Excellent, but not crazy competitive school districts in VA

[Anonymous]

We're a Robinson family and have been pleased with the schools. One thing I think that's definitely true is that TJ isn't as big of a draw for military families. If you get orders and have to move, leaving TJ and trying to get back on track at a different high school is extremely difficult.

That said, I do think it's interesting how TJ just isn't a big deal around here. Neither is AAP. We actually passed on a center and kept our kids at a neighborhood school because they were in Spanish immersion. We went into Robinson and one kid completed the full IB diploma and is a freshman at UVA. Our second is following the same path (college: TBD).

One thing that was extremely helpful to both kids was Spanish fluency. By going through immersion (and camps, tutoring, etc.), both of my kids were able to get through IB languages which is extremely challenging (more so than AP Spanish from what teachers report).

Neither kid was interested in TJ because they were more interested in humanities and social sciences or writing (my oldest completed math HL successfully and my youngest seems to be doing fine in HL).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t want competitive schools but you do want gifted and talented program. It shows that you are a very competitive parent and want to pave an easy way for your kids. In that case, find a school pyramid like South Arlington, and I will guarantee your kids will get all As and be selected into the gifted service with no effort.

I think as one poster has repeatedly shown, avoid the TJ mania areas and you will likely be fine.

So every area served by a middle school AAP center that has a higher acceptance rate to TJ than Lake Braddock has "TJ Mania," but you're "normal" and have a map to prove it?

That seems a tad insecure. OP, make sure this is really what you want.

Yes OP. Make sure to parse out all of that data. Really delve into the performance of the different cohorts and cross check that with other school’s application and acceptance rates to TJ. Really stew on this.
Very laid back...

You two do know that this TJ map is a running joke on dcum going on several years now?

I think PP was referring to the series of posts well into the midnight hours last night parsing the data, and not just this map.

Well, PP kept repeatedly slamming lake Braddock using incorrect information. Posting correct data from the FC gifted parents association showing her information was not correct is not mean.

She was being very critical of LB so presenting factual information to dispute her incorrect claims is not mean.

My kid does not go to LB so I do not have a bone in this fight. It simply is bothersome when posters slam a school using incorrect information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What drove us to consider West Springfield was when we parsed the data, the school actually had the strongest performance of African American students in all of NOVA. I looked at the performance of black students in McLean, in Yorktown, etc. We could afford to live there and our commutes would be somewhat shorter to Tysons, but when I drilled down, I saw an achievement gap for black students and realized I needed to find a pyramid where my kids would be as successful as the others.

We have loved living in West Springfield. My kids are thriving and doing incredibly well in elementary and middle school. I have been impressed with how nurturing the schools have been and can attest that there's a strong culture hear that values learning, but also isn't crazy competitive. My kids' experience has been much more cooperative than I had anticipated.

One side effect of living around here is that it's unapologetic-ally middle class. I find it refreshing after living in NW DC and North Arlington. People are just normal folks. It's just nice.

Bingo!

The AS student population at WS is VERY high for the area. I think that is significant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ is the mothership of evil. Poisons the whole FCPS schooling experience from the top down.

Oh it is not. Most kids don't even care about TJ. It attracts businesses here and most Fairfax Schools would not be any better if TJ went away. The people I know who graduated from TJ are great people. Smart and nice and even somewhat athletic. Much nicer than the posters here at least.

I agree. We are from an area where many people are not even aware TJ exists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're a Robinson family and have been pleased with the schools. One thing I think that's definitely true is that TJ isn't as big of a draw for military families. If you get orders and have to move, leaving TJ and trying to get back on track at a different high school is extremely difficult.

That said, I do think it's interesting how TJ just isn't a big deal around here. Neither is AAP. We actually passed on a center and kept our kids at a neighborhood school because they were in Spanish immersion. We went into Robinson and one kid completed the full IB diploma and is a freshman at UVA. Our second is following the same path (college: TBD).

One thing that was extremely helpful to both kids was Spanish fluency. By going through immersion (and camps, tutoring, etc.), both of my kids were able to get through IB languages which is extremely challenging (more so than AP Spanish from what teachers report).

