Rank the Top 10 NoVa High Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school can be better than one in inner-city Chicago and still far below the expectations or aspirations of many in this area.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. You obviously have a horse in this race. Move to the Lee district from your “good” district and let us know how it goes.

Different poster. I have students at Lee. This year Lee graduates are attending UVA, William & Mary, VCU, James Madison, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Drexel, Texas A&M, UNC-Chapel Hill, BYU, Barnard, the University of Richmond, Loyola-Chicago, and the University of Chicago (as examples). I think things are going quite well for these students.

By comparison, at DD's School, there were:
W & M 46 accepted, 17 enrolled
VT. 104 accepted 37 enrolled
UVA. 69 accepted 39 enrolled
JMU. 122 Accepted. 41 enrolled

this is out of a class of about 500.

so, 27% went to one of the top 4 Va Schools.


Oh, other schools include MIT, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Yale.

[Anonymous]

These rankings are pretty stupid. What matters is how my child will do. So, I need to look at the how the school works with my demographic. In addition, since the schools are regional, what I can afford plays into it.

I can not afford to live in the Langley District or McLean.

I can only afford my district because I have lived here for 20 years. (Madison).

FARMS students mostly can not afford here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These rankings are pretty stupid. What matters is how my child will do. So, I need to look at the how the school works with my demographic. In addition, since the schools are regional, what I can afford plays into it.

I can not afford to live in the Langley District or McLean.

I can only afford my district because I have lived here for 20 years. (Madison).

FARMS students mostly can not afford here.

So you also compared the schools, just by your demographic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These rankings are pretty stupid. What matters is how my child will do. So, I need to look at the how the school works with my demographic. In addition, since the schools are regional, what I can afford plays into it.

I can not afford to live in the Langley District or McLean.

I can only afford my district because I have lived here for 20 years. (Madison).

FARMS students mostly can not afford here.

So you also compared the schools, just by your demographic?

Pretty much. And there was not much difference between the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These rankings are pretty stupid. What matters is how my child will do. So, I need to look at the how the school works with my demographic. In addition, since the schools are regional, what I can afford plays into it.

I can not afford to live in the Langley District or McLean.

I can only afford my district because I have lived here for 20 years. (Madison).

FARMS students mostly can not afford here.

So you also compared the schools, just by your demographic?

Pretty much. And there was not much difference between the schools.

More difference now than 20 years ago. Not sure why you’d begrudge others from asking now. Unless of course it annoys you Madison isn’t ranked as highly now as it used to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By what criteria? This is serious. Performance? Performance Normalized to Demographics? Band? Football team? Girls Sports?

Performance: use SAT scores
Performance normalized to demographics: harder
Band: Clearly Madison, Mclean, TJ, then everyone else
Football: Westfields then everyone else
...

TJ band parent here.

Nice to see them recognized for tenon-academic things. OMG do those kids work in band.

I am PP and a Madison Band Parent. I was impressed by your show last year. (and chuckled when in the BOA Newark Regional, when TJ was anounced as a finalist, I heard a cry of "Nerds!" from some anonymous band

Back atcha. I was a first year band parent, and was super impressed by Madison. And yes, they get the news thing. The kids I know embrace it as a badge of honor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school can be better than one in inner-city Chicago and still far below the expectations or aspirations of many in this area.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. You obviously have a horse in this race. Move to the Lee district from your “good” district and let us know how it goes.

Different poster. I have students at Lee. This year Lee graduates are attending UVA, William & Mary, VCU, James Madison, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Drexel, Texas A&M, UNC-Chapel Hill, BYU, Barnard, the University of Richmond, Loyola-Chicago, and the University of Chicago (as examples). I think things are going quite well for these students.

This is a really weak list for NOVA. And especially weak for a school that should have quite a few URM/ first gen applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school can be better than one in inner-city Chicago and still far below the expectations or aspirations of many in this area.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. You obviously have a horse in this race. Move to the Lee district from your “good” district and let us know how it goes.

Different poster. I have students at Lee. This year Lee graduates are attending UVA, William & Mary, VCU, James Madison, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Drexel, Texas A&M, UNC-Chapel Hill, BYU, Barnard, the University of Richmond, Loyola-Chicago, and the University of Chicago (as examples). I think things are going quite well for these students.

By comparison, at DD's School, there were:
W & M 46 accepted, 17 enrolled
VT. 104 accepted 37 enrolled
UVA. 69 accepted 39 enrolled
JMU. 122 Accepted. 41 enrolled

this is out of a class of about 500.

so, 27% went to one of the top 4 Va Schools.


