Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check the school profiles. There's a huge difference between the two schools if you want your kid to go to college.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04427.pdf

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04424.pdf

WJ -
% of Students Meeting University System of Maryland Entrance Requirements = 67.1%
School average SAT: 1234
% of Graduates Scoring 3 or Higher on AP Test or Scoring 4 or Higher on IB Test: 70.8

Whitman -
% of Students Meeting University System of Maryland Entrance Requirements = 81.4%
School average SAT: 1339
% of Graduates Scoring 3 or Higher on AP Test or Scoring 4 or Higher on IB Test: 84.0

I prefer to use the data the county released by high school sorted by demographic cohort. This makes it easier to factor in SES differences and get a sense of how these schools really stack up.

For the largest cohort common to these two schools, Whitman has an average of 1299 vs WJ which had 1275. Basically, both are fine schools and it's just a matter of splitting hairs.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/reports/2017/1771102HS%20Princ_SAT%20Partic_Perf%20Class%20of%202017.pdf

You're quoting only White student scores!?!? OMG. Take off the hood. You need to quote ALL student scores, you racist b!!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check the school profiles. There's a huge difference between the two schools if you want your kid to go to college.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04427.pdf

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04424.pdf

WJ -
% of Students Meeting University System of Maryland Entrance Requirements = 67.1%
School average SAT: 1234
% of Graduates Scoring 3 or Higher on AP Test or Scoring 4 or Higher on IB Test: 70.8

Whitman -
% of Students Meeting University System of Maryland Entrance Requirements = 81.4%
School average SAT: 1339
% of Graduates Scoring 3 or Higher on AP Test or Scoring 4 or Higher on IB Test: 84.0

I prefer to use the data the county released by high school sorted by demographic cohort. This makes it easier to factor in SES differences and get a sense of how these schools really stack up.

For the largest cohort common to these two schools, Whitman has an average of 1299 vs WJ which had 1275. Basically, both are fine schools and it's just a matter of splitting hairs.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/reports/2017/1771102HS%20Princ_SAT%20Partic_Perf%20Class%20of%202017.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I was specifically looking for mental health issues at WJ if they are similar to Whitman? None of these responses have been helpful. I know the test scores and not really care about the differences in them in regards to test scores.

You're not smart enough to read between the lines. The highest achieving school, on paper, in terms of grades - Whitman - probably has the biggest stressors, most suicides / accidental overdoses and outsourcing for therapists.

Do you have data to support that? Google WJ and suicide. There are kids with mental health issues at both. It’s important to differentiate between the issues of the kid and the issues of the school.

My DC went to Whitman and was one of those for whom it was a great fit and not high stress, despite taking a lot of AP classes. I’m sure he would have done fine at WJ too.

OP you may want to talk to the guidance counselors at each school to get a sense of the fit for your child’s particular mental health challenges. I’m sure they’ve seen similar kids before and can provide some perspective.

The counselors at those schools literally do not give a shit. They are about presenting a semblance only of "care". They process grades, they send transcripts, they field questions that they can rarely answer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I was specifically looking for mental health issues at WJ if they are similar to Whitman? None of these responses have been helpful. I know the test scores and not really care about the differences in them in regards to test scores.

You should have drawn an inference from the PP at WJ who suggested WJ kids need to take 12-14 AP courses to attend a good university.

And you think somehow they can take fewer AP courses at Whitman and sail right into Harvard? What a stupid inference that would be. WJ kids are competitive with Whitman kids for top colleges -- and I assume you understand that college admissions overall are extraordinarily competitive these days.

I don’t think that was their point. Pp was suggesting WJ is similarly cut throat if that’s the norm. That said, I have a good student at WJ who is on track for about 8 APs. I wouldn’t say 12-14 is the norm, unless a contender for Ivys.

I agree and I have kids at WJ. 12-14 is not the norm.

+1. It’s not necessary to have 12-14 APs. That’s insane actually.

It depends what you mean by ¨norm¨ The Apex (signature academic) program requires 9 AP classes as the minimum. [Program changed for class of 24 and on for those who had kids in the old program]

This is helpful information as I have younger kids who might be interested in APEX. Are you saying that the old minimum was 9 or the "new" minimum is 9?

