TC Williams: what does a family new to Alexandria need to know?
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Anonymous
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We are moving to Alexandria and my DC will spend 8th at a local private, but then likely go to TC. TC parents, what, if anything, should we be thinking abut or doing to increase the likelihood that DC will have a good transition to TC? I have heard people talk about things like the STEM academy. Are there programs we need to get DC signed up for in advance?
DC is a strong but not stellar student: generally gets B+ to A grades in academic subjects at a reasonably demanding private. Love the arts; enjoys sports but is not super athletic. Incredibly quick and creative but has never been a strong standardized test taker. Very strong writer. Any advice welcomed. |
Anonymous
| Yale or jail - that's TC in a nutshell. |
Anonymous
| Go private. Seriously. |
Anonymous
OMG! You're SOOOOO cool and witty with that quip! I bet no one has ever said that!!! 
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Anonymous
| big school, AS a 3000 students school it will have it's problems. |
Anonymous
| Move to Wakefield. |
Anonymous
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I know nothing about TC Williams, but maybe you should contact the incoming PTA president there for advice. Perhaps the counseling office as well.
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Anonymous
+1. Go to a private HS. Seriously. Your DD does not sound like she meets the "Yale" criteria to succeed at TC. And if she is coming out of private now, and going private for 8th, TC is going to be a big shock, and she could well slip through the cracks. As for the STEM Academy, it's ACPS's way of justifying keeping talented kids in the ACPS system instead of sending them to TJ. Unlike TJ and AOS, though, it doesn't have much of a reputation. Also, you mention that your DD is creative, and a strong writer and like the arts. But you don't mention her actually liking STEM. The STEM program has a lot of extra requirements, and there is not much room for humanities and fine arts electives. Does she want the extra robotics and enginerringing and CISCO classes instead? |
Anonymous
+1 or 2/3 of the school pyramids in FCPS. Why Alexandria? |
Anonymous
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Current TC parent here. "Yale or Jail" is a myth. TC's size is a help and not a hindrance - every elective, every team, every co-curricular, every club, every special program under one roof. And the size means that there is basically somebody for everybody at TC. TC is a busy place, but a kid with his/her head on right and an accommodating home environment can do well. I'm a demanding parent, ivy, lawyer, not from Alexandria, etc., and I think a goodly amount of the complaining about TC that I see on this board really isn't accurate or fair.
-- Contact TC now and procure the course catalog. There's a posted e-version as well but a bit cumbersome. Please, ASAP, go through the course offerings and programs with DC. -- Collect all of DC's recent school records if you are going to try for a special program. -- Find out, now, who DC's counselor will be, and reach out to the TC front office. Can be helpful in breaking occasional log-jams with class scheduling. ACPS is just a contentious community. There's a disuniform quality of teaching (but that's everywhere), and the school has been through multiple principals in just a few years. The school board, which is much more of a direct-management body than other school boards in the area, is just a terrible embarrassment - totally unqualified, unrealistic, not candid. There are problems, and real ones. But the problems that you might observe that specifically affect TC are relatively few, they can usually be mitigated or fully solved. A capable student with an engaged parent can do very well, other parents are engaged and the overall TC family community is intelligent and supportive. Many of the fac and admin are genuinely good or even excellent. Some of the co-curriculars are spectacular. Good luck. Don't assume a disaster and don't believe over-generalized condemnation. As a TC parent, you'll have to be active and alert, but not much more than you would have to be elsewhere. The experience is valuable and we truly believe that our DD benefits from being at TC. |
Anonymous
| ^^^ let me guess, you've got a TC Williams Crew sticker on your car? |
Anonymous
| TC was also known as the school that some crazy sh;t goes down at football games. It was always like, "Oh snap, we're playing TC tonight. Wonder if more than 1 person is getting stabbed!" |
Anonymous
TC has day games at home. GW had night games at its big stadium, and there may have been fights but that was way back in the 60s. |
Anonymous
This was the late 90's. They played night games away if I recall correctly. They didn't have lights because everyone knew those kids couldn't be trusted with night home games. I don't think things have changed much. |
Anonymous
Correct. There were issues at games at the GW stadium like 50 years ago, but the reason they don't have lights now is that they promised the neighbors back when the school was built in the 60's that they would never ever ever install lights and the neighbors have long memories. None of the private schools in Alexandria have lights either. Bishop O'Connell wanted to install lights when they put redid their stadium a few years ago and Arlington wouldn't let them after the neighbors complained. |