Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 18:28     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately the letter of recommendation didn’t meet the threshold for an interview and essay submittal opportunity in which he might of been able to share some of who he is and what he has accomplished. Following is some of what I wrote to his school OA & Walls:

“Something doesn’t seem fair and this just isn’t a parent complaining and trying to make him better than he is. My son is a well rounded student, vast international travel experience, trilingual, ( English, Spanish, Chinese), multi cultural parents/ family, climbed to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro at age 13, achieved a green belt in karate at 11, developing into a strong and able soccer player, has had a high lexile reading/ comprehension score since 4th grade reading then at 11 grade level and now at 12 grade level; he has always performed well in math, high spelling bee placements over the years , he plays piano superbly and is a good singer and performed in several talents shows, has been in the school musical, at a young age he has produced some incredible color animes figures. He is and has been in the OA swim team the last 2 years as well as the soccer team this year. He has the uncanny personality that allows him to have a wide range off different type of friends and relate well to them all. He is a good friend to many and is always willing to help and truly would of been an asset to Walls which offered a more intimate and demanding educational opportunity and environment to achieve his potential .”
Acceptance as difficult as it is, is in the works.
Thanks for reading.


Sounds like you're rich. International travel experience isn't an accomplishment or a reason to be admitted. It's something your parents pay for and plan for you.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 18:27     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
OP above, you're thinking like a New Yorker or Bostonian aiming for a child's admission to a bona fide test-in magnet HS with a stable and transparent admissions process. Unfortunately, what Mayor Bowser seems to care most about in the ed sphere is strong AA representation in DCPS' highest-performing cohorts. She shows no sign of giving a hoot about high-achieving Asian students like yours. She runs unopposed and faces no real political headwinds on this one. Yes, your super high-achieving and multi-talented son should have been admitted. Indeed, four years ago, it sounds like he'd have been a shoe-in. Find your greener pastures knowing that the fact that Walls has started rejecting dozens of applicants as worthy as yours says that you have little to lament in his unjust exclusion. Walls is going downhill year on year. Sounds like you belong in the burbs.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 17:54     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Unfortunately the letter of recommendation didn’t meet the threshold for an interview and essay submittal opportunity in which he might of been able to share some of who he is and what he has accomplished. Following is some of what I wrote to his school OA & Walls:

“Something doesn’t seem fair and this just isn’t a parent complaining and trying to make him better than he is. My son is a well rounded student, vast international travel experience, trilingual, ( English, Spanish, Chinese), multi cultural parents/ family, climbed to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro at age 13, achieved a green belt in karate at 11, developing into a strong and able soccer player, has had a high lexile reading/ comprehension score since 4th grade reading then at 11 grade level and now at 12 grade level; he has always performed well in math, high spelling bee placements over the years , he plays piano superbly and is a good singer and performed in several talents shows, has been in the school musical, at a young age he has produced some incredible color animes figures. He is and has been in the OA swim team the last 2 years as well as the soccer team this year. He has the uncanny personality that allows him to have a wide range off different type of friends and relate well to them all. He is a good friend to many and is always willing to help and truly would of been an asset to Walls which offered a more intimate and demanding educational opportunity and environment to achieve his potential .”
Acceptance as difficult as it is, is in the works.
Thanks for reading.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 17:35     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For what it’s worth, my son who has been a 4.0 student for all his graded years at OA, well rounded in all aspects with Parc 96% math and ELA 90% above other DC students did not receive notice for an interview because he did not meet the grade and letter of recommendation “ threshold”! 11 in his circle of close friends most since kindergarten did receive notice for an interview, only 1 other that my son knows did not receive an invitation. As one parent told me my son is a really deserving kid. I’ve done my outreach advocating for my son to both his school and SWW admission voicing my feelings of what seems to be an unfair and what seems to be somewhat arbitrary process; I will probably not hear back so I’m gradually moving into the acceptance phase. Notwithstanding congratulation to all who received an opportunity for an interview. I will trust the process that in the end my son will do well and be happy at JR. Hearing others sharing about their kids not moving forward gives me solace that I’m not alone in my thoughts & feelings😊


Wow. That’s unbelievable. When you look at the classes offered at SWW vs JR, there’s more variety at JR. I hope your child takes this in stride and that both schools give you some sort of answers (like let you look at the recommendations maybe?) somewhere on here it was said that Hardy and Deal had a lot of kids turned away for the interview phase too?


