Is my child gifted? In Arlington magazine this month

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry for your uncle, and if he had been a student at Wakefield he would have ample opportunities to go to college and become an engineer, because that is how APS is currently set up. You couldn't be more wrong about highly skilled trades ( which is what arl tech is supposedly going to be). They do pay well, and they often have as good or better benefits than white collar jobs. This country has a dearth of well trained tradesman/women. A child can be a gifted carpenter, or electrician. Gifts come all sorts of ways. There is more than enough focus on the college bound APS student. This is a critical need in our county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many minorities take advantage of going to NoVA for 2 years (saves a helluva lot of $) and then transferring into UVA, Mason, Tech, etc.

Smarter than most of you

Many of them start and never transfer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:It think Arlington tech should be a vocational school. Look at how few kids apply for top schools out of Wakefiled. Those kids need career/job training. We need that more than another TJ.

kids who don't apply for "top schools" = kids who need vocational school? huh?

Yes. Wakefield is full of kids who are not on track to attend any college. They need training. Arlington tech is really needed.

what about kids from the other four high schools who don't "apply for top schools" - do you send them to career center too?

No. It's just for Wakefield

Wakefield has a much lower number of kids applying to college, so it will be really beneficial to that part of the county. W-l I think will benefit as well. I don't really see many Yorktown kids taking this route, and certainly not 200. I could be wrong. Either way Yorktown is supposed to have less crowding right? We have a sizable cohort of kids in Arlington that aren't on their way to college. What we offer them is likely much more important than GT programs.

Look, unless the reason they aren't applying to college is that they just arrived in this country in the last two years and speak no English and had no prior formal schooling (and I am sure there are a number of these students in Arlington) and have no hope of succeeding in college, we should NOT be pushing kids to a vocational track. For what? All those good factory and manufacturing jobs that no longer exist? Yes, we still need plumbers and mechanics and street sweepers, but kids shouldn't automatically be put into this box if they can be pushed toward college. I know many of you don't believe that it's possible for these students to graduate from college and find gainful employment in jobs that aren't dirty and hard on the body and that offer benefits like 401K's. But it is possible, and if we allow them to settle for less, they will. Each child should be pushed to reach their highest potential, regardless of their country of origin, their native language, or their current zip code. I know the helicopter brigade up at Yorktown isn't going to let their snowflakes be pushed to Arl Tech, even if their natural ability level indicates Vo Tech would be a better fit than college, so why should we allow this to happen to Wakefield kids?

Wow. People like you are a huge part of the problem. Yes, Wakefield has plenty of kids that are poor and English is not their native language. They would be best served with vocational training. Manufacturing jobs? No. Trades? Yes.
Your privledge and elitism isn't helping those kids, even if it's well meaning.

Well I guess you haven't met any poor immigrants who went to college and not into trades, but I assure you it's possible. I know this because I've lived it. Would some students be better served going into trades? Yes. But they aren't exclusively immigrant and poor. Your racism and xenophobia is showing.

You are very intellectually lazy if your only retort is to cry racism. As it stands right now, Wakefield is geared toward kids aiming for college. Plenty of AP courses are offered. There is nothing wrong with making a living. I find your condescension toward blue collar work very offensive.

Who should go to college and who should go into trades should be based on potential, not on current SES status. But that's (unfortunately) not how the sorting is done now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It think Arlington tech should be a vocational school. Look at how few kids apply for top schools out of Wakefiled. Those kids need career/job training. We need that more than another TJ.

kids who don't apply for "top schools" = kids who need vocational school? huh?

Yes. Wakefield is full of kids who are not on track to attend any college. They need training. Arlington tech is really needed.

what about kids from the other four high schools who don't "apply for top schools" - do you send them to career center too?

No. It's just for Wakefield

Wakefield has a much lower number of kids applying to college, so it will be really beneficial to that part of the county. W-l I think will benefit as well. I don't really see many Yorktown kids taking this route, and certainly not 200. I could be wrong. Either way Yorktown is supposed to have less crowding right? We have a sizable cohort of kids in Arlington that aren't on their way to college. What we offer them is likely much more important than GT programs.

Look, unless the reason they aren't applying to college is that they just arrived in this country in the last two years and speak no English and had no prior formal schooling (and I am sure there are a number of these students in Arlington) and have no hope of succeeding in college, we should NOT be pushing kids to a vocational track. For what? All those good factory and manufacturing jobs that no longer exist? Yes, we still need plumbers and mechanics and street sweepers, but kids shouldn't automatically be put into this box if they can be pushed toward college. I know many of you don't believe that it's possible for these students to graduate from college and find gainful employment in jobs that aren't dirty and hard on the body and that offer benefits like 401K's. But it is possible, and if we allow them to settle for less, they will. Each child should be pushed to reach their highest potential, regardless of their country of origin, their native language, or their current zip code. I know the helicopter brigade up at Yorktown isn't going to let their snowflakes be pushed to Arl Tech, even if their natural ability level indicates Vo Tech would be a better fit than college, so why should we allow this to happen to Wakefield kids?

Wow. People like you are a huge part of the problem. Yes, Wakefield has plenty of kids that are poor and English is not their native language. They would be best served with vocational training. Manufacturing jobs? No. Trades? Yes.
Your privledge and elitism isn't helping those kids, even if it's well meaning.

Well I guess you haven't met any poor immigrants who went to college and not into trades, but I assure you it's possible. I know this because I've lived it. Would some students be better served going into trades? Yes. But they aren't exclusively immigrant and poor. Your racism and xenophobia is showing.

