Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This question gets asked a million times every month, and the answer is still the same: BCC has a higher FARMS rate than other schools in the Bethesda/Potomac/Rockville areas (Whitman, WJ, Wootton, and Churchill). BCC is just as good as those schools, but because it has more poor students, test scores for the school as a whole are slightly lower. Test scores of non-low-income students at BCC are on-par with test scores of non-low-income students at these other high schools.

That's true with a lot of schools. Just look at the SAT averages MCPS released a few years ago that group by HS and racial demographic. It contains some surprises.

These schools are more similar than many seem to realize when you use race as a proxy for SES to make a direct comparison.The ratings themselves mostly just measure the absence of poverty and diversity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This question gets asked a million times every month, and the answer is still the same: BCC has a higher FARMS rate than other schools in the Bethesda/Potomac/Rockville areas (Whitman, WJ, Wootton, and Churchill). BCC is just as good as those schools, but because it has more poor students, test scores for the school as a whole are slightly lower. Test scores of non-low-income students at BCC are on-par with test scores of non-low-income students at these other high schools.

Yes it has a higher FARMS rate which is still below the county's median. It's a good school. This stuff doesn't matter. My kids went to RMIB and the Blair STEM magnet. They have an even higher FARMS rate but crush any other MCPS school in terms of outcomes. Seriously, stop splitting hairs. These rankings are complete nonsense.

The magnet programs do not have high FARMS participation.

Anonymous wrote:This question gets asked a million times every month, and the answer is still the same: BCC has a higher FARMS rate than other schools in the Bethesda/Potomac/Rockville areas (Whitman, WJ, Wootton, and Churchill). BCC is just as good as those schools, but because it has more poor students, test scores for the school as a whole are slightly lower. Test scores of non-low-income students at BCC are on-par with test scores of non-low-income students at these other high schools.

That's true with a lot of schools. Just look at the SAT averages MCPS released a few years ago that group by HS and racial demographic. It contains some surprises.

Anonymous wrote:We are moving into the area with kids in grade school from DC. We'd like to stay as close to the city/jobs as possible. Curious why BCC is always ranking behind. Wondering how it can be so different then the others and what is it missing?

If I had to choose to send my kids to BCC or any W, I'd go with BCC. There is a top-performing cohort at all these schools and a host of advanced classes so it really just comes down to which school is socially a better fit for your family.

Just because there’s a higher farms rate doesn’t mean it’s a bad school

Anonymous wrote:This question gets asked a million times every month, and the answer is still the same: BCC has a higher FARMS rate than other schools in the Bethesda/Potomac/Rockville areas (Whitman, WJ, Wootton, and Churchill). BCC is just as good as those schools, but because it has more poor students, test scores for the school as a whole are slightly lower. Test scores of non-low-income students at BCC are on-par with test scores of non-low-income students at these other high schools.

Yes it has a higher FARMS rate which is still below the county's median. It's a good school. This stuff doesn't matter. My kids went to RMIB and the Blair STEM magnet. They have an even higher FARMS rate but crush any other MCPS school in terms of outcomes. Seriously, stop splitting hairs. These rankings are complete nonsense.

Anonymous wrote:We are moving into the area with kids in grade school from DC. We'd like to stay as close to the city/jobs as possible. Curious why BCC is always ranking behind. Wondering how it can be so different then the others and what is it missing?

There is no real competition here. What you are talking about test score averages which simply reflect the lack of diversity and poverty.

BCC is a fine school. You can take the same classes there maybe even more given their extensive IB program and APs. Your student would like do the same at any MCPS school. Pick based on your feel for the community.

Op we are in dc and also considering.. but housing is sparse. We found a Westland rental which will br our first stop. Dcps has mot been what we hoped and BCC has it all. We yoyed with Walls in DC but my youngest grades will mean ill have kids at multiple schools. Mu husband is obsessed with stats and BCC is fantastic choice. One thing we want yo check is numbers at various mcps to make sure its not too overwhelming.

This question gets asked a million times every month, and the answer is still the same: BCC has a higher FARMS rate than other schools in the Bethesda/Potomac/Rockville areas (Whitman, WJ, Wootton, and Churchill). BCC is just as good as those schools, but because it has more poor students, test scores for the school as a whole are slightly lower. Test scores of non-low-income students at BCC are on-par with test scores of non-low-income students at these other high schools.

Compete with the W's in what?

BCC is not quite as wealthy as WW, WJ, WC and TW, which are the top high schools in MCPS. Mostly that explains that, OP.

BCC is still way better than most other MCP high schools. (When you see non-W, non-BCC schools at the top, remember those have competitive magnet programs and that it's the magnet students in those schools that hoist them up the ranks.)

Wealthy in Montgomery County generally coincides with academic-focused and willing and able to pay for tutoring, and be squeaky wheels in school to pressure administration for above-average instruction. As a result, teachers who want those families specifically try to get hired in those schools. It's a virtuous cycle with supportive parents and mostly great teachers.

BCC is not quite up to the standards of Whitman et al, due to more socio-economic diversity (this is NOT a racist dog-whistle, but of course some weirdos always think it is!), but it's still a solid school. These days, presence of IB is confusing and not to its advantage, but the county sells it hard. "Due to IB", there are fewer AP courses offered at BCC than at WJ and WW. Ex: BCC consistently offers AP Calc BC and AP Stats, but the two others go beyond that and offer two more courses. What people don't realize is that IB Math is actually lower-level than AP Calc BC. So under the guise of offering IB classes, BCC actually does not have as many higher-level courses...

...Which could possibly work in a student's favor come college admissions, since admission officers judge applicants' rigor on what their high school offers. Kind of "big fish, small pond" scenario, whereas W schools are "small fish, big pond" scenario.

Anyway. In all honesty, I think your children will do well at any of these good schools! Pick the neighborhood you like best with the commute that works for you, within any of these clusters. Home inventory is pretty low this year, because many sellers and buyers are holding off due to fluctuating interest rates, so first you need to find a house!

Every other day it seems a desperate homeshopper posts about bcc vs W. Can’t you just look up previous threads?

For some background, BCC in the 40s-60s was one of the top 5 high schools in the country year after year. By the 90s its reputation had dropped a number of notches as demographics changed and the school age population dropped. Its beautiful historic building was showing its age and was not well maintained. Implementing IB in the mid 90s alongside AP classes helped to boost the perception of the school. Then the school was substantially renovated. BCC’s reputation for the past 20 years has been on the upswing and the school grew in size. It is currently viewed as one of the best high schools in MCPS. To answer your question, Whitman HS is more uniformly wealthy so it appears better on some stats. The other W schools also have high percentages of Asian families in particular who moved to those districts specifically due to the schools’ high academic stats.

The rankings are tied to the percentage of students receiving free and reduced price meals, and BCC has a higher percentage than the other Bethesda schools, because there are several affordable apartment buildings within the eastern part of its boundary. That's it.

We are moving into the area with kids in grade school from DC. We'd like to stay as close to the city/jobs as possible. Curious why BCC is always ranking behind. Wondering how it can be so different then the others and what is it missing?