Share your results as you get them!

[Anonymous]

I second the St. Francis/St. Andrews Rec. It's a gem.

[Anonymous]

My dd did only in the 80's on WPPSI and we got into one of the better schools for K. The person that tested her initially said that she thought that my dd would do well on admission to any school since she did well on the school readiness test (99%) which the schools often do at the play dates. We submitted only the results of the WPPSI to the schools.
We refused to repeat the WPPSI as some would do. She was tested in September (early). We also refused to do extra kissing up. The only other thing that worked in our favor was that my dd is extremely talented (dance) and has an interesting, outgoing, funny personality.
We refused to allow this process to take us over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dd did only in the 80's on WPPSI and we got into one of the better schools for K. The person that tested her initially said that she thought that my dd would do well on admission to any school since she did well on the school readiness test (99%) which the schools often do at the play dates. We submitted only the results of the WPPSI to the schools.

What is the school readiness test that independent schools administer during the playdate? I never heard that mentioned This test may have helped my DC get admitted. Which schools administer this assessment? Any information you have on this please share.

Also where was your DD admitted for K?

I truly believe more goes into the process than high test scores. DC was also admitted to one of the more competitive schools with similiar test results to your DC and we have no special connections.

[Anonymous]

Just curious pps -- which of the "more competitive" schools did your child get into?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I am very sorry for your situation and thank you for your thoughts about the impact of applying for financial aid on your results.

Since this is anonymous, would you be open to sharing your approximate HHI and your daughter's test scores to give a more complete overall picture?

We encountered similar results in applying to preschool programs in a neighborhood of NYC, so you have my empathy.

0 for 4 here. Our HHI (including DH bonus) is 178k. Test scores for dd were in the 90's. She's a good kid and she is really sweet. We constantly hear from her current teachers that if another child is upset in the classroom, my daughter is always the one to go over and give that child a toy or a hug. I just don't get it. We are an averge happy family, nothing special about us really. DH is from Europe, I'm a New Yorker. We work average jobs, honestly, so we can spend more time with each other and our daughter. When we were in NY, I earned a much higher salary working crazy hours for an ungrateful boss- so I took a paycut and lost my fancy title here in DC so I could actually spend time with my child.

All in all - I am really disappointed that we were left with no options. Maybe we should have applied to more schools, although 4 does sound like a lot to me (it was actually 5 but Holy Trinity said that they weren't accepting any new applicants). I really appreciate all of your suggestions and will research them all.

Thank you for the extra information to my earlier questions. I really appreciate it - your daughter sounds absolutely lovely, btw.

Given your description of your daughter, I would encourage you to work the wait lists - call them and find out if any spots have opened up, let them know you would accept a spot if it were offered, etc. Don't take placement on a wait list as a passive thing. Also, I would encourage you to apply again at K, perhaps to more schools as well. Also, check with the Montessori schools about placement for a pre-K slot - many children leave these programs to go elsewhere at that age.

What this is, in your case, is a numbers game. When you are not part of a "priority" category, such as alums, siblings, VIPs, and you do not offer visible[/b] diversity, you are part of a LARGE pool of nice families with smart children. It helps that you daughter is well socialized and has a lovely personality. That alone won't get her in but it will keep her from being "dinged" for poor social skills.

My understanding from the New York system is that applying for financial aid doesn't adversely affect results in a direct way, but it puts an applicant in a situation of competing against other FA applicants for a limited number of spots.

My best advice is this: try to remember that - unless one is a priority applicant - it is really a numbers game. Apply to lots of schools (and 4 is not that many - if you were still in NYC, you would be applying to 10-12 on your daughter's behalf) that you think would be good for your child and work the wait lists.

It is really, really hard not to take it personally, but - for the schools - it isn't personal. Remember that they don't really know you or your child yet. We only have to hope that once our children are admitted somewhere then that will change...

Best of luck to you!!!

[Anonymous]

I can certainly emphathize with those whose children scored in the high 90th-percentile on the WPPSI, and still were waitlisted or rejected. There obviously are a lot more components to admission than the WPPSI.

[Anonymous]

I am the one with the child who scored in the 80's. The schools often do a quick test with kids that tells them something about how the child will do in the early years. There is no preparation.
Interestingly, I know someone whose son got in the 99% WPPSI who did not get in. I baby sat that child on many occaisions and tried to teach him how to read and count with my daughter. Even though he is exceptionally bright, he is impossible to teach. The schools might have caught onto that. However, I think that he will, do well in the long run.

