Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?

[Anonymous]

Go public. Privates are overcrowded in HS and provide a poor value for money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The private might be in VA, hence the commute. That would mean you can go to VA state schools as an in-state student even though you are OOS?

But School Without Walls is a DC PUBLIC school. You can’t be in-state for both DC and VA.

Yes, hence the above question. How can a student be eligible to attend Walls and get in-state tuition rates at a VA university?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College placement stats for "Walls" are fantastic...

http://www.swwhs.org/student-news/college-matriculation/

It's a shame they haven't updated these. My DC graduated from SWW last year and after seeing some snarky comments about the college admissions rates, I looked up three years' worth of data on Naviance. Roughly 6-8% of the class over the past three years has been admitted to an Ivy, including the full range of HYP. The numbers were especially impressive to me because most of them were *not* ED, because many of the kids can't afford to apply without being able to compare financial aid packages and don't have a legacy boost. I did a quick search but can't find my original post, while included specific #s.

I second this. I know kids from the last three graduating classes and two from about 5-6 years ago that declined top schools because they couldn't afford to enroll. 3 of these kids ended up at GW. Two of them were truly exceptional students and are now in excellent PhD programs. So counting "HYP" admits (hate that asinine shorthand) is stupid, not to mention comparing these stats to those from schools like Sidwell and GDS where most parents can afford to send their children anywhere they get in. I would know, I am one of those parents.

Could a SWW parent here please post the last three years SWW college acceptance list? That would be so helpful!

The only point of admissions data is so you know that IF your kid has the chops, they could get in because those colleges have accepted students from that school before. This means, if your kid has the chops, they can get into those college from ANY high school in the area. So choose the high school for the high school. Colleges are choosing the kid for the kid, not because of where they go to high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The private might be in VA, hence the commute. That would mean you can go to VA state schools as an in-state student even though you are OOS?

No. You have to be a VA resident to get in state tuition at VA colleges. Just attending high school there does not make you in state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grandson started at SWW but switched to Jackson Reed(

Why are you reviving a 5 year old thread? The people commenting here were making decisions for kids who are now in college and a LOT has changed in the world since then, in both college admissions and the Walls admissions process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The private might be in VA, hence the commute. That would mean you can go to VA state schools as an in-state student even though you are OOS?

No. You have to be a VA resident to get in state tuition at VA colleges. Just attending high school there does not make you in state.

This. The pp who bumped this thread is incorrect in their belief that attending a VA private school gives them access to in-state tuition for VA public colleges. Not even boarding schools, which are still not considered a permanent domicile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grandson started at SWW but switched to Jackson Reed(

Why are you reviving a 5 year old thread? The people commenting here were making decisions for kids who are now in college and a LOT has changed in the world since then, in both college admissions and the Walls admissions process.

That’s not the person who bumped it most recently. Look a post or two past that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just read this thread, as we are facing the same choice. College admissions stats don't matter to me. That said, an academically motivated and highly capable cohort is something DC wants, for the intellectual challenge. But having a nice all-around experience is also very important.

The school setting, community feel, more holistic approach, and teacher enthusiasm and engagement we saw on our visits were much more appealing at the private. However the longer travel distance and earlier start time at the private would mean getting up 1.5 hours earlier, and DC is not a morning person. That's probably the biggest concern, though it's possible the difference could be cancelled out if SWW is more of a grind and saps more energy (I read on Niche that stress level is high at SWW). The cost is not the ultimate deciding factor, but saving that tuition would be nice, all else being equal.

Another consideration is that going to the private would mean being eligible for in-state admissions and tuition at a Virginia university (I've checked the rules), if DC decides to go that route, and the savings in college tuition could end up far exceeding the private school tuition outlay. But how choices after high school might play out is an unknown right now.

WWYD in this situation?

Please provide a link to the rules that say a student at a VA private school who lives in another state is eligible for in-state tuition at VA public universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the other hand, there are a range of free opportunities (global travel, scholarships) that are offered to DCPS students only. The money you see will cover any other opportunity. SWW plus significant travel plus money for lessons and other enrichment can add up to a really well-rounded successful, highly recruited kid.

Yes, but the education 8-3 is not close to the same level. While most people seriously considering very top independent schools already do significant travel, lessons and other enrichment— in addition to the superior education.

I would never screw my teenager out of that better product if I could afford it. If you can’t really afford it then that’s a different question. But the OP didn’t ask that question.

I get why people like to make this assumption, but it's just not true. The teachers in DCPS are generally more qualified, better paid, and have more training in teaching itself. What holds public school back is not the teachers, but students below grade level, which does not apply to Walls.

There are other negatives in being in DCPS, but for Walls, education level is not one of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the other hand, there are a range of free opportunities (global travel, scholarships) that are offered to DCPS students only. The money you see will cover any other opportunity. SWW plus significant travel plus money for lessons and other enrichment can add up to a really well-rounded successful, highly recruited kid.

