Anonymous
Post 02/27/2020 20:19     Subject: Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is my understanding of how it works. I asked these questions last year so I am not sure whether anything has changed since then. I have a 9th grader there now.

They interview the top 250 scores. If the cut off for getting 250 ends up with more than 250 (meaning what if 15 kids get the same score) then they interview all those kids. The applicants are ordered by a combination of test scores and interview scores. Then this order of students is submitted to the DC lottery. It is combined with the order in which the kids prioritize their preferences. So if a student gets into Walls and Banneker but the student”s first choice is Banneker, the student will be matched with Banneker and taken off the Walls list. The first 140 matched students are accepted to Walls. The remaining students interviewed are on the waitlist in order of their combined scores.

The interviews are generally with 2 students and one faculty member. How it is scored is unknown to me.


Thanks. This is helpful. Anyone know what they are looking for in the interview. Also, how much does the parent interview matter?


Don’t know for a fact but if you are from ward 7 or 8, you are probably an in.


Translation: I know absolutely nothing about the process, but it's fun for me to weave conspiracy theories centered around race and impugn the motives of people I know nothing about.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2020 00:20     Subject: Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is my understanding of how it works. I asked these questions last year so I am not sure whether anything has changed since then. I have a 9th grader there now.

They interview the top 250 scores. If the cut off for getting 250 ends up with more than 250 (meaning what if 15 kids get the same score) then they interview all those kids. The applicants are ordered by a combination of test scores and interview scores. Then this order of students is submitted to the DC lottery. It is combined with the order in which the kids prioritize their preferences. So if a student gets into Walls and Banneker but the student”s first choice is Banneker, the student will be matched with Banneker and taken off the Walls list. The first 140 matched students are accepted to Walls. The remaining students interviewed are on the waitlist in order of their combined scores.

The interviews are generally with 2 students and one faculty member. How it is scored is unknown to me.


Thanks. This is helpful. Anyone know what they are looking for in the interview. Also, how much does the parent interview matter?


Don’t know for a fact but if you are from ward 7 or 8, you are probably an in.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2020 12:22     Subject: Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know how many students tested and how many are invited to interview? With 140 spots, I would think they'd interview 200-250 (in order to have a waitlist).

You might be able to see if they had waitlist data from last year.


So last year they admitted 140, and put 89 on the wait list. Most, but not all, wind up on the wait list.


Of the 89 waitlisted students Walls made offers to 59 by June and 70 by August. Only 19 of the 229 students (8%) accepted did not have an opportunity to attend last year. If a student passed the test and interview they had a 92% chance of receiving an offer.
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2020 10:53     Subject: Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:

Thanks. This is helpful. Anyone know what they are looking for in the interview. Also, how much does the parent interview matter?


Your child should be able to demonstrate that they can advocate for themselves. Being able to explain why they want to attend a school like SWW is important.
Anonymous
Post 02/25/2020 09:12     Subject: Walls Test Results
my only advice would be practice talking about what your student likes about SWW, have them read info on the website and find a club they are interested in to talk about. We talked about it at dinner the week leading up to the interview to have something to refer to in our DD’s mind.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 19:51     Subject: Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is my understanding of how it works. I asked these questions last year so I am not sure whether anything has changed since then. I have a 9th grader there now.

They interview the top 250 scores. If the cut off for getting 250 ends up with more than 250 (meaning what if 15 kids get the same score) then they interview all those kids. The applicants are ordered by a combination of test scores and interview scores. Then this order of students is submitted to the DC lottery. It is combined with the order in which the kids prioritize their preferences. So if a student gets into Walls and Banneker but the student”s first choice is Banneker, the student will be matched with Banneker and taken off the Walls list. The first 140 matched students are accepted to Walls. The remaining students interviewed are on the waitlist in order of their combined scores.

The interviews are generally with 2 students and one faculty member. How it is scored is unknown to me.


Thanks. This is helpful. Anyone know what they are looking for in the interview. Also, how much does the parent interview matter?


Hard for any one of us to have repeated experience but as best as I can guess it's fit, measured by whether the student and his/her family (however that's defined) actually want to be at SWW. Conveying determination about that choice, having compelling and specific reasons are a plus I would think. Also don't forget SWW is "without walls" (off-cite lunch, amidst college students, no dress code, students ask to demand their education). Is that what you/your child want?
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 17:26     Subject: Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:This is my understanding of how it works. I asked these questions last year so I am not sure whether anything has changed since then. I have a 9th grader there now.

They interview the top 250 scores. If the cut off for getting 250 ends up with more than 250 (meaning what if 15 kids get the same score) then they interview all those kids. The applicants are ordered by a combination of test scores and interview scores. Then this order of students is submitted to the DC lottery. It is combined with the order in which the kids prioritize their preferences. So if a student gets into Walls and Banneker but the student”s first choice is Banneker, the student will be matched with Banneker and taken off the Walls list. The first 140 matched students are accepted to Walls. The remaining students interviewed are on the waitlist in order of their combined scores.

The interviews are generally with 2 students and one faculty member. How it is scored is unknown to me.


Thanks. This is helpful. Anyone know what they are looking for in the interview. Also, how much does the parent interview matter?
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 12:37     Subject: Walls Test Results
This is my understanding of how it works. I asked these questions last year so I am not sure whether anything has changed since then. I have a 9th grader there now.

They interview the top 250 scores. If the cut off for getting 250 ends up with more than 250 (meaning what if 15 kids get the same score) then they interview all those kids. The applicants are ordered by a combination of test scores and interview scores. Then this order of students is submitted to the DC lottery. It is combined with the order in which the kids prioritize their preferences. So if a student gets into Walls and Banneker but the student”s first choice is Banneker, the student will be matched with Banneker and taken off the Walls list. The first 140 matched students are accepted to Walls. The remaining students interviewed are on the waitlist in order of their combined scores.

The interviews are generally with 2 students and one faculty member. How it is scored is unknown to me.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 11:52     Subject: Walls Test Results
https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 11:52     Subject: Re:Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:Is there any chance of getting in if your kid did not pass the test? What if you just missed the cutoff?


If you got an email saying you did not get in - you did not get in. If there was some extenuating circumstance - reach out to the school to discuss. [example: Child had flu - took test with it - we just did not know it at the time - here is the drs note. Here is the evidence that child should have performed better [show previous year PARCC exam results where child got a 5 on math and ELA]
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 11:52     Subject: Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know how many students tested and how many are invited to interview? With 140 spots, I would think they'd interview 200-250 (in order to have a waitlist).

You might be able to see if they had waitlist data from last year.


So last year they admitted 140, and put 89 on the wait list. Most, but not all, wind up on the wait list.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 11:50     Subject: Re:Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:Is there any chance of getting in if your kid did not pass the test? What if you just missed the cutoff?


You could call and ask, but 99% no. They always interview more than 2x the number of seats available, and unless your kid totally bombs that (e.g. doesn't answer the questions or says outright they don't want to attend) they will at least be on the wait list. And while they sometimes go deep in the waitlist, it doesn't clear.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 11:50     Subject: Walls Test Results
How would you know if your child "just missed the cutoff"? The email I saw didn't provide data (# of test takers, cutoff score, etc.)
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 11:14     Subject: Re:Walls Test Results
Is there any chance of getting in if your kid did not pass the test? What if you just missed the cutoff?
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2020 10:00     Subject: Walls Test Results
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know how many students tested and how many are invited to interview? With 140 spots, I would think they'd interview 200-250 (in order to have a waitlist).


Last year they put 89 kids on the waitlist