How can this be “unbelievable”? This is the 4th consecutive year that Walls has left out great kids with high test scores and perfect grades.


In past years, all kids with "perfect grades" were invited to interview. It was a crapshoot after that, but they were at least given a shot in the process. That's the change this year. Perfect grades were not enough.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 17:28     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For what it’s worth, my son who has been a 4.0 student for all his graded years at OA, well rounded in all aspects with Parc 96% math and ELA 90% above other DC students did not receive notice for an interview because he did not meet the grade and letter of recommendation “ threshold”! 11 in his circle of close friends most since kindergarten did receive notice for an interview, only 1 other that my son knows did not receive an invitation. As one parent told me my son is a really deserving kid. I’ve done my outreach advocating for my son to both his school and SWW admission voicing my feelings of what seems to be an unfair and what seems to be somewhat arbitrary process; I will probably not hear back so I’m gradually moving into the acceptance phase. Notwithstanding congratulation to all who received an opportunity for an interview. I will trust the process that in the end my son will do well and be happy at JR. Hearing others sharing about their kids not moving forward gives me solace that I’m not alone in my thoughts & feelings😊


Wow. That’s unbelievable. When you look at the classes offered at SWW vs JR, there’s more variety at JR. I hope your child takes this in stride and that both schools give you some sort of answers (like let you look at the recommendations maybe?) somewhere on here it was said that Hardy and Deal had a lot of kids turned away for the interview phase too?


How can this be “unbelievable”? This is the 4th consecutive year that Walls has left out great kids with high test scores and perfect grades.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 16:17     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:For what it’s worth, my son who has been a 4.0 student for all his graded years at OA, well rounded in all aspects with Parc 96% math and ELA 90% above other DC students did not receive notice for an interview because he did not meet the grade and letter of recommendation “ threshold”! 11 in his circle of close friends most since kindergarten did receive notice for an interview, only 1 other that my son knows did not receive an invitation. As one parent told me my son is a really deserving kid. I’ve done my outreach advocating for my son to both his school and SWW admission voicing my feelings of what seems to be an unfair and what seems to be somewhat arbitrary process; I will probably not hear back so I’m gradually moving into the acceptance phase. Notwithstanding congratulation to all who received an opportunity for an interview. I will trust the process that in the end my son will do well and be happy at JR. Hearing others sharing about their kids not moving forward gives me solace that I’m not alone in my thoughts & feelings😊


Wow. That’s unbelievable. When you look at the classes offered at SWW vs JR, there’s more variety at JR. I hope your child takes this in stride and that both schools give you some sort of answers (like let you look at the recommendations maybe?) somewhere on here it was said that Hardy and Deal had a lot of kids turned away for the interview phase too?
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 16:12     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if SWW prioritizes DCPS students over ones applying from privates?


No preference.


That stinks. They should prioritize kids coming out of the dcps system over those that are opting in now.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 15:43     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if SWW prioritizes DCPS students over ones applying from privates?


