wootton or Quince Orchard?

[Anonymous]

I have heard there is a lot of cheating at Wooton and that many of the parents really push their kids to excell and BE THE BEST. I hate to stereotype, but have heard this is especially true for the Chinese students or other Asian students and there is about 35% Asian students at Wootton. Is there any truth to this? How does being around such a large population of students that are constantly pushed to excel academically affect the other students? Of course I want my kids to excel but not at all costs -- it will not be the end of the world if they don't make it into an IB program or get A in every single class. So I wonder if the culture is such that if they are not in the very top of their class if they will feel like they are failing or not as good or other negative feelings about themselves? Without having the parents pushing, pushing, pushing their kids the way I have heard some of the other parents do, will they be able to compete? To keep up? Please tell me more about the culture at Wootton. Thanks

[Anonymous]

I much rather go to a school with 30% asians who work hard to excel than a bunch of lower income, it is cool to be "dumb" families at QO. School spirit isn't high on my list of wants for my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I much rather go to a school with 30% asians who work hard to excel than a bunch of lower income, it is cool to be "dumb" families at QO. School spirit isn't high on my list of wants for my kids.

Do you know this as an insider? Namely it is cool to be dumb in QO? Or is it simply more acceptable to be not very smart? This is a serious question. I want a school for my kid that being good academically is appreciated. Sports not important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I much rather go to a school with 30% asians who work hard to excel than a bunch of lower income, it is cool to be "dumb" families at QO. School spirit isn't high on my list of wants for my kids.

Do you know this as an insider? Namely it is cool to be dumb in QO? Or is it simply more acceptable to be not very smart? This is a serious question. I want a school for my kid that being good academically is appreciated. Sports not important.

I'm a big QO fan but honestly, there will be a group in every school where being good academically is appreciated. Every school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I much rather go to a school with 30% asians who work hard to excel than a bunch of lower income, it is cool to be "dumb" families at QO. School spirit isn't high on my list of wants for my kids.

Do you know this as an insider? Namely it is cool to be dumb in QO? Or is it simply more acceptable to be not very smart? This is a serious question. I want a school for my kid that being good academically is appreciated. Sports not important.

I'm a big QO fan but honestly, there will be a group in every school where being good academically is appreciated. Every school.

Yes but for QO it is a group. For Wootton it is the school as a whole with only a group that likes being "dumb". Big difference

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I much rather go to a school with 30% asians who work hard to excel than a bunch of lower income, it is cool to be "dumb" families at QO. School spirit isn't high on my list of wants for my kids.

Do you know this as an insider? Namely it is cool to be dumb in QO? Or is it simply more acceptable to be not very smart? This is a serious question. I want a school for my kid that being good academically is appreciated. Sports not important.

I'm a big QO fan but honestly, there will be a group in every school where being good academically is appreciated. Every school.

Yes but for QO it is a group. For Wootton it is the school as a whole with only a group that likes being "dumb". Big difference

But Wootton makes it more shameful to not be in the top 95% and kids feel stupid when they are not.

[Anonymous]

You mean 5% kids feel stupid or 95% feel stupid? How many percent QO students feel bad about not being athletic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wootton is an Asian magnet . If you are Asian you will love it . It's nickname even among its own students us wonton. Good at violin / math . Not good at sports. That's the deal for whatever its worth. Q O is your all American high school. Good at sports and as good as your kid makes it in academics. Never heard of anybody getting picked on, the kids are really nice to each other in general . Tons if school spirit and a cool location.

Where do you get that Wootton is not good at sports?

The boys soccer team won states this past fall.

The baseball and field hockey teams lost in region championships this year. Girls and boy's lax both went to the region semi-finals.

The XC team and tennis team both had state qualifiers.

I think you may have old data PP.

It depends on what you want. Athletics? Depending on the sport, QO is pretty much middle of the road (but great in football). Safety, definitely choose Wootton. Here is some other information:

Suspension Rate - QO 4.6% Wootton <3%
FARMS - QO 22% Wootton 5.5%
% of students meeting UMD requirements - QO 79.4% Wootton 86.4%

If you check out the "At a Glance" reports for both schools, that cna help you make a decision. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/

I will say in terms of school climate, the teachers are very happy at Wootton, the kids are great (not nearly as many cliques as people think), and the kids motivate each other to do better in school (lots of peer competition, which as a teenager carries more weight than pressure from your parents). The prinicpal, while wonderful, is a little full of himself but he is really involved with the students and you can tell he really cares about the school's success. My brother-in-law teaches there, so I know some stuff about Wootton. I don't know anyone who teaches at QO.

[Anonymous]

lots of peer competition

I think that is what people point to as the problem. Really the fact that kids really care what their peers get on their report card is a problem.

