Forum Index
»
DC Public and Public Charter Schools
We want to move soon-- are there consultants to help us pick neighborhoods based on school options?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
We currently live in a condo with an infant, which is fine for now, but we anticipate wanting more space when she gets a little bigger. I'd like to start thinking now about where we might want to live so that we have 2+ years to really look and find a house that meets our needs. I want to factor in all of the school options (pre K-high school, public, charter, Montesorri, etc.) into our decision. I realize I can research all of the schools myself, but I'm guessing that there are professionals out there who are experts at this kind of thing, and rather than reinventing the wheel I'd rather just pay someone to help us. Can anyone recommend someone who does this kind of work?
Thanks! |
Anonymous
| Georgia Irvin |
Anonymous
Do they work with infants? Get a good realtor until your DC can feed herself. Go to the private school forum. |
Anonymous
| We hired Georgia Irvin to help us with the same questions, and IMHO you pay a lot of money for fairly generic information. I would get a copy of her book, identify a handful of neighborhoods with the help of neighbors, realtors, DCUM, etc,. and do your own research. Good luck. |
Anonymous
|
Do you want to stay in the District?
Do you want to stay in the public school/charter school system? If the answer is yes to both of these questions than don't bother with a consultant. The parents on this board can give you as good of answers as any consultant. |
Anonymous
| If you're in DC and want to go DCPS, then you don't need a consultant; this board and talking to other parents will give you all the info you need. If you're looking at privates, then maybe (although I don't think they're worth it). If you're not in DC, I got nothin'. |
Anonymous
Do you want to stay in the district? |
Anonymous
|
If you're comfortable with the space you have and can wait a while to move, you might want to consider waiting until you know a little bit more about your child's personality. Sure, an expert (or the parents on this board) can tell you a lot about the schools around town, but the kind of learner your child is shaping up to be could influence your opinions of what you want in a school. An expert can't really say whether Janney, Maret, GDS, or Oyster is the best school for an infant.
Also, it might be worthwhile to do a little research with a financial planner to figure out whether you'd rather put your $$ into a house in a great school district or into private school or a combination of both. A planner can give you a realistic sense of where that choice will put you, and what it leaves for college and retirement savings. It also makes sense to talk to a realtor who can show you the kind of housing stock in your price range around the schools that might interest you. From there, you can decide whether you realistically can/want to choose a specific school district or would rather have a different home or lifestyle than the district affords. For example, you might like Lafayette School (good school) but find that the neighborhood isn't urban / walkable enough for your tastes after the condo, or like Hyde (also good!) but decide that you wouldn't get enough house for your money. Or you could fall in love with the housing stock in a neighborhood where you don't love the school but save enough $$ on your mortgage that private school works for your budget. We waited until my daughter was four, talked to a financial planner, and visited homes with our realtors before choosing a home in a DC district where the public school looks like the kind of place where my daughter will thrive-- something that's easier to assess after two years of preschool (but by no means a sure thing) than it was when she was a baby. I hope that we were right, but there's no way to know whether, as she grows, this will be the "perfect" school. That's why I'm glad that we also chose a house and neighborhood that I like even aside from the good school. If she ends up liking a magnet program or private school better, we won't have buyers' remorse. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| PP, good advice. |
Anonymous
|
OP-have you addressed more immediate issues like pre-school Open House season-which starts now-and potty training?
Check out the preschool thread for a preview of the craziness to come. 
Hope you find what you're looking for. |
Anonymous
|
There is a new group on the scene called Metropolitan Educational Consulting Group. The group is made up of 3 former Admissions Directors from 3 of the areas top schools. I suggest that you give them a call and see if they are a good fit for your needs.
Call Jeanie Carr on 202-255-4458 or email at jcarr@mec-group.org. |