Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.

Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.

Eh, I wouldn't put too much weight on your theory. At the end of the day, your kid is still an "FCPS grad" and colleges have plenty of over-acheiving "FCPS grads" to choose from.

Also, I'd take a close look at the courses offered at the lower (mundane) HS verses higher achieving one's. Not sure you can get the same academic vigor .

You could at a big school like West Potomac or ACHS in Alexandria but maybe at the cost of not as many sections of high level AP classes. Small underprivileged schools suffer a lot more.

Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.

Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.

Eh, I wouldn't put too much weight on your theory. At the end of the day, your kid is still an "FCPS grad" and colleges have plenty of over-acheiving "FCPS grads" to choose from.

Also, I'd take a close look at the courses offered at the lower (mundane) HS verses higher achieving one's. Not sure you can get the same academic vigor .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.

Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.

this is an interesting point!

We moved from an average FCPS pyramid to a top pyramid. The difference in what teachers and staff expected of students was quickly apparent.

You can bet that other kids at an average or below average school will make your kids look better, or conclude that a strong peer group will better prepare your kids for what comes next.

Talk is cheap on DCUM, but when you look at actual behavior as reflected real estate prices, it's clear people tend to believe the latter.

Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.

Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.

this is an interesting point!

Langley pyramid: Probably Churchill Road-Cooper-Langley for overall convenience

McLean pyramid: Probably Kent Gardens-Longfellow-McLean for overall convenience

Madison pyramid: Probably Vienna-Thoreau-Madison for overall neighborhood feel

Oakton pyramid: Probably Waples Mill-Franklin-Oakton for overall boundary stability

Chantilly pyramid: Probably Poplar Tree-Rocky Run-Chantilly for overall boundary stability

Marshall pyramid: Probably Westbriar-Kilmer-Marshall for overall academic strength

Woodson pyramid: Probably Canterbury Woods-Frost-Woodson for overall boundary stability

Meridian

West Potomac in Region 3

Langley, McLean, Oakton, or Chantilly. Your kids will fare better later if they’ve been with a strong peer group in HS.

Wakefield chapel, frost, woodson

Waples, Carson, Oakton/TJ. (Currently this is our pyramid. We love it.)

Robinson, Lake Braddock or Hayfield.

I'm not seeing any of the college outcomes frankly being that different between the top five schools in FCPS.

Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.

Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.

You do you

We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.

Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.

If you could choose any ES-MS-HS pyramid, which would it be and why?