Happy Acceptance Day! (Baltimore Area)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right? Idk, at least my kiddo is a PreK applicant so has no idea how decisions are made so he won’t get hurt/feel rejected. At three it’s also hard to be like, what exactly were you looking for? Whereas w older kids you think maybe sports/music/special interests play a role but then you have to tell your older kid a school didn’t want them.

I didn’t love our interview with Park and they asked for a lot of extra stuff, which we obvs did. But other than the awk interview, we loved the school.

Husband liked park enough that he thinks we shld apply again for K, but I’m apparently a scorched earth type person bc I’m like f them for not knowing how obvs perfect my child is, we will never mention this school again (I don’t actually think he’s perfect, I just think he’s great). My kiddo is sensitive and artsy, and Park just felt “right” to us in some ineffable way.

But neither myself nor husband did private school ourselves so this is all brand new to us (no rejection here til we applied to colleges).

Surprised at how strongly offended I feel, but again, asking other people to judge your 3 year old feels hard. I can’t imagine it’s any easier for other ages.

Good luck to everyone still hitting refresh on your emails!

Don't feel offended. There is no way this judgment was about your 3-year-old. They just didn't have enough space and needed to balance their class a certain way. We ultimately did not choose Park, but it did seem like a great place. Our decision to reject them wasn't personal either, but based on financial awards and proximity to the school. Good luck on the rest of your applications!

[Anonymous]

We're in at Gilman, Park, and McDonogh! It's a great day today. Congratulations to everyone!

[Anonymous]

PP with the split decision here. Does McD mail out any type of package? Determining if I need to intercept the mail before the they get home from school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in at Gilman, Park, and McDonogh! It's a great day today. Congratulations to everyone!

Those schools are all so different! Which one do you think you’ll go with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We got our emails- a no from Park, a yes from friends.

It is so hard to not take someone rejecting your kid personally, you know?

I hear you. Our oldest was not accepted to our favorite k-8 school (ages ago) and in the end, the school they attended was a FAR better match than the rejection school would have been. So just move forward. Try to remember that it's better to be at a schools that wants your child/family. And remember that a rejection doesn't always mean they don't want you, but that they are trying to craft each class and are looking for certain kids to fill certain needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right? Idk, at least my kiddo is a PreK applicant so has no idea how decisions are made so he won’t get hurt/feel rejected. At three it’s also hard to be like, what exactly were you looking for? Whereas w older kids you think maybe sports/music/special interests play a role but then you have to tell your older kid a school didn’t want them.

I didn’t love our interview with Park and they asked for a lot of extra stuff, which we obvs did. But other than the awk interview, we loved the school.

Husband liked park enough that he thinks we shld apply again for K, but I’m apparently a scorched earth type person bc I’m like f them for not knowing how obvs perfect my child is, we will never mention this school again (I don’t actually think he’s perfect, I just think he’s great). My kiddo is sensitive and artsy, and Park just felt “right” to us in some ineffable way.

But neither myself nor husband did private school ourselves so this is all brand new to us (no rejection here til we applied to colleges).

Surprised at how strongly offended I feel, but again, asking other people to judge your 3 year old feels hard. I can’t imagine it’s any easier for other ages.

Good luck to everyone still hitting refresh on your emails!

I'm the PP who said their child didn't get into our preferred 1st grade and later realized the school they ended up attending was a far better match.

Sometimes this interview is a sign. Our interview at the rejection school was also a bit awkward compared to others. It never occurred to me, but thinking back now, maybe they had already decided (or decided during the interview) that you are (we were) not quite going to be the fit they are looking for. Nothing was "bad" per se, but it was stiffer than others.

Anyway - I'd move forward with Friends and only consider changing to Park if you find Friends doesn't match your needs/desires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP with the split decision here. Does McD mail out any type of package? Determining if I need to intercept the mail before the they get home from school.

Yes expect mail

[Anonymous]

Best wishes to everyone - after all of the work on those applications, shadow visits, you name it - on finding your kiddo’s best fit. Our DC is in at McDonogh and friends but also waiting to hear from Severn school. I think their decisions come out later, tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Fwiw we visited Park and just didn’t like the vibe so didn’t apply to Park in the end. So to PP who got rejected maybe you dodged a bullet? Just giving you an upside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw we visited Park and just didn’t like the vibe so didn’t apply to Park in the end. So to PP who got rejected maybe you dodged a bullet? Just giving you an upside.

There's also this whole dust up:

https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/baltimore-park-school-israel-gaza-2YOR663CDRGU7EZEJSR5FCHR7E/

https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/baltimores-park-school-canceled-a-talk-on-israel-and-gaza-chaos-ensued-ECBH7GZGNBBZPKZW5N2RK6MQXE/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP with the split decision here. Does McD mail out any type of package? Determining if I need to intercept the mail before the they get home from school.

Gilman and Bryn Mawr hand deliver swag boxes, Mcdonogh may as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right? Idk, at least my kiddo is a PreK applicant so has no idea how decisions are made so he won’t get hurt/feel rejected. At three it’s also hard to be like, what exactly were you looking for? Whereas w older kids you think maybe sports/music/special interests play a role but then you have to tell your older kid a school didn’t want them.

I didn’t love our interview with Park and they asked for a lot of extra stuff, which we obvs did. But other than the awk interview, we loved the school.

