School without walls test results

[Anonymous]

All this conjecture is just that. The essays, while not part of your test score, also counts. The humanities teacher that interviewed us said that after the interview and before the lottery, the teachers in her department read all those essays and also decide based on that-you don't want a kid that can test well, but cannot write a two-paragraph essay.

Finally, someone said that they offered sets to 48 people on the waitlist. That is both true and false. While 48 people may have received seats at Walls off the waiting list, they let in students with waitlist numbers in the 100's-I don't know if the higher numbers turned them down or pulled themselves off the waitlist altogether, but we spoke to some freshmen, one of whom had a number in the 100's (think it was 120) and was stressing into the summer until she was offered a seat. Another girl was in the low 20's, and got a seat within the first few weeks. They were all gregarious, articulate and engaged kids that did in fact want to be there, some from privates, others charters and publics from all over the city.

[Anonymous]

To fill their 140 9th grade seats they have always gone pretty far in the wait list -- in 2016 they eventually went to #48, in 2015 they went to #64. The year or two before that they went to 100+.

Just depends on how many students accept the slots they are offered.

[Anonymous]

Did I hear well that after the interview they compile the list through a lottery?
Nobody ever told us this.
I hope this is not true, it would really be nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did I hear well that after the interview they compile the list through a lottery?
Nobody ever told us this.
I hope this is not true, it would really be nonsense.

One person on this thread heard this from a current SWW parent.

Another says that's not how it works -- that at an open house last year they said the applicants are ranked from top to bottom after the interviews -- so if 250 get to interview stage they then rank from 1 to 250, offer slots to first 140 and rest on wait list.

Would make so much sense for SWW to publish how it makes decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To fill their 140 9th grade seats they have always gone pretty far in the wait list -- in 2016 they eventually went to #48, in 2015 they went to #64. The year or two before that they went to 100+.

Just depends on how many students accept the slots they are offered.

Re last year-not true-this year's WL numbers offered space were into the 100's and into the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To fill their 140 9th grade seats they have always gone pretty far in the wait list -- in 2016 they eventually went to #48, in 2015 they went to #64. The year or two before that they went to 100+.

Just depends on how many students accept the slots they are offered.

Re last year-not true-this year's WL numbers offered space were into the 100's and into the summer.

So does SWW manage its own list outside of MSDC? Because your information doesn't square with what is released publicly (48 offers to people on WL as of 10/1)?

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To fill their 140 9th grade seats they have always gone pretty far in the wait list -- in 2016 they eventually went to #48, in 2015 they went to #64. The year or two before that they went to 100+.

Just depends on how many students accept the slots they are offered.

Re last year-not true-this year's WL numbers offered space were into the 100's and into the summer.

So does SWW manage its own list outside of MSDC? Because your information doesn't square with what is released publicly (48 offers to people on WL as of 10/1)?

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay[/quotlike I said, I met a girl Saturday who is a freshman this year and whose # was in the 100s. It is quite possible that those on the WL removed themselves before being offered a seat, etc, but why would she lie about her number being inthe triple digits?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To fill their 140 9th grade seats they have always gone pretty far in the wait list -- in 2016 they eventually went to #48, in 2015 they went to #64. The year or two before that they went to 100+.

Just depends on how many students accept the slots they are offered.

Re last year-not true-this year's WL numbers offered space were into the 100's and into the summer.

So does SWW manage its own list outside of MSDC? Because your information doesn't square with what is released publicly (48 offers to people on WL as of 10/1)?

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay[/quotlike I said, I met a girl Saturday who is a freshman this year and whose # was in the 100s. It is quite possible that those on the WL removed themselves before being offered a seat, etc, but why would she lie about her number being inthe triple digits?

Good question. I try not to try and explain the behavior of 14 year olds in general.

Here's what we know -- they interviewed 250 kids last year, and 140 got offers initially. So the highest the wait list ever could have been was 110. Even if we believe MSDC (and not the freshman girl) about half of the wait list was eventually offered a seat. Not bad odds.

[Anonymous]

Instead of all of this guessing, why don't you all just contact the admissions director? Yes, she may be bogged down with emails and phone calls, but that's her job. She's there to answer questions; that way there will be no uncertainty. From what I have heard directly from the school, everything seems pretty straightforward to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To fill their 140 9th grade seats they have always gone pretty far in the wait list -- in 2016 they eventually went to #48, in 2015 they went to #64. The year or two before that they went to 100+.

Just depends on how many students accept the slots they are offered.

Re last year-not true-this year's WL numbers offered space were into the 100's and into the summer.

So does SWW manage its own list outside of MSDC? Because your information doesn't square with what is released publicly (48 offers to people on WL as of 10/1)?

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay[/quotlike I said, I met a girl Saturday who is a freshman this year and whose # was in the 100s. It is quite possible that those on the WL removed themselves before being offered a seat, etc, but why would she lie about her number being inthe triple digits?

Good question. I try not to try and explain the behavior of 14 year olds in general.

Here's what we know -- they interviewed 250 kids last year, and 140 got offers initially. So the highest the wait list ever could have been was 110. Even if we believe MSDC (and not the freshman girl) about half of the wait list was eventually offered a seat. Not bad odds.

Some people on the wait list likely declined. So the WL number of the 140th person could to be offered and accept a spot may be been in the 100s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Instead of all of this guessing, why don't you all just contact the admissions director? Yes, she may be bogged down with emails and phone calls, but that's her job. She's there to answer questions; that way there will be no uncertainty. From what I have heard directly from the school, everything seems pretty straightforward to me.

Well, I personally emailed her. She did not reply. I even asked directly this question during the open house. They did not answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of all of this guessing, why don't you all just contact the admissions director? Yes, she may be bogged down with emails and phone calls, but that's her job. She's there to answer questions; that way there will be no uncertainty. From what I have heard directly from the school, everything seems pretty straightforward to me.

Well, I personally emailed her. She did not reply. I even asked directly this question during the open house. They did not answer.

Which question did you pose to her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having had a kid at Walls, the interview is an important part of the process. The school wants kids who want to be there, and are motivated to succeed. What makes the school special is the students. Interviews enable the school to ensure they are getting kids who genuinely want to be there and will want to contribute to the community. I am not suggesting that interviews are fool proof, but for the student who would prefer to be somewhere else it is a fine weeding process.

+1. I'm pretty certain that I was accepted many years ago based on my interview.