Anonymous
04/05/2025 11:48
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
The baseline reputation of TJ as an advanced STEM school, even after recent rankings erosion and what's now left of it, is being held together by students admitted from Carson, Coopers, Longfellow, and Rocky Run. If not for these feeder schools there would be no TJ or it would be no different than a poor performing base school. These four schools are a point of pride for FCPS, which consistently highlights their students' achievements in news releases.
As absurd as the current non-merit admissions process is, it’s even more ridiculous to suggest transferring to a low-performing middle school just to gain entry into TJ, only to struggle once there.
As absurd as the current non-merit admissions process is, it’s even more ridiculous to suggest transferring to a low-performing middle school just to gain entry into TJ, only to struggle once there.
Anonymous
04/04/2025 23:12
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only reason for picking Herndon MS over Carson would be to improve odds of getting into TJ. For all other purposes, Carson beats Herndon hands down.
How does it help getting admitted from Herndon MS into the bottom of TJ class?
If the kid is smart, and has to pick between Carson and Herndon MS, do you really think that picking Herndon MS will be the deciding factor for which half of the TJ class they land in?
A smart kid's family would choose Carson for intense academics that preps for both base and TJ high school over Herndon with lighter academics and after school programs with free snacks.
I know families at Carson who apply for TJ but have no intention of attending. I am not sure why they bother applying but the parents see the base HS as rigorous enough and expect a better college outcome from the HS then TJ. Toss in the commute times and extra stress at TJ and there are plenty of strong academic kids at Carson who want nothing to do with TJ. I tend to be less worried about how the kids are selected because I know the people who are not applying, some are the kids that people complain where not accepted, and the people who apply and don't plan on going. This is not exactly a secret and I fully expect that it is happening at Cooper and Longfellow and other high achieving MS in FCPS. And it was happening before the admission change happened, because I know people who made the same choice 5 years ago.
You claim to know a lot of families at Carson. You know lot of families not applying....You know families from five years ago....
why lie?
Anonymous
04/04/2025 11:03
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only reason for picking Herndon MS over Carson would be to improve odds of getting into TJ. For all other purposes, Carson beats Herndon hands down.
How does it help getting admitted from Herndon MS into the bottom of TJ class?
If the kid is smart, and has to pick between Carson and Herndon MS, do you really think that picking Herndon MS will be the deciding factor for which half of the TJ class they land in?
A smart kid's family would choose Carson for intense academics that preps for both base and TJ high school over Herndon with lighter academics and after school programs with free snacks.
I know families at Carson who apply for TJ but have no intention of attending. I am not sure why they bother applying but the parents see the base HS as rigorous enough and expect a better college outcome from the HS then TJ. Toss in the commute times and extra stress at TJ and there are plenty of strong academic kids at Carson who want nothing to do with TJ. I tend to be less worried about how the kids are selected because I know the people who are not applying, some are the kids that people complain where not accepted, and the people who apply and don't plan on going. This is not exactly a secret and I fully expect that it is happening at Cooper and Longfellow and other high achieving MS in FCPS. And it was happening before the admission change happened, because I know people who made the same choice 5 years ago.
Anonymous
04/04/2025 10:49
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only reason for picking Herndon MS over Carson would be to improve odds of getting into TJ. For all other purposes, Carson beats Herndon hands down.
How does it help getting admitted from Herndon MS into the bottom of TJ class?
If the kid is smart, and has to pick between Carson and Herndon MS, do you really think that picking Herndon MS will be the deciding factor for which half of the TJ class they land in?
A smart kid's family would choose Carson for intense academics that preps for both base and TJ high school over Herndon with lighter academics and after school programs with free snacks.
+100
Anonymous
04/04/2025 09:09
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
For TJ admissions process, Carson is a feeder for academically advanced whereas Herndon is feeder for supporting the diversity chart. It's unlikely the best students are being selected from Herndon since they would contribute to the same ethnic representation as Carson instead of increasing racial diversity.
Anonymous
04/04/2025 08:54
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only reason for picking Herndon MS over Carson would be to improve odds of getting into TJ. For all other purposes, Carson beats Herndon hands down.
How does it help getting admitted from Herndon MS into the bottom of TJ class?
If the kid is smart, and has to pick between Carson and Herndon MS, do you really think that picking Herndon MS will be the deciding factor for which half of the TJ class they land in?
