Almost every private school lists percentage of students receiving financial aid on its web site. Ot is rarely more than 20 to 25 percent, but that info can help op determine which of the schools she is considering is most generous with aid. Also a bit of a condundrum, more likely to get aid with high school entry but typically easier to get admitted in middle school (or earlier).

Anonymous wrote:So an 11 yr old a STEM student, visual artist and knows academics are not his passion?

LMAO. I quickly realized the same thing. Mom it's talking about her fifth grader! And everyone is taking it all seriously, trying to find the right school for the genius future Olympian who is getting ready for his next gallery show. Crazy!

OP, you have described the child, and there are boys like him at literally every school. What you haven't done is describe what you and he want in a school.

What kind of school do you want?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, as a non-full pay family, your son will need something that makes him really stand out to be accepted by a private school and given financial aid. There are plenty of families who can pay full freight who are competing to get in at the better privates. Also, unless you're an exceptional URM, most school will only offer 15-25% financial aid.

If you are an URM, that makes a big difference. A strong URM candidate might get more like 60-80% financial aid.

If your son is White or Asian, you will be considered overrepresented at most private schools.

You don't say why you want your son to transfer to private, but unless your son has a particular need or interest that can't be met in public school MoCo's magnet track could be a more affordable option.

What's your motivation for wanting to switch to private?

MoCo's magnet track accepts a far lower percentage of applicants than the most selective private schools. This year the middle school magnet was by lottery for students who qualified. My kid qualified for the lottery but his name was not selected. There isn't another chance at 7th or 8th.

My kid's current educational situation won't be an option after 6th, and so we're looking at all options.

I highly doubt that. The most selective private schools accept about 7% of their applicants. Just goes to show how little you know about the private school world.

Unless you’ve had first had experience working in the admissions offices of multiple “selective” schools locally, I don’t know how you could possibly know that. I am skeptical that admissions rates to any local school is single digits. And repeat after me: selective does NOT equate to quality of education. Selectivity equates to ego inflation.

TJ is 1%

I doubt it. It’s a magnet school that allocates seats to the top 1.5% of 8th graders at public middle schools. That is not the same as rejecting 98.5% because nowhere near every public 8th grader applies. The acceptance rate at TJ from public is about 15-18% and from private is about 15-25% in any given year. The Big 3 MIGHT have admissions rates around 10%, but that is a function of their physical proximity to each other and a large number of people apply to all of them. But no one outside the schools actually knows, since they keep it a secret (and have no incentive to be transparent because they benefit greatly from the perception they are selective). Selective can be an indicator of quality, but it’s not necessarily so. Based on SAT scores and NMS results, there are other “non-Big 3” schools that produce students that are just as strong.

Anonymous wrote:So an 11 yr old a STEM student, visual artist and knows academics are not his passion?

Probably knows what it is now, but not what it’s going to be in a few years.

So an 11 yr old a STEM student, visual artist and knows academics are not his passion?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soccer isn’t a real drawing card at most of these schools. They have an abundance of soccer players.

At some football, lacrosse and basketball impact athletes get their attention.

And kids develop at different paces. The best 6th and 7th graders sometimes fizzle out in high school while others blossom.

The best indicator of likely athletic talent are the athletic careers of his or her parents.

I am not so much looking for a place where his athletics are a boost. Just a place where a kid like him would be happy and have time to do both sports and art.

Pretty much any school in the IAC or MAC or your local public.

Really? I read a thread about the amount of HW in the big 3’s that pretty much convinced me that there is no way a kid could do that and sports and another time consuming extracurricular like art.

I want someplace where academics are strong but not all consuming and he can do what he loves.

Art could be a major part of the school day curriculum. At Potomac there is a whole concentration for it that is done during the school day and the winter athletics block. Look for the visual arts concentration on their website.

I always thought Potomac was a pressure cooker. During the winter Athletics block is there less of a workload?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soccer isn’t a real drawing card at most of these schools. They have an abundance of soccer players.

At some football, lacrosse and basketball impact athletes get their attention.

