has a line, but the resulting show is terrible because the school has picked a play without any characters or plot.

Kids who actually care about learning tend to go to the IB program at W&L.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a senior at Yorktown this year, and I wish I had sent him/her elsewhere. I think it is admirable for the school to encourage most students take several AP classes but the resulting environment reminds me of the phrase by the villain in The Incredibles movie that "when everyone is super, no one will be". By this, I mean that (1) teachers want to to give out mostly high grades to they don't have to deal with parents complaints, and at the same time (2) large numbers of kids taking AP classes means these classes are dumbed down, and the non-AP classes are taught at an even lower standard. For example, my kid has had 16 AP classes but has never written a research paper. Grades are primarily based on box checking criteria, such as whether the student correctly uploaded by midnight of a due date images showing that pages and pages of text were copied from an online source using correct colored pencils. In an effort to homogenize the students, the school creates a very stressful environment in which kids are asked to do a lot of mindless work without any joy of learning or interesting content. Then, you combine this academic structure with a student body in which any type of interests or passion is socially discouraged, you get a place that is really soulless. It is like going to a play in which each kid has a line, but the resulting show is terrible because the school has picked a play without any characters or plot.

Kids who actually care about learning tend to go to the IB program at W&L.

Go to bed, W-L kid. Or finish your silly essay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a senior at Yorktown this year, and I wish I had sent him/her elsewhere. I think it is admirable for the school to encourage most students take several AP classes but the resulting environment reminds me of the phrase by the villain in The Incredibles movie that "when everyone is super, no one will be". By this, I mean that (1) teachers want to to give out mostly high grades to they don't have to deal with parents complaints, and at the same time (2) large numbers of kids taking AP classes means these classes are dumbed down, and the non-AP classes are taught at an even lower standard. For example, my kid has had 16 AP classes but has never written a research paper. Grades are primarily based on box checking criteria, such as whether the student correctly uploaded by midnight of a due date images showing that pages and pages of text were copied from an online source using correct colored pencils. In an effort to homogenize the students, the school creates a very stressful environment in which kids are asked to do a lot of mindless work without any joy of learning or interesting content. Then, you combine this academic structure with a student body in which any type of interests or passion is socially discouraged, you get a place that is really soulless. It is like going to a play in which each kid has a line, but the resulting show is terrible because the school has picked a play without any characters or plot.

Kids who actually care about learning tend to go to the IB program at W&L.

Go to bed, W-L kid. Or finish your silly essay.

I think its good to have some student feedback

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a senior at Yorktown this year, and I wish I had sent him/her elsewhere. I think it is admirable for the school to encourage most students take several AP classes but the resulting environment reminds me of the phrase by the villain in The Incredibles movie that "when everyone is super, no one will be". By this, I mean that (1) teachers want to to give out mostly high grades to they don't have to deal with parents complaints, and at the same time (2) large numbers of kids taking AP classes means these classes are dumbed down, and the non-AP classes are taught at an even lower standard. For example, my kid has had 16 AP classes but has never written a research paper. Grades are primarily based on box checking criteria, such as whether the student correctly uploaded by midnight of a due date images showing that pages and pages of text were copied from an online source using correct colored pencils. In an effort to homogenize the students, the school creates a very stressful environment in which kids are asked to do a lot of mindless work without any joy of learning or interesting content. Then, you combine this academic structure with a student body in which any type of interests or passion is socially discouraged, you get a place that is really soulless. It is like going to a play in which each kid has a line, but the resulting show is terrible because the school has picked a play without any characters or plot.

Kids who actually care about learning tend to go to the IB program at W&L.

I find this environment in the middle schools too. My kids easily obtained straight As—6-7 HS credits. They never had to work and were never taught to write. It’s not just YHS, it’s the same at WL. Most kids don’t do full IB at WL and it doesn’t start until 11th grade—too late and those kids are not happy.

We sent our kids to private for HS like most of our neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a senior at Yorktown this year, and I wish I had sent him/her elsewhere. I think it is admirable for the school to encourage most students take several AP classes but the resulting environment reminds me of the phrase by the villain in The Incredibles movie that "when everyone is super, no one will be". By this, I mean that (1) teachers want to to give out mostly high grades to they don't have to deal with parents complaints, and at the same time (2) large numbers of kids taking AP classes means these classes are dumbed down, and the non-AP classes are taught at an even lower standard. For example, my kid has had 16 AP classes but has never written a research paper. Grades are primarily based on box checking criteria, such as whether the student correctly uploaded by midnight of a due date images showing that pages and pages of text were copied from an online source using correct colored pencils. In an effort to homogenize the students, the school creates a very stressful environment in which kids are asked to do a lot of mindless work without any joy of learning or interesting content. Then, you combine this academic structure with a student body in which any type of interests or passion is socially discouraged, you get a place that is really soulless. It is like going to a play in which each kid has a line, but the resulting show is terrible because the school has picked a play without any characters or plot.

