Which K-8 has the best high school placement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not sure what will be best for HS, that is why we are looking at k-8. Thinking our child will have a say once looking at HS. Is there a thought if which K-8 prepares the kids best for whatever HS they choose??

YAY! This is a great reason to look at k-8. We love that our children had a say once looking at HS. It also helped them have a sense of ownership once they were in high school, since it was a school that they had considered and chosen. Relatedly, it also made the college process easier, since they had already gone through the process of applying to high school. Our children told us that they thought the college application process was much smoother and less stressful for them than it was for their K-12 lifer friends.

I still don’t understand why a k-12 eliminates any of these options? We chose one bc it’s insurance that our kids will have a wonderful high school. They each know that in 8th grade if they want to explore other schools we will fully support that. Some of their older friends have looked at other schools but so far the only ones to leave have been for boarding. I always see k-8 boosters say that they get the whole support of the school when applying out. Well the same thing happens at our k-12. We also have friends w/ kids in 9th who hate that so much of their 8th grade (at k-8) was spent going through the process of applying. Instead our kids are at the top of their school division and get to spend time getting oriented w/ the upper school.

We also chose a k-12 bc, contrary to what people on here say, it seemed to be the best of both worlds. Our kids get the facilities that are only possible at k-12 but still get the feel of smaller schools as they go through the younger divisions. They also get to interact with the older kids, both academically and socially, and that creates a wonderful sense of community.

Finally, I was at an admissions presentation, and the stats for getting in were crazy. I think the acceptance rate for K was somewhere around 40%. It dropped at each entry year and by 9th it was as down to something like 11%. Just on a pure numbers basis, I wouldn’t want my 8th graders to deal with those odds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not sure what will be best for HS, that is why we are looking at k-8. Thinking our child will have a say once looking at HS. Is there a thought if which K-8 prepares the kids best for whatever HS they choose??

YAY! This is a great reason to look at k-8. We love that our children had a say once looking at HS. It also helped them have a sense of ownership once they were in high school, since it was a school that they had considered and chosen. Relatedly, it also made the college process easier, since they had already gone through the process of applying to high school. Our children told us that they thought the college application process was much smoother and less stressful for them than it was for their K-12 lifer friends.

I still don’t understand why a k-12 eliminates any of these options? We chose one bc it’s insurance that our kids will have a wonderful high school. They each know that in 8th grade if they want to explore other schools we will fully support that. Some of their older friends have looked at other schools but so far the only ones to leave have been for boarding. I always see k-8 boosters say that they get the whole support of the school when applying out. Well the same thing happens at our k-12. We also have friends w/ kids in 9th who hate that so much of their 8th grade (at k-8) was spent going through the process of applying. Instead our kids are at the top of their school division and get to spend time getting oriented w/ the upper school.

We also chose a k-12 bc, contrary to what people on here say, it seemed to be the best of both worlds. Our kids get the facilities that are only possible at k-12 but still get the feel of smaller schools as they go through the younger divisions. They also get to interact with the older kids, both academically and socially, and that creates a wonderful sense of community.

Finally, I was at an admissions presentation, and the stats for getting in were crazy. I think the acceptance rate for K was somewhere around 40%. It dropped at each entry year and by 9th it was as down to something like 11%. Just on a pure numbers basis, I wouldn’t want my 8th graders to deal with those odds.

Right. You don’t get it. And nothing that anyone might say is going to convince you. You’ve heard the arguments and you just don’t agree with them. And that’s OK.

[Anonymous]

I get that reasonable minds can disagree on the K-8 vs. K-12 question, but is it really disputed whether acceptance rates for 9th grade are lower than admissions for MS or LS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get that reasonable minds can disagree on the K-8 vs. K-12 question, but is it really disputed whether acceptance rates for 9th grade are lower than admissions for MS or LS?

I think it’s a question of how valuable abstract stats and percentages are. And what the basis of an admissions assessment is. Most people would say that applicants to LS are not really being evaluated based on merit as opposed to other factors, whereas by high school they are. So for my child, when they applied to high school from a K-8, they were admitted to 2 of the Big 3 schools to which they applied. Doubtful that would have happened had we applied to those schools for K.

[Anonymous]

It is just 5 or 6 schools that are difficult to get into for High School.
Others will be happy to take your money. (Bullis, Field, Burke etc.)

[Anonymous]

Also - Barrie, Sandy Spring, Washington Waldorf, McClean

[Anonymous]

You didn't really answer the question, as it pertains to the applicant pool as a whole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also - Barrie, Sandy Spring, Washington Waldorf, McClean

You really should learn to spell McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know its not in DC, but we live in NOVA and are considering sending our daughter to the Langley School. We don't really want to drive into DC for 1st grade every day, but also don't want her to be limited in 8 years in terms of options. Does anyone know how the Langley School does in terms of admissions to the Big 3, etc.

Have you read this entire thread? The answer for Langley is the same answer for Norwood, Sheridan, Lowell etc. If the Langley 8th grader is a decent match for St Albans or GDS, their odds are no better or worse than the odds for the St Pats 8th grader. There is no pipeline K-8 and there aren’t blacklisted K-8s.

One of the absolute top students at Sidwell is a Langley grad and it’s a great fit IMO in a way that Field wouldn’t have been. This student probably had a classmate at Langley who is now at Madeira and that’s also probably a perfect match. Etc

[Anonymous]

PP is right. Whether your school ends in 2nd, 3rd, 6th, or 8th grade, if the administration and teachers don't think Larlo or Larla is a good fit for a particular Big 3, admissions is very rarely going to turn out as hoped. Having the school's backing is one of the most important factors when applying out, if not the most.

[Anonymous]

It is of note, too, that elementary schools will work harder to assure that they're top donors are placed in their first choice schools, regardless of whether that high school is a good fit for the kid. I know that this is an issue for the Big 3s as they try and manage their relationships with elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

The main problem with the K to 12 model is at grade 9 only the highest quality candidates enter that are hand picked by admissions. This is great for the school but where does that leave your average kid who has been there since K when applying for college? Bottom of class rankings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But why wait until 8th grade to “take advantage” of the sibling preference? Our older child is at a Big 3 and we’re going to apply for the younger sibling at the next entry year. Definitely not waiting until 9th grade admissions.

So, you don’t like your current school. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP is right. Whether your school ends in 2nd, 3rd, 6th, or 8th grade, if the administration and teachers don't think Larlo or Larla is a good fit for a particular Big 3, admissions is very rarely going to turn out as hoped. Having the school's backing is one of the most important factors when applying out, if not the most.

Again that doesn’t matter if there are other kids in your child’s grade who have connections to the schools you are all applying to. These hooks matter a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Following up on the question about WES above, we have a ninth grader who just went through the application process last year and who is very happy with where she landed.

WES did an amazing job of thinking with us--bolstered by discussions the head of school and head of middle school had with the teachers in preparation--about the best fit for our daughter. In a year when the entire admissions process was completely kerfluey, and no one knew what would happen, we got thoughtful advice, and they were helpful and supportive at each step of the way.

It's notable that that list of where the recent grads are includes so many great schools, but what's even more important is that the students who are at each of those places are there for the right reasons. "Fit" isn't jut lip service at WES--they really did help us think smartly and strategically, and DD is having a great year.

So where there siblings of students at GDS and Sidwell etc that did not get in but other non-siblings did that were a “fit”? Or did the school steer non sibling families away from those schools so that everyone thinks they got their first choice?