<p>Okay, I know I'm gonna sound worse than the kids now, with decisions still more than a month away, but here goes . . .</p>
<p>For those of you who have done this already, please explain:</p>
<p>(1) financial aid decisions - do they come in the same letter with admissions decisions, or is it possible for a kid to get in, only to find out days later that the needed FA isn't part of the offer?</p>
<p>(2) April 10 reply date - does that mean postmark date or receipt date, and when it's on a weekend, like this year, when does it really have to be in? I know, this is definitely a "counting your chickens before they're hatched" question, but if the kid does get in, I don't want to be the one to screw it up by not getting a letter in the mail on time.</p>
<p>(3) revisit days (yep, more of those chickens that aren't hatched yet!) - when are they really? I don't mean exact dates, but just, generally, when do they tend to be? And for kids that get into more than one school, how do they manage it - aren't all the dates more or less at the same time?</p>
<p>(4) and, last but not least, that darned tax return - how soon do I need to get that in to NAIS? I got everything else in way ahead of time, but I'm digging in my heels when it comes to the tax return . . . </p>
<p>In our experience, FA decisions vary by school - some came with, some came later, which was hard for obvious reasons.</p>
<p>Schools really want to know by that April 10th deadline, and the sooner you let them know the better - there are lots of kids who get waitlisted who are losing sleep hoping for a spot at their #1 choice. If you know a school is not really a consideration for you and your child, let them know right away! </p>
<p>We were a little torn between 2 schools, and after revisit day, it was very clear! We just made our rounds during those days to the schools he was accepted to. MOst of them schedule a few days at the same time as others - may be a puzzle depending on how many you need to revisit…positive thoughts! :)</p>
<p>We sent in our acceptance and deposit the day after we returned home…chances are you will be ahead of the deadline with your decision too. Good luck!</p>
<p>1) FA info is typically not part the online/emial notification on March 10, but I believe the FA decision would be included with the official admission letter.
2) Every year there are some people who make the decision at last minute. All you need to do is call or email the AO that you accept or decline on April 10. I think they will adjust the date on your admission letter for this year as April 10 falls on a Sunday (or they’ll simply hang around on that day to get your decisions).
3)Revisit days are from late March to early April. Each school’s dates are slightly different, so you can visit more than one. The revisit dates should be posted on the school website soon and details will be included in the admissions package.
4)As soon as possible, and ideally prior to March 10 so your FA decision can be a final one. Otherwise send it in during the spring, and the school will then review your tax return and confirm that the earlier FA offer is final.</p>
<p>Ditto. The tuition and payment info came in the same packet as the acceptance - in an envelope addressed to us.</p>
<p>April 10th is the deadline to notify them. Sooner is appreciated because the date is the same for all schools and parents are having to make big deposits to hold their children’s spot at that time (10%??). </p>
<p>So, for example, if you’re waitlisted at your first choice you must then make a decision to pay a nonrefundable deposit at school #2 and forfeit it if a spot opens up, or take the option at hand and stick with it. Students who decline their spot sooner than that makes it easy for schools to open spots once they drop below yield and notify candidates before the deposits are going in the mail.</p>
<p>I noted that schools often held their revisits on different days of the same day. That was helpful. My family was able to do two revisits back to back in the same week which was helpful in terms of plane and hotel costs.</p>
<p>One school sent admissions letter addressed to my son and the financial aid into in a separate package addressed to us. The other schools sent it all in one package.
