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

[Anonymous]

Why the "um"? Do you want to diminish what someone else has said? Please don't use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haven't you ever spent time in a daycare vs. a preschool? HUGE difference, unless you are talking about a daycare/nursery set-up like Georgetown Hill. Like PP stated, the teachers' backgrounds/experience, curriculum, and the ability to not accept kids who are not ready for pre-academics or a structured environment all allow for a private preschool to better prepare a kid for a private elementary program. Like it or not, it's the truth.

Would you say the same about a daycare run by a local university for the children of faculty and staff members? Mine is a genuine question. We might have this option but we are trying to understand whether we are making the right choice for our child, considering that we are also considering private schools when our child has the right age for pre-k or K. Thanks.

I have a lot of experience observing a university-based childcare program that is Reggio Emilia-based. Priority is for students first, then faculty and staff. Priority is also based on income, and higher-income faculty and staff are less able to get in. I was never able to get my child in. It's a high-quality program. Staff tend to be students in early childhood education at the university. It is also NAEYC accredited; few facilities are. I would evaluate the program in the same way you would evaluate any childcare option and make your initial decision based on that. If you are concerned primarily about preparation for school, it will probably be fine. If you want a feeder option because you plan to go the independent school route, you might decide differently. Here things seem to rest so much on perceptions, and a program that's perceived as more daycare than preschool probably loses out in the perception arena. But if your concern is preparation for public school, I'm sure it would be a fine option.

[Anonymous]

19:01 here. Just wanted to say these are my perceptions, for what (little) they're worth. Not gleaming gospel. Good luck with your decision.

[Anonymous]

Um, not if you want to attend a 'top' private school program in this area.

[Anonymous]

PP meant to reply to poster who is the expert on what 'all kids need' to attend any K program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haven't you ever spent time in a daycare vs. a preschool? HUGE difference, unless you are talking about a daycare/nursery set-up like Georgetown Hill. Like PP stated, the teachers' backgrounds/experience, curriculum, and the ability to not accept kids who are not ready for pre-academics or a structured environment all allow for a private preschool to better prepare a kid for a private elementary program. Like it or not, it's the truth.

Um, all these kids need to start K is a basic understanding of numbers up to 10 or 20, and ABC's letters and their sounds, some shapes, and of course colors. A few Baby Einsteins and Leap Frog Talking Letters Factory will take care of that.

For clarification, do you mean knowing numbers and the ABCs and sounds is what the private schools are looking for to start K?

[Anonymous]

Original poster, I hope this gives you a positive outlook:
My son attended a FAMILY DAYCARE (daycare in a home) until we applied to 3 private schools for K.
We applied to 2 of the big 3 and 1 other school. Son was accepted at 2 of the schools and waited listed at the 3rd...SIDWELL! We had a phenomenal family daycare and were happy with our kids there until K (stop gasping people). As long as parents are challenging kids from a young age and have them in an educational environment (daycare center, family daycare home, nanny, etc.), you have just as much chance as these absurdly anxious parents who start the ivy league track at age 2.

[Anonymous]

22:26, where is this home daycare located? what city or county?

[Anonymous]

There was a thread a long time ago which suggested that daycare kids don't get into top schools. It says, and I quote:

Anonymous wrote:


1. Daycare. They don’t take’m. Exceptions, but basically, don’t look to Beauvoir or Sidwell if your kids are in daycare. Nannies and preschools, please.

2. Diversity. They want the right kind. Color is fine, socioeconomic is fine. But you better be educated. They don’t want kids of non college-educated parents.

3. Donations. Always welcome. Your money won’t buy your way into the school, but it opens a window.

4. Drive. You need to want it bad. Do your homework folks!

So I don't know whether that person was really in the know, but there was clearly an anti daycare bias. And I wonder whether that applies to schools too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why the "um"? Do you want to diminish what someone else has said? Please don't use it.

You can't make us stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Original poster, I hope this gives you a positive outlook:
My son attended a FAMILY DAYCARE (daycare in a home) until we applied to 3 private schools for K.
We applied to 2 of the big 3 and 1 other school. Son was accepted at 2 of the schools and waited listed at the 3rd...SIDWELL! We had a phenomenal family daycare and were happy with our kids there until K (stop gasping people). As long as parents are challenging kids from a young age and have them in an educational environment (daycare center, family daycare home, nanny, etc.), you have just as much chance as these absurdly anxious parents who start the ivy league track at age 2.

I agree wholeheartedly. The toddlers also need (emotional, artistic, academic) support at home.

On a Friday night, my DH and I saw a kid about 8-10 yo sitting in one of those SCORE places sitting in front of a computer all by himself. The place was empty except for him and I didn't see a parent. He looked lonely and it was a sad sight.