Husband liked park enough that he thinks we shld apply again for K, but I’m apparently a scorched earth type person bc I’m like f them for not knowing how obvs perfect my child is, we will never mention this school again (I don’t actually think he’s perfect, I just think he’s great). My kiddo is sensitive and artsy, and Park just felt “right” to us in some ineffable way.

But neither myself nor husband did private school ourselves so this is all brand new to us (no rejection here til we applied to colleges).

Surprised at how strongly offended I feel, but again, asking other people to judge your 3 year old feels hard. I can’t imagine it’s any easier for other ages.

Good luck to everyone still hitting refresh on your emails!

I'm the PP who said their child didn't get into our preferred 1st grade and later realized the school they ended up attending was a far better match.

Sometimes this interview is a sign. Our interview at the rejection school was also a bit awkward compared to others. It never occurred to me, but thinking back now, maybe they had already decided (or decided during the interview) that you are (we were) not quite going to be the fit they are looking for. Nothing was "bad" per se, but it was stiffer than others.

Anyway - I'd move forward with Friends and only consider changing to Park if you find Friends doesn't match your needs/desires.

Thanks! Really appreciate the support here! I felt like at the interview they had decided to not want us, but then they asked for so much extra stuff (we moved and they wanted rec letters from old schools etc, which sounds fine except weird for a kid so young to ask for a letter from 1-2 years ago). So we went along w it, but I wish they’d have just not asked if they knew they wouldn’t accept him.

We are happy w friends, and gonna do another tour there (we actually missed it this fall bc some febrile virus was hitting our household that wknd) and get ourselves excited to be there. It’s logistically way easier to be there than Park (location)

Also, wth with the other poster’s links re: park shutting down their internet? Shocking bc at the tour day Paradis talked so much about how well they were handling helping students navigate thinking about this, in ways grounded in an understanding of history and empathy for all ppl blah blah. It was a really nice response and seemed so off the cuff. I guess this has been brewing a while. Prob wouldn’t have swayed us re: PreK, but wld def give me pause about sending an older kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP with the split decision here. Does McD mail out any type of package? Determining if I need to intercept the mail before the they get home from school.

They did not mail swag last year. Just a big envelope welcome that arrived after acceptance day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right? Idk, at least my kiddo is a PreK applicant so has no idea how decisions are made so he won’t get hurt/feel rejected. At three it’s also hard to be like, what exactly were you looking for? Whereas w older kids you think maybe sports/music/special interests play a role but then you have to tell your older kid a school didn’t want them.

I didn’t love our interview with Park and they asked for a lot of extra stuff, which we obvs did. But other than the awk interview, we loved the school.

Husband liked park enough that he thinks we shld apply again for K, but I’m apparently a scorched earth type person bc I’m like f them for not knowing how obvs perfect my child is, we will never mention this school again (I don’t actually think he’s perfect, I just think he’s great). My kiddo is sensitive and artsy, and Park just felt “right” to us in some ineffable way.

But neither myself nor husband did private school ourselves so this is all brand new to us (no rejection here til we applied to colleges).

Surprised at how strongly offended I feel, but again, asking other people to judge your 3 year old feels hard. I can’t imagine it’s any easier for other ages.

Good luck to everyone still hitting refresh on your emails!

I'm the PP who said their child didn't get into our preferred 1st grade and later realized the school they ended up attending was a far better match.

Sometimes this interview is a sign. Our interview at the rejection school was also a bit awkward compared to others. It never occurred to me, but thinking back now, maybe they had already decided (or decided during the interview) that you are (we were) not quite going to be the fit they are looking for. Nothing was "bad" per se, but it was stiffer than others.

Anyway - I'd move forward with Friends and only consider changing to Park if you find Friends doesn't match your needs/desires.

Thanks! Really appreciate the support here! I felt like at the interview they had decided to not want us, but then they asked for so much extra stuff (we moved and they wanted rec letters from old schools etc, which sounds fine except weird for a kid so young to ask for a letter from 1-2 years ago). So we went along w it, but I wish they’d have just not asked if they knew they wouldn’t accept him.

We are happy w friends, and gonna do another tour there (we actually missed it this fall bc some febrile virus was hitting our household that wknd) and get ourselves excited to be there. It’s logistically way easier to be there than Park (location)

Also, wth with the other poster’s links re: park shutting down their internet? Shocking bc at the tour day Paradis talked so much about how well they were handling helping students navigate thinking about this, in ways grounded in an understanding of history and empathy for all ppl blah blah. It was a really nice response and seemed so off the cuff. I guess this has been brewing a while. Prob wouldn’t have swayed us re: PreK, but wld def give me pause about sending an older kid.

I have heard the opposite. It seemed great for an older kid. The upperschoolers seemed to have a lot of autonomy and respect from the faculty, and were the most well spoken and engaged students we encountered during tours. On the other hand, I have heard that younger students are not always ready to handle the autonomy...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I have heard the opposite. It seemed great for an older kid. The upperschoolers seemed to have a lot of autonomy and respect from the faculty, and were the most well spoken and engaged students we encountered during tours. On the other hand, I have heard that younger students are not always ready to handle the autonomy...

That was my impression too- wondered if my kiddo wld thrive there as a 4 year old (he def wouldn’t have done well at montesorri, and Park had that kinda self driven vibe), but thought the upper students on the tours were very well spoken. But this situation of the school having to cancel speakers, turn off the internet to disrupt a zoom event, students walking out & the school newspaper being taken down makes me feel like that may have been a fragile veneer?