critique my PK-3 list

[Anonymous]

We are in bounds for Bancroft. My kid is currently at a private english-speaking preschool, and we'll continue there until K, if necessary (but I would prefer to her start spanish before K, if possible).

Our main priorities are (1) spanish and (2) proximity to Mt. Pleasant. I realize that we're in a good position, because we're excited about our inbounds school. We are going to list Bancroft as #1. I'm not sure how to order the rest of our list, which just consists of nearby schools with bilingual or immersion programs. I realize that we don't have a great shot at any of these, but I figured I'd get some advice.

In what order would you put these schools and are there any we are missing?

Oyster Adams
Marie Reed
HD Cooke
Powell
Mundo Verde (bus from Mt. P)
Bruce Monroe
Breakthrough
Dorothy Height
Cook
Tubman
Bethune

[Anonymous]

stokes?

[Anonymous]

We have a child at HD Cooke and you will not get in as an OOB PK3 student in the initial lottery. Maybe after school has already started, but still doubtful. "Cooke" and "Cook" are both on your list. Are there 2?

Are you lotterying for Marie Reed Spanish AND English? If so, that's 2 slots, not 1.

As for ordering of your list, rank Bancroft #1 if it is truly your top choice. If it is not your top choice, rank in order of preference. You will not lose your in boundary preference and it will not strengthen your application to put Bancroft #1.

[Anonymous]

That's pretty far from Mt. Pleasant. This poster is looking at places pretty close, with the exception of Mundo Verde, which has a bus from Mt. P.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Bancroft is our first choice because, in the long run, we like the idea of a neighborhood school. There are other schools that seem good to us too, but not so much better than bancroft that it makes sense to commute. My guess is that, even if we got into any other school on our list, we'd come back to Bancroft for K.

Does that sound sane? There's so much hype about using the lottery to climb to a "better" school, but I feel like a long commute would worsen our quality of life (including my kid's quality of life). I don't yet have a kid in school, so I can't predict whether, in a few years, I'll wish I had been more strategic.

All thoughts welcome!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Bancroft is our first choice because, in the long run, we like the idea of a neighborhood school. There are other schools that seem good to us too, but not so much better than bancroft that it makes sense to commute. My guess is that, even if we got into any other school on our list, we'd come back to Bancroft for K.

Does that sound sane? There's so much hype about using the lottery to climb to a "better" school, but I feel like a long commute would worsen our quality of life (including my kid's quality of life). I don't yet have a kid in school, so I can't predict whether, in a few years, I'll wish I had been more strategic.

All thoughts welcome!

Totally understand, and that makes sense. I know people IB for Bancroft who have been shut out of PK3, so I think it's wise to consider other options (as you are doing) even if you ultimately want to end up at Bancroft. A couple of thoughts: OA doesn't offer a PK3 program. And the Missouri Ave. location of LAMB could be a relatively easy commute up from Mt. Pleasant. If you are heading south for work (and willing to go as far south as Marie Reed) you could consider Garrison as well.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Any suggestions on ordering the schools after Bancroft? Should we have ones on there for which we have almost no chance of getting in?

[Anonymous]

if you are willing to explore non-spanish schools, HD Cooke might be an option. Marie Reed still has inbound kids on waitlist in PK4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if you are willing to explore non-spanish schools, HD Cooke might be an option. Marie Reed still has inbound kids on waitlist in PK4.

Duh, sorry, can't read! I see it's on your list already.

[Anonymous]

I'd eliminate any school with inbounds kids waitlisted and fill it in with somewhere there's no inbound preference. Bruce M. is likely in that category.

[Anonymous]

Oyster does not have PK3.

Marie Reed, Powell, and Bruce Monroe are very, very unlikely to take any English-dominant OOB students (as in I don't think they have taken any English-dominant OOB students in a few years). Unless you're Spanish-dominant, I would take them off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Bancroft is our first choice because, in the long run, we like the idea of a neighborhood school. There are other schools that seem good to us too, but not so much better than bancroft that it makes sense to commute. My guess is that, even if we got into any other school on our list, we'd come back to Bancroft for K.

Does that sound sane? There's so much hype about using the lottery to climb to a "better" school, but I feel like a long commute would worsen our quality of life (including my kid's quality of life). I don't yet have a kid in school, so I can't predict whether, in a few years, I'll wish I had been more strategic.

