Anonymous
Post 03/09/2022 05:17     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We applied out of our private school for 6th grade (child was ready for a change). DC had straight As, plays sports, is involved in music and is a super nice kid. Waitlisted everywhere. Ditto for another family from our private school. No idea what the secret sauce is. Wealthy? Legacies? High profile parents? We clearly didn't have it. Crossing fingers for waitlist movement.

This is an important post that dispels the notion that it’s somehow only a public school phenomenon to get shut out.

I am personally quite skeptical of the claims that it’s harder from public. I think it can be hard for everyone and the profile matters a lot.

I also actually don’t think that there are a lot of public applicants to begin with.


Was 6th grade an expansion or entry year at the schools where you applied? Are you in the DC area? Is staying at your current option a plan? Are you at a k-8 or k-12? Either way, your school is unlikely to provide much outplacement support until their terminal year. If there is no movement this year, you can try again for 7th or 9th.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2022 05:13     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is she at a private K-8 now? If so, get in touch with your current school and they may be able to help. In the meantime, do something fun with your kid. Remind her that many more girls apply than there are spots, etc. If you are not at a private now, decide which she likes most and write a first choice letter ASAP.

How can they help? Our K-8 said they were going to push for DC to be accepted next round. How are they able to “push”?


They can call your top choice and reiterate what make your kid a great fit for the school, what type of involved family you all are, and most importantly that the spot will 100% be accepted if offered. My DC got off a waitlist after a call from our middle school head, myself, and a submission of a 1st choice email. I got the call that DC was off the WL the day contracts were due so did not have to give a deposit and sign the contract at another big 3.



If OP is indeed in a k8 and applied out for 6th, it's unlikely that your private k8 will do much to help. They only do that sort of legwork for their 8th graders applying to 9th. If you didn't make it out for 6th grade, why don't you stay in your current private school and keep trying for 7th or 9th?
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2022 05:08     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm really sorry. 9th is so hard and Covid grading inflated GPAs so that almost everyone had straight As. I think the pool of "top" applicants was very large.

My kid made it in to a top school for 9th last year and it's been ok. My other two are in public. I really think I have a good perspective on the options and the private has just as many flaws as the public (different but just as many and we get to pay $50K for them). We are constantly wondering if we made a mistake. I mean, constantly. We signed the contract for next year and are still wondering if we should walk (and head back to public) in June when we're locked in.


Same here.


Do you mind me asking which private school or schools left you this conflicted?
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2022 01:05     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:I'm really sorry. 9th is so hard and Covid grading inflated GPAs so that almost everyone had straight As. I think the pool of "top" applicants was very large.

My kid made it in to a top school for 9th last year and it's been ok. My other two are in public. I really think I have a good perspective on the options and the private has just as many flaws as the public (different but just as many and we get to pay $50K for them). We are constantly wondering if we made a mistake. I mean, constantly. We signed the contract for next year and are still wondering if we should walk (and head back to public) in June when we're locked in.


Same here.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2022 00:57     Subject: Re:Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What are chances os WL movement at St Albans for 7th grade?


The waitlist won't move.
Are you the poster who was turned down for 6th and 7th?

If you are still interested, I would schedule a time to speak with the AD and have a frank conversation about the possibility of applying again. I know kids who were admitted on the third try. Ask if the waitlists were purely a numbers games (very possible at a school like STA) or if there is anything about your
son's application that make them think he would be a better fit elsewhere. Say, "i completely understand that you can't guarantee that my son will be admitted should he apply for 9th but is your gut feeling that he will always come up just shy of admission? Frankly, would you apply him again". If they give the green light
then you can see if your son is up for it. And then spend the next 1.5 years keeping his grades up, further developing his interests, etc AND exploring other options for high school.




Thank you for your response. Yes, my son is one that applied to 6th and 7th grade. We were hopefull after the first time we felt encouraged by admissions staff to apply again. To be quite honest, we are a family of immigrants with no connections, no legacy family members etc. My son fell in love with St. Albans and he dreamed to be there. I do not want to put him through this a third time. He was pretty devastated yesterday.



I completely understand and I really appreciate everyone's honesty and support on this forum. My child applied for boarding and was WL. Is there anyone that has any info regarding the boarding applicant pool STA?
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2022 08:28     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Silver lining is that this probably improves her prospects of getting into a top college.


