Seeming advice for pre k applications to DC privates 2023

[Anonymous]

Are any current parents able to share any sincere advice regarding the admissions process for pre k at GDS, Sidwell, River school, Beauvoir and St. Patrick's.

Specifically how the process went last year regarding tours, child playdate, parent interviews? Were admissions team warm and receptive? Were most spots filled with siblings, legacy, etc.

Any feedback from admissions team as you went through the process last year? Were test scores required? Things you were surprised about this year as school started for DC that you didn't anticipate when researching schools last year. Any other schools you wish you had looked at ?

Thank you !

[Anonymous]

Op
Correcting Typo

*Seeking

[Anonymous]

We applied to pre-K at three schools last year and were accepted to two ("waitlisted" at GDS).

Regarding how many schools to apply to, my husband and I could have probably handled one more, but no more than that. There were weeks where I spoke to folks in the admissions office more than my own friends. Not because I was reaching out on my own, just the number of events, both online and in person. Even if we had applied to another school, I think we still would have ended up where we are. We just loved it from the very beginning.

In terms of process, it was easy to follow. Just pay attention to all of the deadlines and make sure you sign up for everything as soon as possible through Ravenna. Just go ahead and bookmark the webpage. You'll visit it often. My husband and/or I attended every possible event (every coffee with XYZ person, every special event, literally everything).

My DS was unhooked going into the process. The kids in his class are pretty evenly split between younger siblings of other students and new families.

For the playdate, I honestly have no idea what they were looking for or saw in my DS. The parents hang back and talk with admissions staff and amongst themselves.

The parent interviews are fairly relaxed. They want to know about your child, what you like to do as a family, etc. Our biggest goal was to come across as a relaxed family that wouldn't cause any drama or be pushy.

No testing was required at the preK level for any of the schools we applied to.

Happy to answer any other questions! Good luck! The process can be all consuming at moments, but in the end it was 100 percent worth it.

[Anonymous]

We applied to five schools for our daughter (we had no connections to any of the schools). She was admitted to four out of five (and 'waitlisted' at Sidwell). She ended up going to the school (BVR) that was our number one choice.

As parents, we only interviewed at 3/5 of them (including BVR- which was an elective interview) and she went on playdates at all of them. We had a range of experiences with playdates - some were incredibly thoughtful in terms of setting them up in a child-friendly manner and others didn't do a great job of creating a comfortable space. The process was fairly consuming but straightforward.

We've had an absolutely wonderful experience at Beauvoir. The entire school knows her name, are very responsive to all of the kids and create a truly welcoming space. I'd say about 35 percent of the children we've met have an older sibling or other familial connection (i.e. their parents or cousins went there), 5 percent are faculty children, and the remaining 60 percent are not connected to the school. This is just based on who we've met so far - so it might not reflect the actual data.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing !!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We applied to pre-K at three schools last year and were accepted to two ("waitlisted" at GDS).

Regarding how many schools to apply to, my husband and I could have probably handled one more, but no more than that. There were weeks where I spoke to folks in the admissions office more than my own friends. Not because I was reaching out on my own, just the number of events, both online and in person. Even if we had applied to another school, I think we still would have ended up where we are. We just loved it from the very beginning.

In terms of process, it was easy to follow. Just pay attention to all of the deadlines and make sure you sign up for everything as soon as possible through Ravenna. Just go ahead and bookmark the webpage. You'll visit it often. My husband and/or I attended every possible event (every coffee with XYZ person, every special event, literally everything).

My DS was unhooked going into the process. The kids in his class are pretty evenly split between younger siblings of other students and new families.

For the playdate, I honestly have no idea what they were looking for or saw in my DS. The parents hang back and talk with admissions staff and amongst themselves.

The parent interviews are fairly relaxed. They want to know about your child, what you like to do as a family, etc. Our biggest goal was to come across as a relaxed family that wouldn't cause any drama or be pushy.

No testing was required at the preK level for any of the schools we applied to.

Happy to answer any other questions! Good luck! The process can be all consuming at moments, but in the end it was 100 percent worth it.

Thank you very much for sharing!

[Anonymous]

Does it seem like this years pre k application process was more difficult than prior years. Seems a lot of advice from preschools is to wait until K to outplace. Anyone experience the same?

[Anonymous]

Pp. started a new thread for the previous post. Sorry for the duplicate post.

[Anonymous]

We applied to St Pats, NPS, GDS and Beauvoir. Got in to all except GDS where we were waitlisted. DS is at Beauvoir and we love it. I was told that St Pats and NPS were easier to get into but I don’t think that’s true- Beauvoir takes 60 kids however siblings start in pre-K. At the admitted students events I saw a lot of the same people at NPS and St Pats but fewer of those people at Beauvoir. I would think of it like a 2 year process. If our DS didn’t get in, our plan was to go to our local DCPS and then reapply for K and include Potomac and Maret. We really liked Maret in particular. We came from a no name preschool and I think it helped, they aren’t going to take everyone from NCRC. We are full pay. We attended literally every event and our goal was to come off as the normal not high maintenance people that we are. We didn’t ask annoying obvious questions at tours and events. We did have a family friend who is a former employee of one of the schools we got into write a letter on our behalf. We did write a first choice letter to Beauvoir.

[Anonymous]

Does Beauvoir ever outright reject? And does everyone always pick Beauvoir over all others?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Beauvoir ever outright reject? And does everyone always pick Beauvoir over all others?

I don’t know about rejections but we are a current Beauvoir family. There were aspects of the NPS program we actually liked better than Beauvoir but accepted Beauvoir because of the preference for NCS and STA. NPS and St Pats send kids to those schools but it’s much harder. The majority of parents that we talk to are planning on sending through to NCS and STA and it factored into their decision to go to Beauvoir.

[Anonymous]

What schools are the toughest to get into for pre k and k?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What schools are the toughest to get into for pre k and k?

I think it's hard to answer which are the toughest bc each year there are a different number of spots available at pre k and k schools bc of siblings, alumni, staff's children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What schools are the toughest to get into for pre k and k?

I think it's hard to answer which are the toughest bc each year there are a different number of spots available at pre k and k schools bc of siblings, alumni, staff's children.

I think Beauvoir for K this year must have been one of the toughest ones. They only take 20 kids for K evenly split between boys and girls.
I personally know of 4 boy siblings that did not get in or did not apply in PK and got in in K. So at most, there were only 6 spots open for boys.

I believe Maret is probably even harder than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What schools are the toughest to get into for pre k and k?

I think it's hard to answer which are the toughest bc each year there are a different number of spots available at pre k and k schools bc of siblings, alumni, staff's children.

I think Beauvoir for K this year must have been one of the toughest ones. They only take 20 kids for K evenly split between boys and girls.
I personally know of 4 boy siblings that did not get in or did not apply in PK and got in in K. So at most, there were only 6 spots open for boys.

I believe Maret is probably even harder than that.

How do you know this? Are you talking about last year or this year? Do you know about the girls?