<p>My son was expelled at the end of the first semester senior year for an honor violation (fibbing) from HADES school. He got into local high school and is taking finals this week.</p>
<p>What does he say to the colleges he is applying to. His school is only sending "withdrew" to the schools he has applied to.</p>
<p>Does he need to give the colleges any explanation? Can "I decided to go home" work? He had applied to Harvard EA and should hear this week - has a good chance as I am alumni with major donations and he has great grades (A+) and test scores.</p>
<p>Is there any way you could perhaps discuss the issue with the former school and seek advice on how to explain this to Harvard? BTW, Harvard EA decision has recently come out.</p>
<p>My older D was asked to leave a non-Hades top 25 prep school after one year, and used the experience to discuss what she had learned in her college essays. She did fine once returning to local public, and had no trouble with first choice college admission.</p>
<p>So I would suggest to you (as CC did to me back then) to try to turn the situation into an opportunity for your son to discuss honestly what he has learned - to his colleges of interest. This unique event surely needs explanation even if his applications were already in, and could make him a standout applicant. Since he has received a great education in the “almost” 4 years, hope for the best.</p>
<p>By not mentioning his dismissal/“withdrawal”, he leaves the colleges fearing the worst .</p>
<p>Patron.
Former school not much help. They are like a company who fires an employee > they essentially escorted him to the infirmary to stay until we came up to get him the next day and we had to pack his room. They ended up expelling about a dozen kids that day and were not very happy. HM did say that it was the most number in his experience and they were ****ed at us.
2prep. I think it would make a good essay and am worried about the “why”. But ? too late to write another essay. We did not think much about it - only to say that he had left to public school until we got a call from an admissions officer at another school saying school called and said “x was no longer enrolled” asking why</p>
<p>I’ll second 2prepMom’s advice. Students don’t normally just leave in the middle of senior year, so the colleges will know that something’s up. Seems better to address it head on. At my kids’ school, students who undergo disciplinary action senior year after submitting their applications will send colleges a letter describing what happened and what they’ve learned.</p>
<p>Has your son tried talking to his college counselor at his former school? There’s a good chance he or she would be willing to provide advice. College admissions offices may ask the counselor what happened, so it might be a good idea if the counselor knew how you’re planning to address it.</p>
<p>It’s both right and smart messaging to voluntarily disclose. Not to is to invite confirmation of the very problem you want to put behind you. Plus, you want your son to experience the risk, consequences and upside of responding to a mistake openly and honestly.</p>
<p>Your son should compose a letter, explaining the circumstances of his departure from his previous school. Contrition and honesty should be at the front of his mind.</p>
<p>It does your son’s applications no good to stonewall; the colleges will just reject his application. I presume the admissions officers would assume the worst, if neither the previous school nor the family explain the reasons for the departure. Admissions officers know that schools often give students certain to be expelled the option to withdraw instead. Of course, some students choose to withdraw rather than risk any disciplinary marks on the official record, but as you now know, college admissions officials will ask questions if things don’t add up.</p>
<p>I am not certain what the college counselor at the previous school can tell college admissions officers about your son’s departure. You should check in with him or her, about the guidelines. You should also talk with the guidance department at your son’s present school.</p>
<p>Read the book “The Gatekeepers”…includes a similar situation and how the student/family handled it. Kid eventually got into an Ivy…but not without a bit of a roller coaster.</p>