Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And full pay, highly qualified kids also get waitlisted. There are not many spots, and there are many applicants, so "qualified" kids will not always get in.

I'm the PP and I fully agree. There are way more highly qualified applicants for 9th grade than spots, independent of HHI.

It's just urban myth that 9th grade offers go to the richest, yet less-talented, kids. Perhaps that's true in preK (?) but not 9th grade.

I’ll offer direct experience from a decade plus working at one of the top terminal 8 private’s that regularly feeds to a full range of DC metro Highs schools: public, private, parochial - including many to the elite private’s and “Big 3.” It is absolutely the case that the elites regularly admit less qualified, full paying applicants over more highly qualified FA applicants. Every year I see it first hand in the families and students I serve - exceptional candidates are put on WLs when strong but less qualified applicants from full pay families are admitted. I have even benefitted from this with my own children as ours is a full pay family and my children have been admitted with strong but not as stellar profiles from some of their classmates who are waitlisted and the only factor can be FA. Our HOS who manages the outplacement program regularly advises families that if admittance to an elite is a priority that they should do everything possible to avoid applying for FA, except if they represent a stellar candidate with diversity on multiple fronts. This isn’t urban myth, and I won’t even pass judgement other than offer the direct observation - and reflect that it’s the practical side of the private school funding model.

Absolutely correct.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And full pay, highly qualified kids also get waitlisted. There are not many spots, and there are many applicants, so "qualified" kids will not always get in.

I'm the PP and I fully agree. There are way more highly qualified applicants for 9th grade than spots, independent of HHI.

It's just urban myth that 9th grade offers go to the richest, yet less-talented, kids. Perhaps that's true in preK (?) but not 9th grade.

I’ll offer direct experience from a decade plus working at one of the top terminal 8 private’s that regularly feeds to a full range of DC metro Highs schools: public, private, parochial - including many to the elite private’s and “Big 3.” It is absolutely the case that the elites regularly admit less qualified, full paying applicants over more highly qualified FA applicants. Every year I see it first hand in the families and students I serve - exceptional candidates are put on WLs when strong but less qualified applicants from full pay families are admitted. I have even benefitted from this with my own children as ours is a full pay family and my children have been admitted with strong but not as stellar profiles from some of their classmates who are waitlisted and the only factor can be FA. Our HOS who manages the outplacement program regularly advises families that if admittance to an elite is a priority that they should do everything possible to avoid applying for FA, except if they represent a stellar candidate with diversity on multiple fronts. This isn’t urban myth, and I won’t even pass judgement other than offer the direct observation - and reflect that it’s the practical side of the private school funding model.

Anonymous wrote:

And full pay, highly qualified kids also get waitlisted. There are not many spots, and there are many applicants, so "qualified" kids will not always get in.

I'm the PP and I fully agree. There are way more highly qualified applicants for 9th grade than spots, independent of HHI.

It's just urban myth that 9th grade offers go to the richest, yet less-talented, kids. Perhaps that's true in preK (?) but not 9th grade.

And full pay, highly qualified kids also get waitlisted. There are not many spots, and there are many applicants, so "qualified" kids will not always get in.

Anonymous wrote:

it’s well known that the elites don’t provide meaningful FA to those who don’t provide some form of diversity - whether racial, ethnic, religious, or talent based

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Well, duh. You're not going to get admitted into 9th grade — let alone get financial aid — unless you bring "talent" to the table. Talent includes academic prowess, right?

and that lesser qualified full pay applicants are admitted over higher qualified FA applicants. It’s unfortunately how the private elites work…j

I know a lot of people tell themselves this ^^ to feel better about being rejected, but it's just not true in our direct experience at the high school level, which is what this thread is about.The relatively few new admits to 9th grade @ Sidwell, GDS, NCS, etc. are really strong candidates.

it’s well known that the elites don’t provide meaningful FA to those who don’t provide some form of diversity - whether racial, ethnic, religious, or talent based

and that lesser qualified full pay applicants are admitted over higher qualified FA applicants. It’s unfortunately how the private elites work…j

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is on all three waitlists. A surprise to us, to be quite honest. We've pretty much let it go by now.

Ours was the same experience last year. DC chose to apply to the 4 most competitive schools and one less so. They were waitlisted at the elites and is attending the backup and is now thriving - so much so their younger sibling will join them next year.. One factor worth noting is DC had friends with similar and even less competitive profiles who got in to multiple elites. The difference? We applied for FA and the other families did not. Fortunately the school we ultimately enrolled in not only accepted DC but provided a very generous package. Lesson learned on how the Elites filter around FA. I don’t blame them - they have a product that is in demand and don’t need to use FA to secure matriculation and can instead use it to promote economic and other diversity. Our family doesn’t buy into the elitist model so we weren’t too bothered by how it all worked out but I would caution anyone who feels their child needs admissions at an elite in order to succeed, remember to avoid applying for FA!

We are talking abbot 9th grade here, when the applicant has a legitimate portfolio and background on their own merits (unlike the 3 yr old applying to preK).

Sidwell especially, but also the cathedral high schools make offers to the kids they really want at this entry year, and they have enough financial aid to do that. Not exactly need-blind but much closer than you suggest. GDS takes several more kids at 9th and has a smaller endowment so FA may carry more weight. Maret is clearly most desirous of full pay families, except maybe for a couple of sports

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is only remotely possible if you live in Glover Park or Adams Morgan.

You clearly don't know Washington DC.

I think the point is, Wilson is 5 blocks from Sidwell. If you can walk to one, you can walk to the other. It just takes another 10 minutes depending on where you are coming from.

It's about a mile, which is closer to 20 minutes for a fully laden teenager, but of course, if you can walk to Sidwell, you can walk to the Wisconsin Ave bus. The point is that the most convenient option is not necessarily your neighborhood public school, contrary to a PP's blanket assertion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is on all three waitlists. A surprise to us, to be quite honest. We've pretty much let it go by now.

Ours was the same experience last year. DC chose to apply to the 4 most competitive schools and one less so. They were waitlisted at the elites and is attending the backup and is now thriving - so much so their younger sibling will join them next year.. One factor worth noting is DC had friends with similar and even less competitive profiles who got in to multiple elites. The difference? We applied for FA and the other families did not. Fortunately the school we ultimately enrolled in not only accepted DC but provided a very generous package. Lesson learned on how the Elites filter around FA. I don’t blame them - they have a product that is in demand and don’t need to use FA to secure matriculation and can instead use it to promote economic and other diversity. Our family doesn’t buy into the elitist model so we weren’t too bothered by how it all worked out but I would caution anyone who feels their child needs admissions at an elite in order to succeed, remember to avoid applying for FA!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is only remotely possible if you live in Glover Park or Adams Morgan.

You clearly don't know Whashington DC.

I think the point is, Wilson is 5 blocks from Sidwell. If you can walk to one, you can walk to the other. It just takes another 10 minutes depending on where you are coming from.