Recent Walls Admits from Private?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OP here: testing - thanks - I probably got old information re CAPE scores. Good to know about the recent process.

Those saying "stay in private" I wonder if you have experience in DCPS and private. I do. I admit, I was surprised when I first heard of kids leaving top DC privates for Walls... I thought "why would you do that?" These are teens who I hired to work with my kids on various sports coaching. I asked "oh and do you like it?" They said they loved it. I don't know, maybe they appreciated co-ed or their school was a pressure cooker. One said "the social drama at private was too much". I decided that our plans should be flexible based on a variety of factors that fit the child and our family. Mine is thriving academically in private, but there are reasons to make the change. My other child has been DCPS all the way and it's been comparable with the private kid TBH. I would think with all these options of students and the admissions criteria of grades, letters, and nterviews, Walls has high achieving bright students who want to attend every day, want to learn and engage with inspiring teachers, want to do sports and clubs that interest them. If they have Math Olympiad, debate, model UN, that should work for mine. Hopefully some of the clubs would be during the school day. We are keeping our options open, but from where I sit, Walls is an EXCELLENT option and I'm frankly surprised to find people dogging it. Hmmmmm... I'll search to find out what's "wrong" at Walls. But my child knows people there and we know a few families. We are only hearing good things.

Have you visited the school? I would go to an open house with your kid before making any sort of decision. We decided not to apply after attending an open house.

I was super excited about the school until I saw my stem kid would not have the courses they need to get into the college/major of their choosing. I’m sure it’s great for some but not for us.

PP - thanks so much for pointing this out! We’ve been considering this school for our 7th grader, and I’m now seeing they don’t offer AP Biology and AP Chemistry?!

I'm curious what course are lacking for what college/major? To answer PP's question, AP Biology is offered every other year; no AP Chemistry is offered. AP Physics 1 and C are offered every year.

Math goes up to calc BC in AP's, then multivariate. They also have AP Stats. In science, they also offer AP environmental science.

It's not a STEM-focused school, but a family friend graduated last year and is at Johns Hopkins in a STEM major, so STEM kids definitely go there.

Sure. If they have no other choice a stem kid will do fine as long as they figure out how to get the courses they need. Tons of dual enrollment I imagine? Not what I want for my kid. I want them to be in a high school class with other math nerds. Walls just doesn’t offer enough for my kids.

This might come across as rude but whatever. I have seen comments here about the science curriculum at dcps and made efforts to understand more from smart kids i know at dcps. I don’t want my kid in the same class as kids who are that poorly prepared in science and math. Sorry. Being honest.

If there's one school where the main criteria for getting in is being really smart, and another school where the main criteria is being really rich, then it seems almost impossible for kids at the second school to keep up with the first. Sorry. Being honest.

NP. You don’t have to be really smart to get into Walls. You can even be below grade level in certain subjects. The criteria for entrance has significantly degraded with the admission changes.

You have to be really smart to get into the top privates in high school. Being rich definately makes it easier to attend. But let’s not pretend that the kids who actually have the optiins of privates or Walls are not really smart.

Being honest.

How many kids apply each year to Walls? 2,000? Is there any private school that gets even half as many applicants? (And the private school applicant pools are surely shallower than they appear because so many kids apply to multiple privates). Privates not only have a much smaller group of kids to pick from, but they also have to put a thumb (or two) on the scale for those whose parents can pay full freight. The statistics don't work, sweetie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: testing - thanks - I probably got old information re CAPE scores. Good to know about the recent process.