And kids develop at different paces. The best 6th and 7th graders sometimes fizzle out in high school while others blossom.

The best indicator of likely athletic talent are the athletic careers of his or her parents.

I am not so much looking for a place where his athletics are a boost. Just a place where a kid like him would be happy and have time to do both sports and art.

Pretty much any school in the IAC or MAC or your local public.

Really? I read a thread about the amount of HW in the big 3’s that pretty much convinced me that there is no way a kid could do that and sports and another time consuming extracurricular like art.

I want someplace where academics are strong but not all consuming and he can do what he loves.

Art could be a major part of the school day curriculum. At Potomac there is a whole concentration for it that is done during the school day and the winter athletics block. Look for the visual arts concentration on their website.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, as a non-full pay family, your son will need something that makes him really stand out to be accepted by a private school and given financial aid. There are plenty of families who can pay full freight who are competing to get in at the better privates. Also, unless you're an exceptional URM, most school will only offer 15-25% financial aid.

If you are an URM, that makes a big difference. A strong URM candidate might get more like 60-80% financial aid.

If your son is White or Asian, you will be considered overrepresented at most private schools.

You don't say why you want your son to transfer to private, but unless your son has a particular need or interest that can't be met in public school MoCo's magnet track could be a more affordable option.

What's your motivation for wanting to switch to private?

MoCo's magnet track accepts a far lower percentage of applicants than the most selective private schools. This year the middle school magnet was by lottery for students who qualified. My kid qualified for the lottery but his name was not selected. There isn't another chance at 7th or 8th.

My kid's current educational situation won't be an option after 6th, and so we're looking at all options.

I highly doubt that. The most selective private schools accept about 7% of their applicants. Just goes to show how little you know about the private school world.

Unless you’ve had first had experience working in the admissions offices of multiple “selective” schools locally, I don’t know how you could possibly know that. I am skeptical that admissions rates to any local school is single digits. And repeat after me: selective does NOT equate to quality of education. Selectivity equates to ego inflation.

TJ is 1%

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, as a non-full pay family, your son will need something that makes him really stand out to be accepted by a private school and given financial aid. There are plenty of families who can pay full freight who are competing to get in at the better privates. Also, unless you're an exceptional URM, most school will only offer 15-25% financial aid.

If you are an URM, that makes a big difference. A strong URM candidate might get more like 60-80% financial aid.

If your son is White or Asian, you will be considered overrepresented at most private schools.

You don't say why you want your son to transfer to private, but unless your son has a particular need or interest that can't be met in public school MoCo's magnet track could be a more affordable option.

What's your motivation for wanting to switch to private?

MoCo's magnet track accepts a far lower percentage of applicants than the most selective private schools. This year the middle school magnet was by lottery for students who qualified. My kid qualified for the lottery but his name was not selected. There isn't another chance at 7th or 8th.

My kid's current educational situation won't be an option after 6th, and so we're looking at all options.

I highly doubt that. The most selective private schools accept about 7% of their applicants. Just goes to show how little you know about the private school world.

Unless you’ve had first had experience working in the admissions offices of multiple “selective” schools locally, I don’t know how you could possibly know that. I am skeptical that admissions rates to any local school is single digits. And repeat after me: selective does NOT equate to quality of education. Selectivity equates to ego inflation.

Schools like Sidwell and St Albans have a below 10% acceptance rate and a yield over 90%.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, as a non-full pay family, your son will need something that makes him really stand out to be accepted by a private school and given financial aid. There are plenty of families who can pay full freight who are competing to get in at the better privates. Also, unless you're an exceptional URM, most school will only offer 15-25% financial aid.

If you are an URM, that makes a big difference. A strong URM candidate might get more like 60-80% financial aid.

If your son is White or Asian, you will be considered overrepresented at most private schools.

You don't say why you want your son to transfer to private, but unless your son has a particular need or interest that can't be met in public school MoCo's magnet track could be a more affordable option.

What's your motivation for wanting to switch to private?

MoCo's magnet track accepts a far lower percentage of applicants than the most selective private schools. This year the middle school magnet was by lottery for students who qualified. My kid qualified for the lottery but his name was not selected. There isn't another chance at 7th or 8th.

