High school waitlists?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:I'm a reporter at ABC7 News. I'd like to talk to parents nervous about what the waitlist numbers mean for their HS child. What options are you looking at if you don't get in? Please email me at [e-mail]. Thanks!

Will you also include the reasoning behind this crazy lottery system? If equity is the goal, I don’t think it can be achieved by a random lottery system. I haven’t been in this area long, but what in the world would possess people to drive themselves crazy like this year after year? We told our realtor we needed a really good system. She targeted two counties, and we made our choice. Yes, we have to commute into the city, but I would prefer that over this maddening “system” that only seems to work for a few people. What gives? Is the Tuition Assistance Grant driving this? I’m really trying to understand.

Good luck to everyone.

The majority of lottery participants match with one of their top 3 choices. Everyone is guaranteed a spot at their local school, so a lot of residents don't enter the lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:I'm a reporter at ABC7 News. I'd like to talk to parents nervous about what the waitlist numbers mean for their HS child. What options are you looking at if you don't get in? Please email me at [e-mail]. Thanks!

Will you also include the reasoning behind this crazy lottery system? If equity is the goal, I don’t think it can be achieved by a random lottery system. I haven’t been in this area long, but what in the world would possess people to drive themselves crazy like this year after year? We told our realtor we needed a really good system. She targeted two counties, and we made our choice. Yes, we have to commute into the city, but I would prefer that over this maddening “system” that only seems to work for a few people. What gives? Is the Tuition Assistance Grant driving this? I’m really trying to understand.

Good luck to everyone.

The majority of lottery participants match with one of their top 3 choices. Everyone is guaranteed a spot at their local school, so a lot of residents don't enter the lottery.

+1 the majority of the "madness" you see are parents that want special immersion type schools or very special "private-like" schools IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:I'm a reporter at ABC7 News. I'd like to talk to parents nervous about what the waitlist numbers mean for their HS child. What options are you looking at if you don't get in? Please email me at [e-mail]. Thanks!

Will you also include the reasoning behind this crazy lottery system? If equity is the goal, I don’t think it can be achieved by a random lottery system. I haven’t been in this area long, but what in the world would possess people to drive themselves crazy like this year after year? We told our realtor we needed a really good system. She targeted two counties, and we made our choice. Yes, we have to commute into the city, but I would prefer that over this maddening “system” that only seems to work for a few people. What gives? Is the Tuition Assistance Grant driving this? I’m really trying to understand.

Good luck to everyone.

The majority of lottery participants match with one of their top 3 choices. Everyone is guaranteed a spot at their local school, so a lot of residents don't enter the lottery.

Perry Stein at WaPo says that this year 64% matched at 1 of top 10. May not mean a lot without seeing how that breaks down by grade but suggests it may be tighter this year.

https://twitter.com/PerryStein/status/979721858638602240

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses! I know people love living in the city, but it seems so much easier (cheaper) to just buy or rent a home with good neighborhood schools in the suburbs. This system wouldn’t work for me because I’d stress myself and my husband into an early grave. Upper middle class income doesn’t seem like enough in D.C. Lol!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the responses! I know people love living in the city, but it seems so much easier (cheaper) to just buy or rent a home with good neighborhood schools in the suburbs. This system wouldn’t work for me because I’d stress myself and my husband into an early grave. Upper middle class income doesn’t seem like enough in D.C. Lol!

I don’t know. I’m not willing to commute much farther than Arlington or Silver Spring and last I checked Arlington was on par with DC and SS schools just aren’t that good.

[Anonymous]

Any guesses on the number of kids who vied for the application schools -SWW, Banneker and Ellington this year? It’s like guessing the number of jelly beans in the jar. Im guessing about 1050 tested for SWW based on the lines. I think about 250 made the interview for 140 admits. Anyone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any guesses on the number of kids who vied for the application schools -SWW, Banneker and Ellington this year? It’s like guessing the number of jelly beans in the jar. Im guessing about 1050 tested for SWW based on the lines. I think about 250 made the interview for 140 admits. Anyone else?

That’s been the pattern in the past few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any guesses on the number of kids who vied for the application schools -SWW, Banneker and Ellington this year? It’s like guessing the number of jelly beans in the jar. Im guessing about 1050 tested for SWW based on the lines. I think about 250 made the interview for 140 admits. Anyone else?

SWW never releases how many took their test; Ellington doesn't release how many applied.

My kid applied to McKinley this year. One of the admins there said they got 900 apps and interviewed fewer than 200.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the responses! I know people love living in the city, but it seems so much easier (cheaper) to just buy or rent a home with good neighborhood schools in the suburbs. This system wouldn’t work for me because I’d stress myself and my husband into an early grave. Upper middle class income doesn’t seem like enough in D.C. Lol!

I don’t know. I’m not willing to commute much farther than Arlington or Silver Spring and last I checked Arlington was on par with DC and SS schools just aren’t that good.

More like silver spring is on par with DC with slightly better special programs and middle options. Arlington is like The Rockville of close in Virginia, a couple good schools and a few ok ones with too many poor kids.. The McLean/Tyson’s area and Bethesda are comparable as the best schools in the metro area.

[Anonymous]

I know this sounds harsh, but I just could not bear to live in the suburbs. Might as well wear mumus and shop at Wallmart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:I'm a reporter at ABC7 News. I'd like to talk to parents nervous about what the waitlist numbers mean for their HS child. What options are you looking at if you don't get in? Please email me at [e-mail]. Thanks!

Will you also include the reasoning behind this crazy lottery system? If equity is the goal, I don’t think it can be achieved by a random lottery system. I haven’t been in this area long, but what in the world would possess people to drive themselves crazy like this year after year? We told our realtor we needed a really good system. She targeted two counties, and we made our choice. Yes, we have to commute into the city, but I would prefer that over this maddening “system” that only seems to work for a few people. What gives? Is the Tuition Assistance Grant driving this? I’m really trying to understand.

Good luck to everyone.

No offense, but maybe do some research. Newcomer to DC doesn't understand the systems and wants the rest of us to explain it to her. Because it's our job to educate her instead of doing her own work.

[Anonymous]

Does anybody know anything about Wilson's waitlist, does it actually move?
My son is #50 for the 10th grade. He currently attends Ellington but would like to transfer. I am at a loss about what to do next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anybody know anything about Wilson's waitlist, does it actually move?
My son is #50 for the 10th grade. He currently attends Ellington but would like to transfer. I am at a loss about what to do next.

No, it doesn't move anymore. They made no offers to people on the wait list for 16-17 or 17-18. For 2015 they offered 8 seats for 10th.

What is your IB? Did he apply to any of the other application schools?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for responding! No we went through that process last year. He was accepted into Banneker but declined, took the test at SWWS but did not make it pass testing. This year he wanted to try for Wilson just to see what would happen. We did do a few other charter schools but he isn't too excited by any. He is also #10 on Washington Leadership Academy and #6 on Capital City and our IB school is out of the question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Thanks for responding! No we went through that process last year. He was accepted into Banneker but declined, took the test at SWWS but did not make it pass testing. This year he wanted to try for Wilson just to see what would happen. We did do a few other charter schools but he isn't too excited by any. He is also #10 on Washington Leadership Academy and #6 on Capital City and our IB school is out of the question.

Is moving IB for Wilson an option?

FWIW I know one student at WLA who LOVES it. But of course who knows if they will have any openings. Good luck.