The online decisions only said “congrats you are in!! Your FA info is coming in the mail.”</p>
<p>April 10 - most really do want the deposit by that day. If you have been accepted outright to a top choice, you should mail a deposit a couple of days earlier and also call or email to tell you are accepting the offer. If however, you have been waitlisted at your top choice and are hoping to get in and therefore waiting on sending in paperwork to second choice, you can wait until April 10. Last week it was a Saturday and we received a call in the afternoon from a waitlist school that there was not going to be space so that we could go ahead and accept another school’s offer (we decided not to and to apply this year).<br>
Another child I know got a “you are off the waitlist!” call on April 10 at about 2 pm a few years ago. The parents were just going to send deposit to #2 choice where a sibling attended. Unfortunately, the first choice school had not yet given the family the FA package and it was going to be a day or so. The family called school #2 (where they have an existing relationship, which I think was probably the key - not sure every school would do this), and they gave them a few day extension on the april 10 deadline. </p>
<p>Revisit days - Schools usually offer between 2 and 4 days so you can do more than one. </p>
<p>Tax Returns - you MUST have 2009 tax return and 2010 W-2’s in the NAIS ASAP - ideally those should be there now since you should have them by now. Schools really want your 2010 taxes by late this month, but if you can’t, they will give you an award that is conditional upon the receipt and review of your 2010 1040.</p>
<p>A note about waitlists - yes, schools do appreciate it if you know that you will not be attending to let them know asap, but remember that a no thank you from one person does not open up a spot on the waitlist. It is part of their planned yield. Now of course, if many more than they planned declined before the deadline a spot will open up, but that’s something some misunderstand.</p>
<p>Another personal observation about revisit days - they are VERY important. Even though the schools are in “sell” mode, I know 2 kids/families who were 100% going to school A, went to revisit days for both school A and school B and the student is now at school B.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your thoughtful replies . . . and a special thanks to Linda S. for all that wonderful detail!</p>
<p>Now, a slight digression . . .</p>
<p>
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<p>I am sure this has also happened to some of you personally. I am just curious . . . is it more often a question of finding something one doesn’t like about school A, or is it just that the student finds himself or herself unexpectedly head-over-heels in love with school B?</p>
<p>I think it is the latter dogersmom.<br>
One student told me that the first school at the revisit just “felt wrong” and the second one “felt right.” This kid had good friends at BOTH schools. </p>
<p>One thing I recommend, and I know it’s not possible in a lot of cases, but if you can, try to visit the schools on your own. Go to a play, or a hockey game or basketball game. You get a good sense of how the students act, how the parents act, etc in a “non-scripted” environment. </p>
<p>Kind of an aside, we were at a football game at my son’s school this fall. They have bleachers for the away team. Next to me (on the "home side’) was a Dad of an away team player. He was being completely rude and obnoxious about his cheering. I finally said something like “really?” And he said “the sun is over here, what, it’s a free country I can sit where ever I want.” Then anyone who had a college sweatshirt on, he started heckling - “hey, the Syracuse bleachers are not here…” That one parent, tainted our view of the entire school. Right or wrong (and I know, it shouldn’t), it did. But that’s why it’s good if you can to go to the school, you’ll see way more good that things like that I’m sure.</p>
<p>I particularly like going to sporting events and watching the student fans.</p>
<p>That’s a great idea! And one can do it in advance of revisit days - or even in advance of decision day if the school isn’t too far away. Actually, what a great way to spend March 10!!! I was thinking of taking the kid to the movies for the day - just to keep his mind off of things, but visiting a school is a much better idea . . . if only we can agree on what school!</p>
<p>And, of course, that’s what’s so wonderful about this . . . what school I’d want to visit, or what school I dream about him attending, is almost certainly the polar opposite of whatever he’s thinking! Thank goodness it’s his decision, and not mine.</p>
<p>This makes me wonder how this played out when I was a kid. My recollection is that the choice of schools was entirely mine. My parents are gone now, so it’s too late to ask, but I wonder if that was really the case, or if they had more influence than I realize.</p>
<p>I do remember the really well-thought out basis for my choice of schools, though. It was something along the lines of “Follow the horses!” Very sophisticated reasoning! Thank goodness I’ve finally matured. Today it would be “Follow the food!” I’m being glib, but when looking at several equally fine schools, it may be the “little things” that make the difference.</p>
