Anonymous
05/17/2026 15:56
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.
We do have last year's data.
144 SH 8th graders. 85 4+ on ELA CAPE, 56 took Algebra I (rough proxy for kids likely to apply to application schools). 19 to McKinley, 18 to Duke, 15 to Banneker, n<10 to Walls. 21 not in audit.
111 EH 8th graders. 43 4+ on ELA CAPE, 46 took Algebra I or Geometry (math number might include some 7th graders). 10 to Banneker. n<10 each to Walls, Duke, McKinley. 13 not in audit.
If n<10 on the higher end, overall admissions seem roughly in line with what you would expect. But definitely not a guarantee.
What? No then , not everyone got into Walls, Banneker, or Duke.
Walls is less than 10%. And you cannot assume it is close to 10.
Dukes academics is weak and the only kids that go there are in the arts, music.
McKinley is not a consideration for many families.
Terrible advice to move to SH or EH IN for middle school.
I am the PP and I standby what I said: in the current class, basically all of the kids who have DCUM type parents got into application schools or privates. Looking at the numbers from the year before, roughly the same number of kids got into an application schools as took Algebra I (not any particular score, just *took*). DCUM kids *take* Algebra I. This is not even asking for a 4, just taking the class! That's not even counting the not in audit kids, at least half of whom left for solid privates/Catholics. In the end, there are 10-15 more kids going to good schools than kids who took Algebra I. That works for me. YMMV.
And this is also not counting the handful to DCI/Walls/Latin or the clump to MacArthur, all of which I would also count as good schools, but where admission is truly random.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 15:55
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.
We do have last year's data.
144 SH 8th graders. 85 4+ on ELA CAPE, 56 took Algebra I (rough proxy for kids likely to apply to application schools). 19 to McKinley, 18 to Duke, 15 to Banneker, n<10 to Walls. 21 not in audit.
111 EH 8th graders. 43 4+ on ELA CAPE, 46 took Algebra I or Geometry (math number might include some 7th graders). 10 to Banneker. n<10 each to Walls, Duke, McKinley. 13 not in audit.
If n<10 on the higher end, overall admissions seem roughly in line with what you would expect. But definitely not a guarantee.
What? No then , not everyone got into Walls, Banneker, or Duke.
Walls is less than 10%. And you cannot assume it is close to 10.
Dukes academics is weak and the only kids that go there are in the arts, music.
McKinley is not a consideration for many families.
Terrible advice to move to SH or EH IN for middle school.
I am the PP and I standby what I said: in the current class, basically all of the kids who have DCUM type parents got into application schools or privates. Looking at the numbers from the year before, roughly the same number of kids got into an application schools as took Algebra I (not any particular score, just *took*). DCUM kids *take* Algebra I. This is not even asking for a 4, just taking the class! That's not even counting the not in audit kids, at least half of whom left for solid privates/Catholics. In the end, there are 10-15 more kids going to good schools than kids who took Algebra I. That works for me. YMMV.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 15:54
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
I think admissions are getting more competitive every year, not less. Moving to a MS on the assumption that your kid will get into Walls is not very smart.
If the only acceptable outcome is Walls, then sure. I don't think that's the conversation here.
Banneker isn’t a lock either. Duke is very particular and McKinley isn’t for everyone.
Not an application school but DCI does offer some spots for 9th but not many. You can list them also for high school. But going in this late, your kid won’t be in the highest track in lots of subjects and unlikely to get the IB diploma because of the language test.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 15:46
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
I think admissions are getting more competitive every year, not less. Moving to a MS on the assumption that your kid will get into Walls is not very smart.
If the only acceptable outcome is Walls, then sure. I don't think that's the conversation here.
Banneker isn’t a lock either. Duke is very particular and McKinley isn’t for everyone.
