The decisions for kindergarten are finally in. Everyone wants to know: with the recession, were results different this year? Here’s what I’m seeing:
- As usual, ERB scores mean EVERYTHING. My clients with high ERB scores (defined as high 90’s–more children than ever as parent prepping has become more widespread and the scoring scale has not changed) received multiple top-tier acceptances. While these kids always found top-tier places, they have more choices than usual this year. In many cases, however, due to the increased nursery school brokering and requested first choice letters this year, their parents had already committed to one school prior to decision time.
- My clients with non-stellar ERBs got at least one acceptance and multiple waitlists, including some priority waitlists. While in past years schools would be more likely to reject, this year they waitlisted. Since they’re uncertain about their final student yields, schools want to keep kids in the pool. That’s good for families–more possibilities–but also bad because it stretches out what is already a stressful six month plus process.