Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 08:49     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:The third language at Cooper is going to be Mandarin. I think wrestling is now on Cooper campus (the plan is for some sports to be at one campus and others at the other campus, with a shuttle going in between).

The buildings at Cooper are brand new. Neither school has great outdoor space. Currently Cooper's oldest grade is 9th graders, but if you're playing lottery for fifth grade, I don't think this will matter much to you.

Overall, the education seems fairly similar (we have friends at the other campus).


Where did you hear about a 3rd language?
Anonymous
Post 12/30/2025 09:58     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
2nd St not offering Spanish was a big deal for us, so Cooper (where we ended up) was our first choice. Also, my kid is highly unlikely to play school sports and so not having fields or being the home base for most sports aside from wrestling just wasn't a big deal.
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2025 23:16     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:rank in order of actual preference. pretty much everyone without a reason to prefer cooper (sibling, location, spanish language) lists 2nd street first.


Why?


Some people don’t list 2nd street first. We didn’t because of commute and know other families that did the same. If you live in brookland anywhere near the D74 bus line (which stops at the Brookland metro) it’s super easy.
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2025 21:07     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:rank in order of actual preference. pretty much everyone without a reason to prefer cooper (sibling, location, spanish language) lists 2nd street first.


That will change with time. We know several Brookland families that had Cooper over 2nd Street. Might become the preferred option with CH families for the slightly shorter commute.


Depends where on the hill. The metro is closer to 2nd st.
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2025 20:56     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:rank in order of actual preference. pretty much everyone without a reason to prefer cooper (sibling, location, spanish language) lists 2nd street first.


Why?
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2025 20:52     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:The third language at Cooper is going to be Mandarin. I think wrestling is now on Cooper campus (the plan is for some sports to be at one campus and others at the other campus, with a shuttle going in between).

The buildings at Cooper are brand new. Neither school has great outdoor space. Currently Cooper's oldest grade is 9th graders, but if you're playing lottery for fifth grade, I don't think this will matter much to you.

Overall, the education seems fairly similar (we have friends at the other campus).


When did they announce the third language will be Mandarin? We are at Cooper and haven’t heard anything about a decision being made.
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2025 16:14     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:The third language at Cooper is going to be Mandarin. I think wrestling is now on Cooper campus (the plan is for some sports to be at one campus and others at the other campus, with a shuttle going in between).

The buildings at Cooper are brand new. Neither school has great outdoor space. Currently Cooper's oldest grade is 9th graders, but if you're playing lottery for fifth grade, I don't think this will matter much to you.

Overall, the education seems fairly similar (we have friends at the other campus).


Thank you for this helpful information!
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2025 16:02     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
The third language at Cooper is going to be Mandarin. I think wrestling is now on Cooper campus (the plan is for some sports to be at one campus and others at the other campus, with a shuttle going in between).

The buildings at Cooper are brand new. Neither school has great outdoor space. Currently Cooper's oldest grade is 9th graders, but if you're playing lottery for fifth grade, I don't think this will matter much to you.

Overall, the education seems fairly similar (we have friends at the other campus).
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2025 09:47     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Just don't lick the toads
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2025 18:44     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I also can't really tell which languages are offered at which campus. It seems like, from reading the course list, that Spanish is offered at Cooper and not 2nd. But are French, Arabic, and Mandarin offered at 2nd and not Cooper? Or are they offered at both locations?


I believe Cooper has Spanish and Arabic. They pet toad a third as the upper grades fill out.


Toad petting?


Sounds amazing.
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2025 18:43     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I also can't really tell which languages are offered at which campus. It seems like, from reading the course list, that Spanish is offered at Cooper and not 2nd. But are French, Arabic, and Mandarin offered at 2nd and not Cooper? Or are they offered at both locations?


I believe Cooper has Spanish and Arabic. They pet toad a third as the upper grades fill out.


Toad petting?
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2025 17:42     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't agonize over this decision too much --a kid only has about a 10% chance of getting into either school these days.


However, some people do get in. In my world, 1/3 kids who lotteried did get in. So people need to plan for that chance.


But actual data shows that you only have a 10% chance of getting in. So your 1/3 anecdote is irrelevant. Make a plan b.
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2025 11:47     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
100 percent I would rank by ease of commute (and how quickly your kid could independently commute).

The schools are so similar, to me thats the most meaningful difference. Also, factor in the busses that Latin uses to pick kids up and see if there is any way for your kid could catch up after getting to the pickup spot on a bus or metro.

I live near you, have a handful of friends at Latin, and the commute is the biggest issue they have by far. (they are happy with everything else).
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2025 09:04     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:+1 you can open house both schools if you really want to learn all the minor differences. if you are closer to cooper or no spanish is a dealbreaker, then maybe list cooper first. otherwise list 2nd street 1 cooper 2 and spend your time planning out your other options.


Yes, plan out your backup options, and then the backups to the backups. If you are EOTP and unwilling to accept your feeder middle or high school, put your energy into those backup plans. Especially if your kid is not interested in the STEM charter school I won't name on here because it will turn this into an off-topic booster thread.

--an EOTP parent who does not know what they are doing with their rising middle schooler yet


Lol I hear you. I also have an older middle schooler and am hoping to keep them with my rising 5th grader if possible.

FWIW I toured Eastern and Truth for my older kid and liked them both, I could see my kids at either one even though they are such different schools.
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2025 08:55     Subject: How to rank the two Washington Latin schools, given our location
Anonymous wrote:+1 you can open house both schools if you really want to learn all the minor differences. if you are closer to cooper or no spanish is a dealbreaker, then maybe list cooper first. otherwise list 2nd street 1 cooper 2 and spend your time planning out your other options.


Yes, plan out your backup options, and then the backups to the backups. If you are EOTP and unwilling to accept your feeder middle or high school, put your energy into those backup plans. Especially if your kid is not interested in the STEM charter school I won't name on here because it will turn this into an off-topic booster thread.

--an EOTP parent who does not know what they are doing with their rising middle schooler yet