Neither kid was interested in TJ because they were more interested in humanities and social sciences or writing (my oldest completed math HL successfully and my youngest seems to be doing fine in HL).

Robinson has fairly low TJ interest. I think that a lot of the Robinson kids who would be at the level to apply to TJ are like your kids, either interested in humanities or focused on other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t want competitive schools but you do want gifted and talented program. It shows that you are a very competitive parent and want to pave an easy way for your kids. In that case, find a school pyramid like South Arlington, and I will guarantee your kids will get all As and be selected into the gifted service with no effort.

I think as one poster has repeatedly shown, avoid the TJ mania areas and you will likely be fine.

So every area served by a middle school AAP center that has a higher acceptance rate to TJ than Lake Braddock has "TJ Mania," but you're "normal" and have a map to prove it?

That seems a tad insecure. OP, make sure this is really what you want.

Yes OP. Make sure to parse out all of that data. Really delve into the performance of the different cohorts and cross check that with other school’s application and acceptance rates to TJ. Really stew on this.
Very laid back...

You two do know that this TJ map is a running joke on dcum going on several years now?

I think PP was referring to the series of posts well into the midnight hours last night parsing the data, and not just this map.

Well, PP kept repeatedly slamming lake Braddock using incorrect information. Posting correct data from the FC gifted parents association showing her information was not correct is not mean.

She was being very critical of LB so presenting factual information to dispute her incorrect claims is not mean.

My kid does not go to LB so I do not have a bone in this fight. It simply is bothersome when posters slam a school using incorrect information.

I’m the “parse the data” poster. I was really slamming the jerk who kept harping on how LB kids weren’t getting into TJ. Not a parent at LB, just find that person profoundly annoying on a thread about more relaxed schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t want competitive schools but you do want gifted and talented program. It shows that you are a very competitive parent and want to pave an easy way for your kids. In that case, find a school pyramid like South Arlington, and I will guarantee your kids will get all As and be selected into the gifted service with no effort.

I think as one poster has repeatedly shown, avoid the TJ mania areas and you will likely be fine.

So every area served by a middle school AAP center that has a higher acceptance rate to TJ than Lake Braddock has "TJ Mania," but you're "normal" and have a map to prove it?

That seems a tad insecure. OP, make sure this is really what you want.

It
Yes OP. Make sure to parse out all of that data. Really delve into the performance of the different cohorts and cross check that with other school’s application and acceptance rates to TJ. Really stew on this.
Very laid back...

You two do know that this TJ map is a running joke on dcum going on several years now?

I think PP was referring to the series of posts well into the midnight hours last night parsing the data, and not just this map.

Well, PP kept repeatedly slamming lake Braddock using incorrect information. Posting correct data from the FC gifted parents association showing her information was not correct is not mean.

She was being very critical of LB so presenting factual information to dispute her incorrect claims is not mean.

My kid does not go to LB so I do not have a bone in this fight. It simply is bothersome when posters slam a school using incorrect information.

I’m the “parse the data” poster. I was really slamming the jerk who kept harping on how LB kids weren’t getting into TJ. Not a parent at LB, just find that person profoundly annoying on a thread about more relaxed schools.

I agree.

I posted the data because she was saying things like LB kids aren't applying to TJ at the numbers of the other large centers because they know they won't get in, and also.things like saying the area is lower pressure is an excuse to celebrate LB kids getting rejected from TJ, Then using incorrect information to justify slamming those LB kids.

Her behavior bothered me, so I looked up the data and posted it.

There are plenty of thread extolling the virtues of TJ, and plenty of threads debating its value.

A thread about laid back pyramids is not the place for it, and it is certainly not the place to slam kids who have not much interest in TJ.

[Anonymous]

^agreed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t want competitive schools but you do want gifted and talented program. It shows that you are a very competitive parent and want to pave an easy way for your kids. In that case, find a school pyramid like South Arlington, and I will guarantee your kids will get all As and be selected into the gifted service with no effort.

I think as one poster has repeatedly shown, avoid the TJ mania areas and you will likely be fine.

So every area served by a middle school AAP center that has a higher acceptance rate to TJ than Lake Braddock has "TJ Mania," but you're "normal" and have a map to prove it?

