Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because Walls was not able to administer their exam this year, the interview carries much more weight. Having some sense of if/when interviews will happen won’t change the process but it would help people feel less anxious.

Um interviews will happen. How does knowing that obvious fact help with your anxiety? There is no preparation for the interview other than reading up about the school and any materials they send to interviewees.

DP but for us it will primarily be helpful to know if our child will not be interviewed, ie will not be admitted.

Anonymous wrote:Because Walls was not able to administer their exam this year, the interview carries much more weight. Having some sense of if/when interviews will happen won’t change the process but it would help people feel less anxious.

Um interviews will happen. How does knowing that obvious fact help with your anxiety? There is no preparation for the interview other than reading up about the school and any materials they send to interviewees.

Anonymous wrote:Current Walls parent here... I saw on a school list that they are holding a training February 20 for current students who participate in the interviews... so I'm guessing the earliest they'll schedule is Feb. 27.

That’s useful information. Many thanks for posting it.

Because Walls was not able to administer their exam this year, the interview carries much more weight. Having some sense of if/when interviews will happen won’t change the process but it would help people feel less anxious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:presumably they need to get it together in time to synch up with the lottery and other application high schools. not to mention Catholic and independent schools, who will have their decisions out in 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. Tick, tick.

They get well over 1,000 applicants a year for 250 spots. I am sure they are not worried.

Applicants and their families might see this timing problem differently than you apparently do.

All people are saying is that this is how it has always been, the interviews get done. It is one process that works (and there is no ‘syncing up’ between the application schools). Decisions are made, sent to DCPS central office for a final review, then to MSDC in time for the 4/2 release.

And yes private schools will inform earlier because that is their process. There is no reason for the privates and DCPS to coordinate, in fact it is in the private school’s interest to force commitments before DCPS releases their results.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:presumably they need to get it together in time to synch up with the lottery and other application high schools. not to mention Catholic and independent schools, who will have their decisions out in 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. Tick, tick.

They get well over 1,000 applicants a year for 250 spots. I am sure they are not worried.

150 spots, give or take a few...

Catholic / Independent schools always have their decisions out before DCPS. They also require deposits before DCPS. This is nothing new.

People need to relax. Students applying to a DC high school have until 3/15 to adjust rankings — so that is the day by which all interviews must be completed.

You won’t find out if you are until April 2, via MSDC.

Anonymous wrote:Walls is such a small school. Why didn’t DCPS give it a new location where it could expand rather than adding two new application schools (Bard early college and Coolidge early college) which are both underenrolled and struggling to attract students?

I think part of the attraction of Walls is that it is small and where it is located. Lots of students take advantage of proximity to GW, whether it be through the AA program or taking exposure classes. And off campus lunch is also a big draw. It’s part of the school culture. There was talk at some point of adding a second Walls campus but that was a previous chancellor and never seemed to gain traction. Instead they reopened Francis Stevens and pretended it is also a Walls school.

Walls is such a small school. Why didn’t DCPS give it a new location where it could expand rather than adding two new application schools (Bard early college and Coolidge early college) which are both underenrolled and struggling to attract students?

Anonymous wrote:Current Walls parent here... I saw on a school list that they are holding a training February 20 for current students who participate in the interviews... so I'm guessing the earliest they'll schedule is Feb. 27.

+1

NP but this is really not much later than interviews in a typical year for Walls.

Current Walls parent here... I saw on a school list that they are holding a training February 20 for current students who participate in the interviews... so I'm guessing the earliest they'll schedule is Feb. 27.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:presumably they need to get it together in time to synch up with the lottery and other application high schools. not to mention Catholic and independent schools, who will have their decisions out in 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. Tick, tick.

They get well over 1,000 applicants a year for 250 spots. I am sure they are not worried.

150 spots, give or take a few...

Catholic / Independent schools always have their decisions out before DCPS. They also require deposits before DCPS. This is nothing new.

Agreed. It is like this every year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:presumably they need to get it together in time to synch up with the lottery and other application high schools. not to mention Catholic and independent schools, who will have their decisions out in 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. Tick, tick.

They get well over 1,000 applicants a year for 250 spots. I am sure they are not worried.

150 spots, give or take a few...

Catholic / Independent schools always have their decisions out before DCPS. They also require deposits before DCPS. This is nothing new.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:presumably they need to get it together in time to synch up with the lottery and other application high schools. not to mention Catholic and independent schools, who will have their decisions out in 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. Tick, tick.

They get well over 1,000 applicants a year for 250 spots. I am sure they are not worried.

150 spots, give or take a few...

Walls has added this verbiage to their Admissions page:

February-March 2021 | Student and Parent/Guardian Interview
Families will be notified (via email) if their student has met the requirements to be interviewed. The interview date and time will be provided.

If you're looking for administrative competence, DCPS is not the place to find it. Walls is no exception.