Private School Wait List Movement

[NDGRAD07]

LL said that their classes are currently full and they don’t currently anticipate pulling people off the waitlist, but that could always change in the next few weeks.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Waterdragon8212

I think it's pretty standard for several kids at all the elite schools to transfer out after 8th grade. Sometimes this is for specialized education (Booker T. tends to be a common choice for GH and Hockaday students despite both schools having strong fine arts programs) while other times, along the same lines as Turtle Creek's point, parents prefer single sex education through middle school and want co-ed for high school. Sometimes families still want same-sex, private education, but they need a tuition break and the Catholic high schools offer lower tuition rates. There also seems to be an increasing number of kids applying to out of state boarding schools these days. I've seen this primarily at Hockaday (typically as a rising 9th graders), but also occasionally at GH and St. Mark's. When you are going through the admissions process for the first time and have your heart set on a particular school, it's hard to imagine why anyone would ever leave it, but what is a fit in pre-K isn't always a fit in high school.

It is probably worth noting that while the number of spaces "advertised" to be available in admissions materials tends to account for this trend, the actual number of open slots when decision emails are sent does not account for those spots - at least not initially. When students sign a re-enrollment contract while waiting to hear about admission to other schools, they are assumed to be part of the rising 9th grade class (or whatever year it is) until the school is told otherwise.

Another driver in 8th to 9th churn is the fact that schools ask/advise a few kids/families not to return and occasionally tell parents/kids they are not welcome back. One of my wife's friends was President of a tipy-top private in CA for several years. She said the very toughest part of the job was informing parents that Jimmy or Jenney who had barely hung on through middle school would likely struggle though high school and should consider other options.

[jade09]

We passed on two spots for our daughters, PK3 and PK4, but told them immediately (first day back after spring break, I figured the waitlist folks would appreciate it!) Ultimately chose Alcuin, and keeping a spot on the Hockaday waitlist for our older. Good luck!