Once again, this is a myth


If we are talking about a competitive public university like UVA, I am afraid that it is probably true. Due to the lower GPAs at private school, a kid would have likely had a better chance from public school.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2022 07:41     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:Silver lining is that this probably improves her prospects of getting into a top college.


Once again, this is a myth
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2022 07:21     Subject: Re:Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:Okay, feeling dumb here, but I hadn’t heard of a first choice letter before this string. Do those carry much (any) weight after your kid’s been waitlisted?


Yes! They want to offer the spots to families who will take them. If I remember correctly, you are given 1 week to enroll after receiving the acceptance email.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2022 07:19     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is she at a private K-8 now? If so, get in touch with your current school and they may be able to help. In the meantime, do something fun with your kid. Remind her that many more girls apply than there are spots, etc. If you are not at a private now, decide which she likes most and write a first choice letter ASAP.

How can they help? Our K-8 said they were going to push for DC to be accepted next round. How are they able to “push”?


They can call your top choice and reiterate what make your kid a great fit for the school, what type of involved family you all are, and most importantly that the spot will 100% be accepted if offered. My DC got off a waitlist after a call from our middle school head, myself, and a submission of a 1st choice email. I got the call that DC was off the WL the day contracts were due so did not have to give a deposit and sign the contract at another big 3.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2022 00:48     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:We applied out of our private school for 6th grade (child was ready for a change). DC had straight As, plays sports, is involved in music and is a super nice kid. Waitlisted everywhere. Ditto for another family from our private school. No idea what the secret sauce is. Wealthy? Legacies? High profile parents? We clearly didn't have it. Crossing fingers for waitlist movement.

This is an important post that dispels the notion that it’s somehow only a public school phenomenon to get shut out.

I am personally quite skeptical of the claims that it’s harder from public. I think it can be hard for everyone and the profile matters a lot.

I also actually don’t think that there are a lot of public applicants to begin with.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2022 23:51     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Silver lining is that this probably improves her prospects of getting into a top college.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2022 14:02     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:Our child was waitlisted everywhere for 9th. I thought I was mentally prepared for this outcome since she only applied to a handful of top schools but I am surprised at how disappointed I feel. I am not sure how she is feeling because she had to run out to visit friends after she checked the results. She is coming from public school and will now stay in public school, which I suppose is fine. She has a nice group of friends, is doing well in school, and it will certainly be logistically and financially easier for her to go to our local public high school but it still stings. I, of course, think she is a terrific kid. So hard to know what these schools are looking for. I keep telling myself that everything happens for a reason and she will have a great high school experience no matter what.


I am really sorry. Waitlisted anywhere? Work the waitlist if so. Send follow letters or emails letting them know you will attend if off the waitlist. Good luck.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2022 13:37     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is she at a private K-8 now? If so, get in touch with your current school and they may be able to help. In the meantime, do something fun with your kid. Remind her that many more girls apply than there are spots, etc. If you are not at a private now, decide which she likes most and write a first choice letter ASAP.

How can they help? Our K-8 said they were going to push for DC to be accepted next round. How are they able to “push”?


The private school network is a broader community. Administrators, admissions and placement folks form relationships. Maybe the HoS places a call to a counterpart. Things work out.

They won’t be able to do anything. They will call but a spot won’t open. Btdt
It’s very, very hard to get a spot at any selective school since COVID.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2022 13:35     Subject: Re:Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
This was us last year. Our child is doing really well in public this year. Are things perfect no. But they are more confident and happy then I have seen the. In a long while. It is so depressing to be waitlisted everywhere.
I really have been in your shoes, OP.
Talk up the public option, write the schools you really hope will move,( the lists will likely not move) and then move on.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2022 10:39     Subject: Feeling Incredibly Disappointed
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is she at a private K-8 now? If so, get in touch with your current school and they may be able to help. In the meantime, do something fun with your kid. Remind her that many more girls apply than there are spots, etc. If you are not at a private now, decide which she likes most and write a first choice letter ASAP.

How can they help? Our K-8 said they were going to push for DC to be accepted next round. How are they able to “push”?


The private school network is a broader community. Administrators, admissions and placement folks form relationships. Maybe the HoS places a call to a counterpart. Things work out.