Anonymous
Post 04/15/2026 16:45     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Agree with PP who said go to some school events to observe how kids and families act at sporting events, plays, etc. Then definitely go to open houses and do shadow days as early as you can in 8th grade at the schools still on your list.

Also, network to the best of your ability to find current parents and ask them their opinion about the school, the good and the bad. Anonymous discussion boards can be good for candor but obviously not totally trustworthy.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 10:12     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I recommend visiting open houses this fall so your kiddo can start getting a feel for the schools without all the pressure that comes in 8th grade. We found this very helpful.


The problem is that many schools won’t let you register for a HS open house in 7th grade. The events are already too crowded with 8th grade families.

That was not our experience at any school we visited, and DC’s k-8 encouraged families to start going to HS open houses in the fall of 7th. Every school was welcoming of 7th graders.

Now, we obviously didn’t visit every single school in the greater DMV area, so sure, there could be a school that doesn’t want 7th graders, but it’s certainly not common.


GDS does this....
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 10:07     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I recommend visiting open houses this fall so your kiddo can start getting a feel for the schools without all the pressure that comes in 8th grade. We found this very helpful.


The problem is that many schools won’t let you register for a HS open house in 7th grade. The events are already too crowded with 8th grade families.

That was not our experience at any school we visited, and DC’s k-8 encouraged families to start going to HS open houses in the fall of 7th. Every school was welcoming of 7th graders.

Now, we obviously didn’t visit every single school in the greater DMV area, so sure, there could be a school that doesn’t want 7th graders, but it’s certainly not common.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 08:44     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I recommend visiting open houses this fall so your kiddo can start getting a feel for the schools without all the pressure that comes in 8th grade. We found this very helpful.


The problem is that many schools won’t let you register for a HS open house in 7th grade. The events are already too crowded with 8th grade families.


Oh really? (I have a younger kid and they aren't limiting the littles yet)...

I would go to some sports games or theater events and just check out the energy. Preference of course for activities your child would actually do. Open houses can also be a bit of putting on a show on the school's part and I actually believe that seeing the school on a typical day is much more beneficial and then pair it with looking up information about the school or chatting with families you bump into.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 08:36     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:I recommend visiting open houses this fall so your kiddo can start getting a feel for the schools without all the pressure that comes in 8th grade. We found this very helpful.


The problem is that many schools won’t let you register for a HS open house in 7th grade. The events are already too crowded with 8th grade families.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2026 09:13     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
I recommend visiting open houses this fall so your kiddo can start getting a feel for the schools without all the pressure that comes in 8th grade. We found this very helpful.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2026 00:02     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
GDS application has pre-qualifying questions that ask if anyone in the family is LGBTQIA. They ask this even before they get other info from you. They focus on diversity, so if you're a basic white girl it's pretty hard to get in.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 11:54     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
St Andrew’s is worth the look. And Stone Ridge if looking for all girls and considering NCS and ST. John’s.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 11:36     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Will your child play any sports? If so they may not be riding the bus home often - games, practices, etc.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:56     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:GDS takes about 50 new students in 9th grade. Don't reject it merely because you don't think there are spots.


Especially since Burke is on her list and they take way fewer than 50 since the majority of eighth graders stay on board for high school. Same with the Field school.


I guess I was under the impression that GDS had some sort of agreement with the city about not letting in too many students because of traffic?

As for Burke, it says online that there's 31 new students in the rising 9th grade now, but I had the impression it's easier to get into than GDS so my DD's chances were better. Is that not the case?

Unfortunately Field's shuttle routes don't work well for us.


GDS's agreement with the neighborhood caps the number of total students at the school. Class size still goes from about 80 in 8th grade to about 130 in 9th grade. Many of those kids come from public school.

I would start by you and your daughter each creating a list of your top priorities. Commute/location is one -- what else? Activities that are important? Style of teaching? Whether the most rigorous classes are gate keeper? Religion/lack of religion? How much academic pressure the kids feel?

Thinking about what's important and what's less important is good practice for applying to college.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:47     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks everyone. By central DC I mean the Shaw/U St area, so a bus from the Hill would not be that convenient for us. I'm just trying to get my head around this now, and to be honest I was a little spooked by seeing some of my friends' 8th graders not get the results they hoped for at Walls and certain privates. So I'm trying to just casually see what schools are realistic options for us logistically and in terms of admissions.

Burke seems an okay size to me, I just meant not like alternative-model small like Templeton. St. John's is definitely one of the bigger schools I'm looking at, but that's okay too. It's still smaller than some of the suburban publics, which I guess would be our plan if we moved.


There have to be at least 25 kids we know who got into St John’s this year - B/C students, so you could always use that as a safety school as it doesn’t seem difficult to get into. Walls is a total crapshoot and has zero transparency. A lot of kids we know who didn’t get in were well rounded and 4.0’s and kids we know who did get in were around 3.7 GPA’s and just regular kids- we had thought walls was supposed to be a school that only selected top students that excel in every way but that doesn’t seem to be the case- I would avoid applying there unless you really just want to spin the lottery wheel.


