Private School vs APS freshman year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As stated above, the actual IB program doesn’t start until 11th grade. There are pre-reqs, of course. But if he didn’t get a spot at WL, what is he regretting? The intensified & AP classes at Wakefield & WL are going to be the same amount of work— freshman and sophomore year will be essentially the same at any APS school if you’re taking the same classes.

And he can apply again for IB for 10th grade.

Most of his fellow nerdy classmates went to WL; we were worried he would never get into IB and the number of AP Capstone graduates is not published, so we thought IB was a big brain drain from Wakefield. So to hedge our bets of never winning IB lottery, DS went to a private school, but he is feeling that homework the first week is just signs that it’s a grind rather than actually rigorous.

Yea, you made a mistake. Wakefield is an excellent and caring school with a plenty big cohort of smart and driven kids.

Oh stop. You have no way of knowing this. We don't even know what private school it is. It could end up being an excellent fit for their DS. He just needs to give it more than a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As stated above, the actual IB program doesn’t start until 11th grade. There are pre-reqs, of course. But if he didn’t get a spot at WL, what is he regretting? The intensified & AP classes at Wakefield & WL are going to be the same amount of work— freshman and sophomore year will be essentially the same at any APS school if you’re taking the same classes.

And he can apply again for IB for 10th grade.

Most of his fellow nerdy classmates went to WL; we were worried he would never get into IB and the number of AP Capstone graduates is not published, so we thought IB was a big brain drain from Wakefield. So to hedge our bets of never winning IB lottery, DS went to a private school, but he is feeling that homework the first week is just signs that it’s a grind rather than actually rigorous.

Yea, you made a mistake. Wakefield is an excellent and caring school with a plenty big cohort of smart and driven kids.

Oh stop. You have no way of knowing this. We don't even know what private school it is. It could end up being an excellent fit for their DS. He just needs to give it more than a week.

Yes, I have a "way of knowing" that everything I just said about Wakefield is true and that OP made a mistake for assuming otherwise.

[Anonymous]

For the fact he’s already complaining about the grinding and make you question yourself if this is the right decision - maybe regular program with regular amount of works work better for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you left public school because you wanted it to be harder but now that it’s harder you’re freaking out?

He’s freaking out. I’m claiming public school would be just as hard, if he had made it to WL IB.

Wakefield we were less certain about, because basically his cohort of nerdy kids all left, so unsure how peer effects would be (they went Wl IB, HBW, AT, or private — it was stark change socially). But is sounds like the Capstone program would also have loads of homework last week just like his private, so he can’t complain.

We also thought AT since it’s easier to get into for now, but DS is way more into humanities and is hoping for a SLAC for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the fact he’s already complaining about the grinding and make you question yourself if this is the right decision - maybe regular program with regular amount of works work better for him.

Well there is the reality and where he wants to be. We are fine if he goes to a GMU or NOVA, and finds his path from that, but he has this hang up about proving himself and getting into a SLAC, thus the mismatch between goal and attitude at this juncture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you left public school because you wanted it to be harder but now that it’s harder you’re freaking out?

He’s freaking out. I’m claiming public school would be just as hard, if he had made it to WL IB.

Wakefield we were less certain about, because basically his cohort of nerdy kids all left, so unsure how peer effects would be (they went Wl IB, HBW, AT, or private — it was stark change socially). But is sounds like the Capstone program would also have loads of homework last week just like his private, so he can’t complain.

We also thought AT since it’s easier to get into for now, but DS is way more into humanities and is hoping for a SLAC for college.

My kid’s nerdy friend cohort almost all went to Wakefield, but they’re immersion kids. Those kids tend to take a lot of AP classes, complete the Capstone program, etc. as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you left public school because you wanted it to be harder but now that it’s harder you’re freaking out?

He’s freaking out. I’m claiming public school would be just as hard, if he had made it to WL IB.

Wakefield we were less certain about, because basically his cohort of nerdy kids all left, so unsure how peer effects would be (they went Wl IB, HBW, AT, or private — it was stark change socially). But is sounds like the Capstone program would also have loads of homework last week just like his private, so he can’t complain.

We also thought AT since it’s easier to get into for now, but DS is way more into humanities and is hoping for a SLAC for college.

Change is hard. He's at a new school and not with his friends. It sounds like his friends wouldn't have been at Wakefield either, so the grass isn't necessarily greener. He's allowed to be disappointed he didn't get into WL IB with them, but now's the time to make the most of where he's at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the fact he’s already complaining about the grinding and make you question yourself if this is the right decision - maybe regular program with regular amount of works work better for him.

Well there is the reality and where he wants to be. We are fine if he goes to a GMU or NOVA, and finds his path from that, but he has this hang up about proving himself and getting into a SLAC, thus the mismatch between goal and attitude at this juncture.

Private schools are generally known to give more homework than public schools. They also offer fewer classes in some subjects but there is more support and control over peer group (from the admissions department) Personally if my kid was going to be unhappy and not take full advantage of the private school he’d be at Wakefield.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As with a lot of things, I suspect the instinct of the teachers is to scare their students into taking the new school seriously, "whip them into shape," and establish a high baseline of expectations. This is normal, especially for the people entering the school who are coming from a bunch of different places. It's easier to set a high baseline and back off later than it is to try to go easy on them and ramp up. You should tell your child that it's normal to feel overwhelmed, stick with it, and develop strategies to manage these feelings, like thinking about it in manageable blocks rather than one giant mass of stuff to do that all has to be done at once.

Children and adults are both extremely adaptable. It is our privilege as parents that children like to make sure you know they are being forced to adapt every step of the way Listen to it, but have faith that they will get there.

My child went from APS to private. There is more homework and rigor. Your kid should get use to it. If you think “the first week is bad” just wait until junior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As stated above, the actual IB program doesn’t start until 11th grade. There are pre-reqs, of course. But if he didn’t get a spot at WL, what is he regretting? The intensified & AP classes at Wakefield & WL are going to be the same amount of work— freshman and sophomore year will be essentially the same at any APS school if you’re taking the same classes.

And he can apply again for IB for 10th grade.

So if the IB program does not start until 11 can kids who are on that track (lottery) take AP classes in grade 9 and 10 ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As stated above, the actual IB program doesn’t start until 11th grade. There are pre-reqs, of course. But if he didn’t get a spot at WL, what is he regretting? The intensified & AP classes at Wakefield & WL are going to be the same amount of work— freshman and sophomore year will be essentially the same at any APS school if you’re taking the same classes.

And he can apply again for IB for 10th grade.

So if the IB program does not start until 11 can kids who are on that track (lottery) take AP classes in grade 9 and 10 ?

The short answer is yes… I don’t know a lot of details, but I think they have to take APUSH in 10th grade?

[Anonymous]

Our kid went from APS to private for high school, and yes it was an adjustment, but I hear that from parents who stuck it out with APS too. The problem is that the APS middle schools don’t give much homework and don’t do a great job getting the kids ready for high school. And high school today is 100% a grind, especially in competitive urban areas.

That said, if your kid really wants to go to a SLAC, then he needs to get used to the homework. I went to a SLAC and it was a ton more reading assignments and papers than my friends who went to larger state schools. SLAC classes are generally smaller so it’s not as easy to hide in the back row if you haven’t done the reading.

[Anonymous]

This gr1ft person was getting paid by all of his organizations. Here are samples:

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/464331510

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/800835023

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the fact he’s already complaining about the grinding and make you question yourself if this is the right decision - maybe regular program with regular amount of works work better for him.

Why? It’s his first week. Like anything in life he will need to adjust. It’s a good life lesson.