I have one in HB and one in private. The one in HB likes it just fine, though probably doesn't take advantage of all it has to offer. The main benefit is the smaller size and closer community feel, plus the administration is great.

If my private schooler had also won the HB lottery, I probably would have switched due to the cost. However, my kid would not have wanted to move, as they love their private school. I do think it has many advantages HB doesn't, such as opportunities to play sports. At HB, you can't have your middle schooler go to their home school for sports. In HS you can arrange it so this is possible, but it takes up a class period. And if you haven't been playing since a young age, it can be very hard to make the team at other APS high schools, whereas at private this is much more accessible, and kid has been able to try out many sports, all at the school (no driving around like rec leagues). Another difference is that HB offers music and arts classes as electives, while at our private, they are built into the curriculum for everyone. For academics, I would say the private emphasizes reading and writing more, but there is less math differentiation (because it's smaller and more individualized for each student vs. having three separate class levels).

Attending a strong DC private correlates with attendance at higher ranked colleges. Generally.

Can those who didn’t like the vibe of HBW please elaborate on what the problem is?

Anonymous wrote:Same here. Wonder what privates were better for which students and why students ended up leaving HBW?

The HB students I know went to their home high schools, not private.

It’s virtually impossible to get into private HS past Freshmen year.

Anonymous wrote:It's a private school that happens to be run by APS. Ridiculously unfair to the rest of the student population, but of course you take the spot. Congratulations.

Seriously, how clueless is OP? Do you have like a trust fund you are just itching to burn? Relatives that work at the private school you want to support? Laundering money thru tuition?

Anonymous wrote:It's a private school that happens to be run by APS. Ridiculously unfair to the rest of the student population, but of course you take the spot. Congratulations.

My hate for HBW knows no limits, but I suspect will be even deeper when my kid is at XXL WL in all its supersized dysfunctional glory.

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same position, OP.

Please go private so my kid can have a chance at HB! So jealous...

Same here. Wonder what privates were better for which students and why students ended up leaving HBW?

We are in the same position, OP.

What privates and does your kid like the HBW vibe? One benefit of private is you get a smaller school plus the extracurriculars that HBW doesn't have. But of course you pay $$$ for that.

We got off the waitlist 2 months into my kid's first year of private HS, but we had pretty much decided prior that it wouldn't have been a good fit.

Anecdotally, 4 families we are very close with had kids that transferred out between 9th-11th grade.

I think I was just done with APS by then, but also the vibe just isn't my kid.

Anonymous wrote:Take the HB spot - congratulations!

+1

Congrats. My private school kid was waitlisted.

It's a private school that happens to be run by APS. Ridiculously unfair to the rest of the student population, but of course you take the spot. Congratulations.

Take the HB spot - congratulations!

We are lucky to have won a spot to HB Woodlawn at APS (results out today). It is a small public with around 80 per grade for MS and 100-120 for US. We also applied for some privates in DC and are waiting for results on Mar 4.

Just wonder if anyone who has knowledge or experience with the HB Woodlawn to share some info especially with respect to privates? My apologies this might not be relevant to most people here ...