Competitiveness of admissions to local independent schools?

[pbraverman]

Anonymous wrote:Wanting to repeat a grade will be a red flag for any mainstream school, especially GDS and Sheridan. McLean might be open to it 8f you explain why it's necessary and how it fits with the support it offers. I don't know anything about the other schools on your list.

This is simply not true in my experience, especially for a boy with a late summer birthday. At most schools the inquiry will convey an understanding of your child and an openness to finding the best fit for him. I would approach it as a question, not as a statement: "We have seen some dynamics that make us wonder whether applying to repeat third grade would make sense for James, especially since he's young in comparison to the rest of the grade. How do you handle situations like that?"

Most schools will appreciate that, as it signals a collaborative approach as well. And schools that don't like the question will have done you a favor: They will have let you know that they probably won't be good fits.

My own son, who has a late June birthday, repeated an early year. It was not a difficult decision at the time, but I am not exaggerating to say it was probably the most important decision we have ever made for him — it remapped his entire life's trajectory for the better.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP this is a fairly broad range of schools, from Montessori, to traditional to a school for kids with special needs. I think you need to focus on fit here rather than on chance of acceptance.

+1.

OP, think about this the other way. What is something valuable and unique that your kid brings to the table, and what school may be looking for that?

All admissions in this area are competitive (some more, some less).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP this is a fairly broad range of schools, from Montessori, to traditional to a school for kids with special needs. I think you need to focus on fit here rather than on chance of acceptance.

+1.

OP, think about this the other way. What is something valuable and unique that your kid brings to the table, and what school may be looking for that?

All admissions in this area are competitive (some more, some less).

Valuable and unique that an 8-year-old “brings to the table”? No, this is not how we should be thinking of children. Elite universities and corporate boards, sure. But not 8-year-olds. Steer clear of schools that ask for anything like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP this is a fairly broad range of schools, from Montessori, to traditional to a school for kids with special needs. I think you need to focus on fit here rather than on chance of acceptance.

+1.

OP, think about this the other way. What is something valuable and unique that your kid brings to the table, and what school may be looking for that?

All admissions in this area are competitive (some more, some less).

Valuable and unique that an 8-year-old “brings to the table”? No, this is not how we should be thinking of children. Elite universities and corporate boards, sure. But not 8-year-olds. Steer clear of schools that ask for anything like this.

You don't work in admissions, do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are interested in applying for independent schools for our child for next year. He will be a rising fourth grader -- but he is an August birthday boy and immature so we may apply 3rd grade.

This child has already had some tough experiences in his school career. So, I don't want to put him through the rigmarole of a complicated admissions process if he is unlikely to get accepted anywhere. This happened with a friend of mine who had a child the same age. Applied to 5-6 schools and didn't get accepted anywhere.

With that in mind, how competitive are the following schools to get into? Can we know from the standardized testing scores whether the child is competitive or not?
-GDS
-Sheridan School
-Oneness Family School
-Norwood School
-Mclean School
-Washington International School (child is bilingual Sp/Engl)
-Burke School
-Washington Episcopal School

Thanks very much for any information you can provide.

GDS is highly competitive and is probably not the best environment for a child who is immature and has not had a great school career thus far. The school does not believe in coddling children, so your child will need to have initiative, confidence, and be fairly self-motivated to thrive there.

Norwood is more nurturing and less competitive, although smaller.

WES and WIS are also fairly competitive.

Your best bet is to talk directly to the admissions team at each school, describe your child's challenges, and ask for an honest assessment of his chances at admissions.

Norwood is becoming more competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wanting to repeat a grade will be a red flag for any mainstream school, especially GDS and Sheridan. McLean might be open to it 8f you explain why it's necessary and how it fits with the support it offers. I don't know anything about the other schools on your list.

Reclassing at 3rd - of course. Do it again at 8th, and then a post graduate year, you got yourself a 21 year old college freshman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wanting to repeat a grade will be a red flag for any mainstream school, especially GDS and Sheridan. McLean might be open to it 8f you explain why it's necessary and how it fits with the support it offers. I don't know anything about the other schools on your list.

Reclassing at 3rd - of course. Do it again at 8th, and then a post graduate year, you got yourself a 21 year old college freshman.

Why is this a big issue? If an boy matures later, shouldn't he enter college at a time when he is more ready for it?

I went to an Ivy League college and several of my male friends were incredibly immature when we were freshman. (In retrospect, they were problably 2e kids who have some ADHD and are also gifted in some ways). They hit their stride when they got older in junior and senior years of college. While they squeeked by in freshmand and sophomore year, their GPAs suffered a lot from their disorganization and immaturity. They had to overcome those weak GPAs in the later years of college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP this is a fairly broad range of schools, from Montessori, to traditional to a school for kids with special needs. I think you need to focus on fit here rather than on chance of acceptance.

+1.

OP, think about this the other way. What is something valuable and unique that your kid brings to the table, and what school may be looking for that?

All admissions in this area are competitive (some more, some less).

Valuable and unique that an 8-year-old “brings to the table”? No, this is not how we should be thinking of children. Elite universities and corporate boards, sure. But not 8-year-olds. Steer clear of schools that ask for anything like this.

You don't work in admissions, do you?

Why? Do you?

[Anonymous]

I have good friends who entered Sheridan with a child who had a mixed early academic experience in DCPS. Their son was also a summer birthday. I know that Sheridan worked with them to decide what was the best placement.

[Anonymous]

Can you position it to your child in terms of space available? We are going to apply in case they have space available? So it’s less on his performance and more on availability?