Anonymous
04/16/2026 14:00
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:I'm not seeing any of the college outcomes frankly being that different between the top five schools in FCPS.
There are more factors to choosing a high school than college admission results. I'm always amazed that people constantly reduce it to that and just that.
Anonymous
04/16/2026 11:44
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
IB was challenging and my kid was well-prepared for a selective college.
Not Robinson if your kid has any special ed needs.
Not Robinson if your kid has any special ed needs.
Anonymous
04/16/2026 10:16
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.
Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.
100% with you here. And that is exactly how it panned out. The group of high performing kids at our low performing HS all got into Stanford, Carnegie-Mellon, Columbia, Duke, Penn, UVA, etc. They had a huge advantage.
But will they do well once they are there? Are they well prepared?
Yep, this exactly. I was this kid. Freshman year was HARD, both in terms of the level of content and having to reorient my brain to understand I wasn't as hot as I thought I was. Similar friends had to switch to easier majors and one transferred to an easier school. I picked a high performing school for my kids. Maybe they won't get to a top 20 college, but they will be well prepared wherever they go.
Anonymous
04/16/2026 08:28
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.
Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.
100% with you here. And that is exactly how it panned out. The group of high performing kids at our low performing HS all got into Stanford, Carnegie-Mellon, Columbia, Duke, Penn, UVA, etc. They had a huge advantage.
But will they do well once they are there? Are they well prepared?
Exactly it's jail or Yale and drop out
Anonymous
04/16/2026 08:22
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.
Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.
100% with you here. And that is exactly how it panned out. The group of high performing kids at our low performing HS all got into Stanford, Carnegie-Mellon, Columbia, Duke, Penn, UVA, etc. They had a huge advantage.
But will they do well once they are there? Are they well prepared?
Anonymous
04/15/2026 08:21
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.
Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.
100% with you here. And that is exactly how it panned out. The group of high performing kids at our low performing HS all got into Stanford, Carnegie-Mellon, Columbia, Duke, Penn, UVA, etc. They had a huge advantage.
LOL. IB programs in FCPS are small, with few kids completing the program and most of those who do ending up at schools like JMU and Mason, not Stanford or Duke.
The main perceived advantage of IB is that it gives families buying zoned for schools like Lewis an option to transfer to a better AP school.
Anonymous
04/15/2026 07:31
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.
Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.
Eh, I wouldn't put too much weight on your theory. At the end of the day, your kid is still an "FCPS grad" and colleges have plenty of over-acheiving "FCPS grads" to choose from.
Also, I'd take a close look at the courses offered at the lower (mundane) HS verses higher achieving one's. Not sure you can get the same academic vigor .
Generally IB programs are offered and IB diplomas are more difficult to obtain and carry more weight. The high performing kids generally take the IB courses.
Anonymous
04/15/2026 07:29
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.
Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.
100% with you here. And that is exactly how it panned out. The group of high performing kids at our low performing HS all got into Stanford, Carnegie-Mellon, Columbia, Duke, Penn, UVA, etc. They had a huge advantage.
Anonymous
04/15/2026 06:42
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:That’s Falls Church City!Anonymous wrote:Meridian
Yeah, wrong district and VERY small. With IB instead of AP and they have to travel very far if they play a sport for every game. Hours. No thanks.
Anonymous
04/15/2026 06:31
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:this is an interesting point!Anonymous wrote:We would choose one where the HS is NOT high performing (e.g., not Oakton, Langley, Mclean). Our kids will do well in any HS. They likely will be closer to top of the class at a mundane HS (because less competition) and that will help with college admissions.
Most people on DCUM will disagree with this.
We moved from an average FCPS pyramid to a top pyramid. The difference in what teachers and staff expected of students was quickly apparent.
You can bet that other kids at an average or below average school will make your kids look better, or conclude that a strong peer group will better prepare your kids for what comes next.
Talk is cheap on DCUM, but when you look at actual behavior as reflected real estate prices, it's clear people tend to believe the latter.
maybe for gen ed classes, I can tell you that is not the case with IB.
Anonymous
04/15/2026 06:23
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Fairfax
Anonymous
04/15/2026 00:57
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Chantilly via any of the ES and Rocky Run
I would not recommend Chantilly. Rocky is ok.
I'm with you. It has good educational outcomes because the parents are so invested in making sure that the mediocre teaching does not impact their kids.
Are you talking about Chantilly or Rocky Run with mediocre teachers?
Chantilly. Rocky has its share of bad teachers but the proportions are reversed. More good than bad.
I have come to understand that the reputation of a school has far more to do with the community that feeds into it than the school itself.
Anonymous
04/14/2026 22:06
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Robinson Secondary.
Anonymous
04/14/2026 22:04
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Chantilly via any of the ES and Rocky Run
I would not recommend Chantilly. Rocky is ok.
I'm with you. It has good educational outcomes because the parents are so invested in making sure that the mediocre teaching does not impact their kids.
Are you talking about Chantilly or Rocky Run with mediocre teachers?
Anonymous
04/14/2026 21:34
Subject: If you could choose any pyramid…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm not seeing any of the college outcomes frankly being that different between the top five schools in FCPS.
What would you consider the top 5? Langley, McLean, Oakton, Woodson, and ?
Historically Madison but add Chantilly to the mix.