admitted to private from DCPS?

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering based on discussions from the DC Public School thread, how often it really happens that kids are admitted from local DC public schools to a strong area private school.

If your child initially attended a DCPS school and now attends private could you please share --

1) from what DCPS
2) to what private
3) at what grade
4) if you believe there was some special reason your child was admitted beyond the normal good grades, nice kid, good fit -- like extreme accomplishment in one area (i.e. sports, music, etc.)
5) whether you had any special connections to the school -- sibling or alum status
6) are you glad you made this choice?

Or maybe admitted folks can share info about student composition of their entering class at a particular year?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering based on discussions from the DC Public School thread, how often it really happens that kids are admitted from local DC public schools to a strong area private school.

If your child initially attended a DCPS school and now attends private could you please share --

1) from what DCPS
2) to what private
3) at what grade
4) if you believe there was some special reason your child was admitted beyond the normal good grades, nice kid, good fit -- like extreme accomplishment in one area (i.e. sports, music, etc.)
5) whether you had any special connections to the school -- sibling or alum status
6) are you glad you made this choice?

Or maybe admitted folks can share info about student composition of their entering class at a particular year?

Thanks!

1-Hearst
2-NCS
3-4th
4-tested in 99th percentile in all tests, great recommendations
5-no sibling/alum status
6-NOPE

[Anonymous]

I'm not comfortable sharing the details but I will tell you that my dd made the switch from a DCPS magnet high school to a respectable private school (not the big 3 or 4). No special connections except that she had a friend at the new school (but not a famous or powerful or rich one). Not great grades but she's a good writer and brought a bit of diversity with her -- but I wouldn't say she had "extreme" accomplishment in one area. She is also white and non-Hispanic.

I'm glad we made the choice because she is happier at the new school and gets a lot more attention from the faculty. However, for all the problems with her previous school, she left a strong program that was not replicated at her new school and I still miss it. She will be better educated overall but less developed in that one particular area. She will also be less competitive to get into college.

But having a child who wants to go to school every day is well worth losing a good professional program.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell admits a great many kids from DCPS at the middle/upper grades. I actually think they take more from public than private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell admits a great many kids from DCPS at the middle/upper grades. I actually think they take more from public than private.

What about STA?

[Anonymous]

1-Hearst
2-NCS
3-4th
4-tested in 99th percentile in all tests, great recommendations
5-no sibling/alum status
6-NOPE

Why aren't you glad to have make this switch? What would have been your alternative?

[Anonymous]

There's a sizeable group of kids admitted to Sidwell in the middle and upper school who come from DCPS, MCPS and Arlington public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

1-Hearst
2-NCS
3-4th
4-tested in 99th percentile in all tests, great recommendations
5-no sibling/alum status
6-NOPE

Why aren't you glad to have make this switch? What would have been your alternative?


We expected that our dd would have been intellectually challenged at NCS. Shocked at the amount of busy work given and lack of faculty consistency. It's clear that they're saving money by hiring young teachers with no or limited teaching experience. In hindsight, dd probably would have been just fine eventually prepping at Wilson with a few summer enrichment programs thrown in. We should have pulled her out after year 1, but thought keeping her there was the better alternative. Seriously considering relocating.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I didn't ask the question, but appreciate the answer. And, if you have the time, quick yes or no -- were you relatively pleased with her education at Hearst (I will assume from your answer above that enrichment was provided in certain areas while she was at Hearst)? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I'm the immediate pp and meant to add that i am sorry you aren't happy where your daughter is now and good luck with your choice. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I didn't ask the question, but appreciate the answer. And, if you have the time, quick yes or no -- were you relatively pleased with her education at Hearst (I will assume from your answer above that enrichment was provided in certain areas while she was at Hearst)? Thanks.

10:36 here, not the person whose child went to Hearst so I can't answer for that pp but in our experience it was in the upper grades where enrichment was necessary, not elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I didn't ask the question, but appreciate the answer. And, if you have the time, quick yes or no -- were you relatively pleased with her education at Hearst (I will assume from your answer above that enrichment was provided in certain areas while she was at Hearst)? Thanks.

Yes, we were pleased with Hearst. Good luck with your search.

[Anonymous]

1) from what DCPS
2) to what private
3) at what grade
4) if you believe there was some special reason your child was admitted beyond the normal good grades, nice kid, good fit -- like extreme accomplishment in one area (i.e. sports, music, etc.)
5) whether you had any special connections to the school -- sibling or alum status
6) are you glad you made this choice?

Many kids at Lafayette go to private school in 7th grade (it will be 6th grade next year). While most in the class go to Deal, anybody who wanted to go private got in somewhere and the school routinely sends to Sidwell, Maret, GDS, St. Alban's, Holton, Field, etc. My DC made the swtich this year (for 7th) and has had no problems fitting in, doing well and enjoying school. We are "normal" DC types with no connections. Personally, my feeling has always been that if you have a decent to good elementary school and your child has no special needs, than your best best is to save your money as long as possible and wait until middle or high school.

[Anonymous]

Lots of kids get into excellent privates from DCPS every year; my kids did, and so did many of my friends'. At Murch in the last couple of years, kids have gone to Sidwell, NCS, Landon, GDS, Edmund Burke, St. Albans, Maret, and WIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of kids get into excellent privates from DCPS every year; my kids did, and so did many of my friends'. At Murch in the last couple of years, kids have gone to Sidwell, NCS, Landon, GDS, Edmund Burke, St. Albans, Maret, and WIS.

I know students who were better prepared for privates from DCPS and charter schools than from FCPS so save your cash for high school.