How is Oakton high?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious what you think modest income is

Under 300K. At that income, and taking into account that Oakton HS neighborhoods are not where trust funders live, the parents cannot afford the things that will make other kids feel out of place because of income - expensive cars, yearly vacations to Europe, school breaks skiing in Colorado, condo in the Caribbean etc.

DP: This account is fairly accurate. Oakton's median income has changed somewhat with the new developments around Vienna over the years. If you look on Niche, they list the median HH income of the area feeding into the school as 138598, which is less than the median at Robinson (144142) and Lake Braddock (149833) and Woodson (177218) and definitely less than McLean or Langley (222587). It's higher than Chantilly (110917) and West Springfield (127578). So higher than the overall average of FCPS schools, but close to what people think of the middle.

To be sure, some of Oakton's slightly lower HHI is because there are younger people living in apartments so only have 1 income starting out so not that relevant to the school, but some of it is families in rentals/condos whose income is not FARMS but more solidly middle class.

That said, the wealthy portion of Oakton is more like the wealthy portions of McLean/Langley. Oakton, I think, is a good example of a solid more socioeconomically diverse school that is very successful.

I don’t think that Niche data is meaningful. For example, they report the same median income for Langley and McLean, but Langley is definitely more affluent than McLean. They are just pulling some information for the immediate area where the schools are located, and lacking the ability to determine the median incomes of the specific neighborhoods that feed into a school. In Oakton’s case, the area close to Oakton includes moderate-income areas in Fairfax, but the neighborhoods further west off Vale, Hunter Mill, etc., are more expensive.

Sure, it's not perfect data but it gives you a rough sense--so I think it's still meaningful, just imperfect. At this point Oakton DOES have demographics that are more leaning middle class than McLean or Langley even as it also has rich neighborhoods too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see no one has refuted the “full of rich kids” statement.

What FCPS high school has the appropriate wealth mix, in your opinion? Genuinely asking.

I think Chantilly has a better mix.

Yes. Also Marshall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a FARMS kids and I can tell you first hand that the idea of having me sit on a long bus ride out of my neighborhood for the privilege of attending school with higher income kids is offensive. Do people really think that poor kids sit in class and think that they are somehow lucky and should be thankful they were given the opportunity? No, they sit there awkwardly aware that they are thought of as inferior to others by their peers.

Stop with the UMC savior mentality and give low-income kids what they need. Support and successful role models who show them all the possibilities for the future right their in their own schools.

So was I, in a different state.

But, let's be honest, in this area with the boundaries (many of them "strange") you may not need to be on a "long bus ride." Even now, my kid has 3 (and arguably 4) High Schools closer to us than the one DC currently attends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see no one has refuted the “full of rich kids” statement.

What FCPS high school has the appropriate wealth mix, in your opinion? Genuinely asking.

I think Chantilly has a better mix.

Yes. Also Marshall.

Everyone seems to want to think the mix is just right at their school.

Oakton is fine. Would take it over Marshall any day of the week.

[Anonymous]

I just find it amusing. Regardless of what the mathematical mean is, I don't consider 300k middle class. It's not like you struggle to get by on 300k. Depends on your choices I guess. I support a family of 4 on $130k and feel fortunate. I don't feel less than the middle. Maybe you think I am. Doesn't matter to me. But it's just interesting how people become out of touch with how others in the area live, including myself

[Anonymous]

Not to worry, once the elites sort out who is who, how everyone is classified,and make sure the Oaktons aren't confused with the McLeans, we'll be able to judge everyone more accurately

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to worry, once the elites sort out who is who, how everyone is classified,and make sure the Oaktons aren't confused with the McLeans, we'll be able to judge everyone more accurately

I truly don't understand why are you so offended to be classified as middle class. There's nothing derogatory about it.

[Anonymous]

I think the point was that what you call middle class is more than twice their household income

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just find it amusing. Regardless of what the mathematical mean is, I don't consider 300k middle class. It's not like you struggle to get by on 300k. Depends on your choices I guess. I support a family of 4 on $130k and feel fortunate. I don't feel less than the middle. Maybe you think I am. Doesn't matter to me. But it's just interesting how people become out of touch with how others in the area live, including myself

We are very similar and feel poor compared to most families around here. It’s sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just find it amusing. Regardless of what the mathematical mean is, I don't consider 300k middle class. It's not like you struggle to get by on 300k. Depends on your choices I guess. I support a family of 4 on $130k and feel fortunate. I don't feel less than the middle. Maybe you think I am. Doesn't matter to me. But it's just interesting how people become out of touch with how others in the area live, including myself

People are very out of touch around here. Many seem to have insulated themselves in their communities and have no idea how others are living. Their feeling of middle class is relative.

To qualify for F/R lunch your family of 4 income has to be below $50,000. These people are throwing 300,000 around like they are just middle of the road. And maybe in their communities they are. But they need to understand what is transpiring elsewhere in the county.

Do they process that over 60 percent of the students at Annandale, Lewis, and Justice are in families that make less than $50,000 (roughly, depending on family size)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just find it amusing. Regardless of what the mathematical mean is, I don't consider 300k middle class. It's not like you struggle to get by on 300k. Depends on your choices I guess. I support a family of 4 on $130k and feel fortunate. I don't feel less than the middle. Maybe you think I am. Doesn't matter to me. But it's just interesting how people become out of touch with how others in the area live, including myself

We are very similar and feel poor compared to most families around here. It’s sad.

DP: Slightly lower income here with 2 kids and don't feel poor. Just comfortable and able to have the life we want. I feel fortunate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just find it amusing. Regardless of what the mathematical mean is, I don't consider 300k middle class. It's not like you struggle to get by on 300k. Depends on your choices I guess. I support a family of 4 on $130k and feel fortunate. I don't feel less than the middle. Maybe you think I am. Doesn't matter to me. But it's just interesting how people become out of touch with how others in the area live, including myself

We are very similar and feel poor compared to most families around here. It’s sad.

Similar. We feel lucky and are comfortable, but at the same time feel poor when compared to those people who have a 300k income and pretend what they can give their kids in experiences and help is normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see no one has refuted the “full of rich kids” statement.

What FCPS high school has the appropriate wealth mix, in your opinion? Genuinely asking.

I think Chantilly has a better mix.

Yes. Also Marshall.

Everyone seems to want to think the mix is just right at their school.

Oakton is fine. Would take it over Marshall any day of the week.

Nope. Marshall isn't my school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s not a thing wrong with having successful, higher income families at a thriving suburban high school. Should be lauded.

The problem is the sense of entitlement and lack of empathy that tends to come along with it. I’ve never seen such selfish, compassionless people as the UMC of the DMV. Many individuals are lovely but, collectively, it can be a bit much. I can understand where some people might prefer that ratio diluted with regular people to tone it down a bit.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see no one has refuted the “full of rich kids” statement.

What FCPS high school has the appropriate wealth mix, in your opinion? Genuinely asking.

I think Chantilly has a better mix.

Yes. Also Marshall.

Everyone seems to want to think the mix is just right at their school.

Oakton is fine. Would take it over Marshall any day of the week.

Nope. Marshall isn't my school.

We had a kid at Marshall. It was OK, but not special, and I’d affirmatively avoid Kilmer.