Which High School Is The BEST?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>"Which numbers? How about the number of Andover kids on the International Physics Olympiad team (twice as much as TJ)? Or how about the numbers that show that no one has sent more kids to Harvard, Yale, and Princeton in the past four years? Or what about the number of Andover alumni who are Presidents, Senators, Nobel Laureattes, etc etc? Weird how TJ hasn't blown us out of the water yet..."</p>

<p>"Wow. SHow me the Physcis Olympiad numbers please. Also, how about SAT and AP scores? You say numbers don't mean anything, and then you talk about them. To attend Andover, you have to have some sort of money AND be smart, for the most part. For TJ, you have to be smart. For Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, you also have to have money."</p>

<p>The American team sent to Barcelona for the International Physics Olympiad consisted of 5 people- 2 from Andover: Daniel Whalen, Nicolas Fortino, and 1 from TJ: Menyoung Lee. Last time I checked, 1+1=2 and 1x2=2. Check the Ipho site if you don't believe me. </p>

<p>And please stop making ridiculous statements like: "To attend Andover, you have to have some sort of money AND be smart, for the most part... For Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, you also have to have money." Only 40% of the kids here pay full tuition, so to say that one gets into Andover off of money is completely preposterous. To say you need money to get into Harvard, Yale, and Princeton is equally preposterous. You're entire arguement against Andover seems to be based on the fact that we're full of "rich legacy kids" whom you argue are just flat out stupider than their TJ counterparts.</p>

<p>"LOL. Ok, buddy. so $100,000 dosen't make Adcoms raise eye bro, huh?"</p>

<p>No it doesn't. You cannot buy an admissions spot with $100,000. We have a $500 million endowment. $100,000 is like spare change. </p>

<p>"if your trying to argue that Andover is not a great school, you're wrong. Just search "Andover" on this board and you'll find out why."</p>

<p>"Show me where I said that."</p>

<p>You never said that directly, but then again I'm not quite sure what your point was in the first place, since your post consisted of taking things I said and then rebutting them. The statements I made at the end of my last post were made because I really wasn't sure what your point was, but it was implied that since you keep mentioning that say, "Andover has money, which makes it look a lot better than it is." that I figured you had some problem with Andover, or at least don't give it the credit it deserves, which explains my subsequent post. </p>

<p>But since you keep mentioning money let's take this into consideration: TJ draws primarily from students who live in Great Falls/McLean area, or from the Vienna area (Longfellow and Kilmer students make up more than half of the student body in any given class). Those areas are the richest areas of the richest county in America. I'm willing to bet that the average student at TJ is almost as rich if not just as rich as the average student at Andover. The median income of the student at Andover would be very similar to the median income of a student at TJ. TJ is not some ghetto-ass school that takes kids off the streets and turns them into international mathletes. </p>

<p>"Just face the fact that TJ can blow Andover away in adademics, period. Adover has a lot of money, which is good and important, but it does not make it's students smarter. As far as sending kids to HYP, that also takes money and Andover costs money, so I think you see the coneection there. And as far as prominet Alumni, Andover is much, much older than TJ so it's really not fair to compare that. Once again, TJ blows Andover out of the freakin water in numbers/ academics, but Andover has money, which makes it look a lot better than it is."</p>

<p>Again, stop with the whole money argument. Ask anyone on the Harvard, Yale, or Princeton boards if your family income makes a difference makes a difference to the admissions commitee. Maybe if you buy them a math building, or build them a stadium, sure, but their not going to add up your income and be like "Hey this guy makes xyz amount of money but this guy only makes zyx lets let in guy 1". Sorry I just fail to see any "coneection" between the fact that Andover costs money (tuition, yes, but admission does not cost money) and sending kids to HYP takes money (again, they have a tuition, so yes you would most likely pay money to send your child to HYP but no admissions is not something most people straight up BUY). </p>

<p>""TJHSST has fielded more National Merit Semifinalists than any other high school in America for most of the 1990s and 2000s. From 2000 to 2005, it fielded more USAMO qualifiers than any other high school in America and has a distinguished history of U.S. Physics Olympic Team members and medal winners."</p>

<p>National Merit Semifinalists: test. USAMO qualifiers: test. FCPS school system preps kids for tests like crazy and especially TJ, but the fact of the matter is there is more to high school than testing. At Andover, we really don't care that much about how well we do on tests. US Physics Olympiad: yes very nice not taking anything away from that. Andover also has a distinguished history of Ipho competitors.</p>