That seems a tad insecure. OP, make sure this is really what you want.

Yes OP. Make sure to parse out all of that data. Really delve into the performance of the different cohorts and cross check that with other school’s application and acceptance rates to TJ. Really stew on this.
Very laid back...

You two do know that this TJ map is a running joke on dcum going on several years now?

I think PP was referring to the series of posts well into the midnight hours last night parsing the data, and not just this map.

Well, PP kept repeatedly slamming lake Braddock using incorrect information. Posting correct data from the FC gifted parents association showing her information was not correct is not mean.

She was being very critical of LB so presenting factual information to dispute her incorrect claims is not mean.

My kid does not go to LB so I do not have a bone in this fight. It simply is bothersome when posters slam a school using incorrect information.

I’m the “parse the data” poster. I was really slamming the jerk who kept harping on how LB kids weren’t getting into TJ. Not a parent at LB, just find that person profoundly annoying on a thread about more relaxed schools.

I'm confused. So you're the poster that parsed the data to show the following TJ admit rates from Lake Braddock and other AAP centers:

1. Carson/37%
2. Longfellow/29%
3. Rocky Run/24%
4. Frost/22%
5. Kilmer/18%
6. Lake Braddock/14%
7. Twain/13%
8. Jackson/11%
9. Glasgow/8%
10.Sandberg/8%

It does seem like Lake Braddock is comparatively low, only one percentage point higher than Twain even though it serves a much wealthier and whiter group of schools. That must discourage other LB AAP students from applying, but they shouldn't give up.

[Anonymous]

14% and right in the middle of the pack looks just about right for a solid school where no one is really focused on TJ.

That is great that there are schools in the area where there is a huge competitive focus on getting into TJ for those who want that just as it is great that there are solid schools with strong academics for kids who want a traditional high school experience with their neighborhood friends.

So please quit trying to steer this thread about more relaxed schools with strong academics into a TJ thread or a bash LB thread.

There are 800 TJ threads in the AAP forum. If you really want a thread bashing LB and its TJ placement, just start one over in AAP. There are plenty people of like mind that I am sure you can find someone to join you.

But continuing to do it here is just childish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t want competitive schools but you do want gifted and talented program. It shows that you are a very competitive parent and want to pave an easy way for your kids. In that case, find a school pyramid like South Arlington, and I will guarantee your kids will get all As and be selected into the gifted service with no effort.

I think as one poster has repeatedly shown, avoid the TJ mania areas and you will likely be fine.

So every area served by a middle school AAP center that has a higher acceptance rate to TJ than Lake Braddock has "TJ Mania," but you're "normal" and have a map to prove it?

That seems a tad insecure. OP, make sure this is really what you want.

Yes OP. Make sure to parse out all of that data. Really delve into the performance of the different cohorts and cross check that with other school’s application and acceptance rates to TJ. Really stew on this.
Very laid back...

You two do know that this TJ map is a running joke on dcum going on several years now?

I think PP was referring to the series of posts well into the midnight hours last night parsing the data, and not just this map.

Well, PP kept repeatedly slamming lake Braddock using incorrect information. Posting correct data from the FC gifted parents association showing her information was not correct is not mean.

She was being very critical of LB so presenting factual information to dispute her incorrect claims is not mean.

My kid does not go to LB so I do not have a bone in this fight. It simply is bothersome when posters slam a school using incorrect information.

I’m the “parse the data” poster. I was really slamming the jerk who kept harping on how LB kids weren’t getting into TJ. Not a parent at LB, just find that person profoundly annoying on a thread about more relaxed schools.

I'm confused. So you're the poster that parsed the data to show the following TJ admit rates from Lake Braddock and other AAP centers:

1. Carson/37%
2. Longfellow/29%
3. Rocky Run/24%
4. Frost/22%
5. Kilmer/18%
6. Lake Braddock/14%
7. Twain/13%
8. Jackson/11%
9. Glasgow/8%
10.Sandberg/8%

It does seem like Lake Braddock is comparatively low, only one percentage point higher than Twain even though it serves a much wealthier and whiter group of schools. That must discourage other LB AAP students from applying, but they shouldn't give up.

