Ugh -- didn't get into private

[Anonymous]

After being turned down repeatedly for an IEP and having a pretty awful year in public school, finally decided to apply to a couple of privates that have been recommended as great for kids with ADHD. Rejected from both, so it'll be another year of struggling at public school. I do wonder if part of the rejection was because I'm sure his current teacher recommendation was not good (given how bad a year it has been), and his weird MCPS report card is spotty with I's and N's, despite his really high IQ and super high MAP scores. I tried to explain all that in the application and interview process, but maybe it all came off as too defensive.

Really regretting all the days off work to tour, interview, do the testing, etc., etc. I feel like I spend so much time just spinning my wheels chasing non-existent solutions.

Going to go buy myself a whole friggin' cake for lunch now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After being turned down repeatedly for an IEP and having a pretty awful year in public school, finally decided to apply to a couple of privates that have been recommended as great for kids with ADHD. Rejected from both, so it'll be another year of struggling at public school. I do wonder if part of the rejection was because I'm sure his current teacher recommendation was not good (given how bad a year it has been), and his weird MCPS report card is spotty with I's and N's, despite his really high IQ and super high MAP scores. I tried to explain all that in the application and interview process, but maybe it all came off as too defensive.

Really regretting all the days off work to tour, interview, do the testing, etc., etc. I feel like I spend so much time just spinning my wheels chasing non-existent solutions.

Going to go buy myself a whole friggin' cake for lunch now.

So sorry... Have two cakes!

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry to hear. Have you tried medication? It turned around my kid's life completely. He is so happy now.

[Anonymous]

Would you consider applying to less competitive privates, with rolling admission?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After being turned down repeatedly for an IEP and having a pretty awful year in public school, finally decided to apply to a couple of privates that have been recommended as great for kids with ADHD. Rejected from both, so it'll be another year of struggling at public school. I do wonder if part of the rejection was because I'm sure his current teacher recommendation was not good (given how bad a year it has been), and his weird MCPS report card is spotty with I's and N's, despite his really high IQ and super high MAP scores. I tried to explain all that in the application and interview process, but maybe it all came off as too defensive.

Really regretting all the days off work to tour, interview, do the testing, etc., etc. I feel like I spend so much time just spinning my wheels chasing non-existent solutions.

Going to go buy myself a whole friggin' cake for lunch now.

If you think you might possibly have the stomach to try again, perhaps at different schools, you can talk to the admissions people where you were turned down. Find out their area of concern and see if there is anything you could have done differently.

I know how you feel. We applied to the 'usual suspect' schools for 'bright kids with some minor SN' when my DC was entering 6th and got rejected everywhere. Meanwhile another child we know with much more severe needs was accepted by all the same schools.

FWIW my son did fine in public middle, so it all turned out ok. But it sucked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After being turned down repeatedly for an IEP and having a pretty awful year in public school, finally decided to apply to a couple of privates that have been recommended as great for kids with ADHD. Rejected from both, so it'll be another year of struggling at public school. I do wonder if part of the rejection was because I'm sure his current teacher recommendation was not good (given how bad a year it has been), and his weird MCPS report card is spotty with I's and N's, despite his really high IQ and super high MAP scores. I tried to explain all that in the application and interview process, but maybe it all came off as too defensive.

Really regretting all the days off work to tour, interview, do the testing, etc., etc. I feel like I spend so much time just spinning my wheels chasing non-existent solutions.

Going to go buy myself a whole friggin' cake for lunch now.

So sorry... Have two cakes!

Uh no. That's disordered eating, and it's gross.

Go to yoga.

[Anonymous]

Were these SN privates of mainstream?

[Anonymous]

They were technically mainstream but with a reputation for accepting a lot of kids with ADHD -- one of them actually aggressively markets itself as a destination for kids with ADHD and LDs. I didn't think either was particularly competitive, but we're applying in a "non-entry" year, so maybe that's the problem.

I'd certainly consider other "less competitive" places, but these were the only ones that really were recommended for a kid with his profile in our general geographic area.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, OP. Same thing happened to us with a public magnet. Kids with both talents and special needs are generally going to have a harder time of it, because the overall picture is really confusing, and most admissions people are not equipped to understand any of it. All they see is a child that's hard to categorize, and they don't want any of it. Twice exceptional kids are really the hardest to parent and educate.

Hugs!

[Anonymous]

I've been there. Applied to the two private schools that the therapists recommended, and was rejected from both. Tried to get in recommended charters in DC, but our lottery positions were terrible.
I cried a lot.

Depending on how old your child is, the biggest concern is their reaction to the rejection. I saw this Facebook meme that Thomas Edison's mom told Edison that a school letter said, "Your son is a genius. He is too smart for this school." when it actually did not say anything close to that.
I don't know if that's a true story or not. I'm pretty sure I would tell the same story to my kid though.

I just started talking to everyone I know -- "I need help finding a school for Larla." It actually didn't take long until I got suggestions that hadn't been on my radar but should have been.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They were technically mainstream but with a reputation for accepting a lot of kids with ADHD -- one of them actually aggressively markets itself as a destination for kids with ADHD and LDs. I didn't think either was particularly competitive, but we're applying in a "non-entry" year, so maybe that's the problem.

I'd certainly consider other "less competitive" places, but these were the only ones that really were recommended for a kid with his profile in our general geographic area.

Yes, the fact that it was a non-entry year was probably the problem. It can be hard to get into popular schools except in entry years.

[Anonymous]

Take your tuition money and use it for tutoring to supplement what the public provides. Can be better than private. it is 1:1 and you have full control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After being turned down repeatedly for an IEP and having a pretty awful year in public school, finally decided to apply to a couple of privates that have been recommended as great for kids with ADHD. Rejected from both, so it'll be another year of struggling at public school. I do wonder if part of the rejection was because I'm sure his current teacher recommendation was not good (given how bad a year it has been), and his weird MCPS report card is spotty with I's and N's, despite his really high IQ and super high MAP scores. I tried to explain all that in the application and interview process, but maybe it all came off as too defensive.

Really regretting all the days off work to tour, interview, do the testing, etc., etc. I feel like I spend so much time just spinning my wheels chasing non-existent solutions.

Going to go buy myself a whole friggin' cake for lunch now.

So sorry... Have two cakes!

Uh no. That's disordered eating, and it's gross.

Go to yoga.

Did you really think OP was going to eat two cakes? Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take your tuition money and use it for tutoring to supplement what the public provides. Can be better than private. it is 1:1 and you have full control.

this is our plan. my son is currently in private and they are not meeting him where he is. He is getting tutoring, OT, social skills class etc... It is super expensive on top of tuition. We are switching to public and will focus on the extra help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After being turned down repeatedly for an IEP and having a pretty awful year in public school, finally decided to apply to a couple of privates that have been recommended as great for kids with ADHD. Rejected from both, so it'll be another year of struggling at public school. I do wonder if part of the rejection was because I'm sure his current teacher recommendation was not good (given how bad a year it has been), and his weird MCPS report card is spotty with I's and N's, despite his really high IQ and super high MAP scores. I tried to explain all that in the application and interview process, but maybe it all came off as too defensive.

Really regretting all the days off work to tour, interview, do the testing, etc., etc. I feel like I spend so much time just spinning my wheels chasing non-existent solutions.

Going to go buy myself a whole friggin' cake for lunch now.

So sorry... Have two cakes!

Uh no. That's disordered eating, and it's gross.

Go to yoga.

Did you really think OP was going to eat two cakes? Lol

For those who wanted an update, I settled on a really big burger. But may hit the ice cream after dinner tonight! Better disordered eating than disordered drinking....