Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

+100 No way 20% of the kids at the Cathedral schools or Sidwell have a learning difference.

Actually, that information came FROM an NCS teacher. It is true. Ask them.

How many of these students were accepted where the school knew their diagnosis at the time of acceptance? How many were admitted where the school knew of the diagnosis and knew that student wasn't and would not be medicated? Which schools? These are the key questions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

+100 No way 20% of the kids at the Cathedral schools or Sidwell have a learning difference.

My kid is in high school at one of those schools and yes, based on who is in the separate testing rooms during exsms (computer use or extra time or nondistracting environment), 20% so uh nds about right. Lots of kids in this area are gifted with a learning difference.

I would say the same for my top 14 law school. Lots of people received accommodations for tests.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

+100 No way 20% of the kids at the Cathedral schools or Sidwell have a learning difference.

My kid is in high school at one of those schools and yes, based on who is in the separate testing rooms during exsms (computer use or extra time or nondistracting environment), 20% so uh nds about right. Lots of kids in this area are gifted with a learning difference.

McLean
Commonwealth Academy

The Lab School
Burke
Field
Bullis

As a Sidwell parent, I can confirm that a handful of my DD's friends have ADHD and other learning issues. Completely not true that "everyone I know who lasts through a Big 3 seems very organized, focused, motivated and without learning issues."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

+100 No way 20% of the kids at the Cathedral schools or Sidwell have a learning difference.

Agree - counseled out by upper school seems to be the norm

Totally agree. Everyone I know who lasts through a Big 3 seems very organized, focused, motivated, and without learning issues.

How can anybody feel good about a school that kicks kids out for getting less than A- average and is a little unorganized? My DC is at one of these schools and fits the same profile as OP's and though he has not been counceled (kicked) out, we live in fear of it all the time, which makes me absolutely hate the school and wish that we hadn't decided to send our stellar DD there next year. I don't think the school deserves either one of them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

If you have big$'s or are a prominent alumni, your kid is going to get in regardless if they have learning differences or not. It happens more than you think.

That may be true, but not all children of prominent alumni have LDs, and I do know some at my school whose children would have or did get in who chose to go elsewhere. So I highly doubt that 20% of the kids have LDs.

OP the homework thing mentioned by a PP is a real consideration. My DC with ADHD and LDs (who did not go to my Big 3 alma mater!) struggled with the homework load in HS. DC did fine, but it was pretty painful at times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

+100 No way 20% of the kids at the Cathedral schools or Sidwell have a learning difference.

Agree - counseled out by upper school seems to be the norm

Totally agree. Everyone I know who lasts through a Big 3 seems very organized, focused, motivated, and without learning issues.

Anonymous wrote:Haven't read all the responses, but you CAN get services and accommodations in middle school with a 504 plan or an IEP.
And if your son is not medicated, a lot of these issues will go away with medication, FYI.

My son with severe inattentive ADHD is in MCPS middle school with an IEP, and we are quite happy with the accommodations.

FCPS will fight you getting an IEP for ADHD. Maybe for severe ADHD but I don't know how that is documented. ASpergers and autism, yes but you will still have to fight for the IEP. 504s are worthless and not worth the time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

+100 No way 20% of the kids at the Cathedral schools or Sidwell have a learning difference.

Agree - counseled out by upper school seems to be the norm

Haven't read all the responses, but you CAN get services and accommodations in middle school with a 504 plan or an IEP.
And if your son is not medicated, a lot of these issues will go away with medication, FYI.

My son with severe inattentive ADHD is in MCPS middle school with an IEP, and we are quite happy with the accommodations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

If you have big$'s or are a prominent alumni, your kid is going to get in regardless if they have learning differences or not. It happens more than you think.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of children nationally have learning differences. 20% of students at the top 3 have learning differences. Don't assume that your child can't be accommodated, because if s/he is bright and curious, s/he will do just fine in any school.

Selective admissions processes and subsequent counseling out mean the students at the Big 3 do not mirror the general population. That's why people pay the big $.

+100 No way 20% of the kids at the Cathedral schools or Sidwell have a learning difference.