<p>"TJHSST was recently ranked as the top public high school in the nation by PrepReview. TJHSST also has the highest average SAT score among American high schools. Each year, over a quarter of its graduating class accepts admission to the University of Virginia. Other popular destinations among graduates include the College of William and Mary, Virginia Tech, Duke University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Carnegie Mellon University, Harvard University, Yale University, and Stanford University."</p>

<p>College placement? Again, we send 15% of our kids to HYP and what? 33% to Ivys+MIT and Stanford? All our college placement numbers are better than TJ. This whole statement does not even touch Andover, don't try and "blow it out the freakin water" with that. </p>

<p>"For schools with more than 1,000 students, TJHSST was cited as having the highest-performing AP Biology, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP English Language and Composition, AP French Language, AP Government and Politics: U.S., AP Psychology and AP U.S. History courses among all schools worldwide in its size range. No school had a greater proportion of its student body succeed in these subjects..."</p>

<p>Yes, and they didn't that Andover has the highest performing AP physics scoring and probably some more as well that we just simply don't care enough about to mention. Our courses prepare you to take the AP exam, if you want, but that's not their primary purpose. It's to learn. </p>

<p>"If test scores don't make a good school, what does? And Adover does have a lot of rich kids so don't try to shake that one off. Also, there are most definately average/ below average people there, but acting like the majority isn't above average is insane."</p>

<p>A lot more than test scores make a good school, and your implication that it DOESN'T take more than test scores is simply ignorant. We have a lot of rich kids, sure, I don't see why that's an issue. We have a lot of poor kids, too. TJ does not have a lot of poor kids, though. In a Washington Post article I saw over the summer, that compared income of public schools to their test scores TJ came out on top in both. Only 1% of TJ students received free or reduced lunches. And no, there are not a lot of "definately average/ below average people" at Andover, and "acting like the majority isn't above average is insane." is definitely not... oops looks like you just said that "acting like the majority of Andover students are NOT above average is insane" Yes, for once we agree, my friend, that is quite insane. Funny how you contradicted yourself there...</p>

<p>"Average SAT's for TJ: 739-V 756-M = 1495
Average SAT"s for Andover: 697 verbal 691 math= 1388</p>

<p>More than 100 points seperates the two. So, as you can see, TJ obiouvsly is a better college prep school."</p>

<p>Yes, TJ performs wonderfully on the SATs, I have a lot of respect for that. But quite frankly leaping to such a huge statement that, "More than 100 points seperates the two. So, as you can see, TJ obiouvsly is a better college prep school" is just utterly preposterous. There is so much more to high school than SAT scores. Please realize this. I saw a list that the TJ class of 05 put up, and it showed the applicants GPA and SAT scores and ECs and then what colleges they applied to and were accepted at. A kid with a 1570 went to Randolph-Macon from TJ! SATs are not everything, please you have to realize this...</p>

<p>"EVERYONE at TJ is SMART and they get in because of their intellect, nothing else. "</p>

<p>The fact that they let in kids purely on academics, troubles me, since there is more to a person than their test scores and grades. At Andover we bring in athletes, artists, kids from around the globe and the country. They're all smart, its just we don't don't see the need to get the "smartest" per say, student body we can. Academics are not everything in one's life.</p>

<p>"TJ offers way more classes, they have a super computer (among other things), and people come from everywhere to come to TJ."</p>

<p>Now, let's get your facts straight on this one, please. TJ does NOT offer "way more classes". Our course offerings are literally in the hundreds. Go to <a href="http://www.andover.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.andover.edu&lt;/a> and check academics if you don't believe me. People come from everywhere to go to Andover and I mean EVERYWHERE not, "hey he's from loudon county" everywhere I mean "he's from Bahrain" everywhere.</p>

<p>"The only thing is it's about 55% white (I'm not sure about Andover), but that's because they don't let people who aren't smart in just because they are a URM."
Andover is 70% white and TJ is 98% white and asian. Don't argue that TJ is more racially diverse than Andover that simply isn't true.</p>

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<p>"In short, Andover is no better than a prestgious college when it comes to admissions, it's good if your smart, but it's better if your daddy went there/ donates money."
Again, an ignorant money stereotype. </p>

<p>Just face the facts that TJ is an academic power house second to none, they focus solely on academics, and there is no way any other school has better labs/ equipment."</p>

<p>I quote: "they focus solely on academics" More to high school, more to college, and more to LIFE than academics. Academic prowess alone does not justify that TJ is the best high school in America "hands down" or is better than Andover, or any school for that matter. It's great, I love TJ's academics. That's only one part of the equation.
"There is no way any other school has better labs/equipment" Take a look at our Gelb center or Exeter's Phelps center. THEN come back.</p>