Also, as someone with older kids who already graduated, there's a big difference between 9 APs and 12-14 APs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I was specifically looking for mental health issues at WJ if they are similar to Whitman? None of these responses have been helpful. I know the test scores and not really care about the differences in them in regards to test scores.

You're not smart enough to read between the lines. The highest achieving school, on paper, in terms of grades - Whitman - probably has the biggest stressors, most suicides / accidental overdoses and outsourcing for therapists.

Do you have data to support that? Google WJ and suicide. There are kids with mental health issues at both. It’s important to differentiate between the issues of the kid and the issues of the school.

My DC went to Whitman and was one of those for whom it was a great fit and not high stress, despite taking a lot of AP classes. I’m sure he would have done fine at WJ too.

OP you may want to talk to the guidance counselors at each school to get a sense of the fit for your child’s particular mental health challenges. I’m sure they’ve seen similar kids before and can provide some perspective.

The counselors at those schools literally do not give a shit. They are about presenting a semblance only of "care". They process grades, they send transcripts, they field questions that they can rarely answer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I was specifically looking for mental health issues at WJ if they are similar to Whitman? None of these responses have been helpful. I know the test scores and not really care about the differences in them in regards to test scores.

You're not smart enough to read between the lines. The highest achieving school, on paper, in terms of grades - Whitman - probably has the biggest stressors, most suicides / accidental overdoses and outsourcing for therapists.

Do you have data to support that? Google WJ and suicide. There are kids with mental health issues at both. It’s important to differentiate between the issues of the kid and the issues of the school.

My DC went to Whitman and was one of those for whom it was a great fit and not high stress, despite taking a lot of AP classes. I’m sure he would have done fine at WJ too.

OP you may want to talk to the guidance counselors at each school to get a sense of the fit for your child’s particular mental health challenges. I’m sure they’ve seen similar kids before and can provide some perspective.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think a kid with mental health challenges is going to have those no matter which school they are at. You can't insulate a kid by switching schools. I have three kids total, one who graduated from WJ, one at a magnet HS, and one entering WJ from a magnet MS.

We really like WJ, and think it's overall a happy school, but in our personal experience, we believe our two younger kids who have had mental health challenges would have had them regardless of the school. We have friends with kids in Whitman -- some of them have struggled and some of them have thrived and sailed right through. I believe from knowing the kids that the issues would have been the same irrespective of the school.

If you're concerned enough about your kid to consider moving schools, what other proactive steps have you taken? Is your child in therapy? Have they seen a psychiatrist or psychologist for an evaluation? If you have concerns, you should probably get a full neuropsychological examination and determine a) what your child's challenges are; b) whether medications are appropriate; c) what forms of therapy are appropriate; and d) whether your child needs accommodations in school (which are available for anxiety/depression, not just ADHD or learning disabilities).

You're looking for an answer from this board that I don't think you're going to find, because the answer is about your individual child and their needs, not about whether a particular high school will help them avoid mental health struggles.

This 100%

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think a kid with mental health challenges is going to have those no matter which school they are at. You can't insulate a kid by switching schools. I have three kids total, one who graduated from WJ, one at a magnet HS, and one entering WJ from a magnet MS.

We really like WJ, and think it's overall a happy school, but in our personal experience, we believe our two younger kids who have had mental health challenges would have had them regardless of the school. We have friends with kids in Whitman -- some of them have struggled and some of them have thrived and sailed right through. I believe from knowing the kids that the issues would have been the same irrespective of the school.

If you're concerned enough about your kid to consider moving schools, what other proactive steps have you taken? Is your child in therapy? Have they seen a psychiatrist or psychologist for an evaluation? If you have concerns, you should probably get a full neuropsychological examination and determine a) what your child's challenges are; b) whether medications are appropriate; c) what forms of therapy are appropriate; and d) whether your child needs accommodations in school (which are available for anxiety/depression, not just ADHD or learning disabilities).

You're looking for an answer from this board that I don't think you're going to find, because the answer is about your individual child and their needs, not about whether a particular high school will help them avoid mental health struggles.

