Anonymous wrote:Play along with my total fantasy scenario here: let's imagine my 8th grade DD gets into Sidwell or GDS and also Walls. I think she'd be happy at any of them. She's tough as nails, entirely self-motivated, deeply curious, very smart. Has been happy and successful in DCPS. I, however, am exhausted by DCPS - the nonstop advocacy, feeling like parents have to hold it all up bc it's so chaotic and funding always in jeopardy, issues with staffing and facilities, always wondering if we will lose a teacher or a section, not get a sub, get subjected to a crappy online curriculum. Walls may be protected from some of that, but it's still DCPS. We *can* afford private but we make too much to qualify for aid ($400k) so it will be a stretch. We will have to cut other things like vacations. We won't be doing all the tutoring and extra fancy stuff other kids do like get college essay consultants and marketing people to help develop a podcast or whatever latest thing is the "hook" to get "unhooked" kids into college. Sigh. So, in this totally fantasy scenario...what would you do? She will be ok anywhere because she's that kind of kid. She will be more challenged - I think - at a Sidwell or a GDS and I would be relieved to step back. But I would be trading that relief for financial stress. And the crazy social and status stuff that comes with private school. Thanks for indulging me in this fantasy world.

Anonymous wrote:Play along with my total fantasy scenario here: let's imagine my 8th grade DD gets into Sidwell or GDS and also Walls. I think she'd be happy at any of them. She's tough as nails, entirely self-motivated, deeply curious, very smart. Has been happy and successful in DCPS. I, however, am exhausted by DCPS - the nonstop advocacy, feeling like parents have to hold it all up bc it's so chaotic and funding always in jeopardy, issues with staffing and facilities, always wondering if we will lose a teacher or a section, not get a sub, get subjected to a crappy online curriculum. Walls may be protected from some of that, but it's still DCPS. We *can* afford private but we make too much to qualify for aid ($400k) so it will be a stretch. We will have to cut other things like vacations. We won't be doing all the tutoring and extra fancy stuff other kids do like get college essay consultants and marketing people to help develop a podcast or whatever latest thing is the "hook" to get "unhooked" kids into college. Sigh. So, in this totally fantasy scenario...what would you do? She will be ok anywhere because she's that kind of kid. She will be more challenged - I think - at a Sidwell or a GDS and I would be relieved to step back. But I would be trading that relief for financial stress. And the crazy social and status stuff that comes with private school. Thanks for indulging me in this fantasy world.

Anonymous wrote:Play along with my total fantasy scenario here: let's imagine my 8th grade DD gets into Sidwell or GDS and also Walls. I think she'd be happy at any of them. She's tough as nails, entirely self-motivated, deeply curious, very smart. Has been happy and successful in DCPS. I, however, am exhausted by DCPS - the nonstop advocacy, feeling like parents have to hold it all up bc it's so chaotic and funding always in jeopardy, issues with staffing and facilities, always wondering if we will lose a teacher or a section, not get a sub, get subjected to a crappy online curriculum. Walls may be protected from some of that, but it's still DCPS. We *can* afford private but we make too much to qualify for aid ($400k) so it will be a stretch. We will have to cut other things like vacations. We won't be doing all the tutoring and extra fancy stuff other kids do like get college essay consultants and marketing people to help develop a podcast or whatever latest thing is the "hook" to get "unhooked" kids into college. Sigh. So, in this totally fantasy scenario...what would you do? She will be ok anywhere because she's that kind of kid. She will be more challenged - I think - at a Sidwell or a GDS and I would be relieved to step back. But I would be trading that relief for financial stress. And the crazy social and status stuff that comes with private school. Thanks for indulging me in this fantasy world.

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell for the rigorous, college prep critical thinking and rigorous classes.

That said, when it comes to college, the students are competing for the same spots. So that pits students against their friends.

I would think a really good student at WALLs could get into a top IVY or a top competitive school maybe even have a better chance than going to Sidwell unless the student has a legacy or athletic hook.

It's just that there are so many good students at Sidwell, with powerful parents and connected parents and so many parents with legacy to certain schools, that no matter how good a student your child is, he or she will be up against those kids when competing for college spots.

Whereas at WALLS, College admissions, appreciate a public school kid, plus your child can take many APs and they cannot take those at Sidwell because APs are not offered, mostly because every class is an AP level of rigor.

But said well, will better prepare your child to be successful in college, as most private DMV schools will, than public school