Anonymous
09/27/2025 12:56
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Anonymous wrote:You need to think about this from the point of view of which criteria is more search-restrictive.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Richard Montgomery are the only schools with AP and the full IB programme.
What you need to know about IB. Teachers don't know how to teach it. US college admissions officers don't know how to assess the grades the students get on it (ie: they tend to forget it's graded harder than APs and American coursework). You should only consider schools that offer the full programme, in the hope that they're a little more experienced with it.
Other things you need to know: there will always be a chill vs. rigorous issue in schools. Either your kid goes to a really rigorous school with great teachers and a full complement of advanced courses guaranteed to be offered every year because so many kids are advanced and enroll, with the competitive aspects that you might not like... or your kid goes to a not rigorous school with some problematic teachers (ex: long term sub who doesn't know the language "teaching" a language class) and no guarantee that any advanced course will be offered the years that your kid is interested, because there is a much smaller cohort of advanced students, but the atmosphere isn't as competitive.
Finally, consider your money - housing tends to be significantly more expensive in the neighborhoods with better schools - and your commute.
This is incorrect. The regional IB programs are already set in the county. (Kennedy, Springbrook, Rockville, Seneca Valley, and RM.) The IB diploma is only 2yrs.(which is how it can be offered at local schools). Everything before is just good preparation to ensure students are setup for success and a predefined cohort.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 11:59
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
We used to be at a Deal/JR feeder in DCPS and now are at Silver Creek and will be at B-CC next year. Happy to answer questions if you have them. An issue may just be availability/pricing. We tried very hard to stay in the District but found that it didn't get us as much space as in MoCo, and the smaller SFHs in the Deal/Wilson to feed to Deal/JR boundary had tons of people bidding. We were always the #2 bid. We got the first house we bid on in MoCo.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 11:57
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
You need to think about this from the point of view of which criteria is more search-restrictive.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Richard Montgomery are the only schools with AP and the full IB programme.
What you need to know about IB. Teachers don't know how to teach it. US college admissions officers don't know how to assess the grades the students get on it (ie: they tend to forget it's graded harder than APs and American coursework). You should only consider schools that offer the full programme, in the hope that they're a little more experienced with it.
Other things you need to know: there will always be a chill vs. rigorous issue in schools. Either your kid goes to a really rigorous school with great teachers and a full complement of advanced courses guaranteed to be offered every year because so many kids are advanced and enroll, with the competitive aspects that you might not like... or your kid goes to a not rigorous school with some problematic teachers (ex: long term sub who doesn't know the language "teaching" a language class) and no guarantee that any advanced course will be offered the years that your kid is interested, because there is a much smaller cohort of advanced students, but the atmosphere isn't as competitive.
Finally, consider your money - housing tends to be significantly more expensive in the neighborhoods with better schools - and your commute.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Richard Montgomery are the only schools with AP and the full IB programme.
What you need to know about IB. Teachers don't know how to teach it. US college admissions officers don't know how to assess the grades the students get on it (ie: they tend to forget it's graded harder than APs and American coursework). You should only consider schools that offer the full programme, in the hope that they're a little more experienced with it.
Other things you need to know: there will always be a chill vs. rigorous issue in schools. Either your kid goes to a really rigorous school with great teachers and a full complement of advanced courses guaranteed to be offered every year because so many kids are advanced and enroll, with the competitive aspects that you might not like... or your kid goes to a not rigorous school with some problematic teachers (ex: long term sub who doesn't know the language "teaching" a language class) and no guarantee that any advanced course will be offered the years that your kid is interested, because there is a much smaller cohort of advanced students, but the atmosphere isn't as competitive.
Finally, consider your money - housing tends to be significantly more expensive in the neighborhoods with better schools - and your commute.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 11:52
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the suggestions! And yes we are watching the boundary redraw and redo of the “six district” special programs and hoping there’s at least some further planning before the spring when we are hoping to buy. The timelines say so, but we all know how that can go.
