Blair's college admissions are under-reported at least for 2011 because the school did not collect admissions letters from students as they did in prior years and probably do elsewhere. And while 14:27 is right that roughly 175 out of 600+ students per graduating class are in magnet or CAP and that skews admissions to MIT among other places, the non-CAP/magnet kids have access to extremely rigorous courses and also do well in admissions.

In the end, the economy dictates what schools kids are applying to and attending. The magnet's stats indicate that over 40% of their 2011 graduates are attending UMCP. Same is true for CAP 2011. Most if not all Honors or Scholars plus some Banneker Key. Good for UMCP.

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Yes, I've seen the Bethesda magazine rankings. I was surprised by how well Montgomery Blair seems to do with admissions. I have gone through the college admissions process once with my oldest son, who attended private school. My feeling is he did no better and no worse admissions-wise than if I'd sent him to our local public high school. I've always felt that once you've reached a certain level of competencthe among schools the differences are not that great -- at least as far a chances of college admission go. I do think some schools just provide a better overall experience for kids regardless of where they're likely to get into college. Peer groups where it's okay to be smart, families who are involved in their child's education -- these are the less tangible aspects of education that are very hard to capture through rankings.

"I was surprised by how well Montgomery Blair seems to do with admissions." Be careful when reviewing college admission stats from Blair. Blair has at least 2 competitive magnet application programs which probably skew Blair's college admissions. The math and science program at Blair is without a doubt one of the top few in the Washington DC area. Many of these kids are going on to big Ivies or well-known math/science colleges. I don't know about the Communication Arts Program as much in terms of how it's students are perceived by admissions offices, but it's safe to say that the need to apply to CAP means that those CAP students going to Blair are probably more highly motivated and academically skilled than most. I would not take Blair's overall college admissions stats to be reflective of the "typical" non-magnet program students.

Anonymous wrote:I attended Whitman and I chose WJ for my children because it is a bit more diverse and the student body seems a little less entitled. I believe the IB program at BCC is available to those outside the BCC area if you are interested in that, although I would probably chose Richard Montgomery over BCC if my kids were going the IB route.

No, BCC IB program is not available to kids outside the BCC cluster. If you want an IB program, but don't live in a high school cluster that offers HS IB, you must apply to Richard Montgomery's IB program which is very competitive. All kids who live in BCC can opt (w/o competitive application) for the full IB program or a less intense IB certificate. Students can combine IB and AP classes.

We live in BCC area specifically for the IB option. Our kids have been in magnet elementary and middle school programs, but I will not send to RM for IB since I don't think the marginal improvement in BCC IB v. RM IB is worth the huge distance/logistical issues.

B-CC grad here. I'd love to live in the B-CC or WJ clusters but would actively avoid Whitman for the reasons mentioned by Whitman grads on this thread. We're in the Downcounty Consortium and if still here when kids are in HS we'll try for Blair.

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a kid at one of these schools I find the characterization of distinct drug cultures silly. Yes there are drugs and alcohol at all 3, along with the private schools and other public schools. But the majority of kids aren't involved in it.

May your ignorance remain blissful in 2012!

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a kid at one of these schools I find the characterization of distinct drug cultures silly. Yes there are drugs and alcohol at all 3, along with the private schools and other public schools. But the majority of kids aren't involved in it.

+1

As a parent of a kid at one of these schools I find the characterization of distinct drug cultures silly. Yes there are drugs and alcohol at all 3, along with the private schools and other public schools. But the majority of kids aren't involved in it.

Thanks to all who've responded to my post. I think the information has beenhelpful, and I do agree with PP that for more in-depth info I probably need to talk to some current parents in the high schools in question. I will try to do this. At least I have a reference point and more of a sense of what questions I might want to ask. Thanks again!

I think the PP's concern about the BCC cluster is pretty silly. A new middle school is going to be built in this catchment; the question is where (probably southern part of Kensington.) It won't be ready till at least 2017, so it presumably won't impact your kids. It will help, not hurt property values to have a brand-new middle school with a smaller population. Anyway BCC is a great school, and the feeder schools are great - I know, I have kids there.

In general, you can't go wrong at any of these schools. If you want to be really careful about the choice, find some real-live parents to talk to - via the PTAs or neighborhood associations. Based on the nonsense posted by the above PP and the anecdotal bias toward WJ that I suspect is not reflective of the broader opinion, I'm not sure if you're getting a good sampling of views here. As a parent in this area I know all these reputations, but I always wonder if they are just stereotypes: is Whitman today genuinely cut-throat and high-pressure? Is BCC truly more diverse than WJ (check the stats)? What are the real cultures of these schools? Your best bet for finding out is not a web board that at the moment mostly draws parents of young children.

probably won't. but i'd keep an eye on where you buy your new house for housing value, unless you plan to be there for a long time.

OP here. My kids are older - so if my kids will only be at the middle school for one year and then high school do you think these crowding and boundary issues are likely to affect their experience at the high school much?

Issues that I'm aware of but don't know enough about the cluster schools to give you details:

overcrowding at westland MS and planning for new MS--which schools will send which students where? where will the MS be located?

potential new boundary lines for ES

new progression for students at some of the B-CC cluster ES

By "issues" you mean what? Disciplinary problems or low achievement issues? Overcrowding? Administration problems?

I can't speak to BCC's strengths as I'm the most recent PP who graduated from Whitman but has chosen WJ for my kids. However, I will say that I would look closely at all of the elementary/middle school "issues" in the BCC cluster that are going on right now. There's lots of change there and change isn't always a good thing. If I were you, and deciding between those 3 schools, I'd avoid BCC right now.

OP again. So it sounds like some people here find WJ to be more grounded and down to earth than Whitman? What about BCC? It's rep seems to be that it's slightly more urban and diverse because of the areas it draws from. In your opinion is this a problem or an advantage?