Any Walls boosters / haters these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

Agree. Also, the kids who do well in test are those who have tutors all throughout elementary/middle. How is that equitable? Softs skills are super important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

Agree. Also, the kids who do well in test are those who have tutors all throughout elementary/middle. How is that equitable? Softs skills are super important.

2 teacher recs by overworked DC teachers and a 10 minute interview with a high school student and teacher will reveal 8th grade soft skills?

You don’t think kids who go to T25 colleges have tutors and are prepping for exams?

Just more weak rationalizations and lame excuses by Walls boosters.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the next few Walls classes in terms of college admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

This, um, Bitter Betty, Bronx Science and Ivy grad, POC from immigrant family, has a sophomore at Walls.

I couldn't agree more that ditching the entrance exam and standardized test score to apply during the pandemic and failing to reinstate them was a terrible mistake, even though my family might have accrued the benefit (my kid might have not have done well enough on the entrance exam's math section).

I predict that college admissions by Walls students will take a hit in the coming years, and not just a blip on the screen. Pushing Walls students out of JR crew (long a pathway to Ivy admissions) won't help either.

Say what you like, but soft skills and middling academics aren't going to cut it at Ivies, top 10 SLACs, military academies and elite college abroad in most cases. A few exceptional, and exceptionally lucky, Walls grads will still clear the bar.

[Anonymous]

I'm really curious....If some of you are so up in arms about Walls admissions and everything else, why even bother applying and/or attending? After all, DC does have the highest percentage of kids in privates in the country. You have a slew of other options to appease you. Make it make sense............

[Anonymous]

Crew as an avenue to Ivy admissions is several flavors ofbullshit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

This, um, Bitter Betty, Bronx Science and Ivy grad, POC from immigrant family, has a sophomore at Walls.

I couldn't agree more that ditching the entrance exam and standardized test score to apply during the pandemic and failing to reinstate them was a terrible mistake, even though my family might have accrued the benefit (my kid might have not have done well enough on the entrance exam's math section).

I predict that college admissions by Walls students will take a hit in the coming years, and not just a blip on the screen. Pushing Walls students out of JR crew (long a pathway to Ivy admissions) won't help either.

Say what you like, but soft skills and middling academics aren't going to cut it at Ivies, top 10 SLACs, military academies and elite college abroad in most cases. A few exceptional, and exceptionally lucky, Walls grads will still clear the bar.

Why assuming everyone wants to go to Ivies, top 10 SLACs, etc.? I mean, I guess it's OK for some but I think many would be happy with scholarships in decent colleges. We'll have to wait and see what happens in the next few years... Definitely an interesting experiment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't Walls have its own rowing team?

Crew is a club sport that is entirely self-funded by parents/kids. You probably need close to $50k+ to recreate the equipment that JR has, plus pay to use a boathouse. On top of that, you probably have $25k+ of annual expenses for coaches and what not (and out of pocket for travel to regattas).

JR crew was started in the 1980s. The regattas told HS teams they could no longer mix HSs as private schools were creating super teams.

Uh, you would need more than $50k to recreate the JR program. Each boat costs around $60k. JR is the only DCPS high school that can support a crew program, unlike the multiple high schools in Moco and Arlington that can afford their own crew teams. It is a real shame, as DCPS policy says if a sport isn't offered at the high school where you're enrolled, you're eligible to join a team at another DCPS high school. But because the JR crew team is run and funded entirely by JR parents, they set the rules, not DCPS.

The DCPS policy only covers DCIAA sports, not club sports. This excludes lacrosse, Ultimate Frisbee, Crew, and Field Hockey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crew as an avenue to Ivy admissions is several flavors ofbullshit

Wish this were true. Many Walls Ivy admissions in the last decade have come from varsity crew members who are also top students. That's no secret.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

This, um, Bitter Betty, Bronx Science and Ivy grad, POC from immigrant family, has a sophomore at Walls.

I couldn't agree more that ditching the entrance exam and standardized test score to apply during the pandemic and failing to reinstate them was a terrible mistake, even though my family might have accrued the benefit (my kid might have not have done well enough on the entrance exam's math section).

I predict that college admissions by Walls students will take a hit in the coming years, and not just a blip on the screen. Pushing Walls students out of JR crew (long a pathway to Ivy admissions) won't help either.

Say what you like, but soft skills and middling academics aren't going to cut it at Ivies, top 10 SLACs, military academies and elite college abroad in most cases. A few exceptional, and exceptionally lucky, Walls grads will still clear the bar.

Why assuming everyone wants to go to Ivies, top 10 SLACs, etc.? I mean, I guess it's OK for some but I think many would be happy with scholarships in decent colleges. We'll have to wait and see what happens in the next few years... Definitely an interesting experiment.

Why assume that nobody in DCPS wants to go? My kid is a double Ivy legacy who scored in the high 600s on the SAT in 8th grade to attend Johns Hopkins CTY from a DCPS middle school. Kid rejected by Walls and Banneker. We're not IB for J-R and are looking at suburban real estate. Sobering experiment of no interest to us now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

This, um, Bitter Betty, Bronx Science and Ivy grad, POC from immigrant family, has a sophomore at Walls.

I couldn't agree more that ditching the entrance exam and standardized test score to apply during the pandemic and failing to reinstate them was a terrible mistake, even though my family might have accrued the benefit (my kid might have not have done well enough on the entrance exam's math section).

I predict that college admissions by Walls students will take a hit in the coming years, and not just a blip on the screen. Pushing Walls students out of JR crew (long a pathway to Ivy admissions) won't help either.

