Reply to Yorktown versus Washington-lee?

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[quote=Anonymous]It's ok to ask. But these schools are talked about almost every week it seems in almost every other thread, and in threads not specifically about Arlington schools. Here's my largely unbiased comparison of the two schools.

You should know that the high school boundaries will change in about two years. You can find specific information about when decisions will be made on the APS website. So unless you live within a half mile of the school, expect the possibility of the high school changing soon.

Both high schools have wealthy kids and poor kids. Some parents like the greater ethnic and socio-economic diversity at W-L, and cite that as a reason for looking for homes in the W-L neighborhoods. The test scores are higher at Yorktown, and that appeals families who prioritize test scores. Usually though, neighborhood amenities or a particular house tend to trump the differences between the two schools among homebuyers.

Academically, both schools are very similar, and there are lots of high achieving students at both schools. Last year W-L had 8 Natl Merit Semifinalists and Yorktown had 7. Both schools had a couple of Finalists the year before. A high number of students at both schools are ivy league bound every year. Both have won the US Department of Education Blue Ribbon award, but that was well over a decade ago.

The IB program at W-L is very competitive and work intensive. W-L also has an AP program for students not interested in IB classes. My hunch is that the AP program is a little weaker, if only because the IB program at W-L is a magnet program with a competitive application process. But W-L's Natl Merit Finalist the year before last was an AP scholar, so there are smart kids in both programs. Unique to W-L are some engineering and STEM electives. W-L is the only county school that has a specialized design technology laboratory. W-L recently received national recognized for its best buddies program, which pairs students volunteers with students with learning and developmental disabilities.

Yorktown is an AP school, and the AP scores at Yorktown are highest of the three Arlington high schools. On occasion, people on here have described Yorktown as a pressure cooker. Some classes at Yorktown have a public policy focus, versus the engineering and STEM specific classes that W-L has. Yorktown is also a nationally recognized "school of character" and puts an emphasis on developing an inclusive environment for all students. Yorktown has also made headlines for reducing the nightly homework load of students and eliminating all summer assignments.

Yorktown is a Northern Virginia football powerhouse. W-L is better known for it's crew (rowing) tradition; the team rows out of the prestigious Potomac Boat Club. W-L is also a gymnastics powerhouse. The team won another region crown this year.

To sum it all up, you can't go wrong with either school, but you may prefer the programs of one school over the other.

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