How many schools should we apply to?

[Anonymous]

We will be applying for K for the 2009 year. I would strongly prefer that DS attend an independent school over our NW DC public school.

I'm fairly somewhat open-minded about where he goes -- progressive, traditional, religious, secular .... We don't have our hearts set on one or two places.

For those of you who have just been through this ... how many schools should we apply to? For the sake of discussion, let's say DS is > 90%, a fine playdate, and not a notable standout in any way. Schools would need to be in DC or lower MoCo.

[Anonymous]

One admissions director told me that if you apply to 5 schools, you'll get into at least two or three. That turned out to be true for us (applied to 5 and got into 3, waitlisted at the other 2), but given other posts here that doesn't seem to always hold true. I think the important thing is to make sure you apply to a couple of safety schools (I say a couple because we actually got waitlisted at our safety school). Also, my recollection is that some of the applications ask which other schools you are applying to, so if you apply to 10 schools that all have different characteristics (tradtional, religious, progressive, etc.), schools may not think you are really serious about their school so much as just trying to get into a private school, regardless of whether it is the right fit for your child.

[Anonymous]

I think the key is not the number of schools but the type.

Ass another poster suggested you should have two true safety schools--schools that you have at least a 75% shot of getting into (by your best estimation) and that you would feel comfortable sending your child to. That may mean looking at smaller, less well-known schools or schools that are farther out in the suburbs.

I would not follow PP's AD's advice (although it worked out for PP) and just assume that 5 schools is enough--esp if you child is not currently at a well-connected preschool. You could easily apply to 5 of the most competitive schools and be shut out at all of them.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I am the poster who posted about Prince Georges County policies regarding early entrance to Pre K and K. It sounds like Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties have similiar procedures regarding admissions to Pre K and K early. The process for early entrance to 1st grade is even the same. Good Luck

[Anonymous]

That may mean looking at smaller, less well-known schools or schools that are farther out in the suburbs.

I'm the OP, thanks for the thoughts so far. The above quote clarifies my thinking -- I'm prepared to be turned down by the 5-6 schools closest to my house (based on reading this forum for the last 2 months , not necessarily because of anything inherent in DS). So I'm getting the feeling that as much as the commute would beat me down, I should also probably be looking at places like Norwood, Green Acres and the like. Which I'm sure are great, they're just not near me.

Has anyone reading this regretted not applying to more schools, now that letters have been sent out?

[Anonymous]

Yup. I completely regret not applying more widely. I was a pretty naive applicant. Knowing what I know now, I hope I will be a more successful and sophisticated applicant next year-- and that includes casting a wider net.

[Anonymous]

Norwood and green acres are not easy to get into.

Many schools offer bus service.

[Anonymous]

Not easy but easier. Someone else said that Norwood had about 150 applicants for roughly 50 slots for K. Sidwell is supposed to have 200 for 20 slots, I think?

[Anonymous]

OP again ... just want to stress that I'm not feeling like Norwood is a shoe-in or a lesser school. It wasn't on my radar 10 months ago simply because I deemed it too far away from my address.

I've heard good things about Sandy Spring Friends, too, but the thought of driving there twice a day makes me want to throw up. Ditto for Burgundy Farms.

And yet.

[Anonymous]

Our daughter will be attending Norwood this fall. It's a great school (amazing art, music, facilities, etc.). The morning drive from our house will be 25 minutes, and the drive back will be 45 minutes. And then another 50-minute round trip in the afternoon. Two hours daily in the car! We bought in the city so that we could commute by Metro. I don't know how we're going to do it. I wish I had looked at more local schools. Maybe we still would have chosen Norwood; maybe not.

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

Since this thread has been resurrected...I was the 04/08/2008 17:35 poster (I think--short-term memory is not what it should be). So far we've been managing fine with the commute (it helps that we have a carpool and flexible schedules), and the school has exceeded my expectations. So given how time-consuming our application experience already was, I no longer regret that we looked at "only" half a dozen schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again ... just want to stress that I'm not feeling like Norwood is a shoe-in or a lesser school. It wasn't on my radar 10 months ago simply because I deemed it too far away from my address.

I've heard good things about Sandy Spring Friends, too, but the thought of driving there twice a day makes me want to throw up. Ditto for Burgundy Farms.

And yet.

Depending on where you live in DC Potomac in Mclean is a lot closer than Norwood, Bullis, St Andrews. Potomac also has bus service.