Anonymous wrote:I was looking at the admission data today and I was surprised to see only 41 kids on the WL for 9th. With 170 having matched. Based on the never ending chorus of loud voices on DCUM with opinions on how the new admission criteria "screwed their kid" I would have expected hundreds of kids on the WL...

Post the link please.

I was looking at the admission data today and I was surprised to see only 41 kids on the WL for 9th. With 170 having matched. Based on the never ending chorus of loud voices on DCUM with opinions on how the new admission criteria "screwed their kid" I would have expected hundreds of kids on the WL...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

He’s not failing, but getting mostly Bs, one C. Maybe they’d be As and Bs if he had gone to Wilson.
Surely not too many kids admitted to Walls (even without the test) flunk out. They would have earned mostly As in middle school.

Well, send him to Wilson. He’ll probably make much better grades (mostly Bs with an occasional C isn’t good). What are you waiting for?

I disagree. If he is with a high performing cohort and being challenged and doing his best, keep him there. It’s not about getting A’s and easy grades. It’s about being academically prepared for college and having good study skills.

I would rather my kid get B’s, learning much, and working hard then have things be easy and cruise with A’s.

+1 Identify the weaknesses and improve on them. It will certainly be better for him in the long run.

In addition to weak administration, the other knock on Walls is inconsistent teacher quality. A less than motivated student would struggle in classes where students have to be self driven to succeed.

That's a complaint at almost every school depends on who you talk to. If you need to be prodded, magnet type schools are not for you. That's where privates excel.

+1. I have friends at many of the top DC privates. They all have complaints about one thing or another. But they’re paying close to $50k per year. I’ll take my chances with Walls’ “weak administration” and “inconsistent teacher quality.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

He’s not failing, but getting mostly Bs, one C. Maybe they’d be As and Bs if he had gone to Wilson.
Surely not too many kids admitted to Walls (even without the test) flunk out. They would have earned mostly As in middle school.

Well, send him to Wilson. He’ll probably make much better grades (mostly Bs with an occasional C isn’t good). What are you waiting for?

I disagree. If he is with a high performing cohort and being challenged and doing his best, keep him there. It’s not about getting A’s and easy grades. It’s about being academically prepared for college and having good study skills.

I would rather my kid get B’s, learning much, and working hard then have things be easy and cruise with A’s.

+1 Identify the weaknesses and improve on them. It will certainly be better for him in the long run.

In addition to weak administration, the other knock on Walls is inconsistent teacher quality. A less than motivated student would struggle in classes where students have to be self driven to succeed.

That's a complaint at almost every school depends on who you talk to. If you need to be prodded, magnet type schools are not for you. That's where privates excel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

He’s not failing, but getting mostly Bs, one C. Maybe they’d be As and Bs if he had gone to Wilson.
Surely not too many kids admitted to Walls (even without the test) flunk out. They would have earned mostly As in middle school.

Well, send him to Wilson. He’ll probably make much better grades (mostly Bs with an occasional C isn’t good). What are you waiting for?

I disagree. If he is with a high performing cohort and being challenged and doing his best, keep him there. It’s not about getting A’s and easy grades. It’s about being academically prepared for college and having good study skills.

I would rather my kid get B’s, learning much, and working hard then have things be easy and cruise with A’s.

+1 Identify the weaknesses and improve on them. It will certainly be better for him in the long run.

In addition to weak administration, the other knock on Walls is inconsistent teacher quality. A less than motivated student would struggle in classes where students have to be self driven to succeed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

He’s not failing, but getting mostly Bs, one C. Maybe they’d be As and Bs if he had gone to Wilson.
Surely not too many kids admitted to Walls (even without the test) flunk out. They would have earned mostly As in middle school.

Well, send him to Wilson. He’ll probably make much better grades (mostly Bs with an occasional C isn’t good). What are you waiting for?

I disagree. If he is with a high performing cohort and being challenged and doing his best, keep him there. It’s not about getting A’s and easy grades. It’s about being academically prepared for college and having good study skills.

I would rather my kid get B’s, learning much, and working hard then have things be easy and cruise with A’s.

+1 Identify the weaknesses and improve on them. It will certainly be better for him in the long run.

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

No way is the test returning, not under Bowser anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

He’s not failing, but getting mostly Bs, one C. Maybe they’d be As and Bs if he had gone to Wilson.
Surely not too many kids admitted to Walls (even without the test) flunk out. They would have earned mostly As in middle school.

Well, send him to Wilson. He’ll probably make much better grades (mostly Bs with an occasional C isn’t good). What are you waiting for?

I disagree. If he is with a high performing cohort and being challenged and doing his best, keep him there. It’s not about getting A’s and easy grades. It’s about being academically prepared for college and having good study skills.

I would rather my kid get B’s, learning much, and working hard then have things be easy and cruise with A’s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

He’s not failing, but getting mostly Bs, one C. Maybe they’d be As and Bs if he had gone to Wilson.
Surely not too many kids admitted to Walls (even without the test) flunk out. They would have earned mostly As in middle school.

Well, send him to Wilson. He’ll probably make much better grades (mostly Bs with an occasional C isn’t good). What are you waiting for?

Very helpful advice...from someone with a good WL #

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

He’s not failing, but getting mostly Bs, one C. Maybe they’d be As and Bs if he had gone to Wilson.
Surely not too many kids admitted to Walls (even without the test) flunk out. They would have earned mostly As in middle school.

Well, send him to Wilson. He’ll probably make much better grades (mostly Bs with an occasional C isn’t good). What are you waiting for?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

He’s not failing, but getting mostly Bs, one C. Maybe they’d be As and Bs if he had gone to Wilson.
Surely not too many kids admitted to Walls (even without the test) flunk out. They would have earned mostly As in middle school.

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

So don’t enroll. Grades start to count so there is your solution. There are kids that would love the spot.

Anonymous wrote:I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Well, if your older child doesn’t belong at Walls (not Walks), he’ll fail out. Just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

I hope Walks brings back the test too. My older kid got into Walks and honestly I’m not sure he should be there. Younger one has slightly lower grades but more intellectual curiosity and would probably test better; test would give him a better shot.

Soft measures like interviews have their place, but they shouldn't have anywhere near the weight Walls gives them. They are inherently subjective.

Historically, businesses used interviews to shut out qualified women and people of color because they weren't "cultural fits" or "I just can't see myself grabbing a beer with them." Using interviews to weed out certain kinds of people feels gross to me, and can't be justified because you personally are okay with the people being weeded out.

Tests, while imperfect, are the most objective measure out there. I hope Walls eventually brings them back.

(And my kid got into Walls so I have no axe to grind)