SWW Interviews SY 23-24 Actual Experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents are very anxious right now-private school decisions(and all that goes with them), Walls interviews, etc. Bad timing often leads to a less than desired outcome. Maybe after the lottery results some will chime in.

This is a reasonable response. You aren't blaming OP for being on the receiving end and offering an explanation for the vitriol.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OP here. My kid is in MS; not 8th grade (hence, no application this year). We are trying to decide whether to move to private or stick it out in DC at charters. The changes in SWW over the past year or so have thrown me. I used to think SWW was pulling the best of the best. The reports from last year scared me. Heavily weighted 5 minute "interviews" with no standardization, where sometimes teens are there by themselves and the subjective standard is "we know it when we see it" make me wonder whether SWW will, in 2 years, be what I believed it to be. That's why I asked.

I would suggest that all the people who replied thinking this was some sort of conspiracy or attempt to get an advantage might want to look in the mirror. There's something broken inside you. I sincerely pray that your kids don't inherit your insecurities.

Thanks to others who were willing to reply.

If this is the case, read the other threads about current experiences by students and the school. The interview process won't give you any insight.

-Parent of current Walls Freshman

Equal parts unhelpful and incorrect. Last year was the first time they tried to rely heavily on interviews. It seems to not have been executed consistently or well. Reports on DCUM of 2 minute interviews and inconsistent attendance by kids/parents/teachers. One would hope that SWW would get better at this. One would also expect SWW to refine their process over time. For those reasons my question was not about last year, it was limited to this year's experience.

I asked about the interview process because I am interested in the interview process. It seems weird to me that you would suggest that hearing about the interview process won't inform my view and understanding of the interview process. I explained in an earlier reply why the interview process is important to addressing my concerns about SWW becoming less about attracting the strongest students and becoming more focused on "the right kind of student" (whatever the heck that means). Refinement and improvement in the process would give me comfort that it remains focused on being a strong school focused on academics.

As a current parent also, very short sighted in general. The interview process is merely a screening tool that one gets too if they meet the GPA requirement. It does not address any of the following right NOW:

-Has the quality of student been diminished?

-How rigorous is it in comparison to before?

-Any impact on the culture of the school?

That's only three things but keep focusing on the "interview." You have no idea what you don't know. Listening to DCUM will get you a whole lot of wrong info. The former parent was trying to help you in a nice way. It's clear that you're tone deaf.

Your response is nonsensical.

"Screening tool"? Of course it is. No one suggested it was primary to GPA. The point is that once you get past that gate the interview is what separates the mass of kids with the minimum GPA from all others. It's just dumb to minimize the impact of the interview on the process.

Moving from a test to an interview could surely diminish student quality and the culture. We won't know for a couple of years. Those are all dependent on the caliber of admitted kids, and that is impacted in part by the interview.

Seems to me you are REALLY defensive about whether your kid is at a school as good as SWW used to be. Your lack of confidence is telling.

😂😂😂...Can lead a horse to water but.....

86% of the scoring rubric. https://enrolldcps.dc.gov/sites/dcpsenrollment/files/page_content/attachments/SY22-23%20SWW_Admission%20Process%20Rubric_final_0.pdf

This year it is %100 because grade cut off was 3.87 = every interviewed student gets same "score" for GPA (5 points).

I'm OP. So, to summarize, all the people who lectured me that the interview was a non-issue or something I was paying too much attention to had it 100% backwards. As measured against all other kids who pass the GPA gate, the interview is 100% the determinative factor.

My favorite part about DCUM isn't that people post incorrect information, it's that they do it with hubris, aggression and condescension.

OP people told you that the selection is in progress, kids did the interview last Saturday and other kids will do it on March 11, since you are not parent of a kid who applied but want to know "just for future plans", you can wait until next week. it's that simple.

Actually, no. Some people replied to say that. I actually replied to one of those posts saying I though it was a reasonable point. Some (most) of the responses dismissed the importance of the interview process. Some told me to read previous year's posts (missing the point entirely). I just bet you were one of the follower mean girls in MS and HS who just agreed with the queen B.

NP but I assume you are a troll or a HS student yourself based on the tone of your post. At least I hope you aren’t actually raising children.

LOL. DCUM is middle school. Packs attack individuals and others crowd around to tell the person attacked they had some nerve making people attack them. The kids I feel sorry for are the ones whose parents immediately assumed other parents were trying to get over on them and lashed out. What kind of person thinks that's a default assumption?

And still no discussion of whether interviews seem better organized and structured this year. Which was what the original question was. Which was in my estimation a reasonable question. By all means just ignore that part of the discussion.

Just not turning out the way OP wanted, I guess.

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When they asked a pretty simple question about interview experiences I am certain they did not expect to get savaged. Agreed.