<p>Finally, my kid is now a senior and of course doing the application now.<br>
It's December already and only few days left for application but still long time to wait for the decision. </p>
<p>I tried to find some more info about BS students apply for colleges from CC, but I can't find anything (chance me, acceptance.......) exclusive for private school students.</p>
<p>Is it a good idea to start a new thread like this?</p>
<p>Yes, I heartily support such an idea. I think this stuff is kind of hidden. Most assume that going to a top BS will enhance your child’s chances. I am not so sure. And parent of it is about the way the BS prepare their apps.
Bring it on!!!</p>
<p>As for getting the applications done, I threatened him with Community College.</p>
<p>Early decision was key last year and I think will hold true for this year as well. The government can be stupid and spend money they don’t have, especially since it’s your money but the Colleges and Universities must be more frugal and project realistically for the coming years. It is all part of the game but I do believe the ED acceptances have gone way up.</p>
<p>My older son went through this last year. He ED1 at his first choice and we were all confident he would make it in, he got deferred. He was annoyed to say the least, so he ED2 at a more competitive school and was accepted. I have to add that where he ended up had called his College Counselor to inquire about him and it was the Counselor who gave that extra push that put him over the finish line. Kudos to SG and their College Counseling Team.</p>
<p>Good luck to the Seniors and parents, this is a big week!</p>
<p>I’m confused by the ED1 and ED2. I thought you only had one shot at ED. Can anyone clarify? Do you get a decision in time from the first college to still apply ED to another?</p>
<p>You have time to be deferred or rejected ED1, then apply for ED2 at another school. ED1 acceptances, deferrals, rejections come in around now. The ED2 acceptances, deferrals, rejections come in around February or March, I forget which. The applications for ED2 I think are due in by the end of the year. I think I got this right, someone please correct me if I’m wrong. Not all schools offer early decision. All I did was make matters more difficult by talking about community college if he didn’t get his act together.</p>
<p>There’s Early Action (non-binding) and Early Decision (binding).</p>
<p>And ED1…with a binding mid-Decemberish notice date.</p>
<p>And ED2…which generally coincides with the regular decision deadline, except that if you’re accepted ED2 it’s binding.</p>
<p>Sometimes ED2 makes sense because there has been more time to put together the application and/or grades for a challenging senior year course load are in and/or there are awards, prizes, accomplishments and such that can be included in the ED2 application.</p>
<p>There’s also a financial aid gambit with ED applications. If the college’s FA decision is not satisfactory, you can withdraw from the applicant pool even though you had received a “binding” decision. But that just means you have to turn your back on your top choice college. And AOs let it be known that they sometimes share lists of names of ED admittees who don’t follow up with the enrollment. There’s nothing that binds the other schools from admitting those students but it can doom applications. The other part of the ED/FA game is that you give up your right to “negotiate” a better figure. There’s no opportunity to say, “College X gave a more generous amount, but if you can match it, I’d love to matriculate!” OTOH, the FA budget hasn’t gone to pieces during the ED decision making, so you might find ED packages to be more generous.</p>
<p>The mind games are absolutely stupefying in the college round. It’s probably best that BS kids are relying on experienced guidance counselors and not so much on mom and pop. The problem with that, however, is that finances are a key consideration, so you can’t exactly cut mom and pop out of the process.</p>
<p>For parents who have been through the college admission process, what was your involvement in the process? I can foresee paying application fees and a college tour next summer and that’s it. Is that realistic? What was your experience?</p>
<p>@emdee
For my 10 grad we did the college tour thing - several - to help her narrow down the list. We followed the GC’s and teacher’s testing recommendations. She picked teachers to write recs totally on her own. We proofread essays and made lots of hot chocalate while she finished essays over Xmas break. OH yes, and paid the fees! The college visits were the most important. Great way for her to talk through what was really important to her. Do several, spread out over time so there is time to integrate and think about what they see. Also, critical to be positive, reassuring and not too judgmental of schools that they like, but you do not think is a good fit. Be prepared when their best friend or worst enemy gets into a school where they are denied. Be the shoulder to cry on if they need it. It generally all works out in the end.</p>
<p>1012mom, what you described sounds an awful lot like applying to prep schools!</p>
