Which K-8 has the best high school placement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of them can claim amazing placements last year unless the kid was a sibling applicant, or legacy, etc.
luck of the draw if your kid is in a cohort or not with sibling applicants applying to same HS. The siblings get preferential admissions every time. Even at schools that claim otherwise.

Totally incorrect at our K-8. It was a good year and there were several students admitted to Big 3 with no sibling or legacy preference. I can think of a couple who did have connections to GDS and St. John’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:k-8 parent here with child at Big 3. Our experience at k-8 was great and our child did not find application process to be toxic. Our goal was NEVER Big 3 but best fit and we encouraged our child to do the same. We have another still at k-8 and they may or may not go to a Big 3.

Our child's cohort was very strong and over 30% of the class landed at STA/NCS, Sidwell, GDS. If you include Potomac/Holton/Maret it was 40%.

I agree with previous posters that it's typical that the top 20-25% of class will go to top schools but I will also say that these kids are high fliers (and that many parents think their kid is in the high flier category but the kid is not). That said - nothing is a guarantee; it also happens that (a) some kids get in that are not as academically strong (usually they have some special pull - whether known publicly or not) and (b) sometimes someone strong gets shut out for reasons unknown.

Bottom line is that, if your goal is Big 3 for HS, then try as early and as often as you can to apply there. A K-8 is not the place for you if you want this guarantee.

We'd never trade the k-8 experience but Big3 is not the priority.

Just adding on that some K-8 students do not enter the Big 3 fray because of the high tuitions, which are generally @ $10k a year more than K-8s. Instead, those students are choosing places like Gonzaga and St. John’s, which cost about 60% less than the Big 3. One of my kids wanted to go somewhere “with more diversity and more ‘normal’ families.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:k-8 parent here with child at Big 3. Our experience at k-8 was great and our child did not find application process to be toxic. Our goal was NEVER Big 3 but best fit and we encouraged our child to do the same. We have another still at k-8 and they may or may not go to a Big 3.

Our child's cohort was very strong and over 30% of the class landed at STA/NCS, Sidwell, GDS. If you include Potomac/Holton/Maret it was 40%.

I agree with previous posters that it's typical that the top 20-25% of class will go to top schools but I will also say that these kids are high fliers (and that many parents think their kid is in the high flier category but the kid is not). That said - nothing is a guarantee; it also happens that (a) some kids get in that are not as academically strong (usually they have some special pull - whether known publicly or not) and (b) sometimes someone strong gets shut out for reasons unknown.

Bottom line is that, if your goal is Big 3 for HS, then try as early and as often as you can to apply there. A K-8 is not the place for you if you want this guarantee.

We'd never trade the k-8 experience but Big3 is not the priority.

Which K-8 - if you don’t mind sharing wildness like to know. 30-40% landing at those schools is very impressive.

I think you are reading too much into the exmission results. Remember, every year a few kids choose not to pursue Big 3, even though they were at or near the top of the K-8 cohort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St Pats always sends a group of kids to top NE boarding schools too. Think it’s only K-8 with a long tradition of this.

No, it is not the only one that does so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only issue is if the K-8s are implying admission is routinely possible.

I don't think they'd be dishonest to imply that admission is routinely possible for one or two 8th graders in any given graduating class, if there's a consistent track record of 9th grade admissions to certain schools in this area. But of course they'd never say it's guaranteed or even likely for any particular individual.

Then again, there's usually no mystery when you look at the graduating class at a K-8, who will likely be the strongest applicants. It's the top 10 percent of students academically, the top athletes, the top donors, the families whose parents are well-liked and volunteer a lot, and so forth. Usually the ones admitted check at least least two or three of these boxes, and the chances are even better if the family is URM. Even if parents and students would almost never openly talk about who these individuals are, deep down they have a good sense of who has the strongest odds.

This. It’s not like it is a lottery. At our K8, if you are a pleasant family to deal with (most families are), pick an appropriate school for your child’s academic level, convey that interest to the school in a non-insane way, have a kid that interviews tolerably well (low bar), and are full pay, most hit their first or second choice in my experience. Not 100%, there is some randomness in the process, but more than half. The results aren’t nearly as random as they were when we applied out from preschool. There, the results were much, much more random and not that many people hit their first choice among people I knew. If you are looking for financial aid, though, matching from a K8 to a K12 with a similar amount of money can be more difficult I have heard.

No way!

This is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But why wait until 8th grade to “take advantage” of the sibling preference? Our older child is at a Big 3 and we’re going to apply for the younger sibling at the next entry year. Definitely not waiting until 9th grade admissions.

They wait because want their children at a k8 model, because other than the stress of applying to HS isn't a good thing...and they wait because they can...once oldest sibling is in Big 3/5, or if parent went there themselves, they know that younger siblings will highly likely get in also. It is a real thing most young parents looking at starting at k8s never think of. The exmissions results for your child greatly depend on how many sibling applicants will be in their cohort more than your child's actual stats/abilities, etc. It really is a numbers game in this sense. If you have a lot of only children and first born kids in your child's cohort, and your child is a strong student, you have a better shot at Big 3/5 than if there are multiple younger siblings in your child's grade who currently have older siblings at STA, GDS, etc. Those kids get in every time, even if they are not the stronger students, and take the opportunity slots from their sometimes more qualified peers. The school will not tell you this if you have a strong applicant type child. They will encourage your child to apply and then your child will likely be waitlisted while the sibling peer gets in. If you really want Big 3/5 for HS apply for K and then again in 3rd and 6th, if necessary. You can always change from one Big 3/5 to another for HS, if you want, but then you know you have the option of staying also.
Just my observations from seeing how this has played out over the past number of years at my kids' k8. So many kids in my daughter's graduating class did not get their first or second choice school, but admissions keeps saying that happens at admissions events. I don't think that is uncommon.

