What private school might be good for my DD? Need advice

[Anonymous]

Hello DCUM community,

Looking for suggestions for what private high school might be good for high school for my DD. There's a lot of knowledge and experience on this board and I'm hoping you might help me learn more about the options that are out there that we haven't considered yet.

DD is a rising 9th grader who is wait listed at GDS and her options now are to go to Wilson and possibly Walls, which we are waiting to hear from. She is a straight A student, but hasn't have to work hard for her A's in DCPS. She has been frustrated by the lack of academic challenge since elementary school but has enjoyed some good teachers. She loves math and science and I was distressed to hear that Wilson has a really weak math department. We visited WIS, Field, St John's and GDS and but only applied to GDS. I am regretting we did not have her apply to more schools, so want to do some research for next year. What she's really looking for is an academic challenge and a chance to explore intellectually. Our family tends towards progressive schools and an environment that is unpretentious (if possible).

Thanks for your suggestions!

[Anonymous]

Firstly I would hang in there in case GDS open up a spot.

What caused you not to apply to those other schools you visited? Was there something about all of them that didn't quite appeal enough? Or would you consider revisiting and maybe applying to one or two of them for next year? Something must have drawn you to those possibilities in the first place and I'd suggest re-assessing what that might be, before then extending your scope to include other schools.

[Anonymous]

Kids from SWW tend to get into good colleges. Try that. Or look at Holton for next year. Girls do really well from there.

[Anonymous]

Also check out Maret

[Anonymous]

Walls would definitely be a good option.

[Anonymous]

You should have applied to Banneker.

[Anonymous]

OP here.Thanks for all this quick feedback! I will visit Maret. I've heard that Walls is strong in humanities and weak in math/science. Does that sound right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.Thanks for all this quick feedback! I will visit Maret. I've heard that Walls is strong in humanities and weak in math/science. Does that sound right?

My DC was active in science fair at Deal. SWW students won most of the DC STEM fair awards for the high school division. Some of the research was really interesting. I wouldn't necessarily write off SWW for science.

[Anonymous]

OP: if you are looking for a HS admission for 2016-17 school year, your option is only with schools that 1) takes late application, and 2) have spaces! Instead of wasting your time physically visit these schools, you should just call around and see which ones are viable option for your DD.

And like pp said, there is still a chance with GDS. call GDS and let them know that is the only school your DD applied to etc. that might make a difference should GDS ever start looking into their WL candidates.

[Anonymous]

OP here again. I'm not looking for schools or 2016-17 at this point since I know it's past the deadlines. Was thinking about the following school year.
11:13 Glad to hear that SWW kids win science fairs. Does anyone know about math there?

Regarding GDS - a friend suggested DD write them a letter reiterating how much she'd like to go there. So we will try...but I was not happy to hear from DD that someone she knows who has some F's at Deal was also put on the waiting list at GDS and that everyone she knows who applied and did not get in is on the waiting list. It must be one long list!

[Anonymous]

I thought that nearly everyone in DCPS was on an accelerated track to take calculus by the 11th grade.

Maret for 10th would be a super long shot. They only take kids by attrition after 9th.

I would try again for GDS next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. I'm not looking for schools or 2016-17 at this point since I know it's past the deadlines. Was thinking about the following school year.
11:13 Glad to hear that SWW kids win science fairs. Does anyone know about math there?

Regarding GDS - a friend suggested DD write them a letter reiterating how much she'd like to go there. So we will try...but I was not happy to hear from DD that someone she knows who has some F's at Deal was also put on the waiting list at GDS and that everyone she knows who applied and did not get in is on the waiting list. It must be one long list!

Suggest asking about SWW on the public school boards. Lots of threads on SWW - here's a recent one. http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/535441.page

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear about your tough situation. As others have suggested, it is worth exploring whether there are any schools that might let you apply for next year late. (Curious why you didn't apply to Field and didn't even visit Burke). If not, you will want to cast a very broad net next year if you don't want to continue with DCPS. Schools that you didn't mention even visiting would include Burke, Maret, St. Andrews (has a bus from DC), NCS, and Holton. No schools that I am aware of are looking to add students at 10th grade, but there will be at least a little attrition at most schools that will free up a spot or two.

[Anonymous]

Where are you hearing Wilson is weak for math? The kids I knew who went there rocked engineering school admissions. You can't do that with weak math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you hearing Wilson is weak for math? The kids I knew who went there rocked engineering school admissions. You can't do that with weak math.

OP said she heard Walls was weak in math, not Wilson.