If you were disappointed...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So it was for 9th grade? By 9th, the bona fides of the student matter more than a school “talking them up” (which is more appropriate for entry into 5/6/7th).

It’s a jungle out there and a lot of really well-qualified students didn’t get in. It sucks but it’s true.

There is definitely more demand than supply which imputes a strong business model (just don’t advertise on the radio, lose 5 HoSs and be for profit).

But every post that’s pro-k-8 talks about how great the outplacement is, how the HoS goes to bat for each and every kid and each and every one lands in the right school. Not true?

You are very misled if you think your HOS will go to bat for you. Those were the old days. Not happening. It's all about the hook and that is on you.

Then the k-8s have lost one of their prime selling points and competition - and tuition - for the k-12s will go through the roof. Bye bye diversity and inclusion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:never bothered with private in the first place. seriously you're in the DMV there's a plethora of excellent, well funded public schools with a diverse, international and high achieving cohort.

Private is just for the behaviorally challenged.

Not true for some local public schools, where the “behaviorally challenged” are attending the public schools. For example, ACPS keeps an annual count of students who were hospitalized after an on-campus attack and a body count of students murdered. MCPS and FCPS do not need to do this. Its a tragedy, really, when students are not safe in school.

[Anonymous]

The reality is that demand is sufficient to support another k-12 private with solid academics. Land prices are so high here that a new school is not likely to happen - unless a donor with very deep pockets appears.

[Anonymous]

K-8 also offers a sure thing to the HS . . . in terms of congruent curriculum, SEL, writing instruction, meaningful recs, parents who know what to expect and aren’t going to complain because it’s hard writing those checks at first. The HS admissions people know what they’re getting and there’s less room for error. The advantages in the admissions process vs public are not just about the HOS going to bat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that demand is sufficient to support another k-12 private with solid academics. Land prices are so high here that a new school is not likely to happen - unless a donor with very deep pockets appears.

Plenty of land in outside of NWDC. Not the right sorts of neighbors though.

[Anonymous]

I work in a K-8 and have worked in a K-12, and our K-8 head of school and outplacement team 100% goes to bat for students. And if students are waitlisted or don’t get aid, the head goes back to the schools and willl advocate hard for them all over again. No student has had zero options at the end of the process, though sometimes it takes several weeks to sort it out. Heads of schools can’t make any high school admissions team do anything, but all the schools want to maintain relationships with the k-8s. But especially in this moment in time, there simply aren’t enough spaces for all qualified applicants. Schools do have closer relationships to some schools than others though, or may have similar pedagogical approaches and draw the same types of families, so they know it’s likely to be a good fit and a smooth transition. It’s why people who want NCS choose Beauvoir and why people who want a school like GDS choose a progressive K-8. Some other ideas,

If you don’t like your public option or need aid and have an academic high achiever, apply to your public magnet options too.

If you don’t need aid and want to maximize your chances, apply to boarding schools as well. Or you can apply as a day student if that’s an option, and if you’re waitlisted, they may have a spot for your child as a boarder.

If you need aid and aren’t sure if you’ll get enough, investigate and apply to other sources of scholarship money, just as you would do for college. Find niche scholarships that relate to your child’s interests or background. Needing aid sadly can hurt a student’s chances and may lead to them being waitlisted even though the school would be happy to take them. That’s painful to see as a staff member.

Apply to schools you never would have considered in the past. That might mean a religious school or a single sex school or a school you think is too urban for your athletic child. You may need that option. This process can feel arbitrary.

Don’t go by what’s said on these boards. I recognize certain complaints and sometimes can guess who is behind them and believe me, you’re not getting the full story on this board. Visit all the schools with your kids and make your own conclusions. And don’t waste energy worrying about other students. You have no control over whether they happen to need a kid who fills a certain need. It’s good practice for when they apply to college, when it becomes even more opaque a process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in a K-8 and have worked in a K-12, and our K-8 head of school and outplacement team 100% goes to bat for students. And if students are waitlisted or don’t get aid, the head goes back to the schools and willl advocate hard for them all over again. No student has had zero options at the end of the process, though sometimes it takes several weeks to sort it out. Heads of schools can’t make any high school admissions team do anything, but all the schools want to maintain relationships with the k-8s. But especially in this moment in time, there simply aren’t enough spaces for all qualified applicants. Schools do have closer relationships to some schools than others though, or may have similar pedagogical approaches and draw the same types of families, so they know it’s likely to be a good fit and a smooth transition. It’s why people who want NCS choose Beauvoir and why people who want a school like GDS choose a progressive K-8. Some other ideas,

If you don’t like your public option or need aid and have an academic high achiever, apply to your public magnet options too.