Those saying "stay in private" I wonder if you have experience in DCPS and private. I do. I admit, I was surprised when I first heard of kids leaving top DC privates for Walls... I thought "why would you do that?" These are teens who I hired to work with my kids on various sports coaching. I asked "oh and do you like it?" They said they loved it. I don't know, maybe they appreciated co-ed or their school was a pressure cooker. One said "the social drama at private was too much". I decided that our plans should be flexible based on a variety of factors that fit the child and our family. Mine is thriving academically in private, but there are reasons to make the change. My other child has been DCPS all the way and it's been comparable with the private kid TBH. I would think with all these options of students and the admissions criteria of grades, letters, and nterviews, Walls has high achieving bright students who want to attend every day, want to learn and engage with inspiring teachers, want to do sports and clubs that interest them. If they have Math Olympiad, debate, model UN, that should work for mine. Hopefully some of the clubs would be during the school day. We are keeping our options open, but from where I sit, Walls is an EXCELLENT option and I'm frankly surprised to find people dogging it. Hmmmmm... I'll search to find out what's "wrong" at Walls. But my child knows people there and we know a few families. We are only hearing good things.

Have you visited the school? I would go to an open house with your kid before making any sort of decision. We decided not to apply after attending an open house.

I was super excited about the school until I saw my stem kid would not have the courses they need to get into the college/major of their choosing. I’m sure it’s great for some but not for us.

PP - thanks so much for pointing this out! We’ve been considering this school for our 7th grader, and I’m now seeing they don’t offer AP Biology and AP Chemistry?!

I'm curious what course are lacking for what college/major? To answer PP's question, AP Biology is offered every other year; no AP Chemistry is offered. AP Physics 1 and C are offered every year.

Math goes up to calc BC in AP's, then multivariate. They also have AP Stats. In science, they also offer AP environmental science.

It's not a STEM-focused school, but a family friend graduated last year and is at Johns Hopkins in a STEM major, so STEM kids definitely go there.

Sure. If they have no other choice a stem kid will do fine as long as they figure out how to get the courses they need. Tons of dual enrollment I imagine? Not what I want for my kid. I want them to be in a high school class with other math nerds. Walls just doesn’t offer enough for my kids.

This might come across as rude but whatever. I have seen comments here about the science curriculum at dcps and made efforts to understand more from smart kids i know at dcps. I don’t want my kid in the same class as kids who are that poorly prepared in science and math. Sorry. Being honest.

If there's one school where the main criteria for getting in is being really smart, and another school where the main criteria is being really rich, then it seems almost impossible for kids at the second school to keep up with the first. Sorry. Being honest.

NP. You don’t have to be really smart to get into Walls. You can even be below grade level in certain subjects. The criteria for entrance has significantly degraded with the admission changes.

You have to be really smart to get into the top privates in high school. Being rich definately makes it easier to attend. But let’s not pretend that the kids who actually have the optiins of privates or Walls are not really smart.

Being honest.

How many kids apply each year to Walls? 2,000? Is there any private school that gets even half as many applicants? (And the private school applicant pools are surely shallower than they appear because so many kids apply to multiple privates). Privates not only have a much smaller group of kids to pick from, but they also have to put a thumb (or two) on the scale for those whose parents can pay full freight. The statistics don't work, sweetie.

Walls has a large applicant pool not because the school has the smartest kids but because so many families in the city are desperate for a decent high school.

You are delusional if you think the 9th grade admits to Walls are smarter than the 9th grade admits to Sidwell, GDS, etc…

Sorry but you are just showing your ignorance of the private school admissions when it comes to high school. And no, my kid does not go to private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: testing - thanks - I probably got old information re CAPE scores. Good to know about the recent process.

Those saying "stay in private" I wonder if you have experience in DCPS and private. I do. I admit, I was surprised when I first heard of kids leaving top DC privates for Walls... I thought "why would you do that?" These are teens who I hired to work with my kids on various sports coaching. I asked "oh and do you like it?" They said they loved it. I don't know, maybe they appreciated co-ed or their school was a pressure cooker. One said "the social drama at private was too much". I decided that our plans should be flexible based on a variety of factors that fit the child and our family. Mine is thriving academically in private, but there are reasons to make the change. My other child has been DCPS all the way and it's been comparable with the private kid TBH. I would think with all these options of students and the admissions criteria of grades, letters, and nterviews, Walls has high achieving bright students who want to attend every day, want to learn and engage with inspiring teachers, want to do sports and clubs that interest them. If they have Math Olympiad, debate, model UN, that should work for mine. Hopefully some of the clubs would be during the school day. We are keeping our options open, but from where I sit, Walls is an EXCELLENT option and I'm frankly surprised to find people dogging it. Hmmmmm... I'll search to find out what's "wrong" at Walls. But my child knows people there and we know a few families. We are only hearing good things.