<p>"George W. Bush got into Andover.</p>

<p>George W. Bush would NOT have gotten into TJ.</p>

<p>Enough said!"</p>

<p>Different time periods, we're comparing schools now. W would not have gotten in now, believe me. George would have gotten into TJ since it was a non-magnet public school at the time, if it was around at all. The point is if you want to compare Andover and TJ in W's time you'd have to use a completely different criteria. This is not pertinent to our current debate.</p>

<p>"I attend TJ.</p>

<p>Trying to name "the best" will only get you into an endless debate about criteria. I'm satisfied with calling TJ "one of the best", along with Andover and the rest.</p>

<p>I apologize for essentially saying "why can't we all just get along", but even if TJ blew Andover out of the water on, say, APs, or vice-versa, all that proves is that the kids from one school, on average, do better on APs. To synthesize information like that into a term like "good" is impossible; the target term is too ambiguous. You might be able to separate TJ from its non-magnet counterparts, but certainly not from other top high schools."</p>

<p>Thank you, so much. I have a lot of respect for TJ, you must understand despite that many of my comments would make it appear otherwise. I am also completely happy to call TJ "one of the best" along with us along with anyone and am glad to see a TJ student acknowledge the same for Andover. What really provoked me was the ignorant comments Bobsagetlol made about Andover, and that was the purpose of this post. Thank you very much.</p>

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<p>In response to the original poster's question, however, I would like to nominate two other schools for discussion that have not been mentioned yet.</p>

<p>1). Roxbury Latin: draws from a very poor area of Boston (Roxbury, Mass is one of the poorest regions of the state) and still sends the highest percentage of graduates to Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. It has the 2nd highest SATs in America (after TJ) and has the top ranked debate team in the Northeast.</p>

<p>2). Montgomery Blair: despite the relatively small size of its magnet student body, it manages to send more kids to the Intel STS than any school besides Stuyvestant. It has the top ranked high-school newspaper in the region, and its student body is the most diverse in the DC area.</p>

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<p>Can't we all just be friends? </p>

<p>This is pretty sad (and pretty nerdy) that you guys are arguing which school is better (geekier). What is this world coming to?</p>

<p>Actually, when I see that someone who went to a boarding school and pays like $20,000 for the education or even pays $1 for an education, I often laugh at them... What is running through my headis... I pay $0 dollars for my HS education and I ended up at the same college as you... pretty sad.</p>

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<p>Roxbury Latin does not draw from a poor section of Boston. It is a prestigious private school and draws from all over the greater Boston area. It is in West Roxbury, which is not Roxbury.
Boston Latin is Boston's top public high school, an exam school that is one of the best in the US. Draws smartest public school kids in Boston proper, of all income levels.</p>

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<p>I'm telling you, quit the Andover v. TJ debate. Both have their pros and cons. You've both made claims that are ridiculous (TJ and racial diversity? Only taking kids based on academics?). Quit.</p>

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<p>jericho PUBLIC high school. jericho, ny</p>

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<p>Who gives a crap which HS is best</p>

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<p>"(TJ and racial diversity? Only taking kids based on academics?). "</p>

<p>Show me where I said that, I said TJ ISN'T Diverese because they don't care what color you are, they care if you are smart. Show me otherwise.</p>

<p>"We have a lot of poor kids, too. TJ does not have a lot of poor kids, though. In a Washington Post article I saw over the summer, that compared income of public schools to their test scores TJ came out on top in both."</p>

<p>I'd like to see that.</p>

<p>TJ dominates in academics, and then comes out on top in EC's as well.</p>

<p>""There is no way any other school has better labs/equipment" Take a look at our Gelb center or Exeter's Phelps center. THEN come back."</p>

<p>TJ is second to none in labs and equipment, period. Does anyone else have a supercomputer? No? Ok then.</p>

<p>"Thank you, so much."</p>

<p>You're welcome. Just face the facts, TJ can give ANY school a run for their money in EC's, and then blows them away in adademics.</p>

<p>ABout the HYP thing, TJ sends a very high amount to HYP as well as many other prestgious schools. </p>

<p>"What really provoked me was the ignorant comments Bobsagetlol made about Andover, and that was the purpose of this post. Thank you very much."</p>

<p>If I was making ignortant comments, you were making really ignorant comments. There is no way what you are saying is any more or less ignortant then what I am saying.</p>

<p>"A kid with a 1570 went to Randolph-Macon from TJ! SATs are not everything, please you have to realize this..."</p>

<p>So saying just because someobdy wen to a school YOu don't consider good dosen't make you ignorant? You know, not everybody needs HYP to make them feel smart....</p>

