This was us a few years ago. Older kid struck out in 5th grade and 6th grade lotteries so ended up at our IB Jefferson. Had a FANTASTIC experience there - took Algebra in 7th, geometry in 8th and got into a top application HS and is on honor roll there. While Jefferson gets knocked on here often, our experience (now with 2 kids since our younger followed the same pathway) has been great.

Biggest piece of advice is to talk to parents at the school. They will have much better feedback on the actual experience there than an annonymous forum.

this. you will get some aid but it wont be easy (might mean you wont be putting money aside in a 529, maxing retirement, taking big vacations).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.

OP here. Would love to hear more about this. We attended a financial aid webinar for an expensive private but they are so vague about who qualifies. We have a lot of equity in our house, investments, 401k, kid's college savings account that I assume we wouldn't be eligible but not a high income.

Just apply and then see what they give you. Usually under $300k HHI gets financial aid, but I don't know if things are changing with the economy.

If I were you I would apply to maybe 3 private schools, lottery for all the best public middles, and then see how it shakes out in the spring. Likely you will have at least one option... If you have zero options, move to MD or VA before 6th grade.

Not true. Under 300k with any assets will likely not get you financial aid. If lucky some small negligee amount.

Not OP but what is the threshold? We are at 140k. Own a condo but still owe a lot, some retirement funds but mostly in a pension. Less than 20k in 529. One child.

Do you think we'd get anything? Enough to make the sacrifice worth it?

You absolutely would. I used to work at a DC private school and have friends in admin at others in the area. You would 100 percent get financial aid.

You would, but not necessarily enough to make the school affordable long term. Similar stats as the PP. We pulled our kid out before high school when she got into a selective school. The private school years were good from the academic side, but we are all — including our kid here — happy to be done with it. The selective school is more rigorous and has more offerings that fit her interests and she’s developed great friendships that she missed out on at her private. The social side of the school was pretty rough.

DH and I are dumping money into our retirement now to catch up.

People will give you all different scenarios about who will get what amount aid or not get any aid. You're not going to know until you apply. Every school is different and has different budgets for financial aid.

Our kid goes to an expensive private and we are the only family in our friend group who even applied because everyone assumes they will not get anything so they just don't apply to the schools at all.

We got about 1/3 off. So, yes, we still pay, but we're comfortable with what we're paying vs. the alternative of moving, losing the low interest rate on our mortgage, and uprooting our kids. We are also dedicated to staying in DC vs. moving to the suburbs.

No one can tell you what you will or won't get. If you have assets you will pay something. If you have assets and you're wondering if you will get a full ride, the answer is likely no--but you could be surprised at how much you do get.

If you are able/willing to pay $1000/$1500/$2000/$2500/$3000 a month you should apply and see what happens.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.

OP here. Would love to hear more about this. We attended a financial aid webinar for an expensive private but they are so vague about who qualifies. We have a lot of equity in our house, investments, 401k, kid's college savings account that I assume we wouldn't be eligible but not a high income.

Just apply and then see what they give you. Usually under $300k HHI gets financial aid, but I don't know if things are changing with the economy.

If I were you I would apply to maybe 3 private schools, lottery for all the best public middles, and then see how it shakes out in the spring. Likely you will have at least one option... If you have zero options, move to MD or VA before 6th grade.

Not true. Under 300k with any assets will likely not get you financial aid. If lucky some small negligee amount.

Not OP but what is the threshold? We are at 140k. Own a condo but still owe a lot, some retirement funds but mostly in a pension. Less than 20k in 529. One child.

Do you think we'd get anything? Enough to make the sacrifice worth it?

You absolutely would. I used to work at a DC private school and have friends in admin at others in the area. You would 100 percent get financial aid.

(maybe it would cover half the tuition).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.

OP here. Would love to hear more about this. We attended a financial aid webinar for an expensive private but they are so vague about who qualifies. We have a lot of equity in our house, investments, 401k, kid's college savings account that I assume we wouldn't be eligible but not a high income.

Just apply and then see what they give you. Usually under $300k HHI gets financial aid, but I don't know if things are changing with the economy.

If I were you I would apply to maybe 3 private schools, lottery for all the best public middles, and then see how it shakes out in the spring. Likely you will have at least one option... If you have zero options, move to MD or VA before 6th grade.

Not true. Under 300k with any assets will likely not get you financial aid. If lucky some small negligee amount.

Not OP but what is the threshold? We are at 140k. Own a condo but still owe a lot, some retirement funds but mostly in a pension. Less than 20k in 529. One child.

Do you think we'd get anything? Enough to make the sacrifice worth it?

You absolutely would. I used to work at a DC private school and have friends in admin at others in the area. You would 100 percent get financial aid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.