Yes, but the education 8-3 is not close to the same level. While most people seriously considering very top independent schools already do significant travel, lessons and other enrichment— in addition to the superior education.

I would never screw my teenager out of that better product if I could afford it. If you can’t really afford it then that’s a different question. But the OP didn’t ask that question.

I get why people like to make this assumption, but it's just not true. The teachers in DCPS are generally more qualified, better paid, and have more training in teaching itself. What holds public school back is not the teachers, but students below grade level, which does not apply to Walls.

There are other negatives in being in DCPS, but for Walls, education level is not one of them.

The top things that hold Walls back, compared to top private schools, are:

1. The facilities;
2. Funding (not subject to DCPS’ budgetary constraints) that ensures teachers are available in a range of subjects and academic levels (eg, language, science, art, music, etc);
3. Fully funded extracurriculars (including sports, theater, school clubs, etc); and
4. Students who have a lower academic floor because they come from a wider range of socioeconomic backgrounds and they don’t have the resources to “catch up” to more affluent classmates (tutors, travel, academic enrichment, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the other hand, there are a range of free opportunities (global travel, scholarships) that are offered to DCPS students only. The money you see will cover any other opportunity. SWW plus significant travel plus money for lessons and other enrichment can add up to a really well-rounded successful, highly recruited kid.

Yes, but the education 8-3 is not close to the same level. While most people seriously considering very top independent schools already do significant travel, lessons and other enrichment— in addition to the superior education.

I would never screw my teenager out of that better product if I could afford it. If you can’t really afford it then that’s a different question. But the OP didn’t ask that question.

I get why people like to make this assumption, but it's just not true. The teachers in DCPS are generally more qualified, better paid, and have more training in teaching itself. What holds public school back is not the teachers, but students below grade level, which does not apply to Walls.

There are other negatives in being in DCPS, but for Walls, education level is not one of them.

The top things that hold Walls back, compared to top private schools, are:

1. The facilities;
2. Funding (not subject to DCPS’ budgetary constraints) that ensures teachers are available in a range of subjects and academic levels (eg, language, science, art, music, etc);
3. Fully funded extracurriculars (including sports, theater, school clubs, etc); and
4. Students who have a lower academic floor because they come from a wider range of socioeconomic backgrounds and they don’t have the resources to “catch up” to more affluent classmates (tutors, travel, academic enrichment, etc).

PP here, and I agree with most of that. Things in Walls favor are...
- True, not faux, diversity and the dynamism that results from that
- Related to above, less social and economic competition
- No overlay of religion or social ideology; it's just school!
-

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SWW decisions will come out Friday 3/29. Question for families already accepted and enrolled at privates: assuming you are accepted at SWW, do you see yourself choosing SWW over the private high school in which you are already enrolled? How would you compare SWW with the area's top private high schools? (You don't need to remind me that SWW is free, I know that.)

No, I wouldn’t choose Walls over Sidwell, GDS, or Maret. My answer isn’t as automatic for other private schools (case-by-case).

[Anonymous]

I would probably save the money on private school and pick Walls. If your kid gets straight A's at walls (which is easier to do than elite private school) then he will be set up well for college admissions.

Walls also has the partner program with GWU, which allows your kid to take college courses if they truly want.

[Anonymous]

I think this is a tricky time to pick Walls with the DC budget shortfall and the administration looking to exert control over DC. Walls has lost and had to fight back for teachers in recent years and that may be worse over the next four years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read this thread, as we are facing the same choice. College admissions stats don't matter to me. That said, an academically motivated and highly capable cohort is something DC wants, for the intellectual challenge. But having a nice all-around experience is also very important.

The school setting, community feel, more holistic approach, and teacher enthusiasm and engagement we saw on our visits were much more appealing at the private. However the longer travel distance and earlier start time at the private would mean getting up 1.5 hours earlier, and DC is not a morning person. That's probably the biggest concern, though it's possible the difference could be cancelled out if SWW is more of a grind and saps more energy (I read on Niche that stress level is high at SWW). The cost is not the ultimate deciding factor, but saving that tuition would be nice, all else being equal.

Another consideration is that going to the private would mean being eligible for in-state admissions and tuition at a Virginia university (I've checked the rules), if DC decides to go that route, and the savings in college tuition could end up far exceeding the private school tuition outlay. But how choices after high school might play out is an unknown right now.

WWYD in this situation?

Please provide a link to the rules that say a student at a VA private school who lives in another state is eligible for in-state tuition at VA public universities.

"Tuition Equity Provision For High School Completers

Virginia’s newest in-state tuition provision is reserved for high school completers and is often referred to as the Tuition Equity provision. Please note that under this provision, the legal status of the parent is immaterial. The basic provisions require that:

The Student not have a current valid student (F), trainee (H3), exchange visitor (J) or vocational (M) visa;
The Student attend at least two years of high school in Virginia;”