k-12 or k-8?

[Anonymous]

We applied to a few k-8 schools and enjoyed our tours. How much stress is it to get kids from their k-8 into a new school. Going through this round of applications takes up so much of our time- we are wondering if it is worth the trouble and if choosing a k-12 makes it easier all around. Any k-8 parents out there who loved their k-8 expereince enough that the exit year was worth it?

[Anonymous]

K8 schools are terrific and our child loved the experience. The only rub is you really need to think of leaving earlier than 8th grade. My child left after sixth and it was pretty easy to have a bunch of schools to choose from. Years on and my kid is a better student than most of the kids who started at the school at a younger age. You are aware from a young age that your child will be applying out someday so you are watching the grades more, you are making sure they are in the right classes more. Friends who stayed until 8th said it was stressful and highly competitive with the cohort because everyone had to leave and usually the good students want a few schools. Everyone gets into school but it seems you have an easier time if you leave earlier. If you are not worried about it, then I highly recommend a K8 school.

[Anonymous]

I think there is a lot to be said for the k-8 model. We chose k-12 for our kids with the understanding among us that we would regularly reevaluate whether it was still the right fit. So far it has been. I guess what I am trying to say is that I prefer k-12, at least around here, because it gives you more options. I have heard that it is tough to move after 8th grade, in part because there just aren't that many spaces in the local privates and there's a lot of competition. I know the school the students are leaving can help, but there's only so much they can do (or are willing to do, for some students).

[Anonymous]

We did the K-8 for our children and while we had a great experience the HS search was more involved than I ever anticipated and it overshadowed the whole K-8 experience. I don’t regret having chosen the K-8. However, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight I wouldn’t choose it again. Lesson learned for my next life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We applied to a few k-8 schools and enjoyed our tours. How much stress is it to get kids from their k-8 into a new school. Going through this round of applications takes up so much of our time- we are wondering if it is worth the trouble and if choosing a k-12 makes it easier all around. Any k-8 parents out there who loved their k-8 expereince enough that the exit year was worth it?

It was absolutely worth it. K-8s are so different in character than a K-12 could ever be. A much better environment for our kids during those years. And then they are able to be invested in and take ownership of the high school application process. They’re not just going somewhere for high school that mom and dad chose for them when they were 5 years old.

[Anonymous]

I love k-8. But please keep in mind man are struggling right now. Check class size and grade size and ask about annual growth or attrition. Classes may be so small by middle school they are socially suffocating. And the school’s financial health could be struggling too. It’s more common at smaller schools than larger. If it’s not a religious school subsidized by its parish, etc. be doubly aware.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love k-8. But please keep in mind man are struggling right now. Check class size and grade size and ask about annual growth or attrition. Classes may be so small by middle school they are socially suffocating. And the school’s financial health could be struggling too. It’s more common at smaller schools than larger. If it’s not a religious school subsidized by its parish, etc. be doubly aware.

Many* are struggling. Please forgive typos.

[Anonymous]

DC in K-8 and is a 7th grader. Has been an amazing experience. Although, I am watching the 8th graders go through this application process it is a bit overwhelming. Although our school does a great job. All the kids go where they are supposed to go.

[Anonymous]

If you can get into a K-12 where you can see your DC would be happy, enroll. You can always apply out if it turns out to be a poor fit. It's much harder to get into the competitive schools as the kids get older. Not only are you applying against your classmates, which is its own special form of stress, but also against top-performing kids from public schools. That being said, if you can't find a K-12 where you think DC would be happy, then I would opt for a K-8, K-3, or a school focused on younger children.

[Anonymous]

I think there's a great argument for K-8 focusing resources on the younger child development whereas the K-12 saves much of the bang for their buck on the older grades. I also think that the school you pick for your 5yo kid is as much about you then the child. Having the involvement of the older kid picking the kind of school/environment that fits them best a great option.

[Anonymous]

When I look at outplacement for my child's k-8, I am happy with our choice. We are in a lower grade and I do hear occasional angst and upset feelings over some outplacement results, but, those results are never surprising. The child who is middle of the road in 8th grade was not going to get in to Sidwell unhooked anyway. The students who are at the very top of the class seem to land at NCS, STA, Potomac, Sidwell, Maret, Holton and a few to NE boarding schools. The lower and middle students are spread all over the place and there is always a small contingent that goes public. What that says to me is that the sorting hat works and that students land in the right spot.

IMO, the k-12s don't have to do the best job at k-8, because they know they are going to import in top talent at 9th, which will boost their college outplacement. If k-12s were actually providing the very best in class education, all the top senior students would always be their lifers. It never shakes out that way.

For my family, the best possible education for our child's needs and personality was the driving factor in school selection. Child will land where child should land for HS.

[Anonymous]

I love our K-12 and am so happy not to have had to worry about moving my now 9th grader.

Friends at K-8's spend all of middle school worrying about it, in some cases, and even, as other PPs have suggested, start thinking of pulling out earlier to gain an advantage in the process.

To me that seems silly and eliminates one of the supposed best things about k-8, namely that 8th graders get to be the top of the school.

I am really happy to have my DS stay in 9th. We did discuss with him whether or not he was interested in staying, moving to another private or going public, he really really wanted to stay, we think it's a good fit and we are happy. But if he wanted to move, of course I would have still had that option for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can get into a K-12 where you can see your DC would be happy, enroll. You can always apply out if it turns out to be a poor fit. It's much harder to get into the competitive schools as the kids get older. Not only are you applying against your classmates, which is its own special form of stress, but also against top-performing kids from public schools. That being said, if you can't find a K-12 where you think DC would be happy, then I would opt for a K-8, K-3, or a school focused on younger children.

It’s very hard to see where your five year old would be happy at seventeen. Especially since upper schools can be Very different from lower schools, even at the same school.

[Anonymous]

We are applying to 9th and I did not find the process stressful. We are coming from public. I had friends pulling their hair out and stressing like mad and warning me last year it would be crazy.

Granted, we applied only to a few schools. He shadowed only at his top 2. But, after he wrote the essays there wasn't much to do.

Maybe it is harder coming from private because you are surrounded by 'your competition' and everyone is talking about it. It's a small number of kids applying to private from our MS and, even then, many are not applying to the same schools. In that case, being secure in a K-12 might be better for sanity because at least you know you are guaranteed a place to go.

I could see being in that environment and feeding off of others could be mad during application time. Also, all of those teachers in K-8 are writing countless recommendations since all of the students are applying.

[Anonymous]

There has been some research that shows that K-8's are better for kids in the middle school years. I also think that going through the looking at schools, applying, interviewing, process and then having to make friends and find your place in a new community at that 8th/9th grade age (whether you are coming from a K-8, a public middle school or transferring from another K-12) makes the college application process and social transition to college less daunting.