I posted up-thread that I agree Walls is not a super strong STEM school . . .but on the other hand, not sure what other class the school should be offering other than AP Chemistry (which is never offered). While true that AP Biology is only offered every other year, kid only needs to take it once so that is fine (just take it the year 10th-12th that it is offered to you)! And I find it hard to believe as one poster above claims that if you don't take AP Chemistry or differential equations in high school you can't do pre-med in college? What? Also, even if Walls offered all these other STEM classes (again, not sure what other schools offer that Walls doesn't other than AP Chem and I guess differential equations?), given required classes to graduate (PE, Health, Senior Seminar, DC history, Internship, etc) I don't think students have room in schedules to take them?? My kid will top out in high school math taking multivariate in 12th grade (after taking Calc BC in 10th and AP Stats in 11th; Walls only allows seniors to take multivariate b/c only one section/not enough room for 11th graders).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow! The walls families here are so defensive and just can’t admit that it is lacking in STEM offerings.

Why is that so hard?

Instead of making excuses and trying to justify things, demand better.

This is exactly why DCPS will not improve because families have low expectations and just settle for crumbs.

Seriously, how do you justify not offering basic AP chem and bio classes every year?? That is crazy.

If your goal is to build a coalition of parents to advocate for more advanced offerings, this is a very ineffective way to do it. But that might be hard to recognize if you don't have basic soft skills ...

If your goal was to reassure parents that the walls community is always striving for better and not resting on their reputation, you’ve failed spectacularly. This might be hard to recognize if you live your life seeking to justify your choices and never striving for better.

Anonymous wrote:Wow! The walls families here are so defensive and just can’t admit that it is lacking in STEM offerings.

Why is that so hard?

Instead of making excuses and trying to justify things, demand better.

This is exactly why DCPS will not improve because families have low expectations and just settle for crumbs.

Seriously, how do you justify not offering basic AP chem and bio classes every year?? That is crazy.

i've noticed they get super defensive with any perceived criticism. emphasis on the word "perceived."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow! The walls families here are so defensive and just can’t admit that it is lacking in STEM offerings.

Why is that so hard?

Instead of making excuses and trying to justify things, demand better.

This is exactly why DCPS will not improve because families have low expectations and just settle for crumbs.

Seriously, how do you justify not offering basic AP chem and bio classes every year?? That is crazy.

If your goal is to build a coalition of parents to advocate for more advanced offerings, this is a very ineffective way to do it. But that might be hard to recognize if you don't have basic soft skills ...

What is ineffective is denying that we have a big problem in this town with the lack of STEM offerings in DCPS.

You can’t tackle a problem if you can’t even take the 1st step to acknowledge this deficit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if we are moving goalposts but take a look at potential colleges for your kid. See what they’re looking for in candidates. If you are comfortable with the offerings at your child’s school, then there is no need to stress. But I personally found Walls to be lacking. But if you have lower expectations, I’m happy you’re comfortable. But for kids who don’t have parents who worry about making sure their kids are attractive candidates for college, I think dcps is letting them down. Again.

I mean quite honestly I was concerned about this until my kid got in EA to all their reaches, yes in STEM. I now regret every second I spent listening to people like you. The fact is, at the end of the day DCPS served our family far better than DCUM did.

I’m glad you were lucky but I honestly don’t think that’s good advice for most people. And enjoy paying for extra years of college to complete courses you could have gotten credit for in high school.

If your kid is STEM focused and they go to a school that doesn’t force them to retake the prerequisites, it’s not a very good school.

That’s… just not true. Why are you here defending walls so hard and straight up lying? Relax. Walls is still a great option for a lot of kids. Calm down.

I’m pushing back against the “saving money in college” point. A good school will not give you course credit for STEM APs if you are a STEM major. You might place a little further along, but typically even with a 5 you’ll have to retake the required classes.

Anonymous wrote:Wow! The walls families here are so defensive and just can’t admit that it is lacking in STEM offerings.

Why is that so hard?

Instead of making excuses and trying to justify things, demand better.

This is exactly why DCPS will not improve because families have low expectations and just settle for crumbs.

Seriously, how do you justify not offering basic AP chem and bio classes every year?? That is crazy.

If your goal is to build a coalition of parents to advocate for more advanced offerings, this is a very ineffective way to do it. But that might be hard to recognize if you don't have basic soft skills ...

Anonymous wrote:Wow! The walls families here are so defensive and just can’t admit that it is lacking in STEM offerings.

Why is that so hard?

Instead of making excuses and trying to justify things, demand better.

This is exactly why DCPS will not improve because families have low expectations and just settle for crumbs.

Seriously, how do you justify not offering basic AP chem and bio classes every year?? That is crazy.

And the most hilarious part is the Walls parent saying your STEM kid should take history and public speaking instead of advance math!

Wow! The walls families here are so defensive and just can’t admit that it is lacking in STEM offerings.

Why is that so hard?

Instead of making excuses and trying to justify things, demand better.

This is exactly why DCPS will not improve because families have low expectations and just settle for crumbs.

Seriously, how do you justify not offering basic AP chem and bio classes every year?? That is crazy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if we are moving goalposts but take a look at potential colleges for your kid. See what they’re looking for in candidates. If you are comfortable with the offerings at your child’s school, then there is no need to stress. But I personally found Walls to be lacking. But if you have lower expectations, I’m happy you’re comfortable. But for kids who don’t have parents who worry about making sure their kids are attractive candidates for college, I think dcps is letting them down. Again.