Have you visited the school? I would go to an open house with your kid before making any sort of decision. We decided not to apply after attending an open house.

I was super excited about the school until I saw my stem kid would not have the courses they need to get into the college/major of their choosing. I’m sure it’s great for some but not for us.

PP - thanks so much for pointing this out! We’ve been considering this school for our 7th grader, and I’m now seeing they don’t offer AP Biology and AP Chemistry?!

I'm curious what course are lacking for what college/major? To answer PP's question, AP Biology is offered every other year; no AP Chemistry is offered. AP Physics 1 and C are offered every year.

Math goes up to calc BC in AP's, then multivariate. They also have AP Stats. In science, they also offer AP environmental science.

It's not a STEM-focused school, but a family friend graduated last year and is at Johns Hopkins in a STEM major, so STEM kids definitely go there.

Sure. If they have no other choice a stem kid will do fine as long as they figure out how to get the courses they need. Tons of dual enrollment I imagine? Not what I want for my kid. I want them to be in a high school class with other math nerds. Walls just doesn’t offer enough for my kids.

This might come across as rude but whatever. I have seen comments here about the science curriculum at dcps and made efforts to understand more from smart kids i know at dcps. I don’t want my kid in the same class as kids who are that poorly prepared in science and math. Sorry. Being honest.

If there's one school where the main criteria for getting in is being really smart, and another school where the main criteria is being really rich, then it seems almost impossible for kids at the second school to keep up with the first. Sorry. Being honest.

NP. You don’t have to be really smart to get into Walls. You can even be below grade level in certain subjects. The criteria for entrance has significantly degraded with the admission changes.

You have to be really smart to get into the top privates in high school. Being rich definately makes it easier to attend. But let’s not pretend that the kids who actually have the optiins of privates or Walls are not really smart.

Being honest.

How many kids apply each year to Walls? 2,000? Is there any private school that gets even half as many applicants? (And the private school applicant pools are surely shallower than they appear because so many kids apply to multiple privates). Privates not only have a much smaller group of kids to pick from, but they also have to put a thumb (or two) on the scale for those whose parents can pay full freight. The statistics don't work, sweetie.

Walls has a large applicant pool not because the school has the smartest kids but because so many families in the city are desperate for a decent high school.

You are delusional if you think the 9th grade admits to Walls are smarter than the 9th grade admits to Sidwell, GDS, etc…

Sorry but you are just showing your ignorance of the private school admissions when it comes to high school. And no, my kid does not go to private school.

Sorry but you are just showing your ignore of basic statistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: testing - thanks - I probably got old information re CAPE scores. Good to know about the recent process.

Those saying "stay in private" I wonder if you have experience in DCPS and private. I do. I admit, I was surprised when I first heard of kids leaving top DC privates for Walls... I thought "why would you do that?" These are teens who I hired to work with my kids on various sports coaching. I asked "oh and do you like it?" They said they loved it. I don't know, maybe they appreciated co-ed or their school was a pressure cooker. One said "the social drama at private was too much". I decided that our plans should be flexible based on a variety of factors that fit the child and our family. Mine is thriving academically in private, but there are reasons to make the change. My other child has been DCPS all the way and it's been comparable with the private kid TBH. I would think with all these options of students and the admissions criteria of grades, letters, and nterviews, Walls has high achieving bright students who want to attend every day, want to learn and engage with inspiring teachers, want to do sports and clubs that interest them. If they have Math Olympiad, debate, model UN, that should work for mine. Hopefully some of the clubs would be during the school day. We are keeping our options open, but from where I sit, Walls is an EXCELLENT option and I'm frankly surprised to find people dogging it. Hmmmmm... I'll search to find out what's "wrong" at Walls. But my child knows people there and we know a few families. We are only hearing good things.

