Anonymous wrote:McKinley has their first round of interviews/in-person essays this Thursday from 3:45-6:00. Don't think parents need to be there/stay, I know folks who are carpooling to take kids there.

Yes, my son interviewed two years ago and McKinley is big on the kid representing themselves and the parent not really being super-involved in communicating with the school. My wife did stay for my son's interview, but it would have been fine if she had left and gotten a call back when it was time to pick him up. While it's totally possible to get to the school by metro, I wouldn't recommend it before the interview because it's tricky to know where you climb the stairs from two blocks below to get to the school from Noma / Gallaudet. And they would be very likely to be late, which wouldn't reflect well.

Anonymous wrote:A couple years ago, Banneker emailed during first week of February to invite student to interview on date about a week and a half later. Walls emailed the day after Presidents' Day that student would be invited to interview either the upcoming Saturday or the one following. Didn't find out which date or the time until Thursday evening, then the interview was on Saturday morning.

Do families participate in the Walls Interview or just the kid? We have another kid event one of those Saturdays and am afraid of how to plan that.

Anonymous wrote:Banneker's interview dates are Feb 11 and 18 this year. (I'm current parent, we can see dates on the schedule.) As I recall we got notice not very far in advance of the interview. And it's a Wednesday during the day, and a parent is expected to attend.

You are right. I'm looking right at the schedule because those are all day community lab days.

A couple years ago, Banneker emailed during first week of February to invite student to interview on date about a week and a half later. Walls emailed the day after Presidents' Day that student would be invited to interview either the upcoming Saturday or the one following. Didn't find out which date or the time until Thursday evening, then the interview was on Saturday morning.

As I recall, Walls was really, really late in notifying interviewees of exactly WHEN their interview would be. We had to keep all day, both weekends open because such short notice was given. Very irritating.

McKinley has their first round of interviews/in-person essays this Thursday from 3:45-6:00. Don't think parents need to be there/stay, I know folks who are carpooling to take kids there.

Two years ago we received an email from Walls on 2/20, notifying us that the applicant's "GPA and Letter of Recommendation scored below our 2024 threshold for an interview, largely due to an exceptionally large applicant pool."

(I just checked my email and it popped up. The issue was the teacher recs, not the GPA.)

Banneker's interview dates are Feb 11 and 18 this year. (I'm current parent, we can see dates on the schedule.) As I recall we got notice not very far in advance of the interview. And it's a Wednesday during the day, and a parent is expected to attend.

Oh! So you only get an email IF you get an interview-you get nothing if you don't?

Anonymous wrote:We heard from Banneker last night. Nothing from Wall yet. Will we get an email from Walls that DS did NOT get an interview, or is no news, no news?

I seriously hate how they can't even send you an automated email. There's no way to know if you've been rejected or still pending or somehow lost in the shuffle.

We heard from Banneker last night. Nothing from Wall yet. Will we get an email from Walls that DS did NOT get an interview, or is no news, no news?

We got notice about Banneker invitation on 2/11 and Walls on 2/19 last year.

From the SWW web site:

Saturday, February 21 and Saturday, February 28, 2026 | Student and Parent/Guardian Interview 

Families will be notified (via email) if their student has met the requirements to be interviewed. The interview date and time will be provided.  

https://www.swwhs.org/admissions

At least a couple of weeks.

I know the lottery just closed, but when will we hear about interviews for schools like Banneker or SWW? And if our kids don't get an interview, will we get an email saying that?