A smart kid's family would choose Carson for intense academics that preps for both base and TJ high school over Herndon with lighter academics and after school programs with free snacks.
Anonymous
04/04/2025 06:33
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:On the other hand, your academically excellent child will be one of the BEST at Herndon, while they were be merely average at Carson. Similarly, your child can into any enrichment activity or elective they want at Herndon, whereas it's wildly competitive at Carson. Thankful that my Carson child is non-AAP and a theatre/art kid. Less competition there, LOL!
Herndon MS after school program is best described as anemic. There are no academic clubs, no MathCounts or Science Olympiad, not even Science Bowl. You are good if you like D&D and Magic the Gathering or want to be in the spring musical.
https://herndonms.fcps.edu/activities/night-hawk-afterschool-program
Carson has more clubs offered most days of the week then Herndon has over the course of the week. Carson has Debate, MUN, MathCounts, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, Mock Trials, Reading Clubs, 3d Printing and a lot more. And there are the sports clubs and baking club and other more fun clubs.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZQcqXtCaYDI6GeT4XSaWkLuyrWmfgwNN/edit?tab=t.0
It's silly to base your decision on the after school program when it is going away. There will not be an after school program ANYWHERE next year.
I suspect that they will find a way to keep the MS after school programs but they might be on fewer days or maybe no late bus. Outside of that, the differences in programs tells you a lot about the schools. There is not enough interest in clubs at Herndon to gin up more than a few and none of them are academic. Carson has more academic based clubs then Herndon has clubs. It speaks to the interest of the kids and the involvement of the kids in the school.
Anonymous
04/03/2025 23:02
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:On the other hand, your academically excellent child will be one of the BEST at Herndon, while they were be merely average at Carson. Similarly, your child can into any enrichment activity or elective they want at Herndon, whereas it's wildly competitive at Carson. Thankful that my Carson child is non-AAP and a theatre/art kid. Less competition there, LOL!
Herndon MS after school program is best described as anemic. There are no academic clubs, no MathCounts or Science Olympiad, not even Science Bowl. You are good if you like D&D and Magic the Gathering or want to be in the spring musical.
https://herndonms.fcps.edu/activities/night-hawk-afterschool-program
Carson has more clubs offered most days of the week then Herndon has over the course of the week. Carson has Debate, MUN, MathCounts, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, Mock Trials, Reading Clubs, 3d Printing and a lot more. And there are the sports clubs and baking club and other more fun clubs.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZQcqXtCaYDI6GeT4XSaWkLuyrWmfgwNN/edit?tab=t.0
It's silly to base your decision on the after school program when it is going away. There will not be an after school program ANYWHERE next year.
Anonymous
04/03/2025 22:02
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only reason for picking Herndon MS over Carson would be to improve odds of getting into TJ. For all other purposes, Carson beats Herndon hands down.
How does it help getting admitted from Herndon MS into the bottom of TJ class?
If the kid is smart, and has to pick between Carson and Herndon MS, do you really think that picking Herndon MS will be the deciding factor for which half of the TJ class they land in?
Anonymous
04/03/2025 19:55
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:On the other hand, your academically excellent child will be one of the BEST at Herndon, while they were be merely average at Carson. Similarly, your child can into any enrichment activity or elective they want at Herndon, whereas it's wildly competitive at Carson. Thankful that my Carson child is non-AAP and a theatre/art kid. Less competition there, LOL!
Herndon MS after school program is best described as anemic. There are no academic clubs, no MathCounts or Science Olympiad, not even Science Bowl. You are good if you like D&D and Magic the Gathering or want to be in the spring musical.
https://herndonms.fcps.edu/activities/night-hawk-afterschool-program
Carson has more clubs offered most days of the week then Herndon has over the course of the week. Carson has Debate, MUN, MathCounts, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, Mock Trials, Reading Clubs, 3d Printing and a lot more. And there are the sports clubs and baking club and other more fun clubs.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZQcqXtCaYDI6GeT4XSaWkLuyrWmfgwNN/edit?tab=t.0
Wow. This is depressing.
Anonymous
04/03/2025 15:00
Subject: Herndon middle vs Carson middle for Advanced Academics
Anonymous wrote:The only reason for picking Herndon MS over Carson would be to improve odds of getting into TJ. For all other purposes, Carson beats Herndon hands down.
How does it help getting admitted from Herndon MS into the bottom of TJ class?