Yorktown HS (APS) compared to Wilson High School (DCPS)
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Anonymous
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The problem I have with threads like this are ones that make claims like "W-L does better" without backing it up. There's no real evidence that this is, in fact, the case. From what I've seen, they're about the same.
Last year 484 Arlington County high school students applied to UVA. The vast majority were from public schools. 168 were accepted (less than 35 percent) and 90 ended up going (more than half of those accepted). Considering how selective UVA has become, it's pretty obvious that many if not most of the 90 who went to UVA could have been accepted at some pretty elite colleges. For whatever reason, be it financial or otherwise, either they chose not to even apply or were accepted at some pretty impressive schools but didn't go. The same goes with Fairfax County schools. UVA is a huge draw, and why shouldn't be? When I calculate elite college acceptances in NOVA high schools, I include UVA. And by that measure Yorktown does just fine. |
Anonymous
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All of you who went to college in the late 90’s early 2000’s, I have news for you. College admissions are a whole new ballgame nowadays. It is many times more competitive to get into top schools. I got into a top 20 (then-now it’s a top 10) school late 90’s with no APs, very average extracurricular, below a 4.0 weighted. No way in heck would I even be able to consider this school as even a far away reach today. UVA is very difficult to get into even in state. Being at a competitive high school makes this even harder because they aren’t just going to fill the classes with mclean, Yorktown, and Langley kids.
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Anonymous
In part, it's a brain drain issue, along with the fact that top colleges seek diverse student bodies and W-L is more diverse than Yorktown. Yorktown may have more recruited athletes and legacies than W-L, but otherwise the student profile at W-L is more interesting. |
Anonymous
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No comparison to Yorktown but I hate to admit the stories I read on here about Yorktown - no doors on the stalls - and the ones I hear from friends with kids there - make me think Wilson isn't so bad. Wilson has it's issues but the teachers are fairly solid and they have great math & science classes and a lot of them.
Wilson's diversity makes it stats look not so good but it also keeps it from being a total pressure cooker. We seem to hear a lot more about suicides from the W schools. We are happy with Wilson. |
Anonymous
So you went to JHU? What school that was in the top 20 twenty years ago is top 10 today? Anyway, you made my point. US News has UVA in the "most competitive" admissions category. Two dozen Yorktown grads will end up there. Not too shabby. |
Anonymous
Just stop it. Yes, Yorktown has its (not "it's" btw) issues but so does Wilson and you're not going to convince a lot of people that Wilson is a better HS. Both are great schools. |
Anonymous
I think either is fine, but I would like to say- there are, indeed, doors on the stalls at Yorktown. Whoever told you they’re aren’t is yanking your chain. |
Anonymous
Yorktown is a "Y school," not a "W school," but unfortunately the Y could be either "Yuck" or "Yawn" these days. |
Anonymous
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I’ve been told by DCPS teacher friends that DC graduating seniors have a better chance of getting accepted at top schools due to the diversity factor, even if the students are white. Supposedly colleges more actively recruit DC public school students to get their numbers up.
Some teachers even move their families into the city so their kids can attend DC public high schools primarily Wilson to qualify for lowered state college tuition plus easier entry. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
| “Recruited athletes”? Is that really a thing — it’s a neighborhood highschool. |
Anonymous
PP here. I meant Yorktown students who get into Ivies because they are recruited athletes (since people were talking about college admissions). When kids are recruited to Ivies because they play sports like lax or ice hockey, I don't think it is really reflective of their high school. |
Anonymous
Saying Wilson has its issues is the understatement of the year. |
Anonymous
Well you have to consider that you're talking about different tests, different standard DCPS uses PAARC while APS uses Va SOL. Sorry but Va SOL is not known for being tough and really challenging. |
Anonymous
Source? The VA SOLs are very similar to Common Core standards. Please share your research showing the SOL's are not as challenging in comparison. |