Private Schools 2023 (Dallas, Van: spring break, theater, living in)

[houstontodallas]

[quote=texstout;64927605]

Originally Posted by cityconvo

I always thought it was 30% of the 88 spots were based upon highest scores.
https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/56903



Selection Process

The number of seats available for each magnet program will be identified before the application process begins. Seats will be awarded based on the following formula:

• 30% of the seats are awarded districtwide by rank-ordering of applicants based on overall criteria score without consideration of feeder pattern or sibling status
• 70% of the seats are awarded within the comprehensive high school feeder patterns (adjusted proportionally for student population) by rank-ordering of applicants based on overall criteria score; subject to sibling rule or preference

The sibling rule is incredibly unfair - it awards significantly more points on an application if you have a sibling there. I would understand 1 extra point but I think its 5! That means the majority of the 70% admits are siblings =(

[texstout]

I have mixed emotions on the sibling rule. It’s 5 points nowadays but it used to be MUCH more a few years ago. The decrease to 5 points was controversial and an improvement in my opinion. We didn’t benefit by the sibling rule since my kids applied the same year. That said, families with multiple children at the same school tend to be more involved and engaged. I’ve known families who only made it work (since it’s not a neighborhood school and requires transportation) because both of their children attended and would have to be forced elsewhere if their second kid hadn’t been also admitted. Private schools definitely use the sibling factor in admissions but then these are public schools. No easy answer.

[houstontodallas]

Originally Posted by texstout

I have mixed emotions on the sibling rule. It’s 5 points nowadays but it used to be MUCH more a few years ago. The decrease to 5 points was controversial and an improvement in my opinion. We didn’t benefit by the sibling rule since my kids applied the same year. That said, families with multiple children at the same school tend to be more involved and engaged. I’ve known families who only made it work (since it’s not a neighborhood school and requires transportation) because both of their children attended and would have to be forced elsewhere if their second kid hadn’t been also admitted. Private schools definitely use the sibling factor in admissions but then these are public schools. No easy answer.

A) the schools provide busses
B) Please correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding of the sibling factor at private schools is basically "all else being equal the sibling gets in over the new family" vs DISDs policy of admitting a sibling over a more qualified student.

[barnicles]

Originally Posted by houstontodallas

A) the schools provide busses
B) Please correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding of the sibling factor at private schools is basically "all else being equal the sibling gets in over the new family" vs DISDs policy of admitting a sibling over a more qualified student.

As for B), this is entirely dependent on the private school. The more selective privates (St Marks, Hockaday, Greenhill) will not admit a sibling unless they are as good of a fit for the school as the older child was. So in that respect you are right. I know tons of families at these schools that only have one kid that got in and the other, or others, didn't. Despite trying many times.

But some privates (Jesuit, Cistercian, TCA, Alcuin to name a few) place a TON of important on having the whole family at the school (makes sense for the religious schools and the dedication to the family unit)--- in these schools a sibling can be under performing or have a more lacking application and still gain admission. Most schools make this distinction on their website but in some situations it is just a "known".

[numbersguy100]

Originally Posted by texstout

I have mixed emotions on the sibling rule. It’s 5 points nowadays but it used to be MUCH more a few years ago. The decrease to 5 points was controversial and an improvement in my opinion. We didn’t benefit by the sibling rule since my kids applied the same year. That said, families with multiple children at the same school tend to be more involved and engaged. I’ve known families who only made it work (since it’s not a neighborhood school and requires transportation) because both of their children attended and would have to be forced elsewhere if their second kid hadn’t been also admitted. Private schools definitely use the sibling factor in admissions but then these are public schools. No easy answer.

If you can't make it work, stay at your neighborhood school. There actually is an incredibly easy answer. It will just anger people who expect to use the sibling rule and DISD elections are decided by a small but very vocal % of voters.

[texstout]

Originally Posted by houstontodallas

A) the schools provide busses
B) Please correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding of the sibling factor at private schools is basically "all else being equal the sibling gets in over the new family" vs DISDs policy of admitting a sibling over a more qualified student.

I'm very familiar with the buses (dropped my son off at one this morning to his TAG school), but my son is involved in daily afterschool sponsored clubs which don't have a second bus afterwards from. So - multiple days a week I have to (and carpool) across town to still pick him up. Its a selling point of the school how many clubs/activities they have..but the commute adds up. Additionally, depending upon where you live in Dallas - there are kids who have to bus over 1 hour each way due to multiple pickups.



As for B - we haven't been in private school in several years, but I always was told that siblings are a huge advantage. Not sure about SM, but some of the North Dallas privates are heavily pre-disposed to siblings.

[houstontodallas]

Originally Posted by texstout

I'm very familiar with the buses (dropped my son off at one this morning to his TAG school), but my son is involved in daily afterschool sponsored clubs which don't have a second bus afterwards from. So - multiple days a week I have to (and carpool) across town to still pick him up. Its a selling point of the school how many clubs/activities they have..but the commute adds up. Additionally, depending upon where you live in Dallas - there are kids who have to bus over 1 hour each way due to multiple pickups.



As for B - we haven't been in private school in several years, but I always was told that siblings are a huge advantage. Not sure about SM, but some of the North Dallas privates are heavily pre-disposed to siblings.

I disagree with private schools with the sibling preference but especially disagree that a public school for gifted kids is not admitting the majority of students based on merit.

[cityconvo]

Originally Posted by texstout

- but Lakewood is tougher since it has the most applicants to the TAG schools and they admit based upon zoned address. (So, the Woodrow feeder pattern is more competitive for admission than other feeder patterns).

Does DISD make this data available concerning which feeder patterns produce the most applicants? If Woodrow is #1, what are the other feeder patterns that have a high number of applicants? Hillcrest, Sunset, W.T. White? Just curious.

[texstout]

Originally Posted by cityconvo

Does DISD make this data available concerning which feeder patterns produce the most applicants? If Woodrow is #1, what are the other feeder patterns that have a high number of applicants? Hillcrest, Sunset, W.T. White? Just curious.

I've never seen anything recently and this is an older article, but East Dallas (Woodrow and even Bryan Adams) are heavily represented in the TAG magnets. In my experience, there is also representation from Hillcrest, White, and Sunset feeder patterns. There are a lot of efforts to expand representation from underrepresented feeder patterns (for qualified students) but we've run into roadblocks of increasing awareness and complaints of long bus rides. Part of the reason that there are so many in East Dallas is a strong awareness, active parents to facilitate the admission/testing process and a critical mass of kids who have gone before them from the neighborhoods.



https://lakewood.advocatemag.com/dis...print-version/

[Grlmomdallas]

Does anyone know how many applications Hockaday and SM have received?