I am surprised to hear that GDS and STA give so much weight to sibling preference, instead of merit. Really seems contrary to their missions. About five years ago Georgetown Prep began turning down some sibling applications in favor of stronger applicants. I had just assumed that this was common practice everywhere by now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The main problem with the K to 12 model is at grade 9 only the highest quality candidates enter that are hand picked by admissions. This is great for the school but where does that leave your average kid who has been there since K when applying for college? Bottom of class rankings.

Yet those bottom of the class Big 3 graduates are still virtually assured admission at most Top 50 to Top 100 colleges, whereas that is no longer a sure thing coming from a public high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But why wait until 8th grade to “take advantage” of the sibling preference? Our older child is at a Big 3 and we’re going to apply for the younger sibling at the next entry year. Definitely not waiting until 9th grade admissions.

So, you don’t like your current school. Got it.

More like, our current school ends before 8th grade so why wouldn't we apply to the sibling's school instead of looking for a new school?

So you have to apply for either a k-8 or a k-12? If you aren’t in a k-8, of course you need to apply before 8th. How is this relevant to those in a k-8?

No, there are also some wonderful K-3s, like Concord Hill in Bethesda, among others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We like the K-8 model. Looking at St.Patrick’s, Norwood, Sheridan. We are wondering if one is best for high school placement or preparedness?

I know Woods isn’t on your list but they have done a great job with outplacement. We are going thru it now. They really focus on fit. Kids end up at a variety of schools…Good Luck…https://www.woodsacademy.org/academics/high-school-placement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of them can claim amazing placements last year unless the kid was a sibling applicant, or legacy, etc.
luck of the draw if your kid is in a cohort or not with sibling applicants applying to same HS. The siblings get preferential admissions every time. Even at schools that claim otherwise.

Totally incorrect at our K-8. It was a good year and there were several students admitted to Big 3 with no sibling or legacy preference. I can think of a couple who did have connections to GDS and St. John’s.

St John’s isn’t that hard compared to the Big 3/5
And how many unhooked kids -this does not have to be just siblings/legacy- got into Sidwell sta/NCS Potomac or GDS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The main problem with the K to 12 model is at grade 9 only the highest quality candidates enter that are hand picked by admissions. This is great for the school but where does that leave your average kid who has been there since K when applying for college? Bottom of class rankings.

Yet those bottom of the class Big 3 graduates are still virtually assured admission at most Top 50 to Top 100 colleges, whereas that is no longer a sure thing coming from a public high school.

That was never a sure thing in public high school. The kids at the bottom, as you put it, go to community college or don’t go at all. That’s not comparing apples to apples at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burke and especially field are super easy to get into. field takes anyone who can pay. That's not to say that there aren't smart kids at both.

Your comment is generalized, unsubstantiated, and simply wrong. Field does turn away students that are not a good fit. We know people that were turned away. And yes, we do have a smart kid at Field with smart friends. They will go to excellent universities. We chose Field over some other really good schools because we felt our child would thrive at a smaller, nurturing, progressive school where they focus on critical thinking and collaborative learning. It was that simple.

Burke and Field have a mix of learners. No one should generalize about the intelligence of the kids at a certain school. They do turn people away because they always have more applications than spots. But most people I know who have applied to Burke have gotten in and have been happy.

[Anonymous]

Yes, if you are looking for a “safety” Burke and Field are good choices. Kids who graduate at the top of their classes from those schools can go on to very good colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is of note, too, that elementary schools will work harder to assure that they're top donors are placed in their first choice schools, regardless of whether that high school is a good fit for the kid. I know that this is an issue for the Big 3s as they try and manage their relationships with elementary schools.

Sorry bumped into this only now. It is quite sad to read all of these posts (donors, legacies, rich people gaming the system, etc).
At the end it is all about money. But will richness buy a good education? Maybe and maybe not. There is, after all, no designed path to be a creative artist or an innovative scientist who makes a good impact on the world. There might be one path for the lawyers for consultants, though, if that is what you aim for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is of note, too, that elementary schools will work harder to assure that they're top donors are placed in their first choice schools, regardless of whether that high school is a good fit for the kid. I know that this is an issue for the Big 3s as they try and manage their relationships with elementary schools.

Sorry bumped into this only now. It is quite sad to read all of these posts (donors, legacies, rich people gaming the system, etc).
At the end it is all about money. But will richness buy a good education? Maybe and maybe not. There is, after all, no designed path to be a creative artist or an innovative scientist who makes a good impact on the world. There might be one path for the lawyers for consultants, though, if that is what you aim for your kids.

This follows through to college admissions, by the way. Those same head scratcher Big 3 admits (or got of WL ones) become head scratcher Ivy admits. Those cases are all about $/power. We have always wondered about how the student feels in the couple of cases we know about. Both kids we knew were on the quiet, quirky, introverted side - they must know that their parents were the ones that got them into those colleges because their grades and rigor were not even close to top 50%.