All thoughts welcome!

Then definitely take YY off your list. One year of Mandarin immersion is pretty pointless. It makes absolute sense to rank Bancroft highest given your desire for a neighborhood school and a short commute. Those are very real benefits that can have a huge effect on your quality of life. I'd rank the others based primarily on convenience/your commute.

You can certainly list schools where you have almost no chance of getting in -- it doesn't hurt, unless you have more than 12 schools you'd like to rank -- but if it's really important to you that you get in somewhere, and you plan to return to Bancroft, then make sure there are some more likely options. If you have a Plan B if you strike out, then it doesn't matter so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in bounds for Bancroft. My kid is currently at a private english-speaking preschool, and we'll continue there until K, if necessary (but I would prefer to her start spanish before K, if possible).

Our main priorities are (1) spanish and (2) proximity to Mt. Pleasant. I realize that we're in a good position, because we're excited about our inbounds school. We are going to list Bancroft as #1. I'm not sure how to order the rest of our list, which just consists of nearby schools with bilingual or immersion programs. I realize that we don't have a great shot at any of these, but I figured I'd get some advice.

In what order would you put these schools and are there any we are missing?

Oyster Adams
Marie Reed
HD Cooke
Powell
Mundo Verde (bus from Mt. P)
Bruce Monroe
Breakthrough
Dorothy Height
Cook
Tubman
Bethune

Some of what I say is repeating things said above. I can comment on the DCPS schools.

Drop Oyster, Powell (no PK3).
Any school with inbounds kids on waitlist (check DCPS lottery stats) you have zero chance of getting in, so don't give a spot unless you have extra slots and want to hail mary.
- Marie Reed Dual, English dominant: no chance OOB
- Marie Reed English only - just checked, no chance: 2018 30 inbounds applied, 12 waitlisted.
- Cooke (only one): 2018 0 Proximity kids got in during lottery, but I bet a few came off waitlist. If you have prox preference, list them (list them first). W/out prox, probably not worth it.
- Tubman: like Cooke, check stats, very unlikely but non-zero. List near top.
- Bruce-Monroe: more like Marie Reed, really almost no chance. drop
Bethune is in Brookland.
Everyone gets in to Dorothy Height, so any school listed below this will be a wasted spot
I really appreciate your desire to do DCPS schools.

Also: Bancroft last year 7/42 inbounds kids got in after the lottery. Probably 10 total after movement. So figure your odds this year for Bancroft are about 25% (1 in four).

Mundo Verde went about 50 PK3 kids down the waitlist, with 600 applicants. So they're about 1 in ten chance. If you list them after Bancroft, you'll either get into Bancroft or you won't get in to either school given way lottery numbers work.

Breakthrough is an odd case. 45/215 got it after lottery. But by October, 170 total had been offered spots. So if you are willing to wait...

-----

The core of your list is therefore:

Bancroft (1 in 4)
HD Cooke (unlikely)
Breakthrough (1 in 5 right after lottery)
Bethune (new to the lottery in 2019, so I can't estimate your chances - anyone have data?)
Tubman (unlikely)
Dorothy Height (basically guaranteed)

Leaving out Bethune which we can't estimate, you're flipping two coins and if both come up heads, you get into Bancroft. Otherwise, Dorothy Height. And if at DH, you're waitlisted at Breakthrough and 75% likely to get off the waitlist by October.



- Lottery Stats Person

[Anonymous]

Not OP, but Lottery Stats Person, that is incredibly helpful. That was really nice of you to do.

Two minor clarification points: Powell has PK3, but like Bruce Monroe, does not take OOB English-dominant (not sure about Spanish-dominant), so your advice to drop stands.

Bethune has campuses both in Brookland and in 16th St. Heights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Bancroft is our first choice because, in the long run, we like the idea of a neighborhood school. There are other schools that seem good to us too, but not so much better than bancroft that it makes sense to commute. My guess is that, even if we got into any other school on our list, we'd come back to Bancroft for K.

Does that sound sane? There's so much hype about using the lottery to climb to a "better" school, but I feel like a long commute would worsen our quality of life (including my kid's quality of life). I don't yet have a kid in school, so I can't predict whether, in a few years, I'll wish I had been more strategic.

All thoughts welcome!

That sounds completely sane. There is such a benefit to going to your neighborhood school - sanity of commute, friends in the neighborhood who go to your school.