Which Fairfax County School Is Sending the Most Students to Virginia's Top High School This Year?

Each year, hundreds of students apply to Virginia's — and one of the nation's — best high schools: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County.

The school is consistently ranked among the top schools in the nation.

Last month, the school offered admission to 487 students for the Class of 2018, out of 2,900 who applied. Which school sent the most students to the prestigious school?

This year, the middle school that sent the most students to the top-ranked school was Rachel Carson Middle School, in Herndon. It's the same school that sent the most students last year and the year before that.

At Carson, 239 students tested, 178 were semifinalists and 83 were admitted this year. That's an increase from last year, when the school sent 64 students.

The following is a list of middle schools in Fairfax County with the highest number of students admitted to the school. Information includes the number who tested, were semifinalists and the number who were admitted:

2. Rocky Run Middle School, Chantilly: 179 tested, 133 semifinalists, 56 admitted
3. Longfellow Middle School, Falls Church (Fairfax County): 166 tested, 126 semifinalists, 54 admitted
4. Kilmer Middle School, Vienna: 165 tested, 106 semifinalists, 32 admitted
5. Frost Middle School, Fairfax: 103 tested, 67 semifinalists, 23 admitted
6. Lake Braddock Secondary School, Burke: 89 tested, 58 semifinalists, 15 admitted
7. Jackson Middle School, Falls Church (Fairfax County): 74 tested, 42 semifinalists, 12 admitted
8. Twain Middle School, Alexandria (Fairfax County): 81 tested, 30 semifinalists, 11 admitted

Middle schools that sent under 10 students are not identified in the document released by FCPS, noting on its chart that "numbers under 10 were redacted as containing identifiable student information which are exempt from disclosure pursuant to Va. Code 2.23705.4(1)."

TJ also accepts students from Arlington County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, the City of Falls Church as well as private schools.