<p>I just got this email from the director of admissions who was also my interviewer of one of the schools I'm applying to. It's something like they r having tough time making the final decisions cos there are so many excellent applicants. Then he also said he knows I'm applying to many great schools, he's curious /the committee would like to know where does their school place on my list cos my materials seem good.</p>
<p>I'm not really getting my hopes up too much since so many people have heard all kinds of 'good news' from schools, but it does give me more confidence. Should I consider it a good sign or do they just send this email to all of the 100 applicants from my area?</p>
<p>The problem is I'm not so sure how to reply. I'm pretty sure my number 1 is Exeter (completely in love with it) but besides that it's one of the top 3 on my list (not sure if its 2 or 3 yet). I asked friends and families, and most of them suggested I should not make it too clear and just say its top3, but my mom thinks I should make it really clear that they are no.2 so that there's more chance for me to be accepted, but I don't want to lie. (I personally want to go with saying its among top 3). </p>
<p>So... What do people think? Also, has anyone received similar emails recently?</p>
<p>They are deciding whether to waitlist or accept you, I would suggest daying top3 because if you say number 1 or 2 and you don’t go they will be very suspicious</p>
<p>I’d say it’s top 3 and beyond that you expect to make your decision after revisiting.</p>
<p>bluedots: pretty good chance that you already answered the AOs’ question in your original post.</p>
<p>I would tell them that you don’t have any choices to make at this point and that you only applied to schools that you’re seriously intending to go to if you’re accepted. I’d also explain some of the reasons why, if accepted at that school, you would want to matriculate there.</p>
<p>It would be presumptuous of you to say – to people other than your friends in passing and your family – where schools rank when you don’t even know if you’ve been accepted at any of them. That question is effectively raising a series of dozens of hypotheticals – one for every combination of schools that could possibly accept you. And if financial aid is a factor for your family, that makes these hypothetical questions even more complicated to weigh. I don’t know how you can possibly answer that in any way that’s practical or useful. Doing it at home or in the hallway at your current school is fine, because it’s idle chatter.</p>
<p>To answer that in a way for it to be used as a decision making tool is impossible…and I think it’s fair to point that out. BUT…do so while also articulating the compelling reasons and positives about that school and why it is attractive to you and distinguishes itself from the pack. If you can make out a convincing case for how you can envision yourself happy and successful arriving on that campus for orientation next fall, that should give them the information they want to hear.</p>
<p>{We got a call along the same lines early one evening. It was from a member of the board of trustees of one school. The above is how I answered it and then the person spoke to my son who either followed my lead or figured it out on his own. He was admitted and not wait-listed.}</p>
<p>I hate when schools do this. D’yer’s advice is sound.</p>
<p>bluedots - Please do not name the school, but I would appreciate knowing if this inquiry came from a school that’s a member of the Ten Schools Admissions Organization. These are: </p>
<p>Choate Rosemary Hall
Deerfield Academy
The Hill School
The Hotchkiss School
The Lawrenceville School
The Loomis Chaffee School
Phillips Academy Andover
Phillips Exeter Academy
St. Paul’s School
The Taft School</p>
<p>A simple “yes” or “no” would suffice . . . thanks!</p>
<p>And I would also concur in D’yer Maker’s advice: don’t play the numbers game, but tell them (with specifics) what sets this school apart from the other schools you’ve applied to and why you could see yourself as a student there.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advices everyone!</p>
<p>@Madaket: lol yeah… I realized after typing the post but I’m just not sure how to word it. It also makes it harder to decide what to say considering it could potentially change their decision regarding my application</p>
<p>@dodgersmom: it’s not a member of the Ten Schools</p>
<p>bluedots - </p>
<p>Thanks for letting me know!</p>
<p>As for the email you’re trying to draft, I’d encourage you to follow D’yer Maker’s advice (above). If you want feedback before sending it, feel free to send me a PM. D’yer Maker might be willing to take a look at it also. Good luck!</p>
<p>dodgersmom - I’m sure you’re relieved to know that the TSAO are keeping their word about not contacting potential students during the selection period.</p>
<p>Does the ISL have a similar agreement?</p>
<p>We got an email from the admissions office stating that we were not going to get a decision, that the committee wanted to see my child’s third quarter grades before making a decision. What is funny about that is, my child’s grades have been a mirror of each other. When I told the director that we would not have our third quarter grades until April, they seemed a little mortified of the time. We don’t know what to make of it. My child is an FA applicant. Although, as my husband so kindly put it, we are not getting a rejection letter or a waitlist letter, so just wait and see. Not sure what to make of it.</p>
<p>We all are. I suspect that school that called is worried about being a safety for many of it’s applicants. I can’t think of any rationale reason to put a student under that kind of stress. But it might lend them to try to offer more aid of they think that could swing the equation. All the schools are in the midst of FA calculations right now.</p>
<p>My3luvs, that’s one I haven’t heard before. Were the second quarter grades consistant with the first quarter and prior year?</p>
<p>Yes. The only difference grade-wise this semester was a higher grade in History, and that was not a drastic change. But yes, they have her application on hold, and they told me that they have done this before. In my experience of working in the Admissions Office of a prestigious independent school, that was not one of our practices. So this was not on my radar as a possible thing to expect.</p>
<p>Wow. I wouldn’t know what to make of that. I presume that your D is applying to multiple schools? Wouldn’t a delayed decision on this one school’s part pretty much throw it out of the running if she gets offers from other schools? Surely, they must know that. <em>scratching my head</em> Has the team at the school you work for been able to give you any insight? If one of my D’s schools did that, I’d be tempted to say, “Nevermind, just please remove her from consideration.”</p>
<p>It is pretty frustrating because this school is my child’s first choice. But I am also aware that the deadlines for many of the schools to receive the enrollment contract from accepted students is early April. My husband said that once we have everything in place, sit back and look at our options and we will make a decision from there.</p>
<p>Do they know that they are her first choice? It might make a difference. It might not.</p>
<p>Yes they know. So we are in Prep School Purgatory.</p>
<p>:) I think everyone feels like they’re in Prep School Pergatory about right now! The real pergatory, however, is being on a waitlist.</p>