This 100%

OP here- thanks for the responses. I have 2 kids who went through Whitman. What I noticed is the number of kids at Whitman who are depressed have increased in the past 3 years. Suicides too. My first one had no friends who were depressed. They only knew of kids who were. Second had most friends who were depressed, had eating disorders, etc . My kids have been fine but the second kid was surrounded by kids with mental health issues and it was draining. They felt exhausted from worrying about the friends. Yes I know it would be stupid to move but I would like my 3rd kid to have happier high school environment, where most friends are happy instead of being depressed. There is not much I can do about it but I am just worried

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think a kid with mental health challenges is going to have those no matter which school they are at. You can't insulate a kid by switching schools. I have three kids total, one who graduated from WJ, one at a magnet HS, and one entering WJ from a magnet MS.

We really like WJ, and think it's overall a happy school, but in our personal experience, we believe our two younger kids who have had mental health challenges would have had them regardless of the school. We have friends with kids in Whitman -- some of them have struggled and some of them have thrived and sailed right through. I believe from knowing the kids that the issues would have been the same irrespective of the school.

If you're concerned enough about your kid to consider moving schools, what other proactive steps have you taken? Is your child in therapy? Have they seen a psychiatrist or psychologist for an evaluation? If you have concerns, you should probably get a full neuropsychological examination and determine a) what your child's challenges are; b) whether medications are appropriate; c) what forms of therapy are appropriate; and d) whether your child needs accommodations in school (which are available for anxiety/depression, not just ADHD or learning disabilities).

You're looking for an answer from this board that I don't think you're going to find, because the answer is about your individual child and their needs, not about whether a particular high school will help them avoid mental health struggles.

This 100%

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think a kid with mental health challenges is going to have those no matter which school they are at. You can't insulate a kid by switching schools. I have three kids total, one who graduated from WJ, one at a magnet HS, and one entering WJ from a magnet MS.

We really like WJ, and think it's overall a happy school, but in our personal experience, we believe our two younger kids who have had mental health challenges would have had them regardless of the school. We have friends with kids in Whitman -- some of them have struggled and some of them have thrived and sailed right through. I believe from knowing the kids that the issues would have been the same irrespective of the school.

If you're concerned enough about your kid to consider moving schools, what other proactive steps have you taken? Is your child in therapy? Have they seen a psychiatrist or psychologist for an evaluation? If you have concerns, you should probably get a full neuropsychological examination and determine a) what your child's challenges are; b) whether medications are appropriate; c) what forms of therapy are appropriate; and d) whether your child needs accommodations in school (which are available for anxiety/depression, not just ADHD or learning disabilities).

You're looking for an answer from this board that I don't think you're going to find, because the answer is about your individual child and their needs, not about whether a particular high school will help them avoid mental health struggles.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I was specifically looking for mental health issues at WJ if they are similar to Whitman? None of these responses have been helpful. I know the test scores and not really care about the differences in them in regards to test scores.

You should have drawn an inference from the PP at WJ who suggested WJ kids need to take 12-14 AP courses to attend a good university.

And you think somehow they can take fewer AP courses at Whitman and sail right into Harvard? What a stupid inference that would be. WJ kids are competitive with Whitman kids for top colleges -- and I assume you understand that college admissions overall are extraordinarily competitive these days.

I don’t think that was their point. Pp was suggesting WJ is similarly cut throat if that’s the norm. That said, I have a good student at WJ who is on track for about 8 APs. I wouldn’t say 12-14 is the norm, unless a contender for Ivys.

I agree and I have kids at WJ. 12-14 is not the norm.

+1. It’s not necessary to have 12-14 APs. That’s insane actually.

It depends what you mean by ¨norm¨ The Apex (signature academic) program requires 9 AP classes as the minimum. [Program changed for class of 24 and on for those who had kids in the old program]

Anonymous wrote:We are considering moving from whitman cluster to WJ mainly for high school because of a lack of diversity and above normal mental health issues at Whitman. Can any WJ parent share if the mental health issues are any less at WJ? I feel the culture at Whitman is partly to blame. Not sure. Don’t flame me. Genuinely concerned about my younger child who will enter Whitman in a couple of years.