School Without Walls interviews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the reasons that Walls does it how they do, but it still seems a little bit insane that they don’t even consider test scores but they weight recommendations so highly that a 3 out of 4 rating from one teacher takes you out of the running and you won’t even get an interview. I can imagine this system gives them the most compliant students in the district (since teachers will generally highly recommend students who follow directions well), but not necessarily the ones who are most smart and curious.

It is ridiculous that they won’t consider the CAPE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand the reasons that Walls does it how they do, but it still seems a little bit insane that they don’t even consider test scores but they weight recommendations so highly that a 3 out of 4 rating from one teacher takes you out of the running and you won’t even get an interview. I can imagine this system gives them the most compliant students in the district (since teachers will generally highly recommend students who follow directions well), but not necessarily the ones who are most smart and curious.

It is ridiculous that they won’t consider the CAPE.

None of the application schools is allowed to look at CAPE. But I agree that the extremely heavy emphasis on teacher ratings is a strange choice.

[Anonymous]

Take this with a pinch of salt since I see DC (now at Walls) through a parent's eyes. DC's MS teachers in PTCs talked up his helping other students after finishing his work, encouraging others and giving them space to speak in class, being thoughtful in responses, etc. This was while having a GPA in the 3.9 range with advanced math etc., so, good but not perfect. It looks like Walls is trying to do more than just select kids purely on academics, with teacher recommendations as the plus-up (I'm sure many Walls kids also had 4.0 MS GPAs and the attributes I'm ascribing to my kid).

[Anonymous]

The application process has to be approved by central office. No way they bring back test scores without significant parent push. That won’t happen because the parents most affected by this have seventh or eighth graders. So once they are admitted or not, they don’t have incentive to fight the application process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The application process has to be approved by central office. No way they bring back test scores without significant parent push. That won’t happen because the parents most affected by this have seventh or eighth graders. So once they are admitted or not, they don’t have incentive to fight the application process.

Maybe someone can tell the overlords in Central about the research that demonstrates that minority applicants have been disadvantaged by schools not considering standardized tests scores when making admissions decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The application process has to be approved by central office. No way they bring back test scores without significant parent push. That won’t happen because the parents most affected by this have seventh or eighth graders. So once they are admitted or not, they don’t have incentive to fight the application process.

Maybe someone can tell the overlords in Central about the research that demonstrates that minority applicants have been disadvantaged by schools not considering standardized tests scores when making admissions decisions.

Does that research exist? I’ve never seen it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The application process has to be approved by central office. No way they bring back test scores without significant parent push. That won’t happen because the parents most affected by this have seventh or eighth graders. So once they are admitted or not, they don’t have incentive to fight the application process.

Maybe someone can tell the overlords in Central about the research that demonstrates that minority applicants have been disadvantaged by schools not considering standardized tests scores when making admissions decisions.

Does that research exist? I’ve never seen it.

This is why colleges brought back the SAT -- they found that the group that most benefited from the test is smart lower income kids. The group that benefits from "test optional" or no test are wealthy kids whose parents can pack their schedules with activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The application process has to be approved by central office. No way they bring back test scores without significant parent push. That won’t happen because the parents most affected by this have seventh or eighth graders. So once they are admitted or not, they don’t have incentive to fight the application process.

Maybe someone can tell the overlords in Central about the research that demonstrates that minority applicants have been disadvantaged by schools not considering standardized tests scores when making admissions decisions.

Does that research exist? I’ve never seen it.

here you go:

https://www.city-journal.org/article/test-optional-admissions-underprivileged-students-dartmouth

And here is the study, "NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES
HOW TEST OPTIONAL POLICIES IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DISPROPORTIONATELY
HARM HIGH ACHIEVING APPLICANTS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS":

https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w33389/w33389.pdf

[Anonymous]

The Yale admissions dean was very vocal that test scores were far better at identifying low income students who could succeed at Yale than any other measure. It was why Yale was so fast to go back to test mandatory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The application process has to be approved by central office. No way they bring back test scores without significant parent push. That won’t happen because the parents most affected by this have seventh or eighth graders. So once they are admitted or not, they don’t have incentive to fight the application process.

Maybe someone can tell the overlords in Central about the research that demonstrates that minority applicants have been disadvantaged by schools not considering standardized tests scores when making admissions decisions.

Does that research exist? I’ve never seen it.

This is why colleges brought back the SAT -- they found that the group that most benefited from the test is smart lower income kids. The group that benefits from "test optional" or no test are wealthy kids whose parents can pack their schedules with activities.

But isn't SAT prep expensive and reserved for those with disposable income?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The application process has to be approved by central office. No way they bring back test scores without significant parent push. That won’t happen because the parents most affected by this have seventh or eighth graders. So once they are admitted or not, they don’t have incentive to fight the application process.

Maybe someone can tell the overlords in Central about the research that demonstrates that minority applicants have been disadvantaged by schools not considering standardized tests scores when making admissions decisions.

Does that research exist? I’ve never seen it.

This is why colleges brought back the SAT -- they found that the group that most benefited from the test is smart lower income kids. The group that benefits from "test optional" or no test are wealthy kids whose parents can pack their schedules with activities.

But isn't SAT prep expensive and reserved for those with disposable income?

Sure. You'll never be able to stop wealthy people for preparing their kids well for life's challenges.

But smart kids can do very well without prep. and i say this is a former NMSF who didn't prep, and a former SAT and GRE teacher.

[Anonymous]

Interesting. I was a low income kid who used strong test scores to help me get into a good college, so this makes sense to me.

[Anonymous]

There is a great deal of good, free test prep materials online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The application process has to be approved by central office. No way they bring back test scores without significant parent push. That won’t happen because the parents most affected by this have seventh or eighth graders. So once they are admitted or not, they don’t have incentive to fight the application process.

Maybe someone can tell the overlords in Central about the research that demonstrates that minority applicants have been disadvantaged by schools not considering standardized tests scores when making admissions decisions.

Does that research exist? I’ve never seen it.

here you go:

https://www.city-journal.org/article/test-optional-admissions-underprivileged-students-dartmouth

And here is the study, "NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES
HOW TEST OPTIONAL POLICIES IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DISPROPORTIONATELY
HARM HIGH ACHIEVING APPLICANTS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS":

https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w33389/w33389.pdf

Thanks for taking the time to find and share these links. I hadn’t know this! I believe that DCPS stopped using test scores for HS admissions a few years ago because they felt like it led to selective public schools being too full of privileged students, but I don’t know if it worked to diversify the student bodies at these schools.

[Anonymous]

My DC is a year or so out from this process, but out of curiosity, does Walls/application HS ask for 8th grade teacher recommendations or is it open to 7th and 8th? I ask as there is a chance my DC may have to switch DCPS middle in 7th and I was wondering if that will affect teacher recommendations.