Anonymous wrote:^my point is not to think about college when they are in elementary school.

Yeah, that's not a reality. Parents need to know what programs to enroll their children in so that they can compete in High School. There are a lot of parents that map out which grad schools to target as undergrad is just a waypoint nowadays. To answer their question, for now, several public high schools provide opportunities that outperform private ones. Outside of TJ, the top students from Langley, Madison, Oakton, Westfield, West Springfield, Robinson, Lake Braddock, Chantilly, and South Lakes do just fine competing for the top-tier colleges and universities.

^my point is not to think about college when they are in elementary school.

Your kids are little. You have no idea what their needs will be like when they are in high school. We have one child thriving at Madison. We have another at private school since FCPS publics were not a good fit.

It's an election year, and there are people bad-mouthing FCPS with a little bit more intensity than usual, but you'll find that most people like their own schools even if they criticize FCPS's top leadership.

Many people at Langley, McLean, and Madison, for example, think very highly of those schools.

Anonymous wrote:I would not move to FCPS for schools.

I'd like to move out of FCPS schools

I would not move to FCPS for schools.

Anonymous wrote:McLean college outcomes are by far the best. Look at insta posted above.

It may just look that way to you because more students at that school shared information on that platform.

McLean college outcomes are by far the best. Look at insta posted above.

https://www.instagram.com/langleycommits2023/

https://www.instagram.com/madisondecisions2023/

https://www.instagram.com/mcleancommits2023/

Above PPs are absolutely correct. My kids go to McLean HS, one thing I will share is that student body is driven, hardworking and ambitious. It contributes to the overall culture of the school, but yes, at the end of the day it all comes down to the kid.

Having said that, I am sure you can find similar student body at Langley, Oakton, Chantilly, W. Springfield, Woodson, Madison etc.

If you go to decent schools, your child's outcome will be exactly the same.

Anonymous wrote:They’re interchangeable. And you need to chill out.

This is accurate- focus on your kid getting the most out of any school they attend. My nephews and niece attended Herndon and matriculated at the best schools in the country that DCUM parents obsess over.

Insider tip here:

Your child's college admissions are not dependent on which FCPS HS your kid goes to. Your child's college admissions will be dependent on their own efforts (not the effort you try to squeeze out of them), their academic record (which can be excellent at any school), and the interests and passions that THEY genuinely pursue.

You have elementary school kids, OP. Right now you think the sky is the limit. As the years go by and their true abilities/ambitions are revealed, the sky may or may not be the limit. Their college chances will not be dictated by which public school they attend. The overall environment that they live within (at school) will be different at one school vs. another b/c the populations can be different. And if you kid is easily drawn into mischief, s/he will find it (more easily if their are lots of mischievous kids in that school vs. studious). But, again --- that will be based on who YOUR kid is and what YOUR kid wants for him/herself.

They’re interchangeable. And you need to chill out.

We're a family with elementary school age kids hoping to move to Fairfax County from DC. We have older friends who are pushing Langley HS but their experience w/it is from 20 years ago. Is Langley still #1? McLean HS? We also have friends in Town of Vienna who rave about Madison HS. Opinions from current parents at these schools?