Have you visited the school? I would go to an open house with your kid before making any sort of decision. We decided not to apply after attending an open house.

I was super excited about the school until I saw my stem kid would not have the courses they need to get into the college/major of their choosing. I’m sure it’s great for some but not for us.

PP - thanks so much for pointing this out! We’ve been considering this school for our 7th grader, and I’m now seeing they don’t offer AP Biology and AP Chemistry?!

I'm curious what course are lacking for what college/major? To answer PP's question, AP Biology is offered every other year; no AP Chemistry is offered. AP Physics 1 and C are offered every year.

Math goes up to calc BC in AP's, then multivariate. They also have AP Stats. In science, they also offer AP environmental science.

It's not a STEM-focused school, but a family friend graduated last year and is at Johns Hopkins in a STEM major, so STEM kids definitely go there.

Sure. If they have no other choice a stem kid will do fine as long as they figure out how to get the courses they need. Tons of dual enrollment I imagine? Not what I want for my kid. I want them to be in a high school class with other math nerds. Walls just doesn’t offer enough for my kids.

This might come across as rude but whatever. I have seen comments here about the science curriculum at dcps and made efforts to understand more from smart kids i know at dcps. I don’t want my kid in the same class as kids who are that poorly prepared in science and math. Sorry. Being honest.

If there's one school where the main criteria for getting in is being really smart, and another school where the main criteria is being really rich, then it seems almost impossible for kids at the second school to keep up with the first. Sorry. Being honest.

NP. You don’t have to be really smart to get into Walls. You can even be below grade level in certain subjects. The criteria for entrance has significantly degraded with the admission changes.

You have to be really smart to get into the top privates in high school. Being rich definately makes it easier to attend. But let’s not pretend that the kids who actually have the optiins of privates or Walls are not really smart.

Being honest.

How many kids apply each year to Walls? 2,000? Is there any private school that gets even half as many applicants? (And the private school applicant pools are surely shallower than they appear because so many kids apply to multiple privates). Privates not only have a much smaller group of kids to pick from, but they also have to put a thumb (or two) on the scale for those whose parents can pay full freight. The statistics don't work, sweetie.

Walls has a large applicant pool not because the school has the smartest kids but because so many families in the city are desperate for a decent high school.

You are delusional if you think the 9th grade admits to Walls are smarter than the 9th grade admits to Sidwell, GDS, etc…

Sorry but you are just showing your ignorance of the private school admissions when it comes to high school. And no, my kid does not go to private school.

Sorry but you are just showing your ignore of basic statistics.

Ah yes, just because Walls has lots of applicants doesn’t represent the fact that there are no other viable options for many families in the city but rather that they have the smartest group of kids in this town. Yet 1/3rd of them can’t even do grade level math.

LOL!

[Anonymous]

Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

Are you new to DC? This isn't a reflection of the standards at Walls. it's a reflection of the politics of Washington D.C. The last thing people want here is an elite publicly funded high school that is mostly Asian and White. Have you not ever noticed that we have zero schools that look like Bronx Sci or Stuy or TJ or Boston Latin? If the admissions standards seem vague, it's to allow the school to try to get the demographic mix that is required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

Are you new to DC? This isn't a reflection of the standards at Walls. it's a reflection of the politics of Washington D.C. The last thing people want here is an elite publicly funded high school that is mostly Asian and White. Have you not ever noticed that we have zero schools that look like Bronx Sci or Stuy or TJ or Boston Latin? If the admissions standards seem vague, it's to allow the school to try to get the demographic mix that is required.

