Anonymous wrote:Band program and Theater program are outstanding at Herndon. One fun fact to help, at herndon the pta meetings are in evenings. At, Langley the pta meetings are always during school day. A working parent cannot participate. If you don't have one spouse that is not working, you will not fit in. It is a very different culture.

Some people work at night, so night time meetings are hard, but they can make daytime meetings. I like the schools that do a mix of meeting times so more parents can make it. Not everyone works a 9-5 job.

Anonymous wrote:Another difference between Herndon and Langley. Seniors at Langley have the option to do Langley Leap during their senior year.

an exclusive set of top students will be selected for internship programs.

Selection of Students: A senior is eligible for the Langley Leap Senior Internships if she/he meets ALL of the following criteria. A maximum of 100 students will be selected in the year. They will be not be in school and excused from all school work.

The rest of the bottom feeders will not participate and will remain in class while your star student will get to work at your neighbor's daddy's firm for 10 days. The bottom feeders will be reminded everyday why they are bottom feeders and destined to their natural place in society.

I don't think Herndon provides the opportunity to display and share the over achievements of your child like Langley does.

Brought to you by a proud Langley parent.

Not at Langley, but here's the information I found about this. It doesn't sound like a terrible idea since school work for seniors is largely complete by the time these internships commence. Nor does having a minimum 2.75 GPA exactly scream over-achievement.

http://www.fcps.edu/LangleyHS/assets/2012-2013/Langley%20Leap%20Application%20Forms%202013.pdf

Another difference between Herndon and Langley. Seniors at Langley have the option to do Langley Leap during their senior year.

an exclusive set of top students will be selected for internship programs.

Selection of Students: A senior is eligible for the Langley Leap Senior Internships if she/he meets ALL of the following criteria. A maximum of 100 students will be selected in the year. They will be not be in school and excused from all school work.

The rest of the bottom feeders will not participate and will remain in class while your star student will get to work at your neighbor's daddy's firm for 10 days. The bottom feeders will be reminded everyday why they are bottom feeders and destined to their natural place in society.

I don't think Herndon provides the opportunity to display and share the over achievements of your child like Langley does.

Brought to you by a proud Langley parent.

Band program and Theater program are outstanding at Herndon. One fun fact to help, at herndon the pta meetings are in evenings. At, Langley the pta meetings are always during school day. A working parent cannot participate. If you don't have one spouse that is not working, you will not fit in. It is a very different culture.

I'm in the same situation. These replies are helpful, thanks for posting, both op and pps.

My daughter is a freshman at Herndon HS and we have been very happy with the school. She is taking all honors classes and has been challenged. She has been athletically active on the school teams and they have held their own against other schools. The school population is diverse and I would say a good representation of "the real world".

I am neither a Langley or Herndon parent. I know kids from Herndon. It is diverse and offers a wide range of classes. Langley is higher socioeconomic level. That brings its own issues. Either one is what you make it.

http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/herndon/508-Herndon-High-School/

http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/mclean/529-Langley-High-School/

I live in Herndon and zoned for Langley. We have a ton of high schoolers in our neighborhood, and they all speak well of Langley. I can't imagine going to Herndon instead of Langley. We moved to our neighborhood because it was zoned to Langley.

Anonymous wrote:Anything you may know or have heard about second hand would be really appreciated. I am debating whether to send my DS there in two years.

I have heard many mixed reviews about this school. The nice thing is there is a diverse group of kids and as someone mentioned above a child can easily find a group to fit in with.

Anonymous wrote:It has a bad rap. I know kids who were unhappy at Langley, who's parents pulled them to go to Herndon, and they were much happier. It's large enough so that people find their friends.

It is also much easier for kids to get into the VA colleges from Herndon, as opposed to Langley or Oakton.

I am assuming these parents live on the herndon side but are in the langley school district?

How did they manage to do that? Switch to a school that isn't in the school district? I am curious because I am in the same situation.

I know it has changed a lot, but I graduated from there in the 90s. It is in the middle of the pack of FCP schools, but it's a great school and I would send my kids there today. A lot of what drives that is the demographics, and Herndon has a different demographic than say McLean or Langley but it's still a great school.

I was in the AP classes, and I found that, due to the class groupings, the AP kids hang out with the AP kids, and the not-college-bound kids hang together, with obvious exceptions.

There were at least 20 kids out of my class of 500 from my HS who went to UVA like I did. Don't know if it's "easier" than TJ or Langley, it still will be hard work and SAT scores, etc.

I do know of two friends who "fell in with the wrong crowd" as their moms put it, so their parents sent them to Bishop O'Connell. Just a warning that it is far away (1 hour bus ride) from Herndon but another option/great school, albeit $20k a year out of your pocket.

What are your concerns specifically?

How does that work (the college admissions issue)?

It has a bad rap. I know kids who were unhappy at Langley, who's parents pulled them to go to Herndon, and they were much happier. It's large enough so that people find their friends.

It is also much easier for kids to get into the VA colleges from Herndon, as opposed to Langley or Oakton.

Anything you may know or have heard about second hand would be really appreciated. I am debating whether to send my DS there in two years.