St. John's is no longer a safety school. They had roughly 1,200 kids apply for the 320+ 9th grade slots this year, so a lot of applicants won't get in.


Not sure who isn’t getting in. Literally everyone we know who applied got in. And it was a lot of kids.


Just because they have 320 spots doesn't mean they only sent out 320 acceptances... most schools assume a portion won't accept (they get into another school they personally rank higher, financial aid isn't enough to justify the cost, and some people apply just to see if they get in or to have a backup in case with no intention to actually move their kid). They may have easily sent 500-600 acceptances out for those 320 spots.


Absolutely- but even if SJC accepted 600 that still leaves 600 waitlisted or rejected. Our DC had friends in the later category this cycle. It’s not as selective as some schools in this area but it’s not a guarantee either.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:18     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks everyone. By central DC I mean the Shaw/U St area, so a bus from the Hill would not be that convenient for us. I'm just trying to get my head around this now, and to be honest I was a little spooked by seeing some of my friends' 8th graders not get the results they hoped for at Walls and certain privates. So I'm trying to just casually see what schools are realistic options for us logistically and in terms of admissions.

Burke seems an okay size to me, I just meant not like alternative-model small like Templeton. St. John's is definitely one of the bigger schools I'm looking at, but that's okay too. It's still smaller than some of the suburban publics, which I guess would be our plan if we moved.


There have to be at least 25 kids we know who got into St John’s this year - B/C students, so you could always use that as a safety school as it doesn’t seem difficult to get into. Walls is a total crapshoot and has zero transparency. A lot of kids we know who didn’t get in were well rounded and 4.0’s and kids we know who did get in were around 3.7 GPA’s and just regular kids- we had thought walls was supposed to be a school that only selected top students that excel in every way but that doesn’t seem to be the case- I would avoid applying there unless you really just want to spin the lottery wheel.


St. John's is no longer a safety school. They had roughly 1,200 kids apply for the 320+ 9th grade slots this year, so a lot of applicants won't get in.


Not sure who isn’t getting in. Literally everyone we know who applied got in. And it was a lot of kids.


Just because they have 320 spots doesn't mean they only sent out 320 acceptances... most schools assume a portion won't accept (they get into another school they personally rank higher, financial aid isn't enough to justify the cost, and some people apply just to see if they get in or to have a backup in case with no intention to actually move their kid). They may have easily sent 500-600 acceptances out for those 320 spots.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:11     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, You said your prefer "mid-size or large, not super small." but Burke IS super small, about 60 kids per grade in HS. Very similar to Field. (Whereas St. John is about 320 per grade)


FWIW Field is 75/grade in HS and expanding a bit with its new building. Also, there are shuttles for Field. Definitely worth inclusion on your list.


I believe 75 is the target once the building construction is done. Current enrollment from the last report I saw as a parent:
9th- 69
10th - 63
11th- 72
12th- 58

Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:04     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks everyone. By central DC I mean the Shaw/U St area, so a bus from the Hill would not be that convenient for us. I'm just trying to get my head around this now, and to be honest I was a little spooked by seeing some of my friends' 8th graders not get the results they hoped for at Walls and certain privates. So I'm trying to just casually see what schools are realistic options for us logistically and in terms of admissions.

Burke seems an okay size to me, I just meant not like alternative-model small like Templeton. St. John's is definitely one of the bigger schools I'm looking at, but that's okay too. It's still smaller than some of the suburban publics, which I guess would be our plan if we moved.


There have to be at least 25 kids we know who got into St John’s this year - B/C students, so you could always use that as a safety school as it doesn’t seem difficult to get into. Walls is a total crapshoot and has zero transparency. A lot of kids we know who didn’t get in were well rounded and 4.0’s and kids we know who did get in were around 3.7 GPA’s and just regular kids- we had thought walls was supposed to be a school that only selected top students that excel in every way but that doesn’t seem to be the case- I would avoid applying there unless you really just want to spin the lottery wheel.


St. John's is no longer a safety school. They had roughly 1,200 kids apply for the 320+ 9th grade slots this year, so a lot of applicants won't get in.


Not sure who isn’t getting in. Literally everyone we know who applied got in. And it was a lot of kids.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:03     Subject: Seeking advice for applying to 9th grade this winter
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, You said your prefer "mid-size or large, not super small." but Burke IS super small, about 60 kids per grade in HS. Very similar to Field. (Whereas St. John is about 320 per grade)


FWIW Field is 75/grade in HS and expanding a bit with its new building. Also, there are shuttles for Field. Definitely worth inclusion on your list.


Expanding by about 6 kids a grade.