Private school enrollment across DMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[twitter] hi

Anonymous wrote:The name brands like Gonzaga still have far more applicants than they have spots, and they'll remain that way. It's the small, niche schools that are at-risk. Yield may be down at top schools, but they're still able to fill all their seats.

Anecdotally, yields seem to be down because families are applying to more schools than ever, especially top schools. Admission is such a crapshoot these days if you don't have a connection that families, so it ends up being like college admissions: apply widely to maximize your odds of getting accepted somewhere.

In my non-DMV city, the lower-tier schools are struggling (most are conservative religious schools, fwiw). One Catholic is having issues but that stems from long-simmering issues that exploded this year. The other Catholics have waitlists (that aren't moving much judging by the online chatter). All the top privates filled their seats and have sizable waitpools.

Why on earth are you talking about private schools that are not in the DMV? What does that have to do with this thread? I understand that DCUM participation has expanded to folks who are from outside of our area, but it’s still a DMV-centric site and when a post is clearly DMV-specific it really derails things when folks from outside the area go off topic.

You’re a really pleasant person 😬

-A DMV resident who appreciates hearing about other experiences outside this bubble

+1. Glad to know what’s happening in other, not so far from DC East Coast communities. It’s certainly germane and worth consideration on this thread. It’s not like the person completely changed the topic. Sheesh.

Sorry, but it’s just plain bizarre. Someone starts a thread asking about how enrollment in DMV privates are looking this year and someone responds and starts talking about enrollment in private in other regions? What does that have to do with this thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[twitter] hi

Anonymous wrote:The name brands like Gonzaga still have far more applicants than they have spots, and they'll remain that way. It's the small, niche schools that are at-risk. Yield may be down at top schools, but they're still able to fill all their seats.

Anecdotally, yields seem to be down because families are applying to more schools than ever, especially top schools. Admission is such a crapshoot these days if you don't have a connection that families, so it ends up being like college admissions: apply widely to maximize your odds of getting accepted somewhere.

In my non-DMV city, the lower-tier schools are struggling (most are conservative religious schools, fwiw). One Catholic is having issues but that stems from long-simmering issues that exploded this year. The other Catholics have waitlists (that aren't moving much judging by the online chatter). All the top privates filled their seats and have sizable waitpools.

Why on earth are you talking about private schools that are not in the DMV? What does that have to do with this thread? I understand that DCUM participation has expanded to folks who are from outside of our area, but it’s still a DMV-centric site and when a post is clearly DMV-specific it really derails things when folks from outside the area go off topic.

You’re a really pleasant person 😬

-A DMV resident who appreciates hearing about other experiences outside this bubble

+1. Glad to know what’s happening in other, not so far from DC East Coast communities. It’s certainly germane and worth consideration on this thread. It’s not like the person completely changed the topic. Sheesh.

Sorry, but it’s just plain bizarre. Someone starts a thread asking about how enrollment in DMV privates are looking this year and someone responds and starts talking about enrollment in private in other regions? What does that have to do with this thread?

I think it’s more bizarre to be so bent out of shape by that person’s posting that you’ve had to call them out on it and keep this debate going, which actually has nothing to do with enrollment at DMV privates. That person posted three substantive paragraphs. The first two paragraphs were absolutely germane to DMV privates. The third paragraph wasn’t directly related but relatable because it was still about privates on the East Coast. So what? Was that third paragraph so difficult for you to read and have to digest with all the other information in this thread? And while you’re at it, why don’t you visit every other thread in this form and call out the other people who respond to other threads with comments that are just a little tangential and not meeting your approval.

[Anonymous]

lol in six months parents will be defaulting on their financial obligations
In a year these schools will start to collapse

The Great Depression tells us this
Smoot Tally told you this .
Oh dear maga dummies I can not wait

[Anonymous]

Smoot-Hawley

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Smoot-Hawley

Bueller? Bueller?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smoot-Hawley

Bueller? Bueller?

I think he’s out sick today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DMV private schools have entered into a period of contraction and consolidation. There are fewer kids generally (and especially born in 2021), and there are fewer families locally able to afford private school. The Feynman School and SSFS are two early indicators of this. If Gonzaga has its biggest freshman class this, in large part, is a result of Gonzaga charging substantially less for tuition than other area privates.

I don't know about that. Field, for example, rejected more kids than usual and has an active wait list. They almost always have room for more kids in past years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DMV private schools have entered into a period of contraction and consolidation. There are fewer kids generally (and especially born in 2021), and there are fewer families locally able to afford private school. The Feynman School and SSFS are two early indicators of this. If Gonzaga has its biggest freshman class this, in large part, is a result of Gonzaga charging substantially less for tuition than other area privates.

I don’t see evidence of this. Feynman and SSFS were mismanaged for a long time. Others schools are seeing huge enrollment growth and demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In my non-DMV city, the lower-tier schools are struggling (most are conservative religious schools, fwiw). One Catholic is having issues but that stems from long-simmering issues that exploded this year. The other Catholics have waitlists (that aren't moving much judging by the online chatter). All the top privates filled their seats and have sizable waitpools.

We don’t care about your non-DMV city. Why are you even posting on this forum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smoot-Hawley

Bueller? Bueller?

I think he’s out sick today.

“My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass-out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DMV private schools have entered into a period of contraction and consolidation. There are fewer kids generally (and especially born in 2021), and there are fewer families locally able to afford private school. The Feynman School and SSFS are two early indicators of this. If Gonzaga has its biggest freshman class this, in large part, is a result of Gonzaga charging substantially less for tuition than other area privates.

I don’t see evidence of this. Feynman and SSFS were mismanaged for a long time. Others schools are seeing huge enrollment growth and demand.

Days of mismanagement at SSFS are over. School is well-positioned to make a comeback but without perhaps any further boarding program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DMV private schools have entered into a period of contraction and consolidation. There are fewer kids generally (and especially born in 2021), and there are fewer families locally able to afford private school. The Feynman School and SSFS are two early indicators of this. If Gonzaga has its biggest freshman class this, in large part, is a result of Gonzaga charging substantially less for tuition than other area privates.

I would add Barrie School to this list of schools on the verge of collapse. SSFS seems to have turned a corner and will live to see many more years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smoot-Hawley

Bueller? Bueller?

I think he’s out sick today.

“My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass-out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.”

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smoot-Hawley

Bueller? Bueller?

I think he’s out sick today.

“My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass-out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.”

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

"It’s A Little Childish And Stupid, But Then, So Is High School."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well Gonzaga sent a note to their waitlist saying they have the biggest freshman class in 203 years and would not be going to the waitlist.

Gonzaga is more reasonable financially than some of the others.

True but the gap isn't as wide as it used to be -- Gonzaga is pretty close to ~$35K now -- not the STA/GDS/SFS cost of ~$55K+, of course, but SJHC is $27.5K etc.

The reality is that the highly desirable schools -- like the ones mentioned above -- will always have strong applicant pools and the ability to select and reject accordingly. The smaller schools will be challenged over time.