DC lottery - your prognosis?

[Anonymous]

Priority Requested School Accepted Waitlisted Waitlist Position Preference Category
1 Watkins Elementary Traditional Program NO YES 16 No Preference
2 Murch ES NO YES 10 No Preference
3 Mann ES NO YES 20 No Preference
4 Stoddert ES NO YES 5 No Preference
5 Key ES NO YES 8 No Preference
6 Hyde ES NO YES 44 No Preference

I know so little about these schools . . . what are the prospects for getting into any of them off these waitlists. Is there any such thing as "working the waitlist" (a Manhattan term for pestering the school). Many thanks!

[Anonymous]

from what i know, the only one on that list i would think you might get is stoddert...but i would look at who's in front of you . if there is a sib preference they will probably take it...

[Anonymous]

the murch list moves a fair amount. you've got a chance for sure.

[Anonymous]

Someone on another thread posted that last year her child #17 Murch prek was offered a spot.
My prognosis
Watkins, no info
Murch, possible
Mann, impossible
Stoddert, possible
Key, unlikely
Hyde, unlikely
Call Murch & Stoddert 1x a month starting in May, Key and Hyde, starting in June. You'll get a sense from the schools.

[Anonymous]

OP, are these for pre-K?

[Anonymous]

OP: No these are for K - how does that affect the outlook?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: No these are for K - how does that affect the outlook?

oh. i take mine back then. murch not likely.

[Anonymous]

OP: Actually, its first. He's in K now. I wasn't thinking. It says 2 with preferences got in so far. Would our getting in basically mean 10 of the current kindergartners would need to leave (which obviously won't happen)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: Actually, its first. He's in K now. I wasn't thinking. It says 2 with preferences got in so far. Would our getting in basically mean 10 of the current kindergartners would need to leave (which obviously won't happen)

yup. won't happen. sorry.

[Anonymous]

What is your inboundary neighborhood school, that you have a right to attend?

[Anonymous]

There is a huge exodus from Watkins after first grade. You can probably get in mid year or at least for second grade.

[Anonymous]

I put our name in for out of bounds schools, but how are you notified?

[Anonymous]

I'm so frustrated to see OP say they know very little about the schools they applied for. If you dont know at this point, you must not really care as much as you think you do. Go to your IB school and make room for those of us who are pounding our heads and the pavement to get to know these schools and the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...I know so little about these schools . . . what are the prospects for getting into any of them off these waitlists. Is there any such thing as "working the waitlist" (a Manhattan term for pestering the school). Many thanks!

The waitlists are real. They have processes in place so that you can not "work the waitlist".

Getting into 1st with those numbers your chances are really low - across the board. What is your neighborhood school?

[Anonymous]

If it were successful "working the waiting list" in this case I believe would actually be a violation of law. These are public schools and the lottery is random. If someone got a preference due to anything that they did it would be shocking and someone could probably be prosecuted for it, probably the offending school official.