Private School Wait Lists - What Next?? (Atlanta: job market, preschool)

[NNS1978]

I had a couple of questions of questions about the private school wait list process. We went through the private school admission process for the Pre-First/Kindergarten classes this year. My child was wait listed at our top choice of school. We have signed a contract at our 2nd choice of school but know that it won't be a long term option. We know going in that at some point we will have to go through this process again & make another school change. I have read on this site that Westminster does not pull from their wait list until next month. I was curious if there ever causes movement off the wait lists at other schools or does Westminster have to go deep on their wait list for pre-first to find students that are committed to other schools & are willing to move as I know that moving after the notification date can be quite costly. Also, is there ever any movement during summer off the wait lists (due to families moving, etc) or will the schools just leave the slot empty if they have movement during the summer? My last question is about the next good time to apply out. Is 5th & 6th grade really the next time that there are spots available or would it be worth trying to apply for an earlier grade? I don't want to keep going through this process but fear that the upper elementary admissions process will prove to be much more competitive than the pre-first admissions process. I would prefer to avoid that process if there is a chance to move in an earlier grade. Thanks so much for any advice that any of you can offer!

[CMMom]

Hard questions. Yes, if a child accepts an offer at let's say Lovett and then gets off the wait list at Westminster (their first choice), some families will break the contract and lose the deposit money (or even full year's tuition!) in order to go to Westminster. But, not all families can afford to do that. I don't know that you can predict such occurrences with much accuracy. Same goes for attrition over the summer due to family moves, etc... No way to predict.

Westminster (and other schools too) often allow folks to test even now for spots on the wait list. So, if you found out over the summer you're moving to Atlanta, you could test and be evaluated for the wait list. I'm not clear whether you would then have to do it all over again the following year should you not be admitted, though. I don't think schools leave slots open if they can help it. Westminster clearly has an overabundance and can probably fill empty spots immediately.

I would say to apply again whenever you want to. The worst that can happen is that there isn't a spot (assuming your child was already cleared as a suitable candidate as evidenced by previous placement on the wait list). In addition, it shows the school that you are serious about wanting to attend. It is a different ball game once they have to take the SSAT (rising 6th and up). If it were me, I'd rather try to get in before that, but YMMV.

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by CMMom

I would say to apply again whenever you want to. The worst that can happen is that there isn't a spot (assuming your child was already cleared as a suitable candidate as evidenced by previous placement on the wait list). In addition, it shows the school that you are serious about wanting to attend. It is a different ball game once they have to take the SSAT (rising 6th and up). If it were me, I'd rather try to get in before that, but YMMV.

I disagree with this advice a bit. If you were headed to public school, then this isn't bad advice. However, I would be hesitant about sending such a loud message (we don't really want to be here) to a private school. I know siblings of current students who have not been admitted to Westminster during non-expansion years. It is just tough.

I would wait until expansion years and learn to love where you are. If you end up being truly unhappy, I would apply out but apply to a variety of schools and simply move on.

[CMMom]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

I disagree with this advice a bit. If you were headed to public school, then this isn't bad advice. However, I would be hesitant about sending such a loud message (we don't really want to be here) to a private school. I know siblings of current students who have not been admitted to Westminster during non-expansion years. It is just tough.

I would wait until expansion years and learn to love where you are. If you end up being truly unhappy, I would apply out but apply to a variety of schools and simply move on.

Makes sense, LMM. Hadn't thought of it that way. I think that many of these schools know that families view Westminster as the "end all be all" and it must chap them to see people applying out year after year. Good advice.

[Caltovegas]

With the job market as it is and will be for a minute is there a real advantage to private schools? Most people don't make over 100k but spend all that money K-12 and beyond to have the kid ear about 50k with over time.

[AtlJan]

Does the number #2 school go through 12th grade? If it doesn't, then it is fine to apply out at various times. If it is a K-12 school, and you are happy there and child is happy, definitely stick with it! There are plenty of kids who go to Westminster and don't like it, or the parents don't like it--great school, but one shoe does not fit all. In addition to LLM reasoning, which I also agree with--that's just another reason to embrace the school you get into. It may be the right place after all!

[NNS1978]

Our #2 school does not go through 12th grade. We were accepted at another K-12 school but it was our least favorite of the schools we toured and just couldn't get comfortable committing to be there for 13 years. I do think our 2nd choice is a pretty good fit for the family & honestly I think it is the better fit for my younger child than for the one that will be going there next year. However, I really worry about the next shift. It seems as if it may be more difficult of an admissions process for 6th grade than it was for pre-first (and like most others, I really didn't love it the first time around). Does anyone have any insight into what year may be a good one to try again? I don't want to go through the process multiple times but also would love to get settled for good sooner rather than later. Thanks for everyone's advice!

[bu2]

Originally Posted by CMMom

Makes sense, LMM. Hadn't thought of it that way. I think that many of these schools know that families view Westminster as the "end all be all" and it must chap them to see people applying out year after year. Good advice.

How would they know you are applying to Westminster?

[AtlJan]

(I meant LMM for lastminutemom, not LLM, sorry!) I think that that is a valid question to ask the admissions team at school #1 (in a few weeks when they are less busy). Pace and Westminster usually add 10 or so at fifth grade, or they used to, my info could be a few years old. I would also tour the schools again as you renew your search. You will have new experiences at your new school, your child will be a year older with new interests and you will be a more seasoned observer, and you might find what you value in a school has changed a bit. I speak from experience--went through the pre-first gauntlet, did preschool at our dream school. It was a terrible fit academically and we're now at a specialized learning disabilities school. We will out place our child in middle elementary. And, you know what, although our child's prefirst school is fabulous--I know her better now and what she needs. I'll be looking at schools that weren't on our list before and I'm pretty excited about that.

[CMMom]

Originally Posted by bu2

How would they know you are applying to Westminster?

They probably wouldn't, although if a sibling is already there, they can put two and two together. They will know you are applying out b/c you have to get teacher recs, but they wouldn't necessarily know where you are applying.