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[quote=Anonymous]We are at WIS. We are plain vanilla American parents who are full pay. We have friends at Top 3 and other independents, all of whom have said that sometimes big donors and other  very involved parents get special treatment or extra considerations. The extent to which this varies depends on the school. It is not pervasive at WIS by any
means but that is part of the dynamic at ALL independent schools.

We turned down Top 3 because we wanted something different than what other schools seemed to be offering in the DMV. We did not want an American-style education for our child; we wanted our child to be to manage opposing viewpoints and wrestle with uncomfortable and competing ideas and those that may not be popular in DC's progressive environment -- even though we certainly identify as Democrats.

For all their faults and potential contradictions, that largely happens at WIS. And when we think something needs further refinement because the explanation seems too simplistic, we discuss it directly with our child and possibly the school too. Our experience has been one where our discussions have been generally productive and engaging -- with our child, non-American parents especially, and administration.

I appreciate the previous posters' comments related to the perceived benefits or lack thereof for American families. We entered in Primary school and felt language acquisition and exposure to families and their international experiences would be helpful, and it certainly has been. But I also acknowledge there are other ways one could go about achieving this objective. I also acknowledge that I may have a different perspective if I were an UMC African-American, like the previous poster, and appreciate that feedback because it should have been able to be articulated fairly clearly why Americans choose WIS.

We also felt in hyper-political DC, a non-American style of education would be beneficial because these kids are perceptive enough to pick up on the environment and  we did not want our children politicized at a young age. That certainly was our experience in the primary years , which we felt was developmentally-appropriate.

For some of our friends, having their kids be engaged in social justice  activities and protests was important; others wanted a Top 3 or nothing else; and still others wanted a progressive style of education where the child leads the way and the environment is more relaxed. They all made different choices and are generally happy where they ended up.

Private school is a privilege and a choice for many. It is also about finding the right fit for your child and your family. I hope people find the best fit for their child and family and appreciate the constructive criticism about WIS.

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