OP here. Would love to hear more about this. We attended a financial aid webinar for an expensive private but they are so vague about who qualifies. We have a lot of equity in our house, investments, 401k, kid's college savings account that I assume we wouldn't be eligible but not a high income.

Just apply and then see what they give you. Usually under $300k HHI gets financial aid, but I don't know if things are changing with the economy.

If I were you I would apply to maybe 3 private schools, lottery for all the best public middles, and then see how it shakes out in the spring. Likely you will have at least one option... If you have zero options, move to MD or VA before 6th grade.

Not true. Under 300k with any assets will likely not get you financial aid. If lucky some small negligee amount.

Not OP but what is the threshold? We are at 140k. Own a condo but still owe a lot, some retirement funds but mostly in a pension. Less than 20k in 529. One child.

Do you think we'd get anything? Enough to make the sacrifice worth it?

Not sure where you live, but why stretch so hard (and give up gaining better financial security) when there are decent public options? A number of reasonably easy to get into middle schools have been mentioned here several times. As someone with a kid at a MS that went through its small waitlist by June, we are very happy there and know lots of other families (including with very high achieving kids) that feel the same way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.

OP here. Would love to hear more about this. We attended a financial aid webinar for an expensive private but they are so vague about who qualifies. We have a lot of equity in our house, investments, 401k, kid's college savings account that I assume we wouldn't be eligible but not a high income.

Just apply and then see what they give you. Usually under $300k HHI gets financial aid, but I don't know if things are changing with the economy.

If I were you I would apply to maybe 3 private schools, lottery for all the best public middles, and then see how it shakes out in the spring. Likely you will have at least one option... If you have zero options, move to MD or VA before 6th grade.

Not true. Under 300k with any assets will likely not get you financial aid. If lucky some small negligee amount.

Not OP but what is the threshold? We are at 140k. Own a condo but still owe a lot, some retirement funds but mostly in a pension. Less than 20k in 529. One child.

Do you think we'd get anything? Enough to make the sacrifice worth it?

The better and best privates are competitive. I would not assume it’s a guarantee at all to get in, let alone get any financial aid.

The only sure thing is moving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.

OP here. Would love to hear more about this. We attended a financial aid webinar for an expensive private but they are so vague about who qualifies. We have a lot of equity in our house, investments, 401k, kid's college savings account that I assume we wouldn't be eligible but not a high income.

Just apply and then see what they give you. Usually under $300k HHI gets financial aid, but I don't know if things are changing with the economy.

If I were you I would apply to maybe 3 private schools, lottery for all the best public middles, and then see how it shakes out in the spring. Likely you will have at least one option... If you have zero options, move to MD or VA before 6th grade.

Not true. Under 300k with any assets will likely not get you financial aid. If lucky some small negligee amount.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.

OP here. Would love to hear more about this. We attended a financial aid webinar for an expensive private but they are so vague about who qualifies. We have a lot of equity in our house, investments, 401k, kid's college savings account that I assume we wouldn't be eligible but not a high income.

Just apply and then see what they give you. Usually under $300k HHI gets financial aid, but I don't know if things are changing with the economy.

If I were you I would apply to maybe 3 private schools, lottery for all the best public middles, and then see how it shakes out in the spring. Likely you will have at least one option... If you have zero options, move to MD or VA before 6th grade.

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.

OP here. Would love to hear more about this. We attended a financial aid webinar for an expensive private but they are so vague about who qualifies. We have a lot of equity in our house, investments, 401k, kid's college savings account that I assume we wouldn't be eligible but not a high income.

You have to lottery every year. We got into DCI and Hardy feeders in early and mid elementary, and finally into a Deal feeder in upper elementary. If you list both MVs, Stokes, Hyde Addison, Key, and Mann at the bottom of your list every year, you’ll have some choices.

Friends that waited until fifth and sixth grade to lottery ended up choosing a less desirable neighborhood middle school or going private then hoping for an application high school. Most grade level students can do just fine at a neighborhood middle school, but kids who need more acceleration will be bored to tears.

My kid is high performing, so we supplement math and writing outside of school and hope Deal and JR/wherever’s accelerated paths will end up challenging enough.

There are options in the 6th grade lottery: Hardy, John Francis, DCI French, Stuart Hobson, Inspired Teaching, Eliot Hine, others (Jefferson, Sojourner Truth, CHML, etc.). Most people who “strike out” in the 5th grade lottery and choose not to move typically with some exceptions go with a nearby middle school option. And a lot of people do not get into Latin and a lot of people do not go the Basis route.

Why not apply to private and apply for financial aid? The private schools give out a lot more aid than I think people realize. You may have to pay something but you could be surprised about how much.