Kids who actually care about learning tend to go to the IB program at W&L.

Go to bed, W-L kid. Or finish your silly essay.

I think its good to have some student feedback

Not when it’s made-up nonsense from a kid at a rival school. 16 AP courses? With no research papers? And the suggestion that interests are actively discouraged? All three suggestions are unlikely and silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't HYP possible at Yorktown?

It’s not impossible, but without a hook HYP are going to look more favorably on minority candidates from other area public schools with more rigorous academic reputations.

+1 - Places like Yorktown, Mclean, etc are actually a negative for applicants these days at these places, which is too bad. They just dont want kids from these places unless they are altogether extraordinary.

Well, come on, the same could be said for the wealthy suburbs of most major cities in the US. As I told my own kid with top stats who wants to apply -- everyone applying has top stats. You have to have something else to stand out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a senior at Yorktown this year, and I wish I had sent him/her elsewhere. I think it is admirable for the school to encourage most students take several AP classes but the resulting environment reminds me of the phrase by the villain in The Incredibles movie that "when everyone is super, no one will be". By this, I mean that (1) teachers want to to give out mostly high grades to they don't have to deal with parents complaints, and at the same time (2) large numbers of kids taking AP classes means these classes are dumbed down, and the non-AP classes are taught at an even lower standard. For example, my kid has had 16 AP classes but has never written a research paper. Grades are primarily based on box checking criteria, such as whether the student correctly uploaded by midnight of a due date images showing that pages and pages of text were copied from an online source using correct colored pencils. In an effort to homogenize the students, the school creates a very stressful environment in which kids are asked to do a lot of mindless work without any joy of learning or interesting content. Then, you combine this academic structure with a student body in which any type of interests or passion is socially discouraged, you get a place that is really soulless. It is like going to a play in which each kid has a line, but the resulting show is terrible because the school has picked a play without any characters or plot.

Kids who actually care about learning tend to go to the IB program at W&L.

I find this environment in the middle schools too. My kids easily obtained straight As—6-7 HS credits. They never had to work and were never taught to write. It’s not just YHS, it’s the same at WL. Most kids don’t do full IB at WL and it doesn’t start until 11th grade—too late and those kids are not happy.

We sent our kids to private for HS like most of our neighbors.

+1

I don’t fault the teachers. We had some great ones. Their hands are tied teaching the masses and being held to a curriculum. Too many kids to grade written essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't HYP possible at Yorktown?

It’s not impossible, but without a hook HYP are going to look more favorably on minority candidates from other area public schools with more rigorous academic reputations.

+1 - Places like Yorktown, Mclean, etc are actually a negative for applicants these days at these places, which is too bad. They just dont want kids from these places unless they are altogether extraordinary.

Well, come on, the same could be said for the wealthy suburbs of most major cities in the US. As I told my own kid with top stats who wants to apply -- everyone applying has top stats. You have to have something else to stand out.

Well yeah. It can be said for all wealthy suburbs. But I think it's true these days. Colleges don't prefer kids from these places so you have to even more extraordinary to get admitted from a school like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re loving WMS. Believe it. Love it. Have a high achiever and he is very well served there. Private isn’t an option for us. But we have plenty of friends in DC at the big 3 and middle school doesn’t sound terribly different. At least for the academicly inclined. Also, don’t know why you think I wouldn’t take pot shots at the vocal entitled-parent population at WMS and YHS. Why not?! Many deserve it. They treat admin and staff like they expect individual attention. Most of the unhappy parents I know fall firmly in that category.

+1 My kid went from WMS to a big 3 for HS and was at no academic disadvantage compared to the private school kids.

OP here. Thanks so much for sharing this. Would love to hear more about why you decided to forego Yorktown for a private HS. That's the boat we're in and would love to hear more of the pros and cons you weighed.

PP here. I was not enthusiastic about DC going to private HS, but I was overruled by DH and DC. It was DC's idea - they felt like they were in a rut, just coasting, and they were looking for something more challenging. And now, years later, I am 100% certain it was the correct decision.

Pros - The class sizes are much smaller, the teachers (almost all) are more engaged, and it's OK among your classmates - in fact, it's encouraged - to be smart. English/writing instruction is much superior to public HS - several papers required per year, with multiple drafts. College counseling is light-years ahead of that at a public school. And even though we're just separated by a river, DC's classmates who live in Washington and Maryland tend to be more sophisticated and interested in the wider world than DC's Virginia friends. Kind of a city mouse vs country mouse dynamic.