Oh, other schools include MIT, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Yale.

And what is to say that these students wouldn't do just as well if they attended Lee? You are mistaking the students for the school. If they are the fantastic students you say they are, then the school won't be the difference (in Fairfax County).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school can be better than one in inner-city Chicago and still far below the expectations or aspirations of many in this area.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. You obviously have a horse in this race. Move to the Lee district from your “good” district and let us know how it goes.

Different poster. I have students at Lee. This year Lee graduates are attending UVA, William & Mary, VCU, James Madison, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Drexel, Texas A&M, UNC-Chapel Hill, BYU, Barnard, the University of Richmond, Loyola-Chicago, and the University of Chicago (as examples). I think things are going quite well for these students.

This is a really weak list for NOVA. And especially weak for a school that should have quite a few URM/ first gen applicants.

These are just examples. Remember that finances are tough for many of these students and short of full-ride scholarships, attending college out of the local area or state will be tough.

The point is that Lee, and other schools like it in Fairfax, are not horrible places where students are doomed - that is the attitude of many of the posters on this board and it is a sad statement about Northern Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These rankings are pretty stupid. What matters is how my child will do. So, I need to look at the how the school works with my demographic. In addition, since the schools are regional, what I can afford plays into it.

I can not afford to live in the Langley District or McLean.

I can only afford my district because I have lived here for 20 years. (Madison).

FARMS students mostly can not afford here.

So you also compared the schools, just by your demographic?

Pretty much. And there was not much difference between the schools.

More difference now than 20 years ago. Not sure why you’d begrudge others from asking now. Unless of course it annoys you Madison isn’t ranked as highly now as it used to be.

actually, the thing that hurts Madison in the ranking was an influx of non-english speakers. Not many, but enough to reduce the pass rate of of these kids will be low. And they are low at Madison. And they are 100% FARMS. And they pull the FARMS students down from near 100% pass rate for English speaking to a 50 % for English learners. Since the majority of the farms students at Madison are enlist learners, the overall pass rate for FARMS/Disadvantaged is 70%.

Note: Madison's pass rate for non-english speakers is similar to the county wide rate. But, with 70% of the FARMS students being non-english speakers at Madison, it looks like it is underperforming.

For my Daughter's demographic, there is no difference between Madison, McLean, Langley, Oakton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:#9 and #10 aren’t really considered NOVA. Those are waaaaaaaaaay out there.

Newsflash. Loudon County is in NOVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school can be better than one in inner-city Chicago and still far below the expectations or aspirations of many in this area.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. You obviously have a horse in this race. Move to the Lee district from your “good” district and let us know how it goes.

Different poster. I have students at Lee. This year Lee graduates are attending UVA, William & Mary, VCU, James Madison, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Drexel, Texas A&M, UNC-Chapel Hill, BYU, Barnard, the University of Richmond, Loyola-Chicago, and the University of Chicago (as examples). I think things are going quite well for these students.

By comparison, at DD's School, there were:
W & M 46 accepted, 17 enrolled
VT. 104 accepted 37 enrolled
UVA. 69 accepted 39 enrolled
JMU. 122 Accepted. 41 enrolled

this is out of a class of about 500.

so, 27% went to one of the top 4 Va Schools.


Oh, other schools include MIT, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Yale.

And what is to say that these students wouldn't do just as well if they attended Lee? You are mistaking the students for the school. If they are the fantastic students you say they are, then the school won't be the difference (in Fairfax County).

DP. You keep saying this and it doesn’t get any more convincing with repetition.

Why do you think GS, US News, School Digger, etc (including this sub-forum) exist. There is a demand for this information because people are interested in sending their kids to the best schools. If you can’t afford one of those districts, so be it, but you aren’t going to convince people with a choice to pick Lee over Langley by serving up platitudes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These rankings are pretty stupid. What matters is how my child will do. So, I need to look at the how the school works with my demographic. In addition, since the schools are regional, what I can afford plays into it.

I can not afford to live in the Langley District or McLean.

I can only afford my district because I have lived here for 20 years. (Madison).

FARMS students mostly can not afford here.

So you also compared the schools, just by your demographic?

Pretty much. And there was not much difference between the schools.

More difference now than 20 years ago. Not sure why you’d begrudge others from asking now. Unless of course it annoys you Madison isn’t ranked as highly now as it used to be.

actually, the thing that hurts Madison in the ranking was an influx of non-english speakers. Not many, but enough to reduce the pass rate of of these kids will be low. And they are low at Madison. And they are 100% FARMS. And they pull the FARMS students down from near 100% pass rate for English speaking to a 50 % for English learners. Since the majority of the farms students at Madison are enlist learners, the overall pass rate for FARMS/Disadvantaged is 70%.

