Lottery/school despair

[Anonymous]

No need to sell your condo. Rent it out for a year, while you rent in another neighborhood. Switch your child to the IB school where you are renting.

[Anonymous]

Our waitlists aren’t moving either. Last year we got DCPS offers starting the last week of July into late August. I wouldn’t count yourself out yet, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

[Anonymous]

OP, you'll surely get into Seaton, LT, Watkins, ITS, Lee, or Burroughs for 1st or 2nd. There's no secret here-- you just lottery widely and wait for a good number or some random luck.

Is this for PK4? Why not Seaton? I'm sure you'd get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

Yes, things plateau in July and speed up quite a bit in late August. They keep moving through early October, if spaces become available. Schools give parents less time to decide, so the lists can move pretty fast.

[Anonymous]

We got lucky this year with numbers for our second child who is entering K to pull older sibling who is entering 2nd into schools we have put on our list for several years. FWIW this will be our 3rd graders fist time in DCPS school bc we didn’t want our neighborhood school and lucked out every single year with her lottery. Funny enough we’ve decided to move next year out of DC- schools being the main factor so this will end up be a wash anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

Where do you get the idea I don't like "hard-to-get-into" schools? We'd be thrilled with ITS or Ludlow (and are currently waitlisted for both). I think Seaton is realistically an impossible commute for us, but otherwise we'd do Seaton or Garrison or Hyde-Addison (the last of which we are also waitlisted for).

I don't think I have unreasonable expectations, we've just been very unlucky with the lottery and do have at least SOME logistic restrictions based on geography/work schedules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you'll surely get into Seaton, LT, Watkins, ITS, Lee, or Burroughs for 1st or 2nd. There's no secret here-- you just lottery widely and wait for a good number or some random luck.

Is this for PK4? Why not Seaton? I'm sure you'd get in.

1st, not PK4.

We're on waitlists for almost all those schools (Seaton is too far, but all the others).

[Anonymous]

Look harder at short wait lists.

I would give you the name of my kid's genuine hidden gem school which is basically in your target area, has slots in almost every grade, and IMHO, a solid middle school feeder. (HS option pretty terrible though, at least currently).
But I don't want to be accused of the ultimate DCUM crime of boostering.

And it's not the only school that fits that description, there are similar options that are definitely worth considering. I know our school is working its wait list and assume others will pick up this summer.

[Anonymous]

"If you try long enough"

Meanwhile your kid is somewhere crappy and/or moving around a lot.

I posted upthread. We tried two schools in 4 years, losing lottery (by miles) each time. Pulled her out in 4th grade. Wish I had done it sooner, but I kept thinking "surely a good option will come up" and it never did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

Where do you get the idea I don't like "hard-to-get-into" schools? We'd be thrilled with ITS or Ludlow (and are currently waitlisted for both). I think Seaton is realistically an impossible commute for us, but otherwise we'd do Seaton or Garrison or Hyde-Addison (the last of which we are also waitlisted for).

I don't think I have unreasonable expectations, we've just been very unlucky with the lottery and do have at least SOME logistic restrictions based on geography/work schedules.

What's unreasonable is thinking you'll get into a good school for PK4. I was once you-- my DD's number for PK4 at Mundo Verde in 2017 was 360! And I felt those same feelings of frustration and jealousy. But the lottery gets a LOT easier in K and up.

Seaton is right on the G8 bus line and green line metro, so tons of people from the areas you listed attend Seaton. You must have an idiosyncratic commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

Where do you get the idea I don't like "hard-to-get-into" schools? We'd be thrilled with ITS or Ludlow (and are currently waitlisted for both). I think Seaton is realistically an impossible commute for us, but otherwise we'd do Seaton or Garrison or Hyde-Addison (the last of which we are also waitlisted for).

I don't think I have unreasonable expectations, we've just been very unlucky with the lottery and do have at least SOME logistic restrictions based on geography/work schedules.

What's unreasonable is thinking you'll get into a good school for PK4. I was once you-- my DD's number for PK4 at Mundo Verde in 2017 was 360! And I felt those same feelings of frustration and jealousy. But the lottery gets a LOT easier in K and up.

Seaton is right on the G8 bus line and green line metro, so tons of people from the areas you listed attend Seaton. You must have an idiosyncratic commute.

Oh nevermind, you said for 1st grade. Well, have you considered Burroughs? Lee?

[Anonymous]

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay

Look here. It says Burroughs offered 9 1st grade spots and only matched 6 kids. So you added it post-lottery?

Perhaps what you did wrong was didn't list enough safety schools in the initial lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look harder at short wait lists.

I would give you the name of my kid's genuine hidden gem school which is basically in your target area, has slots in almost every grade, and IMHO, a solid middle school feeder. (HS option pretty terrible though, at least currently).
But I don't want to be accused of the ultimate DCUM crime of boostering.

And it's not the only school that fits that description, there are similar options that are definitely worth considering. I know our school is working its wait list and assume others will pick up this summer.

Is it Langley? If so, can you tell me more about your experience there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

Where do you get the idea I don't like "hard-to-get-into" schools? We'd be thrilled with ITS or Ludlow (and are currently waitlisted for both). I think Seaton is realistically an impossible commute for us, but otherwise we'd do Seaton or Garrison or Hyde-Addison (the last of which we are also waitlisted for).

I don't think I have unreasonable expectations, we've just been very unlucky with the lottery and do have at least SOME logistic restrictions based on geography/work schedules.

DCPS lists don't move much over the summer when the registrar isn't working. They'll be tons of movement in August. Also, if you're willing to move as late as October, I'd virtually guarantee you'll get into oe of these schools. 1 seat often spawns 10 offers come September 25th.