SWW Interviews SY 23-24 Actual Experience

[Anonymous]

Hoping to start a thread for people who had interviews this year to share their experience. How long did it last? Was there a parent portion? Were the interviewers students, teachers, both? Did it seem like there were prepared questions? Any surprises or questions you thought were out of bounds?

[Anonymous]

Let me guess, your kid's interview is next week and you want intel?

[Anonymous]

I think OP is pretty transparent…

[Anonymous]

it was a student and teacher; they brought the kid in first for a short chat; then me without my kid. definitely had prepared questions but not sure if every kid and parent are asked the same thing or if they just go ask one from the list for each set. I think it's a 15 minute window in total, and depends on how chatty each person is.

[Anonymous]

Stop trying to get an unfair advantage for next week.

[Anonymous]

Damn, for a school that is going to hell, people sure are defensive 🤷🏾‍♂️

[Anonymous]

In DC, we parents will fight for any scraps we can get hold of.
DCPS drives desperation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Damn, for a school that is going to hell, people sure are defensive 🤷🏾‍♂️

I don’t see it as defensive, but there are limited spots and I don’t see why your kid can’t just use the info already given to prepare. It’s weird that you want to know the questions ahead of time.

[Anonymous]

Not weird, savvy.

[Anonymous]

I heard "who is your role model." And, "what have you recently done to contribute to society," or something like that.

[Anonymous]

They rotate between a long list of questions. When my kid and friends were interviewed, no two were asked the same thing(s).

Google "interview questions for private school" for examples of what your kid may be asked.

[Anonymous]

OP here. My kid is in MS; not 8th grade (hence, no application this year). We are trying to decide whether to move to private or stick it out in DC at charters. The changes in SWW over the past year or so have thrown me. I used to think SWW was pulling the best of the best. The reports from last year scared me. Heavily weighted 5 minute "interviews" with no standardization, where sometimes teens are there by themselves and the subjective standard is "we know it when we see it" make me wonder whether SWW will, in 2 years, be what I believed it to be. That's why I asked.

I would suggest that all the people who replied thinking this was some sort of conspiracy or attempt to get an advantage might want to look in the mirror. There's something broken inside you. I sincerely pray that your kids don't inherit your insecurities.

Thanks to others who were willing to reply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My kid is in MS; not 8th grade (hence, no application this year). We are trying to decide whether to move to private or stick it out in DC at charters. The changes in SWW over the past year or so have thrown me. I used to think SWW was pulling the best of the best. The reports from last year scared me. Heavily weighted 5 minute "interviews" with no standardization, where sometimes teens are there by themselves and the subjective standard is "we know it when we see it" make me wonder whether SWW will, in 2 years, be what I believed it to be. That's why I asked.

I would suggest that all the people who replied thinking this was some sort of conspiracy or attempt to get an advantage might want to look in the mirror. There's something broken inside you. I sincerely pray that your kids don't inherit your insecurities.

Thanks to others who were willing to reply.

If that is the case, bump your thread after next Saturday, when this year’s interviews are complete. This is an anxious time for current applicants.

[Anonymous]

college admissions are also somewhat like this. there is a degree of arbitrariness where some kids who also would have otherwise done well at the school get left out. there is no perfect fix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My kid is in MS; not 8th grade (hence, no application this year). We are trying to decide whether to move to private or stick it out in DC at charters. The changes in SWW over the past year or so have thrown me. I used to think SWW was pulling the best of the best. The reports from last year scared me. Heavily weighted 5 minute "interviews" with no standardization, where sometimes teens are there by themselves and the subjective standard is "we know it when we see it" make me wonder whether SWW will, in 2 years, be what I believed it to be. That's why I asked.

I would suggest that all the people who replied thinking this was some sort of conspiracy or attempt to get an advantage might want to look in the mirror. There's something broken inside you. I sincerely pray that your kids don't inherit your insecurities.

Thanks to others who were willing to reply.

If this is the case, read the other threads about current experiences by students and the school. The interview process won't give you any insight.

-Parent of current Walls Freshman