Cons - The commute can be a pain. It can be difficult to get together with friends outside of school - but DC quickly became comfortable with Metro. Other parents are very nice, but I sometimes missed my parent friends I'd known for years. Homework is 3-4 hours/night by junior year. And I wouldn't do it if it would be a struggle to pay $50k/year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re loving WMS. Believe it. Love it. Have a high achiever and he is very well served there. Private isn’t an option for us. But we have plenty of friends in DC at the big 3 and middle school doesn’t sound terribly different. At least for the academicly inclined. Also, don’t know why you think I wouldn’t take pot shots at the vocal entitled-parent population at WMS and YHS. Why not?! Many deserve it. They treat admin and staff like they expect individual attention. Most of the unhappy parents I know fall firmly in that category.

+1 My kid went from WMS to a big 3 for HS and was at no academic disadvantage compared to the private school kids.

OP here. Thanks so much for sharing this. Would love to hear more about why you decided to forego Yorktown for a private HS. That's the boat we're in and would love to hear more of the pros and cons you weighed.

PP here. I was not enthusiastic about DC going to private HS, but I was overruled by DH and DC. It was DC's idea - they felt like they were in a rut, just coasting, and they were looking for something more challenging. And now, years later, I am 100% certain it was the correct decision.

Pros - The class sizes are much smaller, the teachers (almost all) are more engaged, and it's OK among your classmates - in fact, it's encouraged - to be smart. English/writing instruction is much superior to public HS - several papers required per year, with multiple drafts. College counseling is light-years ahead of that at a public school. And even though we're just separated by a river, DC's classmates who live in Washington and Maryland tend to be more sophisticated and interested in the wider world than DC's Virginia friends. Kind of a city mouse vs country mouse dynamic.

Cons - The commute can be a pain. It can be difficult to get together with friends outside of school - but DC quickly became comfortable with Metro. Other parents are very nice, but I sometimes missed my parent friends I'd known for years. Homework is 3-4 hours/night by junior year. And I wouldn't do it if it would be a struggle to pay $50k/year.

One more con - DC didn't know anyone else when starting in 9th grade so it took a few months to find a social group, that was hard for a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re loving WMS. Believe it. Love it. Have a high achiever and he is very well served there. Private isn’t an option for us. But we have plenty of friends in DC at the big 3 and middle school doesn’t sound terribly different. At least for the academicly inclined. Also, don’t know why you think I wouldn’t take pot shots at the vocal entitled-parent population at WMS and YHS. Why not?! Many deserve it. They treat admin and staff like they expect individual attention. Most of the unhappy parents I know fall firmly in that category.

+1 My kid went from WMS to a big 3 for HS and was at no academic disadvantage compared to the private school kids.

OP here. Thanks so much for sharing this. Would love to hear more about why you decided to forego Yorktown for a private HS. That's the boat we're in and would love to hear more of the pros and cons you weighed.

PP here. I was not enthusiastic about DC going to private HS, but I was overruled by DH and DC. It was DC's idea - they felt like they were in a rut, just coasting, and they were looking for something more challenging. And now, years later, I am 100% certain it was the correct decision.

Pros - The class sizes are much smaller, the teachers (almost all) are more engaged, and it's OK among your classmates - in fact, it's encouraged - to be smart. English/writing instruction is much superior to public HS - several papers required per year, with multiple drafts. College counseling is light-years ahead of that at a public school. And even though we're just separated by a river, DC's classmates who live in Washington and Maryland tend to be more sophisticated and interested in the wider world than DC's Virginia friends. Kind of a city mouse vs country mouse dynamic.

Cons - The commute can be a pain. It can be difficult to get together with friends outside of school - but DC quickly became comfortable with Metro. Other parents are very nice, but I sometimes missed my parent friends I'd known for years. Homework is 3-4 hours/night by junior year. And I wouldn't do it if it would be a struggle to pay $50k/year.

Sounds like an issue with Williamsburg/Yorktown, not Virginia. Many kids at our public HS are preternaturally aware and politically engaged. It’s almost scary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Sounds like an issue with Williamsburg/Yorktown, not Virginia. Many kids at our public HS are preternaturally aware and politically engaged. It’s almost scary.

+1 perhaps it's a factor of high achievers opting for IB at W-L but my kids' peer group there is definitely civically engaged and there is no discouragement of being smart. But I imagine all big HS have both types of students.