So if you like a school where your kid's friends know their grades and compete with them on grades then Wooton is the school for you.

So from a teacher's perspective (that is your source of information) yes these kids have parents that hoover and are all over them to do well in school so it is a much easier atmosphere for a teacher.

For a parent, get the value pack at Kumon or brush up on Calculus, Physics and Chemistry because the other kids are getting lots of help to stay in the top percentages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You mean 5% kids feel stupid or 95% feel stupid? How many percent QO students feel bad about not being athletic?

Here is a perfect example of what you will deal with at Wooton. A smug know it all that understood the point but has to be an a$$ about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I much rather go to a school with 30% asians who work hard to excel than a bunch of lower income, it is cool to be "dumb" families at QO. School spirit isn't high on my list of wants for my kids.

Do you know this as an insider? Namely it is cool to be dumb in QO? Or is it simply more acceptable to be not very smart? This is a serious question. I want a school for my kid that being good academically is appreciated. Sports not important.

I'm a big QO fan but honestly, there will be a group in every school where being good academically is appreciated. Every school.

Yes but for QO it is a group. For Wootton it is the school as a whole with only a group that likes being "dumb". Big difference

I live in Wootton cluster. It's got a monolithic culture, and really isn't all it's cracked up to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

lots of peer competition

I think that is what people point to as the problem. Really the fact that kids really care what their peers get on their report card is a problem.

So if you like a school where your kid's friends know their grades and compete with them on grades then Wooton is the school for you.

So from a teacher's perspective (that is your source of information) yes these kids have parents that hoover and are all over them to do well in school so it is a much easier atmosphere for a teacher.

For a parent, get the value pack at Kumon or brush up on Calculus, Physics and Chemistry because the other kids are getting lots of help to stay in the top percentages.

I see your point, about how the peer competition can be bad, but it can be good too.

I teach, but I teach at one of the bottom dwellers in MCPS. The refreshing thing about Wootton is that those kids care about their grades and becuase they do, it rubs off on other students, which is why I believe that school is as successful as it is. It is not as cut throat as you think (unless you have first hand knowledge that I do not) but it is a nice motivater for your kid to have if you feel they aren't motivated by you or your spouse.

I don't know if that is at QO - I do not have first hand knowledge on what goes on at that school in terms of climate.

Believe me, at my school, kids don't give a shit about grades and it is "cool" to tell a teacher to "fuck off" or to sleep all period, or bring your weed to school in a Cheetos bag, or get drunk in the bathroom. Again, peer motivation, but in a negative way. In my case, the entire school is a massive shit hole full of kids who will never contribute to society.

So, what your peers think has a HUGE impact of your success in school, whether it is negative or positive, and the trick is finding a school that has a good balance of those kids. So, maybe Wootton is too competitive (but I personally do not think so) in which case QO may be better.

[Anonymous]

I see your point, about how the peer competition can be bad, but it can be good too.

I teach, but I teach at one of the bottom dwellers in MCPS. The refreshing thing about Wootton is that those kids care about their grades and becuase they do, it rubs off on other students, which is why I believe that school is as successful as it is. It is not as cut throat as you think (unless you have first hand knowledge that I do not) but it is a nice motivater for your kid to have if you feel they aren't motivated by you or your spouse.

I don't know if that is at QO - I do not have first hand knowledge on what goes on at that school in terms of climate.

Believe me, at my school, kids don't give a shit about grades and it is "cool" to tell a teacher to "fuck off" or to sleep all period, or bring your weed to school in a Cheetos bag, or get drunk in the bathroom. Again, peer motivation, but in a negative way. In my case, the entire school is a massive shit hole full of kids who will never contribute to society.
So, what your peers think has a HUGE impact of your success in school, whether it is negative or positive, and the trick is finding a school that has a good balance of those kids. So, maybe Wootton is too competitive (but I personally do not think so) in which case QO may be better.

With that outlook, how do you expect to inspire the children who need your help to rise above their circumstances? Shame on you! You can't tell me there aren't some kids at your school who have something worthwhile to contribute!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You mean 5% kids feel stupid or 95% feel stupid? How many percent QO students feel bad about not being athletic?

Here is a perfect example of what you will deal with at Wooton. A smug know it all that understood the point but has to be an a$$ about it.

Actually I didn't understand the point either. I assumed that "But Wootton makes it more shameful to not be in the top 95% and kids feel stupid when they are not. " meant that kids feel stupid and ashamed if they are not in the 95th percentile or above. But that doesn't really make sense. The 95th percentile of what? The country? MCPS? Wootton? Statistically, of course, 94% of students at Wootton will be below the 95th percentile of students at Wootton, no matter how high-achieving the Wootton student body is. Do 94% of students at Wootton feel stupid and ashamed?

[Anonymous]

^^drat, 95%, not 94%.