If you don’t need aid and want to maximize your chances, apply to boarding schools as well. Or you can apply as a day student if that’s an option, and if you’re waitlisted, they may have a spot for your child as a boarder.

If you need aid and aren’t sure if you’ll get enough, investigate and apply to other sources of scholarship money, just as you would do for college. Find niche scholarships that relate to your child’s interests or background. Needing aid sadly can hurt a student’s chances and may lead to them being waitlisted even though the school would be happy to take them. That’s painful to see as a staff member.

Apply to schools you never would have considered in the past. That might mean a religious school or a single sex school or a school you think is too urban for your athletic child. You may need that option. This process can feel arbitrary.

Don’t go by what’s said on these boards. I recognize certain complaints and sometimes can guess who is behind them and believe me, you’re not getting the full story on this board. Visit all the schools with your kids and make your own conclusions. And don’t waste energy worrying about other students. You have no control over whether they happen to need a kid who fills a certain need. It’s good practice for when they apply to college, when it becomes even more opaque a process.

You have worked at so many schools in the area over so many years you can tell who is who when reading these posts! That's amazing! But wait, you assume that only the person you "recognize" could have that particular complaint? Sorry, but no. The rest of what you wrote is credible. However, the truth is most 8th graders do not get "into one of their top two choices" anymore, as the HOS said the year my kid graduated from a k8. It wasn't true that year either. You have to go into the k8 experience knowing that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that demand is sufficient to support another k-12 private with solid academics. Land prices are so high here that a new school is not likely to happen - unless a donor with very deep pockets appears.

Certain K-8s have considered expanding through 12, but ultimately decided not to (St. Pats?) I wish WES or Norwood would consider that too.

[Anonymous]

Our private K-8 always says that 8th graders get "one of their top 3 choices".... What is the process in private k-8 when an 8th grader gets no acceptances ? How does the private k-8 HOS/staff help these kids get off the WL? Or do they just say "be sure that you are happy with your local public?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our private K-8 always says that 8th graders get "one of their top 3 choices".... What is the process in private k-8 when an 8th grader gets no acceptances ? How does the private k-8 HOS/staff help these kids get off the WL? Or do they just say "be sure that you are happy with your local public?"

They try to help, if one was waitlisted everywhere or a mix of rejections and waitlisted. I have seen this happen more than once since the pandemic. Sometimes it works out for the family after the HOS reaches out, and especially if the family also has another “in” somehow, but the k8 can’t make a space magically appear. Let a HS school, that you think you have a good chance in based on how the interview went, your child’s profile, know they are your first choice and that you would gladly enroll if given the opportunity. Yield matters more to the schools now. The k8 we were at says not to do this but I know it has backfired with the pandemic craziness after what was shared with me from those who had this unfortunate result. Both kids were very strong applicants too. I would not believe any HOS who says that all students get into one of their top three choices. I think that is misleading for many. The follow up question should be what were the choices they gave them (suggested they apply to),which kinds of schools are they talking about? And how many kids applied to “top schools” (if that is what you are hoping for your own kid) without being a sibling or legacy etc and were admitted. If a kid from a k8 in or near DC applies to SSFS, Burke, Field and Bullis and they get into one then the school can say they got into “one of their top three choices”. If these are the sorts of schools the unhooked kids are applying to and getting in, and they are not the sort you are interested in for HS for your own kid then that is good info to know. There will always be outliers but you want to know what the norm is.
Btw I don’t mean anything negative against the schools I listed above it is just they are not nearly as competitive as the “big 3/5” that many people want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that demand is sufficient to support another k-12 private with solid academics. Land prices are so high here that a new school is not likely to happen - unless a donor with very deep pockets appears.

Certain K-8s have considered expanding through 12, but ultimately decided not to (St. Pats?) I wish WES or Norwood would consider that too.

Norwood has the space to expand but it would be a question of how many private high schools Potomac can sustain.

Would love to see more mid/upper county.

[Anonymous]

Fascinating thread…haven’t heard as much about the K-3 or K-6 schools. Very curious about results this year. Solid results? Disappointing?

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PP who said they wish they’d followed up with current school more to check in. Current school seemed to think my kid was a lock somewhere and, yeah, not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating thread…haven’t heard as much about the K-3 or K-6 schools. Very curious about results this year. Solid results? Disappointing?

NPS kids did really well this year after talking to parents. Can't wait until these post final results. STA, NCS, Holton, Landon, Maret and Sidwell just to name a few.

[Anonymous]

Wow!! Good for NPS!