Are kids from day care centers less attractive to admissions teams?

[Anonymous]

If so, why?
I seem to get that vibe on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

DWIW, we had two kids at a daycare and they are both at a "big three",

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DWIW, we had two kids at a daycare and they are both at a "big three",

I share the OP's concern and I am very relieved to read your response. You reinstate common sense in the perception of a school application process that has become simply absurd.

[Anonymous]

yes, it's harder

[Anonymous]

Another day care family grad here. 2 at the Big Three. The disadvantage to day care is you that it is unlikely to "feed" to any one private. Also, depending on the day care's "academic" component, your DC might not be getting the "rigor," or at least the course designed work to prep for the WPPSI. Certainly coming from a day care situation is preferable, from an admission's point of view, than not having any prior day care or pre-school experience. So much of the admission's assessment is based on DC's prior "socialization" and inter-personal skills (i.e., not going to be a discpline issue, not going to be crying for mommy at lunchtime or otherwise). While there are a select few of the "feeder" pre-schools out there, a day care grad is truly not less attractive to the admissions teams. By the way, I have also seen a trend of declining numbers of admitees from the fancy feeder pre-schools, in favor of the lesser known pre-schools and day cares.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, depending on the day care's "academic" component, your DC might not be getting the "rigor," or at least the course designed work to prep for the WPPSI.

I don't believe any preschool has work that is designed to prep for the WPPSI. Any good preschool--and for that matter, any good daycare--will offer lots of enriching, stimulating activities that will help children learn skills that will ultimately help them on the WPPSI, but there is no special "WPPSI curriculum." (And a school were to offer one, I would run as fast as possible in the opposite direction.)

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP. Sounds like 7:50 is yet another one of those DC parents who treats the pre-school admissions process as though kids were applying to Ivy League colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP. Sounds like 7:50 is yet another one of those DC parents who treats the pre-school admissions process as though kids were applying to Ivy League colleges.

Well, frankly, it is not unlike the college admissions process. While only true for a few of the DC privates, getting into one (Beauvoir-STA-NCS, Sidwell, GDS) almost always will result in a brand name college.

As for the WPPSI prep, it's absolutely true that the feeder schools engage in it. Of course it's not termed WPPSI prep. But you'll find an inordinate number of mazes, verbal logical exercises, etc. ramped up right around the testing time. The bottom line is that these feeder schools know what's going to be on the WPPSI generally, and gear their curriculum accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Well then you would be pleased to know that tehre are no mazes or verbal logical exercises on the WPPSI and testing time can vary from child to child. It's call an appointment. What kind of hysteria are you trying to spread.

[Anonymous]

Private preschool kids have an advantage because they a) often have an established relationship with area private schools b) have directors/admissions/staff who know directors/admissions/staff at private schools on first name, friendly basis c) many private preschool directors (or admission reps) personally go out each year and 'talk up' their kids to private schools.

So YES, it is harder to get a daycare kid into a private school.

[Anonymous]

Also, right or wrong, daycare is often inexplicably linked to "under-priviledged" or considered "less-than" in comparision to a child who was with a SAHM or Nanny and then went the part-time preschool route. Its a mis-perception in many cases but the stigma persists from past generations. It is partly elitism and that often rears its head in the private school admissions game. ADs are as susceptible to stereotypes and gross generalities as is the general public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private preschool kids have an advantage because they a) often have an established relationship with area private schools b) have directors/admissions/staff who know directors/admissions/staff at private schools on first name, friendly basis c) many private preschool directors (or admission reps) personally go out each year and 'talk up' their kids to private schools.

So YES, it is harder to get a daycare kid into a private school.

Yes, absolutely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private preschool kids have an advantage because they a) often have an established relationship with area private schools b) have directors/admissions/staff who know directors/admissions/staff at private schools on first name, friendly basis c) many private preschool directors (or admission reps) personally go out each year and 'talk up' their kids to private schools.

So YES, it is harder to get a daycare kid into a private school.

Yes, absolutely.

So, in nutshell, two cheers for top private schools' openness to diversity of all sorts, bla bla bla. What a sick environment, really...

[Anonymous]

As PP stated, it's human nature. AD's stick with what/who they know--kids who come from quality 'named' private preschools in the area--feeling they are well prepared with pre-academics and social skills. Many daycares do offer a strong curriculum, but don't require teachers (staff) to hold degrees in education. Many area preschools even require head teacher to hold advanced degree in education, and assistant teacher to have at the least a BA in education. A daycare, let's face it, will only require the 90-hr certificate--which anyone can obtain.

[Anonymous]

I think it is harder, yes.

I don't think people want to hear that, but it is the truth. The ratio of acceptances to applications for those coming from a good preschool will be higher than the ratio for those coming from daycare (even a good one).

But in the end, what's the big deal if you don't get into Beauvoir, for example? Too much hype on the whole thing. Yes, you have an advantage at one of the big preschools. But do you really care about that advantage?