That is funny because I know so many mediocre white kids who game the system by taking the easiest classes at mediocre dcps schools knowing their kids would drown at Basis or even Latin. Walls is easy and a great fit for an average student who would struggle at a really good school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

Are you new to DC? This isn't a reflection of the standards at Walls. it's a reflection of the politics of Washington D.C. The last thing people want here is an elite publicly funded high school that is mostly Asian and White. Have you not ever noticed that we have zero schools that look like Bronx Sci or Stuy or TJ or Boston Latin? If the admissions standards seem vague, it's to allow the school to try to get the demographic mix that is required.

That is funny because I know so many mediocre white kids who game the system by taking the easiest classes at mediocre dcps schools knowing their kids would drown at Basis or even Latin. Walls is easy and a great fit for an average student who would struggle at a really good school.

You and PP are both right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

Are you new to DC? This isn't a reflection of the standards at Walls. it's a reflection of the politics of Washington D.C. The last thing people want here is an elite publicly funded high school that is mostly Asian and White. Have you not ever noticed that we have zero schools that look like Bronx Sci or Stuy or TJ or Boston Latin? If the admissions standards seem vague, it's to allow the school to try to get the demographic mix that is required.

I think TJ has actually solved for this by indicating they will accept the top students from each area of the county that is eligible for TJ. They eliminated their entrance test as well.

As long as the school itself doesn't change in the content, teaching quality, etc., I have zero problem if every area that pays taxes to support a school gets an allocation of kids that get to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

I don't know the exact percentage, but a significant number of kids who attend Sidwell, GDS, Maret as examples have been there since K. They obviously, didn't have to do any of the things mentioned above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

Are you new to DC? This isn't a reflection of the standards at Walls. it's a reflection of the politics of Washington D.C. The last thing people want here is an elite publicly funded high school that is mostly Asian and White. Have you not ever noticed that we have zero schools that look like Bronx Sci or Stuy or TJ or Boston Latin? If the admissions standards seem vague, it's to allow the school to try to get the demographic mix that is required.

That is funny because I know so many mediocre white kids who game the system by taking the easiest classes at mediocre dcps schools knowing their kids would drown at Basis or even Latin. Walls is easy and a great fit for an average student who would struggle at a really good school.

Yeah, literally no one does this, and, even if they did, schools employ these people called "admissions officers" whose entire jobs are comparing the records of kids from different schools and backgrounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

I don't know the exact percentage, but a significant number of kids who attend Sidwell, GDS, Maret as examples have been there since K. They obviously, didn't have to do any of the things mentioned above.

And of the tens and tens of kids who apply for ninth grade, I'm sure they only accept the very best of those who don't require too much financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

I don't know the exact percentage, but a significant number of kids who attend Sidwell, GDS, Maret as examples have been there since K. They obviously, didn't have to do any of the things mentioned above.

They do all those things, except for the student-written essays! There is a standardized test kids take for private preschool and kindergarten, but not for Walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

I don't know the exact percentage, but a significant number of kids who attend Sidwell, GDS, Maret as examples have been there since K. They obviously, didn't have to do any of the things mentioned above.

They do all those things, except for the student-written essays! There is a standardized test kids take for private preschool and kindergarten, but not for Walls.

Well, there aren't transcripts and recommendations either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walls doesn't have the smartest students. It has bright students, but not necessarily the smartest.

If they wanted the smartest students, they would use a test to determine admissions.

Instead, they use 10-minute interviews conducted by unqualified, untrained interviewers to select on some fuzzy something-or-nother about "demanding one's education."

Private schools use test scores, 30+ minute interviews, multiple student-written essays, multiple parent-written essays, and shadow days -- in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Who do you think is better at picking the best students?

I don't know the exact percentage, but a significant number of kids who attend Sidwell, GDS, Maret as examples have been there since K. They obviously, didn't have to do any of the things mentioned above.

They do all those things, except for the student-written essays! There is a standardized test kids take for private preschool and kindergarten, but not for Walls.

The idea of giving standardized tests to four year olds seems ridiculous, unless they're just using it to screen out kids with learning disabilities, in which case it's despicable.