Please share your experience getting into private outside regular admissions cycle?

[Anonymous]

For a variety of reasons we missed the chance to apply to a different private during the regular cycle. Have you ever heard of getting into a school late (eg maybe after decisions come out and a school may learn they have an opening they didn’t know about)?

My child is early elementary but is not rising into an expansion year. We are only interested in a handful of Virginia schools — Langley, Potomac, or one of the well regarded catholic schools.

There is no behavior issue and we love our current school. But we moved and need something more convenient. It was our plan to move in 4th but the commute is a bigger hardship on our family than we anticipated.

Would love to hear thoughts on whether you’ve ever heard of this happening and how to accomplish it.

[Anonymous]

It happens but is going to be hit or miss, so you'll need to just start calling around April 1st after people who were admitted during the regular cycle have enrolled or not when schools will know if they still have an opening. The most competitive schools are going to be the least likely to have a spot so you may want to expand your search or stick with the commute to your current school for one more year and apply out during the normal cycle for the following year. You can also check back on June 1 to see if they had anyone withdraw before the contract binding date.

[Anonymous]

Call and check enrollment levels. If they have spots they will take them. It is hard with the super competitive schools but even they will fill a spot if there is an unexpected opening.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry to say that the likelihood of getting in at Potomac outside the normal admissions cycle is incredibly low - especially recently. It has a high yield and a Waitpool that is larger than the spots that may come up (they have a high yield).

[Anonymous]

Parent of multiple kids in schools mentioned.

Chance to get into Potomac, almost zero. Even for non entry years, there are still dozens applying and if not rejected, end up in the wait pool. They only go to the wait pool if someone decides to leave the school after 3/1 but before the 6/1 binding date. Chances of that are slim, and I don’t think they even take late applications. Even so, there will still be quite a few kids who went through the application cycle sitting in waitpool already.

Langley, will be easier. They also have full classes at all grades and more applicants than spots. But every year there are some kids who apply out to other school like at 4th or 7th. So there is perhaps more movement. But also, there are likely lots of kids in the wait pool the school would go to first over any late applicant.


Best advice, is to to apply through the normal admission cycle to have a chance. Even then, it can be 10-1 applicants to spots.

[Anonymous]

Yes, if it is not a top school that has a vacancy in the grade you need. I would recommend having a current parent or board member who will vouch for you call the HOS. I have done this successfully for a very appreciative friend.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we applied in July for an August start and got into two schools. But, they were not "big name" schools. You do it by calling or emailing to see who has openings.

[Anonymous]

I would go to the MONA private school fair (or a similar event, if there are any) and stop by the schools you're interested in, and see if they have any late spots this year for your child's grade. If they don't, at a minimum, it's a touchpoint for next year's admissions cycle.

Also, there is basically no chance that Potomac will have a late spot for a non-entry year. No harm making contact with them, though.

[Anonymous]

These are helpful responses - thanks so much! Sounds we need to decide how much of a drain our daily commute to DC is/all the weekend events happening across town from us and weigh that against how much we prefer to try to get DC to get into a “top” private by waiting for an entry year.