How does HB Woodlawn lottery work?

[Anonymous]

We are in DC but planning to move to Arlington in the summer for HS. How does the lottery for HB Woodlawn work in this scenario? We won’t have an Arlington address at the time of the lottery.

[Anonymous]

It’s not so much the lack of address (pretty sure anyone can apply to the lottery as long as your address fits when you register). The problem is that your student didnt finish from an APS middle school. Each school gets a certain number of spaces at HB. Maybe they’ll lump you in with the private school students, of which there are very few spots. Basically, no chance your kids getting in. Choose a home based on the school you’re zoned for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not so much the lack of address (pretty sure anyone can apply to the lottery as long as your address fits when you register). The problem is that your student didnt finish from an APS middle school. Each school gets a certain number of spaces at HB. Maybe they’ll lump you in with the private school students, of which there are very few spots. Basically, no chance your kids getting in. Choose a home based on the school you’re zoned for.

You may have your heart set on HB, but you may want to consider the lotteries for any of the choice programs. Arlington Tech will open in its brand new campus next fall. Then there's W-L (but with academic prerequisites). Also, pick a house based on the neighborhood school you want as a back up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in DC but planning to move to Arlington in the summer for HS. How does the lottery for HB Woodlawn work in this scenario? We won’t have an Arlington address at the time of the lottery.

If you know someone or have a sibling already there, there seems to be a higher "chance" of getting in. From a family that has seen way too many coincidences there. W RNG

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in DC but planning to move to Arlington in the summer for HS. How does the lottery for HB Woodlawn work in this scenario? We won’t have an Arlington address at the time of the lottery.

If you know someone or have a sibling already there, there seems to be a higher "chance" of getting in. From a family that has seen way too many coincidences there. W RNG

Families with a kid already at a school want to keep all their kids at the same school so more likely to put in for the lottery for younger siblings. Not unique to HBW. See private school threads on applying siblings, etc.

[Anonymous]

Parents also try to keep multiples together for the same reason (sets of twins, triplets).

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you can apply to the HB lottery without living in APS. They have one spot for non-APS attending students (private school but still live in APS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think you can apply to the HB lottery without living in APS. They have one spot for non-APS attending students (private school but still live in APS).

Whoops- not correct. If you apply and get a seat (again, there is one seat for students not attending a current APS school) then once you accept you have to verify your address in APS by June.

[Anonymous]

OP, get your info from APS not from clueless people on here

[Anonymous]

Before opening this thread I was going to say well the way it worked for my kid is we entered the lottery repeatedly and never got in. That's how it works for most people.

People are correct there is one slot for a non-APS kid who lives in Arlington. Big long shot but might as well try. Maybe there are actually fewer kids in this pool?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not so much the lack of address (pretty sure anyone can apply to the lottery as long as your address fits when you register). The problem is that your student didnt finish from an APS middle school. Each school gets a certain number of spaces at HB. Maybe they’ll lump you in with the private school students, of which there are very few spots. Basically, no chance your kids getting in. Choose a home based on the school you’re zoned for.

There's one private middle school spot and that's where this child would likely fall. My child was number 13 on the private school wait list (if you want a comparator).

[Anonymous]

This data is available. Last year 26 students applied for the one out of APS spot. 25 waitlisted.

[Anonymous]

Run for school board or county board to guarantee your kid a spot at HB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Run for school board or county board to guarantee your kid a spot at HB.

Here is how the HB Woodlawn lottery works: it always brings out the conspiracy theorists and HB haters!!

[Anonymous]

It always amuses me the contortions some families go through. Especially the ones who insisted their kids needed a traditional education and maneuvered to get them into ATS but come time for secondary school suddenly they need a hippy-dippy experiential approach and the HBW philosophy is for them. I've long thought attendance at ATS should be disqualifying to HBW, especially given the scarcity of spots (why should one family win the lottery twice?)