Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 14:07     Subject: Grading at Walls
There were 12-15 in my DC’s cohort. They did a lot of stuff together weekdays and weekends. Still went to sww dances etc. still involved with the school as I mentioned through clubs and sports. But also did a few he activities too.
The college kids were pretty nice to the high school kids. Treated my dc like a kid sister and made time to go get a snack or whatever before the college kids went out to bars for the evening.
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 13:37     Subject: Grading at Walls
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC was in the GW program. Loved it. Felt SWW was often busy work and still had some disruptive kids. College courses were challenging and offered subject matter courses not available in high school. The cohort of kids were close and DC was fine interacting w college kids in classes. Still participated in SWW clubs and sports. Liked having a college schedule — 5 courses.

There is a risk on grades tho. Like many college courses there is a midterm and final and that’s it. No retakes or submitting work late etc.

DC was offered scholarship to finish final two years at GW but declined for HYPMS. Public colleges also offered scholarships and would take the credit if the course had not fulfilled a high school requirement.


Very helpful, PP. Thanks for sharing. How many kids were in this GW "cohort"?


It's always 10-15.
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 13:23     Subject: Grading at Walls
Anonymous wrote:My DC was in the GW program. Loved it. Felt SWW was often busy work and still had some disruptive kids. College courses were challenging and offered subject matter courses not available in high school. The cohort of kids were close and DC was fine interacting w college kids in classes. Still participated in SWW clubs and sports. Liked having a college schedule — 5 courses.

There is a risk on grades tho. Like many college courses there is a midterm and final and that’s it. No retakes or submitting work late etc.

DC was offered scholarship to finish final two years at GW but declined for HYPMS. Public colleges also offered scholarships and would take the credit if the course had not fulfilled a high school requirement.


Very helpful, PP. Thanks for sharing. How many kids were in this GW "cohort"?
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 12:26     Subject: Grading at Walls
My DC was in the GW program. Loved it. Felt SWW was often busy work and still had some disruptive kids. College courses were challenging and offered subject matter courses not available in high school. The cohort of kids were close and DC was fine interacting w college kids in classes. Still participated in SWW clubs and sports. Liked having a college schedule — 5 courses.

There is a risk on grades tho. Like many college courses there is a midterm and final and that’s it. No retakes or submitting work late etc.

DC was offered scholarship to finish final two years at GW but declined for HYPMS. Public colleges also offered scholarships and would take the credit if the course had not fulfilled a high school requirement.
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 12:17     Subject: Grading at Walls
The GW kids didn’t get a bump for every class. There was a formula and sometimes a bump and sometimes not. Just like for AP classes.
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 11:13     Subject: Grading at Walls
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t choose this for my DC either (a rising 8th grader). But as we look at the college matriculations, I’m wondering how to factor this program in…are a high percentage of the kids who are off to T25 colleges the ones who spent the last 2 years at GW?


yes. And many T25 are "hooked" applicants--i.e. they are legacy kids, URM, FGLI (first gen, low income). The number of white or Asian, non-legacy matriculations to top schools is quite small.


For clarity: this is true for every high school in the DMV, not just for Walls.


yes, absolutely. I pointed it out because I think within the upper middle class parents in DCPS, the perception is that simply attending an urban, poorly performing school district will give their high-performing kid a bump into the Ivies or similar.

The reality is that many of the kids getting in to the Ivies or top 20s from Walls or JR are legacies, FGLI, etc. The same as everywhere. The Walls population has a lot of "hooked kids" among the high performers---the kids of highly educated DC professionals (who get in on a legacy bump) and the kids of the poor and underprivileged (FGLI). If your kid is neither then the Walls Ivy (and Ivy plus) admissions are probably irrelevant.
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 10:58     Subject: Grading at Walls
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t choose this for my DC either (a rising 8th grader). But as we look at the college matriculations, I’m wondering how to factor this program in…are a high percentage of the kids who are off to T25 colleges the ones who spent the last 2 years at GW?


yes. And many T25 are "hooked" applicants--i.e. they are legacy kids, URM, FGLI (first gen, low income). The number of white or Asian, non-legacy matriculations to top schools is quite small.


It doesn’t. I think college admissions are not that different for GW kids. Not bad by any means but not all top 25 or Ivies or anything.
Honestly, I don’t know any UMC kids (from Deal) opting for this program and they do fine with college admissions from Walls. All top 25 schools and not aware if legacy at any (but definitely not legacy at many). They aren’t URM or FGLI.

I actually would be surprised if this program sends lots of kids to Top 25 schools.
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 08:25     Subject: Grading at Walls
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t choose this for my DC either (a rising 8th grader). But as we look at the college matriculations, I’m wondering how to factor this program in…are a high percentage of the kids who are off to T25 colleges the ones who spent the last 2 years at GW?


yes. And many T25 are "hooked" applicants--i.e. they are legacy kids, URM, FGLI (first gen, low income). The number of white or Asian, non-legacy matriculations to top schools is quite small.


Honestly, I don’t know any UMC kids (from Deal) opting for this program and they do fine with college admissions from Walls. All top 25 schools and not aware if legacy at any (but definitely not legacy at many). They aren’t URM or FGLI.

I actually would be surprised if this program sends lots of kids to Top 25 schools.
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 07:33     Subject: Grading at Walls
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t choose this for my DC either (a rising 8th grader). But as we look at the college matriculations, I’m wondering how to factor this program in…are a high percentage of the kids who are off to T25 colleges the ones who spent the last 2 years at GW?


yes. And many T25 are "hooked" applicants--i.e. they are legacy kids, URM, FGLI (first gen, low income). The number of white or Asian, non-legacy matriculations to top schools is quite small.


For clarity: this is true for every high school in the DMV, not just for Walls.
Anonymous
Post 08/12/2024 00:16     Subject: Grading at Walls
Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t choose this for my DC either (a rising 8th grader). But as we look at the college matriculations, I’m wondering how to factor this program in…are a high percentage of the kids who are off to T25 colleges the ones who spent the last 2 years at GW?


yes. And many T25 are "hooked" applicants--i.e. they are legacy kids, URM, FGLI (first gen, low income). The number of white or Asian, non-legacy matriculations to top schools is quite small.
Anonymous
Post 08/11/2024 22:57     Subject: Grading at Walls
I wouldn’t choose this for my DC either (a rising 8th grader). But as we look at the college matriculations, I’m wondering how to factor this program in…are a high percentage of the kids who are off to T25 colleges the ones who spent the last 2 years at GW?
Anonymous
Post 08/11/2024 21:31     Subject: Grading at Walls
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How do colleges view these kids? I have to imagine that if you do well it’s more impressive than doing well at Walls, with all its grade inflation.


Colleges love them. But it's a high price to pay. Life is more than a college admit.


Are you sure colleges love them?
I thought it was a mixed bag regarding college acceptances


Total mixed bag in terms of college admissions. And some of these kids are stellar students so they might have gotten into good colleges if they didn’t do the GW program. It really isn’t a good idea to do the program just for college admissions. It’s a very different experience as a junior and senior. I echo other comments above about it needing to be a really specific student who does this.