BCC is definitely of interest. I need to figure out more about the MS options that feed in. Loiderman sounds lovely but further from the city than we are hoping for. Einstein also looks interesting from the IB and art perspective but I think we’d want to live closer in and have a closer in MS and then potentially choose between BCC and Einstein which, at least now, I think are tentatively part of the same region. Wondering if there are any other options I’m not considering that I should be, although I recognize with boundaries and the DCC going away etc etc it’s so hard to know what the “pyramids” even will be.
If you want IB and not top rigorous academics, Einstein is a good choices as there are a lot of artsy kids. The question is what will happen if they go through with the current plan; then, Northwood may be a better choice. Some of it also comes down to your budget.
OP here - why would Northwood be better? Hasn’t been on my radar but happy to hear more.
Unfortunately I think the current proposal is that Einstein loses IB but keeps visual arts whereas Northwood would have performing arts.
Einstein does not have the regional IB, but it could still have a local IB. Depends on demand and what makes the most sense for the school. -NP
Anonymous
09/27/2025 11:48
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the suggestions! And yes we are watching the boundary redraw and redo of the “six district” special programs and hoping there’s at least some further planning before the spring when we are hoping to buy. The timelines say so, but we all know how that can go.
BCC is definitely of interest. I need to figure out more about the MS options that feed in. Loiderman sounds lovely but further from the city than we are hoping for. Einstein also looks interesting from the IB and art perspective but I think we’d want to live closer in and have a closer in MS and then potentially choose between BCC and Einstein which, at least now, I think are tentatively part of the same region. Wondering if there are any other options I’m not considering that I should be, although I recognize with boundaries and the DCC going away etc etc it’s so hard to know what the “pyramids” even will be.
If you want IB and not top rigorous academics, Einstein is a good choices as there are a lot of artsy kids. The question is what will happen if they go through with the current plan; then, Northwood may be a better choice. Some of it also comes down to your budget.
OP here - why would Northwood be better? Hasn’t been on my radar but happy to hear more.
Unfortunately I think the current proposal is that Einstein loses IB but keeps visual arts whereas Northwood would have performing arts.
That's interesting re IB. My son did IB at Einstein and we wound up wishing he had just stuck to AP. The Einstein IB was not a good fit for him.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 11:12
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Anonymous wrote:I'd stay put. MCPS is going to be a nightmare for a few years if this proposal goes through.
OP again. Yeah, this is a valid POV. Asking these questions in the hopes of identifying the most promising schools to then reverse engineer MS and house purchase once the plan is finalized, but the whole thing is tiring. Also contemplating moving across DC for Jackson-Reed or MacArthur. I know nothing about Virginia whatsoever and it’s too overwhelming to consider that too, though I probably should.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 11:09
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the suggestions! And yes we are watching the boundary redraw and redo of the “six district” special programs and hoping there’s at least some further planning before the spring when we are hoping to buy. The timelines say so, but we all know how that can go.
BCC is definitely of interest. I need to figure out more about the MS options that feed in. Loiderman sounds lovely but further from the city than we are hoping for. Einstein also looks interesting from the IB and art perspective but I think we’d want to live closer in and have a closer in MS and then potentially choose between BCC and Einstein which, at least now, I think are tentatively part of the same region. Wondering if there are any other options I’m not considering that I should be, although I recognize with boundaries and the DCC going away etc etc it’s so hard to know what the “pyramids” even will be.
If you want IB and not top rigorous academics, Einstein is a good choices as there are a lot of artsy kids. The question is what will happen if they go through with the current plan; then, Northwood may be a better choice. Some of it also comes down to your budget.
OP here - why would Northwood be better? Hasn’t been on my radar but happy to hear more.
Unfortunately I think the current proposal is that Einstein loses IB but keeps visual arts whereas Northwood would have performing arts.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 10:49
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the suggestions! And yes we are watching the boundary redraw and redo of the “six district” special programs and hoping there’s at least some further planning before the spring when we are hoping to buy. The timelines say so, but we all know how that can go.
