Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 19:32     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Best is relative as best should be what is best for your child, not just top rated with test scores.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 19:19     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:
Whitman is the best academically but I prefer Walter Johnson which is nearly as good, offers courses that are more in line with what my kids wish to study, and is a little more diverse. BCC is on par with Walter Johnson, but less AP classes because of their IB program, so not what we want.

You really need to look at the course and club offerings, OP. The 3 I mentioned here are the best high schools in the county but have different vibes and classes.




Who would choose a school that is not quite as good for more diversity? What does that fractionally more diverse environment award your kid in practical terms, for attending it? Well, absolutely nothing.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 18:48     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Northwood
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 18:26     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Look into Einstein. It's been on a very strong upward trajectory while the other schools have been losing ground


Please don't believe this poster. Einstein was one of the deeply problematic school in previous years. Just because it's getting slightly better doesn't mean that it's ***anywhere close*** to the excellent high schools discussed on this thread.


To clarify: the "deeply problematic" part of Einstein HS, for this PP, is that the student population includes a lot of kids who are Latino.


Yep. Same reason lots of posters on this forum talk about how QOHS is "mediocre." They mean it has 20% FARMS kids, as opposed to Whitman, Wootton, and Churchill, which have 5% or less.


And similar to the reason lots of posters on this forum say that Quince Orchard High School is better than Northwest High School. They mean that Quince Orchard has 40% white kids, as opposed to Northwest, which has 28%.


totally. northwest is a great school -- it's in the top 1,000 in the country, according to USNWR. if you read this forum, you'd think it was in the 9th circle of hell.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 17:12     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Look into Einstein. It's been on a very strong upward trajectory while the other schools have been losing ground


Please don't believe this poster. Einstein was one of the deeply problematic school in previous years. Just because it's getting slightly better doesn't mean that it's ***anywhere close*** to the excellent high schools discussed on this thread.


To clarify: the "deeply problematic" part of Einstein HS, for this PP, is that the student population includes a lot of kids who are Latino.


Yep. Same reason lots of posters on this forum talk about how QOHS is "mediocre." They mean it has 20% FARMS kids, as opposed to Whitman, Wootton, and Churchill, which have 5% or less.


And similar to the reason lots of posters on this forum say that Quince Orchard High School is better than Northwest High School. They mean that Quince Orchard has 40% white kids, as opposed to Northwest, which has 28%.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 17:03     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Look into Einstein. It's been on a very strong upward trajectory while the other schools have been losing ground


Please don't believe this poster. Einstein was one of the deeply problematic school in previous years. Just because it's getting slightly better doesn't mean that it's ***anywhere close*** to the excellent high schools discussed on this thread.


To clarify: the "deeply problematic" part of Einstein HS, for this PP, is that the student population includes a lot of kids who are Latino.


Yep. Same reason lots of posters on this forum talk about how QOHS is "mediocre." They mean it has 20% FARMS kids, as opposed to Whitman, Wootton, and Churchill, which have 5% or less.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 17:02     Subject: Re:Best HS in MoCo
It’s obviously Whitman!
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 17:01     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Look into Einstein. It's been on a very strong upward trajectory while the other schools have been losing ground


Please don't believe this poster. Einstein was one of the deeply problematic school in previous years. Just because it's getting slightly better doesn't mean that it's ***anywhere close*** to the excellent high schools discussed on this thread.


To clarify: the "deeply problematic" part of Einstein HS, for this PP, is that the student population includes a lot of kids who are Latino.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 16:59     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:Whitman hands down. Sorry folks, not wanting to cause a riot but you know its true.

Best options - look at the academics offered, in the sciences there's the possibility of taking a bio-medicine track

in the languages they have the most options in the county

and the best outcomes in terms of grads going onto top colleges (there is a list printed every year and its usually linked by someone in the colleges thread).


Clarksburg High School has an academy of health and biosciences. Wheaton High School has a biomedical magnet program.

Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 16:55     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:
Whitman is the best academically but I prefer Walter Johnson which is nearly as good, offers courses that are more in line with what my kids wish to study, and is a little more diverse. BCC is on par with Walter Johnson, but less AP classes because of their IB program, so not what we want.

You really need to look at the course and club offerings, OP. The 3 I mentioned here are the best high schools in the county but have different vibes and classes.




You sure they're the unmatched best? QOHS was ranked above Walter Johnson in USNWR this year.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 16:55     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:
Whitman is the best academically but I prefer Walter Johnson which is nearly as good, offers courses that are more in line with what my kids wish to study, and is a little more diverse. BCC is on par with Walter Johnson, but less AP classes because of their IB program, so not what we want.

You really need to look at the course and club offerings, OP. The 3 I mentioned here are the best high schools in the county but have different vibes and classes.




I.e., the teachers at Whitman are the best? What do you base this statement on?
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 16:55     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:Look into Einstein. It's been on a very strong upward trajectory while the other schools have been losing ground


Please don't believe this poster. Einstein was one of the deeply problematic school in previous years. Just because it's getting slightly better doesn't mean that it's ***anywhere close*** to the excellent high schools discussed on this thread.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 16:54     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:Whitman hands down. Sorry folks, not wanting to cause a riot but you know its true.

Best options - look at the academics offered, in the sciences there's the possibility of taking a bio-medicine track

in the languages they have the most options in the county

and the best outcomes in terms of grads going onto top colleges (there is a list printed every year and its usually linked by someone in the colleges thread).


Cool story, bro.

Poolesville also has strong STEM programs. Plus, those college lists only include the Bethesda-area schools, so you really can't compare all the MCPS HS's.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 16:53     Subject: Best HS in MoCo

Whitman is the best academically but I prefer Walter Johnson which is nearly as good, offers courses that are more in line with what my kids wish to study, and is a little more diverse. BCC is on par with Walter Johnson, but less AP classes because of their IB program, so not what we want.

You really need to look at the course and club offerings, OP. The 3 I mentioned here are the best high schools in the county but have different vibes and classes.


Anonymous
Post 04/14/2020 16:53     Subject: Best HS in MoCo
Anonymous wrote:Whitman hands down. Sorry folks, not wanting to cause a riot but you know its true.

Best options - look at the academics offered, in the sciences there's the possibility of taking a bio-medicine track

in the languages they have the most options in the county

and the best outcomes in terms of grads going onto top colleges (there is a list printed every year and its usually linked by someone in the colleges thread).


That's because all of their families are wealthy. Don't mistake demographics for academic quality. It's a public high school with large class sizes and a lot of wealthy kids.