Note: Madison's pass rate for non-english speakers is similar to the county wide rate. But, with 70% of the FARMS students being non-english speakers at Madison, it looks like it is underperforming.

For my Daughter's demographic, there is no difference between Madison, McLean, Langley, Oakton

It is what it is. Other schools saw an increase in ESOL/FARMS kids at the same time as Madison. They just did a better job with those students than Madison. Now it's time for Madison to catch up. It will probably take a few years, given that the rankings lag the test scores, but it will rebound.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school can be better than one in inner-city Chicago and still far below the expectations or aspirations of many in this area.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. You obviously have a horse in this race. Move to the Lee district from your “good” district and let us know how it goes.

Different poster. I have students at Lee. This year Lee graduates are attending UVA, William & Mary, VCU, James Madison, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Drexel, Texas A&M, UNC-Chapel Hill, BYU, Barnard, the University of Richmond, Loyola-Chicago, and the University of Chicago (as examples). I think things are going quite well for these students.

By comparison, at DD's School, there were:
W & M 46 accepted, 17 enrolled
VT. 104 accepted 37 enrolled
UVA. 69 accepted 39 enrolled
JMU. 122 Accepted. 41 enrolled

this is out of a class of about 500.

so, 27% went to one of the top 4 Va Schools.


Oh, other schools include MIT, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Yale.

And what is to say that these students wouldn't do just as well if they attended Lee? You are mistaking the students for the school. If they are the fantastic students you say they are, then the school won't be the difference (in Fairfax County).

DP. You keep saying this and it doesn’t get any more convincing with repetition.

Why do you think GS, US News, School Digger, etc (including this sub-forum) exist. There is a demand for this information because people are interested in sending their kids to the best schools. If you can’t afford one of those districts, so be it, but you aren’t going to convince people with a choice to pick Lee over Langley by serving up platitudes.

These sites just contribute to the problem. They all have questionable methodologies and can't possibly tell the real story of a school. Because people are using these sites to select homes, the divide gets wider every year and more students cram into fewer schools. How many Fairfax high schools are no-go zones now? 7?9? What will it be in five years? 10 or 12? Great School scores dropped recently for a number of schools - do they now fall out of the real estate search for families new to the area? The answer to that question is probably yes and then those schools start to slide. It can be very insidious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school can be better than one in inner-city Chicago and still far below the expectations or aspirations of many in this area.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. You obviously have a horse in this race. Move to the Lee district from your “good” district and let us know how it goes.

Different poster. I have students at Lee. This year Lee graduates are attending UVA, William & Mary, VCU, James Madison, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Drexel, Texas A&M, UNC-Chapel Hill, BYU, Barnard, the University of Richmond, Loyola-Chicago, and the University of Chicago (as examples). I think things are going quite well for these students.

By comparison, at DD's School, there were:
W & M 46 accepted, 17 enrolled
VT. 104 accepted 37 enrolled
UVA. 69 accepted 39 enrolled
JMU. 122 Accepted. 41 enrolled

this is out of a class of about 500.

so, 27% went to one of the top 4 Va Schools.


Oh, other schools include MIT, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Yale.

And what is to say that these students wouldn't do just as well if they attended Lee? You are mistaking the students for the school. If they are the fantastic students you say they are, then the school won't be the difference (in Fairfax County).

DP. You keep saying this and it doesn’t get any more convincing with repetition.

Why do you think GS, US News, School Digger, etc (including this sub-forum) exist. There is a demand for this information because people are interested in sending their kids to the best schools. If you can’t afford one of those districts, so be it, but you aren’t going to convince people with a choice to pick Lee over Langley by serving up platitudes.

These sites just contribute to the problem. They all have questionable methodologies and can't possibly tell the real story of a school. Because people are using these sites to select homes, the divide gets wider every year and more students cram into fewer schools. How many Fairfax high schools are no-go zones now? 7?9? What will it be in five years? 10 or 12? Great School scores dropped recently for a number of schools - do they now fall out of the real estate search for families new to the area? The answer to that question is probably yes and then those schools start to slide. It can be very insidious.

That First Amendment sure is pesky, isn’t it? And, yet, if we had to rely on other sources for the “real story,” there would be less useful information available to parents.

I’m not aware of any high schools in the county that are viewed generally as “no-go zones,” but if there are that is FCPS’s doing and not the fault of Great Schools or US News.