School Without Walls interviews

[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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

It doesn’t have to be 8th grade. It can be 7th or 8th. Or just has to be one ELA teacher and one math teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

It doesn’t have to be 8th grade. It can be 7th or 8th. Or just has to be one ELA teacher and one math teacher.

Sorry typo - IT just has to be one math teacher and one ELA teacher but it doesn’t have to be from 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Glad someone asked here. With interviews slated to start next weekend and the weekend after, I was getting a little nervous since we haven’t heard anything.

[Anonymous]

Has still no one heard??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has still no one heard??

If they follow the same timeline as last year, we won’t hear anything for another week.

[Anonymous]

What about for transfer students? Are they on the same interview schedule, say if you apply as an incoming sophomore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

It doesn’t have to be 8th grade. It can be 7th or 8th. Or just has to be one ELA teacher and one math teacher.

Sorry typo - IT just has to be one math teacher and one ELA teacher but it doesn’t have to be from 8th grade.

They ask for 8th grade teachers. Maybe they are flexible, but the instructions say 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

It doesn’t have to be 8th grade. It can be 7th or 8th. Or just has to be one ELA teacher and one math teacher.

Sorry typo - IT just has to be one math teacher and one ELA teacher but it doesn’t have to be from 8th grade.

They ask for 8th grade teachers. Maybe they are flexible, but the instructions say 8th grade.

Yes. That was my recollection.

[Anonymous]

My recollection from last year was that it had to be the 8th grader's *current* math and ELA teachers.

[Anonymous]

Can't speak to prior years, but this year they definitely accepted 7th or 8th grade teacher recommendations.