College "clubs" on HS campuses

Parents Forum
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<p>Trying to determine whether this is a trend ...</p>

<p>Kids at ds's HS have started a club pertaining to an in-state public U. Think something like Hyde Park loves Harvard. I'm unclear whether it's at the adcom's suggestion or whether she's just facilitating/advising, but they have a FB group, and the adcom is a member. She posts and responds to kids' posts. The club isn't only for those who have been accepted or even just seniors; it's purpose is, in part, to provide underclassmen with information, too.</p>

<p>I think it's a clever idea as it fosters a sense of community and gives kids ready access to an adcom. She uses it to get out information and plan events, like a lunchtime pizza and ice cream party where she helps kids finish filling out their apps, answers question, etc. From what I can tell from her posts, ds's HS is the only one with a club in her region as she asked what other school will be next.</p>

<p>Have y'all heard of this? Have any other examples? I wonder is this is more widespread than I know or whether she's just really smart about how to market to kids. And like I said, this may be of the kids' initiative -- I really don't know. I remember with my 2010 ds, some people were shocked that adcoms friended kids on FB.</p>

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<p>Hmmm…this is a new one. Never heard of this before. I suppose I can see some mild advantages, but I hate to see a bunch of college-bound HS kids get so focused on just one college. They should be casting a wider net at this point.</p>

<p>Is the state college in question a selective or semi-selective flagship U? If so, club meetings could get a little heavy with emotion, envy, and even resentment when some of the members get in but others do not.</p>

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<p>I suppose it’s semi-selective. Some of the kids have applied to this school and this school only, they’re in and so they’re done. All their energy is directed at this one school, you’re right. But, like I said, many of these, including ds, are already in thanks to rolling admissions so it’s OK. They are the lucky one-and-done kids. </p>

<p>Interestingly, ds sees the upside for him (he’s angling for one of their top scholarships), but there’s also a downside. The downside for ds is that he feels a little like a hyprocrite because for a lot of these kids this school is THE ONE, and for ds, it’s not even the fourth or fifth.</p>