You are very intellectually lazy if your only retort is to cry racism. As it stands right now, Wakefield is geared toward kids aiming for college. Plenty of AP courses are offered. There is nothing wrong with making a living. I find your condescension toward blue collar work very offensive.

Who should go to college and who should go into trades should be based on potential, not on current SES status. But that's (unfortunately) not how the sorting is done now.

Be as philosophical as you like, but these are real young people. We should be doing everything we can to get them ready for the work force. High ideals aren't necessarily helpful. Learning a trade is a great opportunity for many to ascend into the middle class.

[Anonymous]

I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

No, the numbers for UVa don't indicate that. But clearly, the Ivies aren't interested in these applicants. My kid got into two Ivies and UVa (with Echols) from a so-so FCPS high school over 20 years ago. We always heard that Arlington had the better school system, though. I am now on to read the part about GT. Sorry for the digression. I just found it shockingly bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

No, the numbers for UVa don't indicate that. But clearly, the Ivies aren't interested in these applicants. My kid got into two Ivies and UVa (with Echols) from a so-so FCPS high school over 20 years ago. We always heard that Arlington had the better school system, though. I am now on to read the part about GT. Sorry for the digression. I just found it shockingly bad.

20 years everything was much easier. It now even requires a 4.0 and much higher SATs at the 2nd tier VA public Universities.

This is a bogus, anecdotal argument anyways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

UVA told me in 1988 (with a 4.2 gpA); several varsity sports scholarships and other accolades, high SATs, that Jefferson wanted diversity and there was a cap on kids from Northern VA and my HS.

They want out-of-state tuition is what they want.

Read up on that issue. The VA universities make much more $ with more out-of-state students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

UVA told me in 1988 (with a 4.2 gpA); several varsity sports scholarships and other accolades, high SATs, that Jefferson wanted diversity and there was a cap on kids from Northern VA and my HS.

They want out-of-state tuition is what they want.

Read up on that issue. The VA universities make much more $ with more out-of-state students.

#10 out of 759 at my Fairfax Co. HS...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

No, the numbers for UVa don't indicate that. But clearly, the Ivies aren't interested in these applicants. My kid got into two Ivies and UVa (with Echols) from a so-so FCPS high school over 20 years ago. We always heard that Arlington had the better school system, though. I am now on to read the part about GT. Sorry for the digression. I just found it shockingly bad.

20 years everything was much easier. It now even requires a 4.0 and much higher SATs at the 2nd tier VA public Universities.

This is a bogus, anecdotal argument anyways.

It's relaying an experience. Sorry if it bothers you. Was it easier back then? I suppose so, but the pressure in my household was intense and I well remember folks saying that things had never been so competitive. But yes, the TJ effect was still new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

UVA told me in 1988 (with a 4.2 gpA); several varsity sports scholarships and other accolades, high SATs, that Jefferson wanted diversity and there was a cap on kids from Northern VA and my HS.

They want out-of-state tuition is what they want.

Read up on that issue. The VA universities make much more $ with more out-of-state students.

#10 out of 759 at my Fairfax Co. HS...

I don't understand. We're you accepted by UVa? And wow, that high school class size is huge. Sounds like Chantilly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

UVA told me in 1988 (with a 4.2 gpA); several varsity sports scholarships and other accolades, high SATs, that Jefferson wanted diversity and there was a cap on kids from Northern VA and my HS.

They want out-of-state tuition is what they want.

Read up on that issue. The VA universities make much more $ with more out-of-state students.

#10 out of 759 at my Fairfax Co. HS...

Guess there were only 9 spots for your HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

UVA told me in 1988 (with a 4.2 gpA); several varsity sports scholarships and other accolades, high SATs, that Jefferson wanted diversity and there was a cap on kids from Northern VA and my HS.

They want out-of-state tuition is what they want.

Read up on that issue. The VA universities make much more $ with more out-of-state students.[/quote]

Tired of reading conspiracy theories on out-of-state student numbers at UVA. I also went there 20+ years ago and remember learning that the 1/3 students from out-of-state has been a thing since he university was founded by Jefferson. That just like the lawn was a textbook of architectural styles and the academical village was designed so faculty and students could live together and interact regularly that it was an intentional decision to bring in other students from outside Virginia to broaden the experiences of all the students.

Yes, it sucks that it has gotten so competitive that my own kids probably won't be accepted. Both DH and I went to UVA but still don't think either of my kids will be remarkable enough to gain admission, but I'm sure they will go somewhere, and be happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just looked through the college admissions statistics section. Other than UVa and William and Mary (no small thing, to be sure), the numbers for elite schools are terrible.

That's been discussed on other threads ( possibly this one?) lots of northern va kids going to elite privates and TJ. Without a major hook, your Yorktown A student will be lucky to get into UVA. Too many kids. Colleges look for diversity for student bodies. That includes geographic. Your kid Better have an extraordinary talent. Otherwise forget it.

UVA told me in 1988 (with a 4.2 gpA); several varsity sports scholarships and other accolades, high SATs, that Jefferson wanted diversity and there was a cap on kids from Northern VA and my HS.

They want out-of-state tuition is what they want.

Read up on that issue. The VA universities make much more $ with more out-of-state students.

#10 out of 759 at my Fairfax Co. HS...

Guess there were only 9 spots for your HS.

The top 9 went to better Universities out of state--as did I.

Further insult, a few minorities with a GPA a full point lower than mine did get into UVA at the time. They were of the same SES background. One's father was a surgeon.