I can't tell if this is trolling or just a dense human. But clearly, less people in general apply to TJ from Lake Braddock. It's galling to assume they aren't because they don't think they'll get in versus just not wanting to. Not everyone thinks TJ is the best for their children and it's awesome that FCPS has a diverse set of schools to choose from to avoid the Carson-level insanity (which btw is essentially the same housing price point and Burke).

-Someone who almost moved to Herndon to be closer to work but then decided against it for her children's sanity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:14% and right in the middle of the pack looks just about right for a solid school where no one is really focused on TJ.

That is great that there are schools in the area where there is a huge competitive focus on getting into TJ for those who want that just as it is great that there are solid schools with strong academics for kids who want a traditional high school experience with their neighborhood friends.

So please quit trying to steer this thread about more relaxed schools with strong academics into a TJ thread or a bash LB thread.

There are 800 TJ threads in the AAP forum. If you really want a thread bashing LB and its TJ placement, just start one over in AAP. There are plenty people of like mind that I am sure you can find someone to join you.

But continuing to do it here is just childish.

No, what's childish is circulating maps that label every area where kids get into TJ at higher rates than at Lake Braddock as part of "TJ Mania," while also consistently failing to also identify those areas where kids get into TJ at lower rates than Lake Braddock as also "relaxed," "not crazy competitive," etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14% and right in the middle of the pack looks just about right for a solid school where no one is really focused on TJ.

That is great that there are schools in the area where there is a huge competitive focus on getting into TJ for those who want that just as it is great that there are solid schools with strong academics for kids who want a traditional high school experience with their neighborhood friends.

So please quit trying to steer this thread about more relaxed schools with strong academics into a TJ thread or a bash LB thread.

There are 800 TJ threads in the AAP forum. If you really want a thread bashing LB and its TJ placement, just start one over in AAP. There are plenty people of like mind that I am sure you can find someone to join you.

But continuing to do it here is just childish.

No, what's childish is circulating maps that label every area where kids get into TJ at higher rates than at Lake Braddock as part of "TJ Mania," while also consistently failing to also identify those areas where kids get into TJ at lower rates than Lake Braddock as also "relaxed," "not crazy competitive," etc.

Please find another thread.

[Anonymous]

I’m the “parse the data” poster. I was really slamming the jerk who kept harping on how LB kids weren’t getting into TJ. Not a parent at LB, just find that person profoundly annoying on a thread about more relaxed schools.

I'm confused. So you're the poster that parsed the data to show the following TJ admit rates from Lake Braddock and other AAP centers:

1. Carson/37%
2. Longfellow/29%
3. Rocky Run/24%
4. Frost/22%
5. Kilmer/18%
6. Lake Braddock/14%
7. Twain/13%
8. Jackson/11%
9. Glasgow/8%
10.Sandberg/8%

It does seem like Lake Braddock is comparatively low, only one percentage point higher than Twain even though it serves a much wealthier and whiter group of schools. That must discourage other LB AAP students from applying, but they shouldn't give up.

Yes. You are confused about many things. Mostly the ENTIRE POINT OF THIS THREAD!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14% and right in the middle of the pack looks just about right for a solid school where no one is really focused on TJ.

That is great that there are schools in the area where there is a huge competitive focus on getting into TJ for those who want that just as it is great that there are solid schools with strong academics for kids who want a traditional high school experience with their neighborhood friends.

So please quit trying to steer this thread about more relaxed schools with strong academics into a TJ thread or a bash LB thread.

There are 800 TJ threads in the AAP forum. If you really want a thread bashing LB and its TJ placement, just start one over in AAP. There are plenty people of like mind that I am sure you can find someone to join you.

But continuing to do it here is just childish.

No, what's childish is circulating maps that label every area where kids get into TJ at higher rates than at Lake Braddock as part of "TJ Mania," while also consistently failing to also identify those areas where kids get into TJ at lower rates than Lake Braddock as also "relaxed," "not crazy competitive," etc.

Please find another thread.

Stop being a middle-brow jerk. If you think WS/LB/Robinson are good, you ought to be able to explain it based on their own merits without slamming other areas. Then no one will need to call you out for your not-so-subtle behavior.