No preference.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 15:35     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Does anyone know if SWW prioritizes DCPS students over ones applying from privates?
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 15:21     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:For what it’s worth, my son who has been a 4.0 student for all his graded years at OA, well rounded in all aspects with Parc 96% math and ELA 90% above other DC students did not receive notice for an interview because he did not meet the grade and letter of recommendation “ threshold”! 11 in his circle of close friends most since kindergarten did receive notice for an interview, only 1 other that my son knows did not receive an invitation. As one parent told me my son is a really deserving kid. I’ve done my outreach advocating for my son to both his school and SWW admission voicing my feelings of what seems to be an unfair and what seems to be somewhat arbitrary process; I will probably not hear back so I’m gradually moving into the acceptance phase. Notwithstanding congratulation to all who received an opportunity for an interview. I will trust the process that in the end my son will do well and be happy at JR. Hearing others sharing about their kids not moving forward gives me solace that I’m not alone in my thoughts & feelings😊


That sucks. Why would his English and math teachers gave the other kids stronger recommendations?
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 15:07     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:For what it’s worth, my son who has been a 4.0 student for all his graded years at OA, well rounded in all aspects with Parc 96% math and ELA 90% above other DC students did not receive notice for an interview because he did not meet the grade and letter of recommendation “ threshold”! 11 in his circle of close friends most since kindergarten did receive notice for an interview, only 1 other that my son knows did not receive an invitation. As one parent told me my son is a really deserving kid. I’ve done my outreach advocating for my son to both his school and SWW admission voicing my feelings of what seems to be an unfair and what seems to be somewhat arbitrary process; I will probably not hear back so I’m gradually moving into the acceptance phase. Notwithstanding congratulation to all who received an opportunity for an interview. I will trust the process that in the end my son will do well and be happy at JR. Hearing others sharing about their kids not moving forward gives me solace that I’m not alone in my thoughts & feelings😊


Arbitrary is precisely the right word. The fact is that DC has lots more "deserving" kids than there are seats at SWW. I hate that they make the process seem like a meritocracy but because these kids are all such strong students (3.7 GPA and up, I think I saw upthread), it is coming down to choosing a small fraction of these good students, and the choice looks almost random to families. Folks like your son and my DC (who is just like yours in the ways you've described him, though at a different school) feel like they've failed or been rejected, when to us parents, it seems more like they've just not won a lottery based on luck.

I'm sorry your family is disappointed. Ours is, too. And JR is not our school, so we're holding our breath till we see if Banneker comes through.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 14:19     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
For what it’s worth, my son who has been a 4.0 student for all his graded years at OA, well rounded in all aspects with Parc 96% math and ELA 90% above other DC students did not receive notice for an interview because he did not meet the grade and letter of recommendation “ threshold”! 11 in his circle of close friends most since kindergarten did receive notice for an interview, only 1 other that my son knows did not receive an invitation. As one parent told me my son is a really deserving kid. I’ve done my outreach advocating for my son to both his school and SWW admission voicing my feelings of what seems to be an unfair and what seems to be somewhat arbitrary process; I will probably not hear back so I’m gradually moving into the acceptance phase. Notwithstanding congratulation to all who received an opportunity for an interview. I will trust the process that in the end my son will do well and be happy at JR. Hearing others sharing about their kids not moving forward gives me solace that I’m not alone in my thoughts & feelings😊
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 12:11     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:Still haven’t figured out how the Lottery is involved with the pool at SWW or Banneker except for the “ranked it higher or not” part.


Basically, the kids are given scores based on whatever rubric the school uses. So let's say selective school X scores kids on a scale from 1 to 40, with 40 being the highest. Then, until all the seats are full, school X takes all the kids who score 40, all of them who score 39, all of them who rank 38, etc... If they take , let's say, all the kids with a score of 36 but there are too many kids with a score of 35 to fill the remaining seats, THAT's when the lottery number kicks in. The kids who scored 35 are then ranked by lottery number.

That's how it was explained to me, anyway.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 12:08     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:And thanks for posting the teacher/counselor recs.

I can see where my kid could get the overall highest rating but not the overall highest rating for each question and maybe you needed to get both. I can't imagine that Walls just looked at overall rating. Seems like there would be more than 300 kids who had GPA over 3.7 and received highest overall rating.


Except these aren’t the teacher rec forms for this year…


What do they look like this year? Are they significantly different?
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2024 11:37     Subject: SWW - when do notices go out about interviews?
How do they set the interview schedule (this week vs next week)?