Timing of Interview/Essay High Schools?

[Anonymous]

Do the application high schools wait until after the MSDC deadline to do interview/essay invites? Any insight on timing welcomed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do the application high schools wait until after the MSDC deadline to do interview/essay invites? Any insight on timing welcomed.

No, they don't. Last year the Walls interviews were on two Saturdays, Feb 24 and March 2 (can't remember which). My recollection is that they posted the general interview dates on their public website, but waited until very shortly before the first one to actually inform people that they had an interview. So people had to keep the dates available without knowing if they would have an interview or not, which was a hassle.

[Anonymous]

The whole high school selection process, including interviews, takes place between the time the applications are due (this year, February 3) and mid-March. It’s my understanding that the high schools don’t even get the applications before that.

PK-8 applications are due March 3. Selective high schools give their “eligible” lists to MSDC in mid-March. Once all that’s in, MSDC runs the lottery-match program. Results come out March 28.

[Anonymous]

For Banneker, I remember last year not getting a lot of notice in advance, and interviews are on a weekday. My student is enrolled now, and I believe from looking at the schedule that Banneker interview dates this year will be Feb 12 and 26.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For Banneker, I remember last year not getting a lot of notice in advance, and interviews are on a weekday. My student is enrolled now, and I believe from looking at the schedule that Banneker interview dates this year will be Feb 12 and 26.

The weekday interviews are excused absences for DCPS, fwiw. For private schools too.

[Anonymous]

McKinley Tech's admissions director said at their Jan 10 event that they were already scheduling interviews ahead of the application deadline for qualified students who had already submitted. I think she said their first day of interviews was Jan 23.

[Anonymous]

My kid had her McKinley interview already

[Anonymous]

We had our Mckinley Tech interview last week and another group of students are going in tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Any tips on websites where my kid can sharpen their writing skills for the essay portion of the interview?

[Anonymous]

What if one teacher hasn't yet submitted their recommendation? They said that they'll do it by the deadline, but it is still outstanding.

[Anonymous]

Teachers get until February 10th to submit their recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Do kids who submitted their application early with teachers who submit led their recommendations early get preferred treatment.

Sounds like some kids already had interviews. Does that give them an advantage - like an early admissions in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do kids who submitted their application early with teachers who submit led their recommendations early get preferred treatment.

Sounds like some kids already had interviews. Does that give them an advantage - like an early admissions in college.

No. It’s not like the college ED or EA process at all, because here, all the offers go out at the same time, after all the recommendations are in and all the interviews have been held.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do kids who submitted their application early with teachers who submit led their recommendations early get preferred treatment.

Sounds like some kids already had interviews. Does that give them an advantage - like an early admissions in college.

We had our Mckinley Tech interview before any teacher recommendations were in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do the application high schools wait until after the MSDC deadline to do interview/essay invites? Any insight on timing welcomed.

No, they don't. Last year the Walls interviews were on two Saturdays, Feb 24 and March 2 (can't remember which). My recollection is that they posted the general interview dates on their public website, but waited until very shortly before the first one to actually inform people that they had an interview. So people had to keep the dates available without knowing if they would have an interview or not, which was a hassle.

Can someone explain to me why applications and interviews happen in Feb. but the kid still has to get a spot at walls via lottery. The whole process is lacking transparency or common sense.walls clearly has the power to override the lottery to get geographic diversity.