My kid's current educational situation won't be an option after 6th, and so we're looking at all options.

I highly doubt that. The most selective private schools accept about 7% of their applicants. Just goes to show how little you know about the private school world.

MoCo's gifted magnets take about 4% of applicants.

Total BS. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/info/choice/ChoiceStudyReport-Version2-20160307.pdf

26% of applicants to middle school magnets accepted and 37% to high school magnets.

OP, you sound either clueless or you're just a braggy jerk.

MCPS has completely changed their admissions practices since 2016.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, as a non-full pay family, your son will need something that makes him really stand out to be accepted by a private school and given financial aid. There are plenty of families who can pay full freight who are competing to get in at the better privates. Also, unless you're an exceptional URM, most school will only offer 15-25% financial aid.

If you are an URM, that makes a big difference. A strong URM candidate might get more like 60-80% financial aid.

If your son is White or Asian, you will be considered overrepresented at most private schools.

You don't say why you want your son to transfer to private, but unless your son has a particular need or interest that can't be met in public school MoCo's magnet track could be a more affordable option.

What's your motivation for wanting to switch to private?

MoCo's magnet track accepts a far lower percentage of applicants than the most selective private schools. This year the middle school magnet was by lottery for students who qualified. My kid qualified for the lottery but his name was not selected. There isn't another chance at 7th or 8th.

My kid's current educational situation won't be an option after 6th, and so we're looking at all options.

I highly doubt that. The most selective private schools accept about 7% of their applicants. Just goes to show how little you know about the private school world.

NP. Where are you getting 7%? Private schools usually do not release their acceptances and there are a huge range in acceptances for schools.

OP, your kid will do fine at most schools. Just apply to the ones you are interested in.

PP, I didn't say any private school. I said the most selective private schools, as in Sidwell and the Cathedral Schools. Those are the stats for 9th grade admissions.

It's not that difficult to find out. If you are an applicant, the school admissions staff will share how many kids are applying in that year. That's the denominator. If you're connected to the schools, the numerator's easy to find out, too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, as a non-full pay family, your son will need something that makes him really stand out to be accepted by a private school and given financial aid. There are plenty of families who can pay full freight who are competing to get in at the better privates. Also, unless you're an exceptional URM, most school will only offer 15-25% financial aid.

If you are an URM, that makes a big difference. A strong URM candidate might get more like 60-80% financial aid.

If your son is White or Asian, you will be considered overrepresented at most private schools.

You don't say why you want your son to transfer to private, but unless your son has a particular need or interest that can't be met in public school MoCo's magnet track could be a more affordable option.

What's your motivation for wanting to switch to private?

MoCo's magnet track accepts a far lower percentage of applicants than the most selective private schools. This year the middle school magnet was by lottery for students who qualified. My kid qualified for the lottery but his name was not selected. There isn't another chance at 7th or 8th.

My kid's current educational situation won't be an option after 6th, and so we're looking at all options.

I highly doubt that. The most selective private schools accept about 7% of their applicants. Just goes to show how little you know about the private school world.

MoCo's gifted magnets take about 4% of applicants.

Total BS. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/info/choice/ChoiceStudyReport-Version2-20160307.pdf

26% of applicants to middle school magnets accepted and 37% to high school magnets.

OP, you sound either clueless or you're just a braggy jerk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He’s 12.

My kid? No, he's not. He's 11. He'll be in 6th this year. I'm looking for 7th next year.

-- OP

Your 11/12 yr old isn’t going to get into a private school based on his sports prowess/strong athlete…. And no need to worry about homework at the Big 3 - that’s high school. Middle school has appropriate hw.

Try to get him into the best private school possible. Otherwise, it’s not worth the money. MCo has excellent public options.

I didn't mention any of those things because I think they will help him get in. I mentioned them, because I'm looking for a school where that kind of student would be happy and well served. If we move to a program that goes through 12th, I'd like it to be somewhere where he could stay if he likes it, so picking a middle school where the high school would also work for him makes sense.