[Anonymous]

0 for 4. Please don't despair. You sound like and amazing and caring parent with a wonderful child, and that's really what matters. I grew up in a low-income suburb in MA and went to the public elementary from K-6. My dad was a janitor with a 9th grade education. I got a scholarship to a prep school in the 7th grade, where the tuition is now over 30K a year. I had exceptional teachers in both public and private school. My friends in public school used the same text books that I did at private school. I think we all lose sight of the fact that what really matters is your parents, and not necessarily the school you attend. My parents were involved in every aspect of my life, and sat with me while I did my homework, even though they didn't understand most of it. If I was up until 2 a.m. studing for an exam, so was my mom. She wouldn't go to bed until I did. They were strict about the friends that I spent time with, and attended every school event. I simply could never have failed with them as my parents, and I suspect that the same goes for your daughter. I'll never forget my high school graduation, when we pulled up in the parking lot in our 76 chevy impala with silver masking tape holding the roof together. My Dad parked it between two Mercedes, and he was the proudest man there.

[Anonymous]

PP that is the most touching story I have heard.

[Anonymous]

I agree!

Your parents are amazing people and we could all learn from them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:0 for 4. Please don't despair. You sound like and amazing and caring parent with a wonderful child, and that's really what matters. I grew up in a low-income suburb in MA and went to the public elementary from K-6. My dad was a janitor with a 9th grade education. I got a scholarship to a prep school in the 7th grade, where the tuition is now over 30K a year. I had exceptional teachers in both public and private school. My friends in public school used the same text books that I did at private school. I think we all lose sight of the fact that what really matters is your parents, and not necessarily the school you attend. My parents were involved in every aspect of my life, and sat with me while I did my homework, even though they didn't understand most of it. If I was up until 2 a.m. studing for an exam, so was my mom. She wouldn't go to bed until I did. They were strict about the friends that I spent time with, and attended every school event. I simply could never have failed with them as my parents, and I suspect that the same goes for your daughter. I'll never forget my high school graduation, when we pulled up in the parking lot in our 76 chevy impala with silver masking tape holding the roof together. My Dad parked it between two Mercedes, and he was the proudest man there.

0 for 4 here. Thank you for your thoughtful comments and sharing such a touching story.

[Anonymous]

To 0-4 poster: please do not despair. We went through the same problem several years back and are now at our #1 school. Many kids get off waiting lists each year. Things will move a bit in early April and I would send a letter to the school(s) your are interested in to let them know just how interested you are. Also, there are a lot of wonderful Pre-K nursery programs that may not be completely full -despite the application process being over. Please call around to check on them - maybe if you explain your situation they will let you make a last-minute application. Call NCRC to check if their full day program is completely filled for next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the one with the child who scored in the 80's. The schools often do a quick test with kids that tells them something about how the child will do in the early years. There is no preparation.
Interestingly, I know someone whose son got in the 99% WPPSI who did not get in. I baby sat that child on many occaisions and tried to teach him how to read and count with my daughter. Even though he is exceptionally bright, he is impossible to teach. The schools might have caught onto that. However, I think that he will, do well in the long run.

School readiness tests are a lot more predictive than you would think. They look at the child's attention span. If a child is very smart, it means nothing if they can't sit still for long enough to get a concept. Early math skills also tell a lot in the long run. That is what the schools are likely to be evaluating in the play dates. The WPPSI tells them if the child is bright, school readiness tests tell them if the child is teachable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:0 for 4. Please don't despair. You sound like and amazing and caring parent with a wonderful child, and that's really what matters. I grew up in a low-income suburb in MA and went to the public elementary from K-6. My dad was a janitor with a 9th grade education. I got a scholarship to a prep school in the 7th grade, where the tuition is now over 30K a year. I had exceptional teachers in both public and private school. My friends in public school used the same text books that I did at private school. I think we all lose sight of the fact that what really matters is your parents, and not necessarily the school you attend. My parents were involved in every aspect of my life, and sat with me while I did my homework, even though they didn't understand most of it. If I was up until 2 a.m. studing for an exam, so was my mom. She wouldn't go to bed until I did. They were strict about the friends that I spent time with, and attended every school event. I simply could never have failed with them as my parents, and I suspect that the same goes for your daughter. I'll never forget my high school graduation, when we pulled up in the parking lot in our 76 chevy impala with silver masking tape holding the roof together. My Dad parked it between two Mercedes, and he was the proudest man there.

They must be very proud of you! And you of them.

Thanks for sharing. It really is all about the parents, at least in the beginning.

[michadajohnson]

We applied to Beauvoir and haven't heard anything yet. Does that seem strange? We are in DC. I'm wondering if our letter was lost int he mail.