I have a friend that works at a DC Private considered highly competitive to get into and she has shared the wispers of "fill the spots" . Of course, many schools have to pretend that they are not in need. It is kind of like trying to attract a life partner: don't be needy. Truth is, the only selective aspect that many, but not all privates ,have left any more is their inherent interest to try to take sibs to keep their private pay families happy and , let's not forget, donating $$$$$ . This reduces the number of spots for every one else and gives the impression that " no one is being accepted at X school this year" when the letters go out in March. In truth, they are taking all the sibs applying and THAT is why there are so few spots. That, and that alone.

Of course, as long as the DC Public Schools suck, the Private schools can keep raping every parent in the District with the tuition increases. Now that Rhee is gone, we can all count on ten more years of the end product of DCPS to continue to be illiteracy and ignorance .

22:46 is posting her conjecture from Houston or Phoenix and extrapolating; clearly does not understand the private school world of NW DC, where there are multiple full-pay applicants for every slot.

Why are you hanging out on a DC site, 22:46? Slow night in your time zone?

I think the Texan knows a lot more than you do about the local finances (endowment and balance sheets) of the average NW DC private school. Time spent getting fiscally educated about your local private schools is time better spent than aimlessly scurrying the dcum board.

22:46 is posting her conjecture from Houston or Phoenix and extrapolating; clearly does not understand the private school world of NW DC, where there are multiple full-pay applicants for every slot.

Why are you hanging out on a DC site, 22:46? Slow night in your time zone?

quote Frankly, there's never been a better time to apply to private school. Not sure you need to do well on the exams. Just be able to pay the tuition.quote


No rap sheet and you'll skip to their beat,
If you pay cash you'll be escorted to the private school bash,
In our present and future economic state,
At the end of the day it's about business mate

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, there's never been a better time to apply to private school. Not sure you need to do well on the exams. Just be able to pay the tuition.

Another DCUMism that is repeatedly typed but never substantiated in any way. We haven't felt any additional love at open houses just because we can pay full fare. And judging from the other cars in the visitors' spots, most everyone at the open house is driving cars worth 2-3 years' tuition -- so I think they are planning on paying in full as well.

Anonymous wrote:At my school, a vast majority of the children of the wealthy have tutors and work with the in-house reading specialists because they can't read or write.

I'd love to know where this is. But I'm sure this is just another "if you knew what I know but I can't say" post.

I think OP has a point. When my DCs were in lower school, I also wondered why my tuition dollars were being spent on learning specialists that my kids didn't need, and other kids were getting individualized instruction that mine weren't. I don't have a problem with people paying for their own tutors, but I had a problem paying for other people's at what was supposedly a selective school. We moved to Catholic where people pay for their own tutors.

....because the elite private schools we praise in public are not so praiseworthy (academically) in reality. So, we all provide tutoring for our kids for the most part. It really doesn't matter if our kids have learning disorders or if both parents work or stay at home. But, it's imperative our schools have great sports teams.

Good Lord, OP, don't you know that very intelligent kids can have learning challenges? That you can have both a high IQ and a learning disability? You sound like some kind of throw back to another era, assuming all kids who struggle are somehow stupid.

But, yes, you must be disappointed that you gained admission to a school in which not everyone is perfect. Cheapens the brand for you, doesn't it?

Frankly, there's never been a better time to apply to private school. Not sure you need to do well on the exams. Just be able to pay the tuition.

I am certain all the intensive and longstanding prepping and tutoring of wealthy (or poor) children in diapers and through elementary school and beyond, regardless of purpose, motive or rationalization, will not raise scores on any IQ test. Impossible. This is true since IQ test stands for "intelligence" and the other non IQ tests stand for "achievement". That's what the label says. I'm not wealthy but I believe what I read on labels and what the testing agencies claim. Afterall they are the experts. They have been writing textbooks and tests for decades. They should know. Please do not confuse WPPY with SSAT.

They don't want their kid to be average. So they tutor for an edge just like the SAT and every other test.

[quote=Anonymous]OP here. Am not asking about WIPPSI or HS entrance exam or PSAT or SAT prep. I have noticed that al lot of families have their kids tutored in early elementary 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade and also at the same time my DC's private AND a LOT of other privates seem to find it necessary to hire "learning specialists". It seems a paradox to me, as supposedly admission to these schools ( my DC attends one) is supposedly quite selective. So, question is : if IQ is, as many PP on the DCUM forum stated, directly correlated with parent's educational level and HHI, why the need for Kumon and a reading specialists ? And , yes as pp stated, since these are elementary school kids, who are already "in" why the pressure ? [b]Is intelligence a recessive trait ?[/b] [/quote]

In your family, yes.

OP here. Am not asking about WIPPSI or HS entrance exam or PSAT or SAT prep. I have noticed that al lot of families have their kids tutored in early elementary 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade and also at the same time my DC's private AND a LOT of other privates seem to find it necessary to hire "learning specialists". It seems a paradox to me, as supposedly admission to these schools ( my DC attends one) is supposedly quite selective. So, question is : if IQ is, as many PP on the DCUM forum stated, directly correlated with parent's educational level and HHI, why the need for Kumon and a reading specialists ? And , yes as pp stated, since these are elementary school kids, who are already "in" why the pressure ? Is intelligence a recessive trait ?

Because SAT prep has become so common that you need it just to level the playing field. Some prep with the books, the wealthy can afford private tutoring. I will be paying for private tutoring for the SATs because they are still an important component of admissions to many selective schools.