Julie Moeller has been at DC Prep — one of the top public charter schools in the nation’s capital — for 10 years. She’s the director of high school placement and responsible for shepherding the students, the vast majority of whom are African-American and from low-income families, through an intense and sometimes grueling high school admissions process.

This year, every DC Prep eighth grader has been accepted by a college preparatory high school. More than 60% have been offered admission at a selective high school, and the students have earned more than $6.9 million in scholarships. According to Moeller, every moment along the path to the acceptance letter is a part of the interview process.

As Moeller’s students prepare for their final day as “Preppies” and their first days as high school students, she shared her perspective with the Walton Family Foundation, which supports some of DC Prep’s work:

WFF: When do you start working with students?

JM: We start talking about high school the minute students and families walk through our doors, from the earliest grade levels, because we know a rigorous high school is essential to college success. At the Edgewood Middle Campus, I personally get involved at the end of sixth grade, and my work with students increases as they approach eighth grade.

WFF: What's involved in the process?

JM: More than I ever imagined when I took on this role! On our high school placement calendar, you would see that prior to eighth grade, I meet with all families to talk about high school options that meet their needs and potentially introduce them to options they haven’t considered. We run a weeklong preparation program in the summer before eighth grade to prepare students for interviewing and essay writing as well as time management during a busy period in their lives. Additionally, we hold a mock interview day, an SSAT prep class to prepare students for admissions tests, and many essay writing workshops. What you wouldn’t see on my calendar are the hours I spend helping families complete financial aid applications, taking them to visit boarding schools, or sending countless reminders about deadlines.

WFF: Why is all of this important?

JM: Families most sincerely want their children to be well educated in a safe environment. That is unfortunately hard to find in our city. Additionally, top boarding and independent schools wholeheartedly want to diversify their student bodies, but students from diverse backgrounds need support in making the leap to a highly selective private high school. That’s where my work comes in; I help students and families bridge those divides and find it deeply rewarding when I’m able to find the perfect high school match for a Preppie.

WFF: How do you stay involved with alumni, even after they are in high school, and later in college?

JM: After I finish with students, they are paired with a counselor in DC Prep’s PrepNext alumni support program. That PrepNext counselor is responsible for meeting with them during their time in high school. As a team, we get bi-weekly grade updates on our alums and offer regular tutoring support to assist our students in staying on their path of attending a four-year college.

WFF: Why is working with alumni part of DC Prep's mandate?

JM: The goal families have when they entrust their children to us is college, and we have to be a part of their longer educational plan if we are going to make that a reality. Personally, I feel we build such a strong connection with our students, it wouldn’t be right just to send them off at age 14. Put simply, DC Prep sticks with Preppies and their families in the transition to and through high school — and on into college.

WFF: Are there any secrets to success — or tips you give students and parents?

JM: My students would tell you I give far too many tips! A few that Preppies say have helped them are that I always emphasize that everything in this process is an interview — from the first time you call a school to get on the mailing list, all the way until you receive the acceptance letter in the mail. Many also tell me that it was helpful to hear that there isn’t just one right high school for each child. Great kids, like our DC Preppies, are great in many environments.