Help with pk3 ranking please

[Anonymous]

We are new to the lottery application (pk3) and feel quite overwhelmed, I would appreciate any positive criticism to our current list:

1. Marie Reed dual language (English dominant)
2. Garrison (our in boundary school)
3. Bancroft
4. Mundo verde Cook
5. Mundo verde Calle Ocho
6. Lamb Kingsbury
7. Lamb South Dakota
8. EW Stokes (French)
9. HD Cooke
10. Cleveland dual language (English dominant)
11. Mary McLeod Bethune
12. Thomson

We are in boundary for Garrison, but we are renting and will probably move in the next 1-2 years. We would love to do dual language, especially at Marie reed, I understand this is almost impossible but we still want to try.

Thanks for your help!

[Anonymous]

Be aware that the order you rank the schools will affect what you are offered. So if you get offered a spot at Garrison (which you presumably will receive preference for, given that you're in boundary), that will automatically bump all of the others except for Marie Reed off your list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be aware that the order you rank the schools will affect what you are offered. So if you get offered a spot at Garrison (which you presumably will receive preference for, given that you're in boundary), that will automatically bump all of the others except for Marie Reed off your list.

+1.

The system is designed so you can't really game it. Don't put a school at #2 unless you really would rather go there over your #3-12 choices.

[Anonymous]

Yes, thank you! We do love Garrison so we want to keep it as our second option. I guess I am more wondering if we have a chance of getting into any of the schools under it if we don't get a spot at Garrison. And if so, what other schools should I add/change?

[Anonymous]

The overwhelmingly likely outcome of this list is that you get a seat either at Garrison or nowhere. (I'm not sure if all IB PK3 have gotten slots at Garrison in recent years.) Garrison is a nice school, it's a good outcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The overwhelmingly likely outcome of this list is that you get a seat either at Garrison or nowhere. (I'm not sure if all IB PK3 have gotten slots at Garrison in recent years.) Garrison is a nice school, it's a good outcome.

At least a few years ago for Garrison there were a few in-bounds PK3 kids on the waitlist but not many and they all got in eventually.

You are very unlikely to get into Marie Reed- we tried for PK3 and PK4 and didn't get in (either the dual language or the English) and were in-bounds. A number of people (mostly in bounds for Oyster) also have proximity since it is on the edge of the border and they would be before you (I guess it is possible to have proximity for Marie Reed but not likely given the way the districts are drawn- you would have to be right on 15th or V St).

If you prioritize dual language and think you might move anyway I would bump Garrison below the dual language schools- you could always move closer to a charter if you get in.

[Anonymous]

Bancroft, English dominant has only been in-boundary kids with sibling preference for the past couple of years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the lottery application (pk3) and feel quite overwhelmed, I would appreciate any positive criticism to our current list:

1. Marie Reed dual language (English dominant)
2. Garrison (our in boundary school)
3. Bancroft
4. Mundo verde Cook
5. Mundo verde Calle Ocho
6. Lamb Kingsbury
7. Lamb South Dakota
8. EW Stokes (French)
9. HD Cooke
10. Cleveland dual language (English dominant)
11. Mary McLeod Bethune
12. Thomson

We are in boundary for Garrison, but we are renting and will probably move in the next 1-2 years. We would love to do dual language, especially at Marie reed, I understand this is almost impossible but we still want to try.

Thanks for your help!

I think you have a chance at Bethune if you don’t match at Garrison. The others would be highly unlikely. If you want more backups in case you don’t match at Garrison I’d look at the list of short wait list charters and add some of those.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks everybody for the quick replies!
I would love to do dual language but wasn't impressed with Mundo Verde, Stokes and Lamb's open houses so I don't want to put them before Garrison. We are hoping to stay near the area we are in now and would like to be able to walk to school.
Anyone has any DCPS or charter schools recommendations to add underneath Garrison that we might have a shot at? Thanks so much!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks everybody for the quick replies!
I would love to do dual language but wasn't impressed with Mundo Verde, Stokes and Lamb's open houses so I don't want to put them before Garrison. We are hoping to stay near the area we are in now and would like to be able to walk to school.
Anyone has any DCPS or charter schools recommendations to add underneath Garrison that we might have a shot at? Thanks so much!

I am the PP who tried (and failed) to get into Marie Reed for two years in bounds and we had a similar list and didn't match anywhere, except we didn't have Bethune (because of the commute). We listed Bethune as a post-lottery pick and got in pretty quickly though.

You have a bunch of highly sought after charters And DCPS schools that waitlist in-bounds kids so my guess is if your number isn't good enough to get into Garrison you will only have a shot at matching at Bethune.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks everybody for the quick replies!
I would love to do dual language but wasn't impressed with Mundo Verde, Stokes and Lamb's open houses so I don't want to put them before Garrison. We are hoping to stay near the area we are in now and would like to be able to walk to school.
Anyone has any DCPS or charter schools recommendations to add underneath Garrison that we might have a shot at? Thanks so much!

Who knows what might happen this year, but based on the last several years (1) no one gets into Marie Reed PK3 OOB (and several don't get in even if IB), and (2) if you want to prioritize dual-language (possibly moving IB to Marie Reed/Bancroft/Powell in 1-2 years) you may consider whether it's worth it to list MV/LAMB/Stokes higher to start Spanish exposure so that if you move for K, your kid will have that exposure.

If you truly want Garrison over MV/LAMB/Stokes (and I don't disagree with you - the community + ability to walk to school is a huge plus and Garrison is a great school) then I would consider removing one of them (because it's almost impossible that your number would not get you IB at Garrison but would get you a spot at any of those) and consider listing CMI as a safety.

[Anonymous]

If your number is such that you don't get into Garrison IB, Bethune is the only one below where you have a chance. Most likely you will end up at Garrison, which is great since it's your second choice.

[Anonymous]

Well, another upside of Garrison is that right now they are actually doing IPL, so I'd absolutely keep it high on your list.

[Anonymous]

This resource is helpful to check your chances at various schools. https://enrolldcps.dc.gov/node/61

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your number is such that you don't get into Garrison IB, Bethune is the only one below where you have a chance. Most likely you will end up at Garrison, which is great since it's your second choice.

I agree with this. If you are ok matching with Garrison, Bethune, or nothing, then this is a fine list. And if you like your current childcare arrangement or have another non-lottery option (take a look at the community-based PK options--they run their own lotteries and several are bilingual) then it's ok. If your goal is to have more choices in the event that you get a bad lottery draw, let us know how far you're willing to transport your kid and the neighborhood where you'll be working and people might have suggestions of safer schools that are reasonable commutes.