BCC is definitely of interest. I need to figure out more about the MS options that feed in. Loiderman sounds lovely but further from the city than we are hoping for. Einstein also looks interesting from the IB and art perspective but I think we’d want to live closer in and have a closer in MS and then potentially choose between BCC and Einstein which, at least now, I think are tentatively part of the same region. Wondering if there are any other options I’m not considering that I should be, although I recognize with boundaries and the DCC going away etc etc it’s so hard to know what the “pyramids” even will be.
If you want IB and not top rigorous academics, Einstein is a good choices as there are a lot of artsy kids. The question is what will happen if they go through with the current plan; then, Northwood may be a better choice. Some of it also comes down to your budget.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 10:47
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
I'd stay put. MCPS is going to be a nightmare for a few years if this proposal goes through.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 10:37
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
OP here. Thanks for the suggestions! And yes we are watching the boundary redraw and redo of the “six district” special programs and hoping there’s at least some further planning before the spring when we are hoping to buy. The timelines say so, but we all know how that can go.
BCC is definitely of interest. I need to figure out more about the MS options that feed in. Loiderman sounds lovely but further from the city than we are hoping for. Einstein also looks interesting from the IB and art perspective but I think we’d want to live closer in and have a closer in MS and then potentially choose between BCC and Einstein which, at least now, I think are tentatively part of the same region. Wondering if there are any other options I’m not considering that I should be, although I recognize with boundaries and the DCC going away etc etc it’s so hard to know what the “pyramids” even will be.
BCC is definitely of interest. I need to figure out more about the MS options that feed in. Loiderman sounds lovely but further from the city than we are hoping for. Einstein also looks interesting from the IB and art perspective but I think we’d want to live closer in and have a closer in MS and then potentially choose between BCC and Einstein which, at least now, I think are tentatively part of the same region. Wondering if there are any other options I’m not considering that I should be, although I recognize with boundaries and the DCC going away etc etc it’s so hard to know what the “pyramids” even will be.
Anonymous
09/27/2025 10:34
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Its an unpopular opinion here to recommend anything upcounty but we have a tremendous arts program and community at Seneca Valley. We are also an IB Global school
Anonymous
09/27/2025 09:20
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Loiederman MS would be a great fit! We’re very pleased so far with the academics and the arts. Much better than our ES environment so far that had a lot of bullying. Lots of arts options and they have academics for a range of levels as well. Teachers want kids to succeed and are responsive.
Anonymous
09/26/2025 23:21
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
B-CC might also be an option.
Anonymous
09/26/2025 21:52
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
She would be a great fit at Einstein, but there is a proposal to reallocate academic programs throughout MCPS. If have time to wait out the decision, I recommend doing so.
Anonymous
09/26/2025 21:46
Subject: Which MCPS MS-HS suit this kid?
Thinking about a move from DC to MD next spring - somewhere inside the beltway or close to it. Watching the boundary change plans! In the meantime, trying to figure out what schools would even work well for our kid:
- Sensitive, kind, prefers a chill environment (I realize this is probably a non-starter in MS and HS, but we picked DCPS for elementary for the smaller classes and schools)
- Grade level or slightly above
- Major interests are theatre, art, and music, creative writing
- We’re interested in her having AP or IB options
- very susceptible to positive peer pressure (friends who model positive study habits and are serious about school), but also easily intimidated so not looking for a super competitive environment
What schools would you consider for her? Thanks in advance.
- Sensitive, kind, prefers a chill environment (I realize this is probably a non-starter in MS and HS, but we picked DCPS for elementary for the smaller classes and schools)
- Grade level or slightly above
- Major interests are theatre, art, and music, creative writing
- We’re interested in her having AP or IB options
- very susceptible to positive peer pressure (friends who model positive study habits and are serious about school), but also easily intimidated so not looking for a super competitive environment
What schools would you consider for her? Thanks in advance.