hard to get into Duke Ellington?

[Anonymous]

How selective is Duke Ellington? Or is it mostly self-selective?

[Anonymous]

Very. There's an audition, exam, and family interview.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the discipline. Vocal music seems have the most applicants each year.

[Anonymous]

Vocal was VERY selective this year! I know a very good student from a top middle school with perfect pitch and a lovely voice that got cut.

I also know a visual arts, LMC person and instrumentalist that did make the cut.

[Anonymous]

I know one dancer who made the cut and one who didn't.

[Anonymous]

My kid was in vocal music at DESA. It was VERY competitive to get in (2014). Someone at the school explained to me that voice is always super-competitive because it's the one instrument everyone's got regardless of opportunity. You don't need vocal training to have opportunities to develop your voice -- many kids get their training for free at church, for example. Instrumental musicians usually have taken lessons; dancers usually have too (not always though.) But vocalists often have no training. Lots of kids put in for that option.

[Anonymous]

There are 8 disciplines/programs. Some are bigger than others, and some are more competitive than others.

For 16-17 they took the following number of 9th grade students into each discipline:

Dance - 22
Instrumental music - 31
Literary media and comms - 16
Museum studies - 14
Tech design and production - 12
Theatre - 18
Visual arts - 24
Vocal arts - 32

[Anonymous]

Museum studies. I want to take that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very. There's an audition, exam, and family interview.

So why, with the latest $200 million subsidy from D.C. Taxpayers, does Ellington take kids from Maryland while it turns away kids from Washington?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very. There's an audition, exam, and family interview.

So why, with the latest $200 million subsidy from D.C. Taxpayers, does Ellington take kids from Maryland while it turns away kids from Washington?!

Go to an open house and ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very. There's an audition, exam, and family interview.

So why, with the latest $200 million subsidy from D.C. Taxpayers, does Ellington take kids from Maryland while it turns away kids from Washington?!

There are families that lie about residency

There are families that pay tuition


Both are a problem when DC kids are not admitted

[Anonymous]

I believe 5 out the 5 students (maybe 6) that tried out from our charter were accepted. I guess that's pretty remarkable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very. There's an audition, exam, and family interview.

So why, with the latest $200 million subsidy from D.C. Taxpayers, does Ellington take kids from Maryland while it turns away kids from Washington?!

There are families that lie about residency

There are families that pay tuition


Both are a problem when DC kids are not admitted

Residency fraud isn't unique to Ellington -- no doubt happens at the rest of the application schools as well as the comprehensive high schools.

If you know of someone who is committing it, report it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Museum studies. I want to take that!

I have a BA in it. Limited job opportunities and felt the major was best suited to trust funders.

[Anonymous]

Ellington is horribly under utilized. They should be made to take students until they're at capacity. DC parents paid for it DC students should be able to use it.