I mean quite honestly I was concerned about this until my kid got in EA to all their reaches, yes in STEM. I now regret every second I spent listening to people like you. The fact is, at the end of the day DCPS served our family far better than DCUM did.

I’m glad you were lucky but I honestly don’t think that’s good advice for most people. And enjoy paying for extra years of college to complete courses you could have gotten credit for in high school.

If your kid is STEM focused and they go to a school that doesn’t force them to retake the prerequisites, it’s not a very good school.

That’s… just not true. Why are you here defending walls so hard and straight up lying? Relax. Walls is still a great option for a lot of kids. Calm down.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if we are moving goalposts but take a look at potential colleges for your kid. See what they’re looking for in candidates. If you are comfortable with the offerings at your child’s school, then there is no need to stress. But I personally found Walls to be lacking. But if you have lower expectations, I’m happy you’re comfortable. But for kids who don’t have parents who worry about making sure their kids are attractive candidates for college, I think dcps is letting them down. Again.

I mean quite honestly I was concerned about this until my kid got in EA to all their reaches, yes in STEM. I now regret every second I spent listening to people like you. The fact is, at the end of the day DCPS served our family far better than DCUM did.

I’m glad you were lucky but I honestly don’t think that’s good advice for most people. And enjoy paying for extra years of college to complete courses you could have gotten credit for in high school.

If your kid is STEM focused and they go to a school that doesn’t force them to retake the prerequisites, it’s not a very good school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if we are moving goalposts but take a look at potential colleges for your kid. See what they’re looking for in candidates. If you are comfortable with the offerings at your child’s school, then there is no need to stress. But I personally found Walls to be lacking. But if you have lower expectations, I’m happy you’re comfortable. But for kids who don’t have parents who worry about making sure their kids are attractive candidates for college, I think dcps is letting them down. Again.

I mean quite honestly I was concerned about this until my kid got in EA to all their reaches, yes in STEM. I now regret every second I spent listening to people like you. The fact is, at the end of the day DCPS served our family far better than DCUM did.

Not sure dcum is set up to serve people but okay.

Glad dcps worked for you. It can still do better and your strange defensive posture is really bizarre.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if we are moving goalposts but take a look at potential colleges for your kid. See what they’re looking for in candidates. If you are comfortable with the offerings at your child’s school, then there is no need to stress. But I personally found Walls to be lacking. But if you have lower expectations, I’m happy you’re comfortable. But for kids who don’t have parents who worry about making sure their kids are attractive candidates for college, I think dcps is letting them down. Again.

I mean quite honestly I was concerned about this until my kid got in EA to all their reaches, yes in STEM. I now regret every second I spent listening to people like you. The fact is, at the end of the day DCPS served our family far better than DCUM did.

I’m glad you were lucky but I honestly don’t think that’s good advice for most people. And enjoy paying for extra years of college to complete courses you could have gotten credit for in high school.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if we are moving goalposts but take a look at potential colleges for your kid. See what they’re looking for in candidates. If you are comfortable with the offerings at your child’s school, then there is no need to stress. But I personally found Walls to be lacking. But if you have lower expectations, I’m happy you’re comfortable. But for kids who don’t have parents who worry about making sure their kids are attractive candidates for college, I think dcps is letting them down. Again.

I mean quite honestly I was concerned about this until my kid got in EA to all their reaches, yes in STEM. I now regret every second I spent listening to people like you. The fact is, at the end of the day DCPS served our family far better than DCUM did.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do people keep saying there’s no chemistry at Walls? Everyone at Walls takes chemistry. There’s no AP chemistry, but that’s a completely separate question.

Also, the people who are telling you that your kid needs to do two years of college in high school just to get in to a competitive STEM program are lying, usually because your anxiety makes you more likely to buy their services.

VT- a legit top 30 in CS- admits 63% of applicants (engineering OOS isn’t available). You don’t need the 2 years of college math to get in. You probably do need AP Calc AB.

OK but the reality is that many kids going to VT have taken college math, like the kid I know, and it gives them a huge advantage over the other kids and better grades.

Sure, those kids who have not taken the courses can make up the grades later but if you are aiming for medical school or top grad school, you don’t have the luxury of a mediocre freshman year.

And the goalposts just keep moving.

Look, I understand that in the pressure cooker environment of FCPS, it might feel like a kid who isn’t placed in the correct math course in 7th grade is doomed to be shut out of residency 15 years later, but that’s just your little bubble. People who want to raise their kids in that never ending toxic grind can move to Fairfax. There’s no need to import it to DC.

Aside from the fact that this is a very disrespectful take (ie move if you don’t like our low standards) it is a very ill informed opinion. There has been a lot of discussion about making kids attractive candidates for college admission. There has been no discussion of how AP classes literally save kids money. The more classes they can get credit for in college, the more affordable college becomes.

I truly don’t understand why you’re defending mediocre standards. Washington DC should always be striving for excellence.

I don’t know if we are moving goalposts but take a look at potential colleges for your kid. See what they’re looking for in candidates. If you are comfortable with the offerings at your child’s school, then there is no need to stress. But I personally found Walls to be lacking. But if you have lower expectations, I’m happy you’re comfortable. But for kids who don’t have parents who worry about making sure their kids are attractive candidates for college, I think dcps is letting them down. Again.