Montgomery Co vs Fairfax Co public schools

[Anonymous]

Just wondering if someone had experience with both systems. If so what particular schools and what is your conclusion?
We have one toddler and currently rent in Bethesda. Would like to buy a house in the next year or so. We love it here, but house prices are outrageous. Recently been checking real estate listings for Vienna, McLean, Falls Church. Seems much more affordable.

[Anonymous]

It is more affordable because you are comparing prices in close-in MoCo with towns a little further from the city in Fairfax County. Bethesda and Arlington are comparable price-wise. If you go slightly further out in MoCo (Kensington, Rockville, Gaithersburg, even parts of Potomac), the prices will be lower than Bethesda. Regarding the schools, I think most people will ltell you that they are comparable. Both counties have some of the top high schools in the nation.

[Anonymous]

I've got step kids in one county and my son in the other. I am not as involved in my step kids' schooling, although I hear about reports, tests, etc. But from what I can tell, they seem comparable. A sprinkling of IB programs across both counties, lots of AP programs. TJ High School is fabulous. But MoCo has Blair. Not identical or anything, but there are lots of options in both counties.

[Anonymous]

OP here - So, the promximity to the city, that is why the price difference.
Thank you everybody.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - So, the promximity to the city, that is why the price difference.
Thank you everybody.

Price is going to be influenced by schools as well, but yes, in general, the closer to the city, the higher the house prices.

[Anonymous]

In MoCo, if you live in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, or Potomac, the schools are great and your kid can go to the local high school. Most everywhere else, it's all about getting into the magnets or into a "choice" program. Even Blair isn't terrific if you aren't in one of the two magnets (Blair has 2 of the 3 MoCo magnets). We know a few very talented kids who didn't luck out in the magnet/choice process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In MoCo, if you live in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, or Potomac, the schools are great and your kid can go to the local high school. Most everywhere else, it's all about getting into the magnets or into a "choice" program. Even Blair isn't terrific if you aren't in one of the two magnets (Blair has 2 of the 3 MoCo magnets). We know a few very talented kids who didn't luck out in the magnet/choice process.

This is a bunch of crap -- you can live in parts of Rockville, Kensington, Gaithersburg, Damascus, and Olney and go to Walter Johnson, Richard Montgomery, BCC, Wooten, Quince Orchard, Damascus, or Sherwood -- all top high schools. WJ and Wooten, in particular, are two of the top schools in the area as well as the nation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In MoCo, if you live in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, or Potomac, the schools are great and your kid can go to the local high school. Most everywhere else, it's all about getting into the magnets or into a "choice" program. Even Blair isn't terrific if you aren't in one of the two magnets (Blair has 2 of the 3 MoCo magnets). We know a few very talented kids who didn't luck out in the magnet/choice process.

OP here - At the risk of sounding ignorant, what the the 3 magnets in MoCo? I thought that Montgomery Blair HS is just one magnet school in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

I think Richard Montgomery is another. Does the MCPS website have some info on this?

[Anonymous]

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/

Research carefully. Rhetoric often doesn't meet reality.