<p>this is where being at a BS or a Day will give you a leg up on large public schools, not the Ivys or the top 10 Newsweek LACs but the 10-35 top LACS (Liberal Arts College). Generally guidance counsellors will have good relationships with adcoms of those colleges and where that college accepts A students from a public, they will accept a B (and sometimes one w a C or two as well) student, because they know the curriculum, student body type and study habits.</p>
<p>^^mhmm, can you clarifiy? I think I understand what you are saying, but I feel like being at a good boarding school gives students a leg up at the top LAC’s as many a B student from my son’s school get in to top LAC’s, and his bs isn’t even considered “tier one” by most on this board.</p>
<p>I wonder if most BS are short shrifting our kids because college guidance usually comes in Jr. year. We are finding that jr. year is too late for our D/S, who is a sophomore, and already has made some course choices that may not be the best for college readiness purposes–i.e. taking courses sophomore year to get 1 or 2 SAT Subject Tests done (rather than load it on with other stress junior year); taking a certain science to enable AP Science load he/she wants; guiding so that he/she is better positioned to lead EC clubs by time jr or senior. What are others experience?</p>
<p>We put a lot of faith in the guidance counselor. They can only do so much, the work of course is up to the student. The GPA plays a big part, even in 9th grade but by 10th grade it really does count. By 11th grade one had better be cruising along full speed because by 12th it’s basically over. Don’t get behind and don’t settle for catching up next semester. The teachers, advisors and GC do know their stuff and are very good in determining a students limitations, know when to push for more and still stay ahead of the game, so when the time comes you’ll be in a good position for colleges. If there is anything I’m going to do differently second time around is 1) be more tentative to what his advisor has to say with respect to the courses he should be taking, 2) back off and let the school do it’s job in recommendations, 3) no talk about Community College, that certainly does not help an already stressful period, 4) continue to stress the importance of doing a good job and what it means, even in 10th grade 5) join those clubs now and get on committees 6) tread lightly and choose the right time to say and reinforce the needful.</p>
<p>Great advice, ops! But can you elaborate on the following two points you made:</p>
<p>3) no talk about Community College, that certainly does not help an already stressful period,
6) tread lightly and choose the right time to say and reinforce the needful.</p>
<p>My D is a sophomore and I have been surprised and pleased by the amount of college information we have received since parents weekend. The school has suggested SAT subject tests for this summer, signed d up for online SAT prep course, invited her to come by the counseling office and a meeting is scheduled for parents during the winter program. Since we have decided to allow d to handle the college application process. I have been pleased that the school is proactive and providing information and an appropriate level of guidance for her to work through this process on her own.</p>
<p>The students by their Junior year are fully aware of what is expected of them and it was my threat of the local Community College that was unnecessary in order to push him to get the applications done “now”. It kind of goes in hand with 6th comment. There is a lot on their minds, so at least for me to back off and the questions and requests will come from him or her. The warnings and what if’s are not warranted but a tactful approach is required to get one’s (at least mine) point across. The guidance counselor was terrific but I did want it kicked up a notch or two. It was getting there, I just had to be a little more patient.</p>
<p>emdee, you daughter goes to SPS, right? That sounds great! When you say college conseling “invited her to come by the counseling office and a meeting is scheduled for parents during the winter program.” What did they do with your daughter in the meeting with her? Will they meet regularly starting now? Is the scheduled meeting with parents 1:1? What’s expected from the sophomore year college conseling? I’ve never heard of sophomoare year college counseling (maybe it’s being done in other schools too but I just haven’t heard about it). No wonder SPS has done so well in their matriculation! I wish my child’s school could do that.</p>
<p>Wow my daughter is an upper (junior) and Exeter is doing all the same things that emdee’s daughter is. I wish they had started it sophomore year.</p>
<p>The invitation was to all kids to come by and meet the advising staff, not specifically to my d. I think they have to go to the office to obtain the info. for the SAT. The meeting in the winter is for all IV Form parents, you can schedule one on one if you want to. Sorry I gave the impression that it was one on one counseling at this point, but I was surprised that there was this much attention for her class.</p>