So much less frenzy these days - does that mean Common Lottery is really really working?

[Anonymous]

We will soon see with the new testing what advanced in DC means compared to advanced in other systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What good is the lottery? Your kid isn't going to get into a decent school. DCPS EoTP sucks to high heaven with no viable options.

I'm not going to lie... this is how I feel too. But at least it means I'm not stressed about the lottery.

Cool, go ahead and keep feeling that way. Maybe it's because of a few people who had your attitude that we got slots at TWO HRCS's last year, and maybe you not participating will leave a space for 1 more family to have a better shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What good is the lottery? Your kid isn't going to get into a decent school. DCPS EoTP sucks to high heaven with no viable options.

My dual language advanced kid begs to differ.

Such program does not exist. Sorry. or then name that school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What good is the lottery? Your kid isn't going to get into a decent school. DCPS EoTP sucks to high heaven with no viable options.

My dual language advanced kid begs to differ.

Such program does not exist. Sorry. or then name that school.

Dual language (speaks two languages), scores advanced on CAS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What good is the lottery? Your kid isn't going to get into a decent school. DCPS EoTP sucks to high heaven with no viable options.

I'm not going to lie... this is how I feel too. But at least it means I'm not stressed about the lottery.

Cool, go ahead and keep feeling that way. Maybe it's because of a few people who had your attitude that we got slots at TWO HRCS's last year, and maybe you not participating will leave a space for 1 more family to have a better shot.

PP, you got really lucky then and good for you. For most us, the system blows. Our lottery results with two kids "playing" were dismal and absolutely unacceptable. We'll play again, knowing we'll have to ultimately go private or move. For most people, the odds of getting anything good are like winning mega bucks. Don't give unrealistic hopes here. For others reading here, play knowing the odds are unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Keep thinking that way, please!

[Anonymous]

I don't think you can expect to get two into a dream school in one year. This was our strategy, which has taken four years.

Pk 3. Didn't get in anywhere we liked so stayed in daycare. Thought we would get called off a wait list but never did despite checking in.
Pk 4. Got into a nice Dcps OOb with proximity.
K. Played the lottery, but was only willing to move for our first choice HRCs. Didn't get in. Stayed at OOb Dcps.
1st. Got into second choice HRCS. So left Dcps. Also left because younger sibling did not get into the Dcps but did get into the HRCs, and because Dcps middle school option was possibly ok but wanted to hedge bets on that front by taking spot at HRCs which is a DCI feeder.
Next year. Will play the lottery again, but unsure if I would switch to top choice if we got in. Really liking second choice school.

[Anonymous]

^^^ agree with the above poster. I know many famillies who trust their IB for ECE. By 2nd grade they are getting great lottety spots. The thing about the shuffle is that everyone participates. So if you can stick it out at a less than awesome DCPS, by 2nd grade you can have a good spot.
Easier said than done. But it's the reality.

[Anonymous]

Our first grader got into ITS, CMI, Lee and MV after being shut out in prior years. We are EOTP. Our pk3 got into Lee and CMI and not MV only because of how we did our rankings.

[Anonymous]

^^forgot to add that we were on Yu young's line at 1 am and were not offered a space of WL so I am happy that other crazy driven parents will not have to go through that now that Yy is in common lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think you can expect to get two into a dream school in one year. This was our strategy, which has taken four years.

Pk 3. Didn't get in anywhere we liked so stayed in daycare. Thought we would get called off a wait list but never did despite checking in.
Pk 4. Got into a nice Dcps OOb with proximity.
K. Played the lottery, but was only willing to move for our first choice HRCs. Didn't get in. Stayed at OOb Dcps.
1st. Got into second choice HRCS. So left Dcps. Also left because younger sibling did not get into the Dcps but did get into the HRCs, and because Dcps middle school option was possibly ok but wanted to hedge bets on that front by taking spot at HRCs which is a DCI feeder.
Next year. Will play the lottery again, but unsure if I would switch to top choice if we got in. Really liking second choice school.

This. I'm the PP who said to the "What's the point?" poster that it's cool if she or he goes on feeling that way, all the better for those of us who don't expect to get into a great school right off the bat (or in the 1st year). It is very much a game of chance and of endurance. Maybe the reason that so far everyone I know (and I mean EVERYONE) who all had PS3 kids when I started looking, everyone has landed now that the kids are in K. Everyone. I don't know anyone in our extended circle (let's say about 30 families) who hasn't found somewhere public in DC that they're happy about. It took 1-3 years, but it happened. For some families it takes a little longer.

But to the "What's the point?" person, I'm pretty sure your odds of getting into a good school are better than winning the Powerball. Every time someone wins Powerball, imagine them having said "Oh, what's the point?" and not playing.

Now I gotta win Powerball...

[Anonymous]

This sounds like one flaky way to run a railroad with no certainty of anything decent. Stay in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Pp, here. Also, waited in yu ying line from for 8 plus hours. Did not get in. Not happy about that. But happy with Another DCI feeder and not sure we would switch now even if we got in. If you take it year by year, but use some forward looking strategies, you will manage ok. No need for despair.

[Anonymous]

I'd venture that these "awesome" schools everyone got into as of ~2nd grade aren't really all that awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd venture that these "awesome" schools everyone got into as of ~2nd grade aren't really all that awesome.

Cool, hopefully you're not applying to any of them, since you have no interest in staying. Yup, they are definitely NOT all they're cracked up to be. Just skip those on your 12 choices - that is, if you're wasting your time with the lottery at all.