Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here! Thank you all for your replies- this helped me a lot! So… since everyone is offering to use the group in lieu of the consultant, may I go ahead and do a quick survey? I’m just wondering about my list of schools. It’s pretty small because I’m restricting it based on commute. Our IB school is JO Wilson and on my list for pk-3 is Two Rivers, SWS, Ludlow-Taylor, Capitol Hill Montessori, JO Wilson and Peabody. We don’t have a car, we walk everywhere, and I don’t think I don’t want to go further east than SWS. Unless that’s a big mistake. Any other schools I’m missing that I should add to the list? Thanks again!

You have zero chance at Ludlow-Taylor and Peabody. JO Wilson is likely since you're IB, but it's not a sure thing. Two Rivers and SWS are unlikely, CHML somewhat likely. So this lisit is probably going to result in CHML or JO Wilson, but there's a chance you could end up with nothing at all. If that bothers you, perhaps consider Appletree Lincoln Park, Wheatley, Browne, or Langley. Look into short bus rides.

Anonymous wrote:OP here! Thank you all for your replies- this helped me a lot! So… since everyone is offering to use the group in lieu of the consultant, may I go ahead and do a quick survey? I’m just wondering about my list of schools. It’s pretty small because I’m restricting it based on commute. Our IB school is JO Wilson and on my list for pk-3 is Two Rivers, SWS, Ludlow-Taylor, Capitol Hill Montessori, JO Wilson and Peabody. We don’t have a car, we walk everywhere, and I don’t think I don’t want to go further east than SWS. Unless that’s a big mistake. Any other schools I’m missing that I should add to the list? Thanks again!

Anonymous wrote:OP here! Thank you all for your replies- this helped me a lot! So… since everyone is offering to use the group in lieu of the consultant, may I go ahead and do a quick survey? I’m just wondering about my list of schools. It’s pretty small because I’m restricting it based on commute. Our IB school is JO Wilson and on my list for pk-3 is Two Rivers, SWS, Ludlow-Taylor, Capitol Hill Montessori, JO Wilson and Peabody. We don’t have a car, we walk everywhere, and I don’t think I don’t want to go further east than SWS. Unless that’s a big mistake. Any other schools I’m missing that I should add to the list? Thanks again!

Anonymous wrote:I thought DCUM is the lottery consultant? (Kidding, but I do love lottery threads.)

Anonymous wrote:As another PP said, the consultant is more helpful if you are looking for private. She sued DCPS back in the day to get her kid's sped needs met in private.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is one pretty commonly used one on Capitol Hill. It’s been a few years so I can’t remember the name. My mom’s group set up a session with her and she talked through the process with us and answered questions. I had already done a lot of research and am pretty good at understanding data so I didn’t feel that she added much to our thought process. If you were someone who didn’t want to do any of the leg work or research, it might be worth it but all the data is public so the consultants don’t have any inside information.

In the end, we put together a fine list but got a terrible lottery number for pre-K 3 and didn’t get in anywhere but our IB school. We went private.

I will not name her because she should not be allowed to take people's money. Her "business" predates the common lottery and the current My School DC website and structure. In her defense, she filled a gap that was there. The problem is that we are in an era of the common lottery. One online application. The other issue is her "impressions" were better than nothing, but now we have robust data and objective measures.

OP, do not pay a "consultant". Everything you need to know is available on MySchoolDC and on the data DCPS and PCSB publish. There are also some useful nuggets on DCUM. Here are my considerations:

1. How long do you plan to remain in DC and DC schools?
2. Do NOT underestimate the importance of commute. Driving across the city for years sucks.
3. What are the PARCC scores in upper ES? Yes, scores are not everything, but neither are they nothing. My guess is that someone who would consider spending money on a lottery consultant does not want their kid going to upper ES with only 15% of kids at grade level.
4. Is language immersion important to you? Seriously important. Not just as a way to make yourself feel better and/or to make it easier to explain to your family why you are staying in DC.
5. What's your IB ES. MS and HS? If you are good with your IB school then do not stress PK3 or PK4.
6. Take everything on DCUM with a massive chunk of salt.