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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Info on the interview:http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/218881.page

Looks like SWW got Jeff to delete the student's first reply, but they forgot the second.

Some Gems:

"I know the high school transition was extremely hard for me- the last thing I would want is to set up a kid who would not be able to succeed at this school to fail. The middle school involved was one a sibling of mine went to, so I knew that the work load wasn't as hard or extensive at SWW. Both of the teachers who were in the room with me were also worried about the ability of the student to succeed here, it wasn't just me. "

This is talking about a student who this student interviewer nixed because, and I quote, "The student was getting all As in middle school."

"And as for allowing students to interview: her is something that will probably scare you out of your mind: there were 3-4 students per room, with 2 teachers. All of us had equal weight in the decision."

So, in theory, if the 3-4 kids don't like how your kid looks, or the fact your kid is smart, good luck.

"The reason they did this was because as students we know the school, and we know how to succeed at the school. I would like to point out that only issue with my example was not that he spent so much time with homework. "

Yes, because empower the students.

"As for the 'ungrounded' view that he wouldn't be able to succeed, its a fact that high school, especially at an academically challenging high school such as walls, is harder then most middle schools."

How do you choose who is going to succeed at your high school? I guess spidey sense, as that is the only explanation given by this interviewer.

" Is seeing a kid spending 3+ hours working on homework during middle school send up a big red flag? At least to this panel it certainly does. Maybe to you it seems like nothing, go ahead... Start interviewing students yourself. At this point I am going off to college, I'm almost done with school, I don't need to argue about this shit with you."

This just in, give up now if your kid spends more then 15 minutes on homework...

Now, most of you will say this is a troll. BUT THE SCHOOL ADMITTED THAT THIS WAS A LEGITIMATE STUDENT BY SENDING A "PARENT" TO DO DAMAGE CONTROL (http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/60/218881.page)

"-Students on the panel had an equal voice in theory, but the teachers could nullify any student's answers if the teacher felt that the decision was biased or not based on fact. When a student was on the line between passing the process/failing it, the teacher's response was weighted better. "

Can I point out this makes no sense? So students have an equal voice, except when they don't? The entire reply sounds like a simple case of damage control, likely by an administrator.

"-While part of this interview was to learn more about the personality of the students, their extracurricular activities, experience, etc... It was more just to look at them as people, and see what they would gain by going to SWW, both socially and academically. Questions asked related to extra-curricular activities, academic integrity, and more general questions to get to know about them. "

And then there is this, which pretty much says that the student was right.

"As for the "student", if you are a student, and you are reading this, please talk to the administration. They would (and to be honest I would) like to know where you got your information, as it definitely isn't true. "

This sounds like they know exactly who the "student" is. And are trying to get him/her to come forward themselves.[/quote]

Also, other parents agreed with the student poster:

"I must agree completely! the student's explanation of the interview process was EXACTLY my experience when my son and I interviewed at this school last week. Not for one minute do I believe that the previous post was from a real SWW parent who was a part of the interview process. And even if it was then I do not feel that she provided an accurate portrayal of the interview and selection process. I am livid with this school and its' unprofessionalism."

"My experience was exactly the same as the poster's who said that the two teachers she interviewed with attempted to be as intimidating and unpleasant as possible. We probably had the same panel. Those teachers, in my opinion, should not be conducting interviews. If the school leadership can't recognize that, then I have real doubts about their ability to manage personnel."

"I am a parent who holds multiple degrees. I operate in senior management for my organization. I would consider myself to be highly professional, personable, and excellent interviewer. However as one of those parents that interviewed two weeks ago, I found the panel that my son and I met with to be void of any personality, intimidating and unpleasant. I am an articulate and supportive parent who was more than personable and appropriate. However the 15:29 post seem to imply that if your child was not selected it was perhaps because you failed to present well. That is far from the truth. I am not sure what characteristics the panel was looking for. Perhaps I should not have spoken about my child's accomplishments. Perhaps I was too friendly. I have no idea. However what I do know is that the interview was by far the most unprofessional experience that I had ever endured and it has placed enough questions in my mind about SWW that even if they offered my child admission at this point, I would decline. We have since decided to go to an incredible private school where the staff is personable, friendly and attempting to sell their institution to you. "

"The kids should stay in the classroom and apart from the interview process. Based on our experience,even though our child felt fine about it all, we are not going to select Walls over the private school he is invited for 9th grade. Even a week ago we were still trying to let this by our son's decision, but it's too much of a crap shoot, a viable and open-to-scrutiny private or a moody, opaque and strangely less revealing public where teenagers are staring us down. I know others who are choosing Wilson rather than Walls based on the interview experience. Hopefully things will improve, how they represent the school to the world in the future. We may give it another try for 10th grade, after we see how many new freshmen flee, surely they'll need replacements."

ALSO: I found the student's first post quoted by another post, "Yeah, pretty much this. As interviewers, while we took questions, it was mostly to look at the students and parents to see whether we thought they would fit in. For example: the school didn't want to base it completely off exam scores, but also look at the personality of the student and whether they would fit in. There were definitely some students with amazing exam scores and grades that me (and the rest in my room) gave lower scores to then those who didn't do so well, simply because they came off as being too full of themselves, or like they wouldn't fit well with the school.

I remember on who had all As, but was telling us how he was a good student and to get all those As he often worked 3-4 hours of studying and would stay up extremely late. We didn't think he would be able to handle the work load at walls (which is condsiderably greater then most schools in the city, especially middle schools) if he was working for 3-4 hours a night to succeed at middle school, how much would he be working to succeed at high school?"[/quote]

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