I would consider the course catalogs for HS for each school. Can't speak for Potomac but GDS has a lot of science courses at regular and extended/upper level with a variety of topics so there is really something for everyone and the upper level courses can be quite challenging. Know you aren't thinking about college applications yet, but the good thing about lots of course offerings are that kids are sort of spread out across different interests by the time they are applying to college (versus everyone having similar courses).

Here's the current GDS offerings:
Biology 9 for everyone
Choices in 10/11/12th:

-Chem 1/extended Chem 1
-Chem 2/UL Chem 2

-Physics 1/extended Physics 1/UL Physics 1 (Physics Mechanics)
-UL Physics Electricity and Magnetism
-UL Modern Physics and Quantum Mechanics
-UL Physics Waves & Optics

-Genetics & Evolutionary Biology
-UL Cellular & Molecular Biology
-UL Research in Biology
-Environmental Science & Applied Research
-UL Environmental Science: Analysis of Science & Policy
-Neuroscience
-Forensic science
-Astronomy & Astro Physics
-Game Theory
-Anatomy, Health and Social Justice

They also have these computer science courses:
-Foundations in Programming
-Advanced coding for AI
-Advanced coding for video games
-UL Coding for social impact
-UL Data structures & Algorithms

Anonymous wrote:I know too much about HS robotics, but my own kid specifically wanted a school that participated in FIRST Robotics vs. Vex and some other robotics competitions.

FIRST is considered a premier competition and they design and build large robots (You compete at local tournaments...best performers compete at Regionals...best performers compete at Worlds). GDS participates in FIRST, but as others have mentioned, does not perform all that well.

I believe Potomac participates in VEX and Flint Hill I believe participates in a completely different competition...Sidwell participates in the underwater robotics competition, but also not FIRST.

Perhaps none of this matters to your kid...but maybe it does. FYI...TJ doesn't participate in any robotics competitions (at least they didn't) which was always odd. Typically, the magnet schools perform very well.

TJ used to participate but the time commitment is extremely high and the academics at TJ don't really permit time to be competitive.

I know too much about HS robotics, but my own kid specifically wanted a school that participated in FIRST Robotics vs. Vex and some other robotics competitions.

FIRST is considered a premier competition and they design and build large robots (You compete at local tournaments...best performers compete at Regionals...best performers compete at Worlds). GDS participates in FIRST, but as others have mentioned, does not perform all that well.

I believe Potomac participates in VEX and Flint Hill I believe participates in a completely different competition...Sidwell participates in the underwater robotics competition, but also not FIRST.

Perhaps none of this matters to your kid...but maybe it does. FYI...TJ doesn't participate in any robotics competitions (at least they didn't) which was always odd. Typically, the magnet schools perform very well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The total number of SERC spots is very small. It needs to be much larger. Many are disappointed every year.

You would think expanding the program to more students would make Potomac more of a draw for high performing kids.

Most parents think "my kid is smart, they'll get in" which doesn't really change depending on the number of SERC spots offered, so there is no real incentive to expand the number of spots.

SERC is great. The 10th graders travel to MIT to observe and engage in research projects. It's the real deal. But it is limited and you have to be in honors in 9th with strong grades to be competitive. SERC does limit your ability to take other courses and electives so that is a downside but it is hands down a premier program for science and can compete with any public stem.

The advanced math track at the school is terrible, but the school doesn't do anything about it.The school has no differentiated or advanced track in 9th or 10th for anything other than STEM & Foreign Lanugage. If English or history is your thing, look elsewhere or your kid will have to wait until 11th to differntiate.

I don’t think Arlington tech fills this need at this point but there are some discussions. Its public high schools aren’t particularly well known in this space and many of the top kids go to TJ. Gds is a great school fwiw and science kids have been happy there

Anonymous wrote:Potomac would need more science faculty to expand their research program.

That being said, this would be the year to consider it, as some excellent research scientists could probably be locked in for job security given the absurd anti-science administration.

+10000

People at Potomac should gently point this out to the Powers That Be.

Also, wealthy donors might be willing to endow a position for a highly qualified scientist able and willing to teach at Potomac. Other privates outside metro DC have done this from time to time.

For those wanting to know if Potomac's Robitics program is serious, look at a few of the stories on the left side of the webpage. It details some of the competitions different teams competed in last year- which includes a team competing at World's in Texas. Things are just getting started this year so there isn't much information from the current academic year.

https://www.potomacschool.org/academics/upper-school/student-life/robotics

Anonymous wrote:Potomac would need more science faculty to expand their research program.

That being said, this would be the year to consider it, as some excellent research scientists could probably be locked in for job security given the absurd anti-science administration.

Current parents - please share this with the school!

Potomac would need more science faculty to expand their research program.

That being said, this would be the year to consider it, as some excellent research scientists could probably be locked in for job security given the absurd anti-science administration.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The total number of SERC spots is very small. It needs to be much larger. Many are disappointed every year.

You would think expanding the program to more students would make Potomac more of a draw for high performing kids.

Precisely so.

Anonymous wrote:The total number of SERC spots is very small. It needs to be much larger. Many are disappointed every year.

You would think expanding the program to more students would make Potomac more of a draw for high performing kids.

The total number of SERC spots is very small. It needs to be much larger. Many are disappointed every year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potomac's robotics team is very competitive and very good - not community league.

Their SERC is tiny and has restricted head count, but is very good. Other science options there also are solid. SERC needs to be larger.

Potomac's math is quirky. It works better for some students than others. Other threads cover their math in specific terms. Search for those threads.

Thanks for the info. 2 questions - is SERC very challenging to get into? Is it based on test scores or an application?

In what way is math quirky?

SERC is application based and has a fixed number of spots.

The honors math level uses a nontraditional curriculum that many find frustrating. SERC students may choose to opt out of honors math, but their 10th grade science course is a condensed honors level chem and physics course for just SERC students. They cannot opt out of that honors science course. Junior and senior years they take Advanced (AP equivalent) science courses with non- SERC students, as well as their SERC research courses.

Robotics is what the team makes of it. Some teams are very serious and others aren’t.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are much better off at Public. Either the MCPS magnet or Whitman/BCC. We have one at GDS and one in public for this very reason. You will never get the opportunities /education in any privates in this area. Having a robotics team does not mean much. It is what the robotics team is doing and what classes support your kids interests.

OP here. Thanks for the info. We are in Arlington, but I did wonder if the publics may be better. Most of our friends have younger kids so I don’t have much first hand knowledge and appreciate any advice/info.

Look into "Arlington Tech" which is an option HS within APS. It is a STEM focused HS, and is not an old-style vocational type HS.

I am not saying it is either better or worse than some other school, private or public, merely that it is worth looking into in some depth.

I thought Arlington Tech was vocational. So are they trying to have their own TJ/Blair option?

It is not vocational. It is a STEM option high school within Arlington Public schools

I think of TJ and Blair being somewhat similar. Arlington Tech is NOT trying to compete with TJ. In any case, Arlington also sends some students to TJ annually.

(TJ is a VA Governor's School chartered by the Commonwealth. FCPS merely has the TJ operating contract with the VDoEd. )