Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here - Single Mom here, not rich by DC-standards, but educated etc. Between WW and BCC, I am assuming we would feel more "at home" at BCC? Can anyone share if they have similar experiences? Thanks!

This would really depend on who "we" are.

As I mentioned, I am a single Mom with a kid; we are humans, educated, well-traveled etc., just not wealthy by DC standards. So, I am looking for an alternative for Whitman, and it seems that BCC has wider diversity.

Even with that kind of background information (educated, well-traveled etc., just not wealthy by DC standards...), the feeling would still heavily depends on other characteristics of who "we" are. In particular, race, cultural background, personality, etc.

If you don't share the cultural BG of most families in these schools, my feeling is that it is hard to feel "at home" - whether that is important or not, is another issue.

If you do, then personalities would probably play a bigger role. For some ppl, the difference between these two is simply negligible, for some, it is not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here - Single Mom here, not rich by DC-standards, but educated etc. Between WW and BCC, I am assuming we would feel more "at home" at BCC? Can anyone share if they have similar experiences? Thanks!

This would really depend on who "we" are.

As I mentioned, I am a single Mom with a kid; we are humans, educated, well-traveled etc., just not wealthy by DC standards. So, I am looking for an alternative for Whitman, and it seems that BCC has wider diversity.

Lots of other schools have even more diversity than BCC. Or is your choice just between BCC and whitman?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here - Single Mom here, not rich by DC-standards, but educated etc. Between WW and BCC, I am assuming we would feel more "at home" at BCC? Can anyone share if they have similar experiences? Thanks!

This would really depend on who "we" are.

As I mentioned, I am a single Mom with a kid; we are humans, educated, well-traveled etc., just not wealthy by DC standards. So, I am looking for an alternative for Whitman, and it seems that BCC has wider diversity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here - Single Mom here, not rich by DC-standards, but educated etc. Between WW and BCC, I am assuming we would feel more "at home" at BCC? Can anyone share if they have similar experiences? Thanks!

This would really depend on who "we" are.

As I mentioned, I am a single Mom with a kid; we are humans, educated, well-traveled etc., just not wealthy by DC standards. So, I am looking for an alternative for Whitman, and it seems that BCC has wider diversity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here - Single Mom here, not rich by DC-standards, but educated etc. Between WW and BCC, I am assuming we would feel more "at home" at BCC? Can anyone share if they have similar experiences? Thanks!

This would really depend on who "we" are.

Anonymous wrote:NP here - Single Mom here, not rich by DC-standards, but educated etc. Between WW and BCC, I am assuming we would feel more "at home" at BCC? Can anyone share if they have similar experiences? Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here - Single Mom here, not rich by DC-standards, but educated etc. Between WW and BCC, I am assuming we would feel more "at home" at BCC? Can anyone share if they have similar experiences? Thanks!

Tbere is ceratinly a greater diversity of students, including by income, at BCC.

Anonymous wrote:NP here - Single Mom here, not rich by DC-standards, but educated etc. Between WW and BCC, I am assuming we would feel more "at home" at BCC? Can anyone share if they have similar experiences? Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids at Whitman and am friends with several BCC families. All the kids I know at both schools are great and have strong friend groups. All seem happy in their schools, although the stress about academics/college seems to set in as early as sophomore year.

My sense is that both schools are pretty similar, in general, in that they’re both large public high schools with a lot to offer. A bunch of high-achieving students in both places.

BCC has 2 feeder middle schools, while Whitman has one. So it might be easier socially for a transfer student at BCC b/c there may be more mixing of friend groups in 9th grade.

One of the biggest difference for academics is that BCC has an IB track, and Whitman doesn’t. Whitman has an engineering track and recently launched a “social justice” track.

Whitman’ s school paper, The Black and White, is excellent. (I’m not saying BCC’s isn’t, I just don’t know.). Whitman is also known for having a top-notch drama program.

One challenge at Whitman is that a lot of extra curriculars are super competitive. If your kids are not playing club sports or in high level music or drama programs, my sense is that it will be very hard for them to participate in the formal school program.

But it’s a big school with lots of fun activities (like drum line, bocce, Whitman shorts) that seem easier to join.

The Whitman principal is great. There is a fair bit of drug use and drinking among students, and he’s open and direct about that. There also was recently some antisemitic graffiti on the school’s entry sign, and I think he handled that situation beautifully.

The location of BCC is great, with downtown Bethesda and the metro both in easy walking distance.

Good luck! I think you have good choices either way.

Anonymous wrote:Show me how Jackson Reed is better. IN every metric BCC and MD MCPS outshine. My daughter went to an IVY from BCC and all of her friends got into top schools to. Some teachers were not as good as others and covid was a huge issue (senior year) but it is a top rate school in our area and checks all the boxes.

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading about BCC makes me want to switch my kid who is at Jackson Reed. Sounds like it is a wonderful place to learn and make friends.

My BCC kid wishes they went to Jackson-Reed - much more socially diverse environment from a socio-economic perspective and more racially diverse. Less stressful than BCC in some ways. Privileged people there don’t behave so privileged. BCC can be a little more toxic than Jackson-Reed.

Grass is always greener.

BS

In this case, it is definitely not. BCC is much stronger than J-R/Wilson.

Sorry replied to the wrong post - meant to say the grass is not always greener.

As an adult, you’re right, the grass is not always greener, but from the perspective of a teen - I think teens often think the grass is greener elsewhere. Isn’t part of growing up learning it’s not?

My point was that even though I am an adult, and I know Jackson-Reed isn’t necessarily any better (or worse) than BCC, that DC had identified a valid problem with BCC that Jackson-Reed has less of, which doesn’t make Jackson-Reed overall better - just a different mix of pros and cons and YMMV when considering what’s right for any individual kid.

BTW, School without Walls in DC is also lid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading about BCC makes me want to switch my kid who is at Jackson Reed. Sounds like it is a wonderful place to learn and make friends.

My BCC kid wishes they went to Jackson-Reed - much more socially diverse environment from a socio-economic perspective and more racially diverse. Less stressful than BCC in some ways. Privileged people there don’t behave so privileged. BCC can be a little more toxic than Jackson-Reed.

Grass is always greener.

BS

In this case, it is definitely not. BCC is much stronger than J-R/Wilson.

Sorry replied to the wrong post - meant to say the grass is not always greener.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading about BCC makes me want to switch my kid who is at Jackson Reed. Sounds like it is a wonderful place to learn and make friends.

My BCC kid wishes they went to Jackson-Reed - much more socially diverse environment from a socio-economic perspective and more racially diverse. Less stressful than BCC in some ways. Privileged people there don’t behave so privileged. BCC can be a little more toxic than Jackson-Reed.

Grass is always greener.

BS