Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 11:02     Subject: My k-8 bombed
It’s more than one school. In the current landscape, if you are not (1) a truly large donor (not talking about 5K-10K people here), (2) an athlete (again, need to be an actual recruit, not just some random travel player) or (3) sibling/child of alumnus, your options for ninth grade will be some combination of SAES, Landon, Bullis, St. John’s/Gonzaga/Stone Ridge/Holy Child, maybe Madeira even if your kid is at the top of the class. If you are okay with that, then doing a K8 is fine. But Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, Potomac, Maret will not be options.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:52     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Ours didn’t. They say they have a 100% rate of getting kids into their top choice- and from what I hear, they have done just that.


Which one?


Say which one or it is difficult to believe.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:51     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen the posts about. Should I go through a K8 or go to a K12… If you have a K12 option, do it you could always switch out. Our k8 had a terrible outcome this year.


What K-8?
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:33     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:K-8 parent of an eighth grader here. What is frustrating about the process is that grades/academic strength of the kids seem to matter so little in the admissions process. The admits to the more competitive schools go to the big donors and siblings and the smarter kids get into same set of schools as the kids that didn’t really try.


If you find this frustrating, wait until the annoying rich, entitled kid gets into Harvard, bankrupts several companies and becomes the president of the United States of America.


^^ FTW
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:32     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:K-8 parent of an eighth grader here. What is frustrating about the process is that grades/academic strength of the kids seem to matter so little in the admissions process. The admits to the more competitive schools go to the big donors and siblings and the smarter kids get into same set of schools as the kids that didn’t really try.


I am a sidwell HS parent, whose kid went to a dc k-8

“Recruited” athletes are the most significant hooked group for 9th from k-8s. And in my experience, you may not realize who these children are because they are currently playing on league teams rather than playing for your current middle school

Baseball football and basketball are the big ones
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:28     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:K-8 parent of an eighth grader here. What is frustrating about the process is that grades/academic strength of the kids seem to matter so little in the admissions process. The admits to the more competitive schools go to the big donors and siblings and the smarter kids get into same set of schools as the kids that didn’t really try.


If you find this frustrating, wait until the annoying rich, entitled kid gets into Harvard, bankrupts several companies and becomes the president of the United States of America.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:22     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Hmm no. Multiple Norwood postings, with Norwood’s matriculation of last year. Don’t confuse the issue. Both have been mentioned, but this isn’t just Langley at all.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:21     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:K-8 parent of an eighth grader here. What is frustrating about the process is that grades/academic strength of the kids seem to matter so little in the admissions process. The admits to the more competitive schools go to the big donors and siblings and the smarter kids get into same set of schools as the kids that didn’t really try.


What schools are those? We are also looking at Norwood next year for middle school.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:00     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:I always love when K-8s post where their kids got into high school and there's one or two that are like South Lakes High School or Falls Church High School. Sounds like you got a great bang for your buck, parents, LOL!


But this is common in MCPS for good reason. Many parents want the APs offered in the 'W' schools and or the specialized magnets and IB programs, which are honestly often more rigorous and more appealing to colleges than private high schools.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 10:00     Subject: Re:My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:Not all but I'd say 70% of our class tried for Sidwell and GDS and got rejected and ended up here

GDS almost never rejects applicants.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 09:57     Subject: My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If it weren't for the reference about distance, I would think Norwood. They did awful last year based on their own web page.


I really don't know what you're talking about. My child was an 8th grader at Norwood last year and they had a very good year. Multiple matriculations at all of the Big 3 (including GDS, which was very difficult last year), Holton, Georgetown Prep, Potomac, and Maret.


Let's be clear to everyone not in the know. There were 2 GDS admits last year of which both were admitted in spite of Langley. They excelled elsewhere. There were no Sidwell's. The Potomac admits were 1) admitted to GDS and attended GDS 2) sibling 3) unclear hook or no hook.

80%+ did not get into their first choice.



Again, I really don't know what you're talking about so yes, let's be clear to everyone not in the know. There are 3 at Sidwell from last year's Norwood class- feel free to check the website that you are citing. re: GDS, what does "in spite of Langley mean"? I'm not sure what your point about being admitted to both Potomac and GDS and choosing GDS means. Most kids are accepted at multiple schools and all of them only chose one to attend. But there are still multiple kids attending Potomac from last year's Norwood class.

It is 100% not true that 80% didn't get into their first choice. I can think of more than 20% off the top of my head that got into their first choice and that doesn't include the kids who matriculated at Bullis and St. Andrews, which were many kids first choice given their location and/or interests.


PP here - the comments were regarding Langley School placement. You seem to be mixing up things between Norwood (https://www.langleyschool.org/academics/high-school-placement) and Langley. Langley school outplacement were atrocious
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 09:53     Subject: Re:My k-8 bombed
Anonymous wrote:Current Norwood LS parent here with multiple friends in last year and this year's 8th grade. They report that most of the admitted students to Sidwell / Maret / Potomac/ STA were students that were siblings, recruited athletes, big money/legacy and met other institutional priorities. This year, many kids did not get their top 3 or 4 choices and are hoping for waitlist movement. Many are not happy. There are a lot of Norwood boosters on DCUM so I am sure they will say otherwise. Probably the best way to find out if you are considering the school you should ask the administration about their outplacement results for kids that are not in those categories.


K-8 works if your kid is URM or athelete or legacy ties. Don't do it for the school choice in 9th. You'll get the mid schools which are also great but not the names like GDS Potomac STA Sidwell. It's a known fact. Also, ask any k-8 parent, the majority are there because they didn't get into a k-12! Not all but I'd say 70% of our class tried for Sidwell and GDS and got rejected and ended up here. We have a few more years but have our eyes out to leave by 6th.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 09:51     Subject: My k-8 bombed
K-8 parent of an eighth grader here. What is frustrating about the process is that grades/academic strength of the kids seem to matter so little in the admissions process. The admits to the more competitive schools go to the big donors and siblings and the smarter kids get into same set of schools as the kids that didn’t really try.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 09:37     Subject: My k-8 bombed
We were looking at 7th from public. Kept running into Norwood kids everywhere. Parents wanted to get ahead of the competitive 9th admission cycle. Not a good sign.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2024 09:27     Subject: My k-8 bombed
WES 8th grade admissions this year also on the weak side from what I’ve heard from parents in that grade. They were also weak last year. It will be interesting to see the sustainability of the model of schools like WES, Norwood, and Langley once it becomes more common knowledge how difficult admissions is for unhooked smarter kids.