Say what you like, but soft skills and middling academics aren't going to cut it at Ivies, top 10 SLACs, military academies and elite college abroad in most cases. A few exceptional, and exceptionally lucky, Walls grads will still clear the bar.

Why assuming everyone wants to go to Ivies, top 10 SLACs, etc.? I mean, I guess it's OK for some but I think many would be happy with scholarships in decent colleges. We'll have to wait and see what happens in the next few years... Definitely an interesting experiment.

+1...The Ivies are not exactly producing good citizens and human beings. Plenty of kids are off that bandwagon and getting great packages at other schools. That's what SWW is really good at.
I can't tell any kid that my Top 15 school is worth $80k per year. It's all a matter of perspective and understanding today's college landscape.

[Anonymous]

This exchange is peak DCUM.

[Anonymous]

This dialed-in an aware lady of color when to Dartmouth, where I was pals with classmate Shonda Rhimes. My kid is at Walls. I hope she make it to Dartmouth because I was treated well there, on my Pell Grant. The glass just might be half full at the Ivies for Black and Brown kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

This, um, Bitter Betty, Bronx Science and Ivy grad, POC from immigrant family, has a sophomore at Walls.

I couldn't agree more that ditching the entrance exam and standardized test score to apply during the pandemic and failing to reinstate them was a terrible mistake, even though my family might have accrued the benefit (my kid might have not have done well enough on the entrance exam's math section).

I predict that college admissions by Walls students will take a hit in the coming years, and not just a blip on the screen. Pushing Walls students out of JR crew (long a pathway to Ivy admissions) won't help either.

Say what you like, but soft skills and middling academics aren't going to cut it at Ivies, top 10 SLACs, military academies and elite college abroad in most cases. A few exceptional, and exceptionally lucky, Walls grads will still clear the bar.

Why assuming everyone wants to go to Ivies, top 10 SLACs, etc.? I mean, I guess it's OK for some but I think many would be happy with scholarships in decent colleges. We'll have to wait and see what happens in the next few years... Definitely an interesting experiment.

Why assume that nobody in DCPS wants to go? My kid is a double Ivy legacy who scored in the high 600s on the SAT in 8th grade to attend Johns Hopkins CTY from a DCPS middle school. Kid rejected by Walls and Banneker. We're not IB for J-R and are looking at suburban real estate. Sobering experiment of no interest to us now.

Sounds like you didn't prepare. We did mock interviews and writing assignments based on what friends went thru. Just showing up with a smart kid never works when there are other smart kids(and parents). Kid has to be able to explain why they want attend a school. Otherwise is a wrap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

This, um, Bitter Betty, Bronx Science and Ivy grad, POC from immigrant family, has a sophomore at Walls.

I couldn't agree more that ditching the entrance exam and standardized test score to apply during the pandemic and failing to reinstate them was a terrible mistake, even though my family might have accrued the benefit (my kid might have not have done well enough on the entrance exam's math section).

I predict that college admissions by Walls students will take a hit in the coming years, and not just a blip on the screen. Pushing Walls students out of JR crew (long a pathway to Ivy admissions) won't help either.

Say what you like, but soft skills and middling academics aren't going to cut it at Ivies, top 10 SLACs, military academies and elite college abroad in most cases. A few exceptional, and exceptionally lucky, Walls grads will still clear the bar.

Why assuming everyone wants to go to Ivies, top 10 SLACs, etc.? I mean, I guess it's OK for some but I think many would be happy with scholarships in decent colleges. We'll have to wait and see what happens in the next few years... Definitely an interesting experiment.

Why assume that nobody in DCPS wants to go? My kid is a double Ivy legacy who scored in the high 600s on the SAT in 8th grade to attend Johns Hopkins CTY from a DCPS middle school. Kid rejected by Walls and Banneker. We're not IB for J-R and are looking at suburban real estate. Sobering experiment of no interest to us now.

I mean crew connections are a poor policy outcome not that I think you’re making it up. This connection sounds retrogressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post above is just Bitter Betty again

This, um, Bitter Betty, Bronx Science and Ivy grad, POC from immigrant family, has a sophomore at Walls.

I couldn't agree more that ditching the entrance exam and standardized test score to apply during the pandemic and failing to reinstate them was a terrible mistake, even though my family might have accrued the benefit (my kid might have not have done well enough on the entrance exam's math section).

I predict that college admissions by Walls students will take a hit in the coming years, and not just a blip on the screen. Pushing Walls students out of JR crew (long a pathway to Ivy admissions) won't help either.

Say what you like, but soft skills and middling academics aren't going to cut it at Ivies, top 10 SLACs, military academies and elite college abroad in most cases. A few exceptional, and exceptionally lucky, Walls grads will still clear the bar.

Why assuming everyone wants to go to Ivies, top 10 SLACs, etc.? I mean, I guess it's OK for some but I think many would be happy with scholarships in decent colleges. We'll have to wait and see what happens in the next few years... Definitely an interesting experiment.

Why assume that nobody in DCPS wants to go? My kid is a double Ivy legacy who scored in the high 600s on the SAT in 8th grade to attend Johns Hopkins CTY from a DCPS middle school. Kid rejected by Walls and Banneker. We're not IB for J-R and are looking at suburban real estate. Sobering experiment of no interest to us now.

Sounds like you didn't prepare. We did mock interviews and writing assignments based on what friends went thru. Just showing up with a smart kid never works when there are other smart kids(and parents). Kid has to be able to explain why they want attend a school. Otherwise is a wrap.

Oh, we prepared. Kid practiced with a friend who works in private school admissions. Kid is shy and struggled to talk enough during an interview than ran less than 10 minutes. Kid has been admitted to a top tier private (that interview ran for more than 30 mins) we may or may not be able to afford it for all four years of high school.