<p>""The only thing is it's about 55% white (I'm not sure about Andover), but that's because they don't let people who aren't smart in just because they are a URM."
Andover is 70% white and TJ is 98% white and asian."</p>

<p>I SAID TJ was NOT more diverese, and I said this because they only let SMART KIDS IN, NOT BASED ON THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, But based on their INTELLECT. TJ isn't falling into the hole many colleges and top high schools fall in by playing race card in admissions.</p>

<p>"The American team sent to Barcelona for the International Physics Olympiad consisted of 5 people- 2 from Andover: Daniel Whalen, Nicolas Fortino, and 1 from TJ: Menyoung Lee. Last time I checked, 1+1=2 and 1x2=2. Check the Ipho site if you don't believe me."</p>

<p>1 more kids on the physcis team, wow you caught me. Show me those top 20% SAT numbers please. </p>

<p>"You never said that directly, but then again I'm not quite sure what your point was in the first place, since your post consisted of taking things I said and then rebutting them."</p>

<p>You say you don't know what my points are, yet you copy and paste many points I make and try to argue them. You sure type a lot for something you're not sure about. </p>

<p>"The fact that they let in kids purely on academics, troubles me, since there is more to a person than their test scores and grades. At Andover we bring in athletes, artists, kids from around the globe and the country. "</p>

<p>Look at the Tj and Andover website and look at some of the atricles, either school could give eachother a run for their money in all EC categories.</p>

<p>"National Merit Semifinalists: test. USAMO qualifiers: test. FCPS school system preps kids for tests like crazy and especially TJ, but the fact of the matter is there is more to high school than testing. At Andover, we really don't care that much about how well we do on tests. US Physics Olympiad: yes very nice not taking anything away from that. Andover also has a distinguished history of Ipho competitors."</p>

<p>Really? That's funny because I'm in the FCPS school system and I haven't had any test prep, don't talk about something you don't know about.</p>

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<p>this is so confusing that i can't even have time to read all of the posts...hmm..</p>

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<p>Two PA kids in IPHO. <a href="http://www.aapt.org/olympiad2005/team.cfm?Winners=1%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.aapt.org/olympiad2005/team.cfm?Winners=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Pretty impressive.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
How about the number of Andover kids on the International Physics Olympiad team (twice as much as TJ)?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I might be wrong, but don't you qualify for the Internations Physics Olympiad team through a series of tests?</p>

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<p>Yes, there is a series of tests for semi-finalist status and the top scorers of that exam go to summer camp where one does labs and attends lectures and the directors of that program select the five members of the team. I think... some of the details might be a little off the gist of the selection process is there.</p>

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<p>It's Friday night and I'm out soon, but before I leave I just wanted to respond to this comment by Bobsagetlol:</p>

<p>"Really? That's funny because I'm in the FCPS school system and I haven't had any test prep, don't talk about something you don't know about."</p>

<p>I went to FCPS schools since 1st grade, and the test prep is definitely there, and is very real. You realize how many "evaluations" and "standardized tests" you take in the system? And how teachers will make off-hand remarks like "Try using this math technique a lot it helps for the Math SATs". In 3rd grade I remember, I took the Stanford 9's, another "nationally recognized standardized test" and the SOLs as well as the daily SOL review packets every night for the month leading up to the SATs. Don't tell me that FCPS doesn't test prep, and don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.</p>

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<p>"I went to FCPS schools since 1st grade, and the test prep is definitely there, and is very real. You realize how many "evaluations" and "standardized tests" you take in the system? And how teachers will make off-hand remarks like "Try using this math technique a lot it helps for the Math SATs". In 3rd grade I remember, I took the Stanford 9's, another "nationally recognized standardized test" and the SOLs as well as the daily SOL review packets every night for the month leading up to the SATs. Don't tell me that FCPS doesn't test prep, and don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about."</p>

<p>1st grade is a little different then high school. So, please, don't talk about the FCPS school system Mr. Andover when you aren't here.</p>

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<p>mmm. my school is pretty good, but not exceptional. </p>

<p>with about 100 mill seed money and 10 mill a year, we could become a top high school though. we have good teachers, good students. our facilities suck.</p>

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<p>I'm sorry guys but THIS THREAD IS CLOSED!!!</p>

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<p>WHY???? i started this thread you know!!</p>

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<p>Montgomery Blair?</p>

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<p>TJ doesn't have a math team, no science club, and less than 3 people at any of MIT, Caltech, Harvard, Stanford, etc. etc. from 1991-2003.</p>