Not everyone wants their kid to go to Banneker where it is old school style, there’s 3 hours of homework of which lots is busy work, and limited sports and offerrings
Duke is only for art and music kids. Why would you send your kid there if they don’t fit this category and which applies to lots of kids,
McKinley is STEM school so if your kid is not into that, it won’t be a good fit. It is also a non-starter for some families.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 14:01
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
I think admissions are getting more competitive every year, not less. Moving to a MS on the assumption that your kid will get into Walls is not very smart.
If the only acceptable outcome is Walls, then sure. I don't think that's the conversation here.
There have been conversations on here where posters (DCPS boosters) are saying that it is easy to get into application schools if coming from DCPS. And Walls is the only acceptable outcome for some families.
This is not true and the data doesn’t lie with less than 10 kids.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 14:00
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
I think admissions are getting more competitive every year, not less. Moving to a MS on the assumption that your kid will get into Walls is not very smart.
+1000.
People it is getting more competitive for middle school and application high schools every year. Not less.
Don’t be a fool and go to a less than middle school only to be locked out of an acceptable high school.
To me the main issue is moving twice (MS then HS). that makes no sense. We gambled and lost on HS but I’m OK with that because we had 14 great years where we live. We also have some particular issues that make moving make more sense - I was always kind of willing to think about the IB HS. If you are not then it is not a good choice if your kid is already in upper elementary school.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 13:56
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
I think admissions are getting more competitive every year, not less. Moving to a MS on the assumption that your kid will get into Walls is not very smart.
+1000.
People it is getting more competitive for middle school and application high schools every year. Not less.
Don’t be a fool and go to a less than middle school only to be locked out of an acceptable high school.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 13:52
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:I'd find it interesting if they released data regarding how many kids from which schools applied:offered (and ultimately accepted).
Sure. But what is very clear is that it is far from a sure thing. Private school as well. So unless you are ok with the IB HS then you have a lot to think about.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 13:49
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
I think admissions are getting more competitive every year, not less. Moving to a MS on the assumption that your kid will get into Walls is not very smart.
If the only acceptable outcome is Walls, then sure. I don't think that's the conversation here.
Banneker isn’t a lock either. Duke is very particular and McKinley isn’t for everyone.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 13:16
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
I think admissions are getting more competitive every year, not less. Moving to a MS on the assumption that your kid will get into Walls is not very smart.
If the only acceptable outcome is Walls, then sure. I don't think that's the conversation here.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 13:16
Subject: Middle school options
I'd find it interesting if they released data regarding how many kids from which schools applied:offered (and ultimately accepted).
Anonymous
05/17/2026 13:08
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
I think admissions are getting more competitive every year, not less. Moving to a MS on the assumption that your kid will get into Walls is not very smart.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 13:06
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.
We do have last year's data.
144 SH 8th graders. 85 4+ on ELA CAPE, 56 took Algebra I (rough proxy for kids likely to apply to application schools). 19 to McKinley, 18 to Duke, 15 to Banneker, n<10 to Walls. 21 not in audit.
111 EH 8th graders. 43 4+ on ELA CAPE, 46 took Algebra I or Geometry (math number might include some 7th graders). 10 to Banneker. n<10 each to Walls, Duke, McKinley. 13 not in audit.
If n<10 on the higher end, overall admissions seem roughly in line with what you would expect. But definitely not a guarantee.
You’re assuming that all the kids that got into Bannker, Walls and Duke are in the top test score categories … as well as less than 10 being close to ten.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 13:05
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%
I think you're not doing an appropriate comparison and therefore have no standing to say whether or not PP's anecdote is accurate.
It's probably not that different year to year, but many people are fine with an outcome other than Walls.
Anonymous
05/17/2026 12:53
Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.
No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!
Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
No, this is not true based on data given.
If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.
This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.
If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
And you think 1 year is going to make any significant difference and it still won’t be less than 10 kids to Walls out of about 150 kids?
Best case scenario with 9 kids, that is 6%. Worst case with 2 it’s like 1%