<p>I know a kid who wanted to switch from one Jr. Prep to another (both he would have been a day student at) and when his parents asked why he said because the food was better! He didn’t transfer. </p>
<p>Sometimes there are games at the end of the day on revisit days as well.</p>
<p>This is actually something that my d and I have discussed because we both know that I could influence her decision greatly, without her even realizing it. I do not want to do this, of course; so I have pointed it out so that she can be aware of it. While I am glad that she values my experience and opinions, I want her to have complete “ownership” of the decision. No pressure from mommy to go here, there, or anywhere.</p>
<p>Dodgersmom – something to consider for visiting schools around March 10th is finals week leading up to spring break. For example, Andover’s last day of the winter term is March 10th – spring break begins at 5:00 p.m. on March 10th and they don’t return to campus until March 28th. Spring visits are March 30th, April 1st, 4th and 5th. Good luck to your student.</p>
<p>Our influence is and has been this up to now. </p>
<h1>1 - we guided the choice of schools to apply to. Not dictated, but guided. We set a geographic circle that she could not go out of, and set some other guidelines as well regarding academics, etc.</h1>
<p>When we would visit, we would be careful to ask her about her thoughts BEFORE sharing ours. Her order is the same as ours as this point.<br>
Of course, she knows that FA will play a role in the final decision as well.</p>
<p>At least one or two of the schools my son applied to have sent us invitations to attend either a hockey game or the winter musical, or something similar. These invitations have come from the admissions office, though I think one of them also went out to all alumni of the school. There’s an “open skate” before the game if we want to do that as well. So, I guess some schools actively encourage their applicants to come and see the school as is. We are still debating whether to go, as these events are all in the evening and the schools are about two hours away from our home.</p>
<p>Also wanted to note that these events are in the next couple of weeks.</p>
<p>This biggest problem with initial visits and interviews is that you don’t really get a full impression about the school. You get a tour, peek in on a class if you’re lucky, talk to your interviewer. During a revisit, you’re more of a student, have more time to interact with the other students, can sit in on a full class, eat in the cafeteria, get a fuller experience.</p>
<p>I think that’s what turns kids in one direction or the other if they’re not sure. I was very envious of how much my husband was able to see on the revisits than I was able to see on the interview trips.</p>
<p>Agreed. For such a big decision, there is really only so much that can be done during the initial visit. And for the time between March 10 and April 10, most schools are on holiday for much of it. Does it all come down, then, to revisit day? Or have people here already attended sports events, etc, to help them decide before decisions are in March 10?</p>
<p>Other things help too…my son got letters from faculty at the schools where he was accepted, DVDs from both places, information about courses, etc. </p>
<p>For lots of kids, the choice is more or less made by the admissions committees; even if a kid is lucky enough to get several offers of admissions, some of the former top choices will be eliminated by default. Anyway, once the field is narrowed, I think it’s easier to place the schools side by side and make a good decision. There were a handful of kids agonizing over School A or School B on CC last spring, but the vast majority knew where they wanted to go either on 3/10 or after revisits.</p>
<p>Try Youtube. Sometimes you get a glimpse of the school’s behind the scenes personality by the videos that are posted. We pretty much cracked up over the Smirnoff parody: Taftie Partay which we found after visiting the campus. That and the Peter Berg video where he jokes about Taft with Will Smith. Prior to that I didn’t know about Headmaster Holiday. But in addition to “official” videos of the choir or dance, a number of students often post their own independent videos as well. </p>
<p>(although Taft was hardest to search because there is also a Taft High School and in the beginning I kept thinking - wow - there are so many African Americans at the school then realized I was looking at videos of a public school instead. Same thing happened when I saw Exeter teachers trying to “crump” at a talent show and realized there is an Exeter high school in some other city. -lol! So my lesson is - if it doesn’t look preppy or it’s not shot on campus and in a dorm, it’s probably the wrong school.)</p>
<p>Do similarly ranked schools tend to offer financial aid that is quite similar? Or will it come down to dollars rather than just which accepted school is the best fit? I’m thinking what a nightmare it would be for ds to be accepted at a school he loves and have to turn it down for financial reasons.</p>