Reply to MD/DC school for rising 8th grader with average grades

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Tl;dr: I think my son would really benefit from moving to private school, but before getting his hopes up, I want to know if he's got a shot at getting in anywhere, and, if so, where we should look.

To give more color, my son is currently in 7th grade in public school (MCPS).  He's very bright (routinely 90th+ percentile on standardized tests, both math and reading), but he has mild inattentive-type ADHD and gets middling (A/B, more Bs than As) grades.  This is largely due to not completing work on time or rushing and not doing it completely - when he does the work, he gets As, and good comments on critical thinking and creative writing especially.

I think he would do wildly better in a private school with smaller classes and more attention.  He has done great (and gotten great feedback from teachers) in the few classes he's had with a small, more engaged, more hands-on class.  Most of his classes are huge (30+ kids), though, with a ton of class time doing busywork on a chromebook, and he tends to be bored and unmotivated - rushes through the work, goofs off with the other kids, or just drifts off into space.  Since his grades are adequate and he's not disruptive, he doesn't get much attention from teachers, and feels like most of them barely know who he is.  We've gotten the impression from parent/teacher meetings that he's increasingly checked out in class, and I've noticed him becoming a lot more negative about school.

Other factors: he's got a couple extracurriculars (plays trumpet in band, did cross country this year, andis in two after school Dungeons and Dragons clubs).  Socially, he's variable - he's quite reserved, but very witty once he opens up. He can be sarcastic and argumentative, though.

My question: is private school even a possibility for him?  I'm concerned that he's got middling grades and will have middling teacher recommendations, even though his test scores are good, and I understand 8th grade is a weird year to try and enter.  Schools that look appealing to me are Sandy Spring Friends, Barrie, maybe Burke, but I am having a very hard time figuring out how competitive these are to get into.  And input would be hugely appreciated (and any suggestions for other school options too).[/quote]
 I think you should call and ask to speak with admission director and ask them directly. Ask if they are admitting for 8th and if so explain in a short way that you would to come take a tour and apply for your son. Then you will be able to see which places feel right. St Andrews might also be good to look at. SSFS and Burke or Field would be great options to explore.  I think you have a great shot if they are accepting for that grade and don’t be afraid to express your sincere interest at whichever you apply. [/quote]

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