<p>^^I should think unique charity work or being a nationally ranked football player would count far more than being born to certain parents.</p>
<p>@GemmaV,
- Do coaches/art teachers at your school give opinions on candidates? </p>
<p>2) On the Candidate Profile my parents were actually shocked that they had to fill out info about themselves. They didn’t see why it mattered where they went to college and grad school. Why do schools do this? I don’t know if your school does this, but I’m still curious.</p>
<p>3) When you admit applicants, do you take into account what the community might need? For example, let’s suppose that Academy X needs more people for its water polo program. Would you admit more kids who have expressed interest in trying water polo?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>We talk of an “admissions committee.” To your knowledge, does the form the committee takes vary by school? Does a committee meet around a table, as in the movies, or is it better understood as a term describing the group of people involved in the admissions process?</p>
<p>Are letters from prominent people who are acquainted with the parents, but not the applicant, given any weight?</p>
<p>If one interviewer is less effusive than other interviewers, should a family write off the school? Or should parents not draw premature conclusions?</p>
<p>@Periwinkle:</p>
<p>1) Committee formations vary widely by school. </p>
<p>2) Depends on the school. </p>
<p>3) No - don’t write off the school. Some interviewers are naturally more effusive people. I have several…I would say…CALM colleagues…they write their interview reports effusively but might not “gush” over any particular candidate in person. You should never choose a school–or not choose a school–solely because of the tour guide or the interviewer.</p>
<p>How do boarding schools look at repeaters compared to the other non-repeaters applying to the same grade? Are they looked at more harshly since they have that extra year or are standards the same?</p>
<p>@ifax:</p>
<p>1) Do coaches/art teachers at your school give opinions on candidates? </p>
<p>YES</p>
<p>2) On the Candidate Profile my parents were actually shocked that they had to fill out info about themselves. They didn’t see why it mattered where they went to college and grad school. Why do schools do this? I don’t know if your school does this, but I’m still curious.</p>
<p>Why do we do this? Because we read every applicant in the context from which s/he comes. For instance, if your parents did not attend four-year colleges, we would look at your application through a different lens than if your parents were both PhDs or MDs. You might not have had the same opportunities that other kids have had. A blue-collar student - regardless of race - or a student who’d be the first in their family to attend a four-year college adds a different perspective to our classrooms and dormitories. It’s another factor when considering the diversity of your student body, besides race/ethnicity and national origin/geographic background.</p>
<p>3) When you admit applicants, do you take into account what the community might need? For example, let’s suppose that Academy X needs more people for its water polo program. Would you admit more kids who have expressed interest in trying water polo?</p>
<p>No…expressing an interest is different from having actual experience. I can “express an interest” in buying a Ferrari, but that doesn’t mean I’m ever going to do it. There’s a difference between HAVING a bassoon and PLAYING the bassoon.</p>
<p>redbluegoldgreen: With this particular generation of parents, we wouldn’t be able to admit ANYONE if we caught a whiff of “helicopter.” </p>
<p>;-) </p>
<p>Just kidding.</p>
<p>maddog wrote:</p>
<p>“Gemma, which stands out more for an applicant: unique charity work, nationally ranked football player or dual citizenship (minority)?” </p>
<p>Dual citizenship is so commonplace these days it is not at all unique, unless someone is a dual citizen of an under-represented country.</p>
<p>Nationally-ranked anything is pretty amazing for applicants of this age group. At age 13, I was eating Doritos on my couch watching television. What were you doing in the 8th grade, parents? I probably could have won a national TV-watching contest. </p>
<p>Unique charity work is also pretty amazing, if it is presented with sincerity and not as a resume-building experience.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, GemmaV. Many of us are freaking out at this point and it’s good to have some practical advice.</p>
<p>My question is: Do first choice letters sent to a favorite school matter at all? Could it come off negatively?</p>
<p>How many 800 (or 2400s) SSATs do you see and does that make a difference vs. any high percentile?</p>
<p>(Thanks for your comments on the “Chance Me” threads, btw. Maybe some future applicants will heed your advice on that one…)</p>
<p>What happens if one part of a prospect’s application is not complete by deadline (due to slow processing by recommender or school office)?</p>
<p>kisskob wrote:</p>
<p>“Do you have a database for international schools (I heard American colleges do)?
Do you give preference to those that have sent students to Hogwarts before?”</p>
<p>Answer: We keep records of everything.
No preference given to any students from any particular institution.</p>
<p>“If a student from East Asia has 80s and 85s on his transcript (mainly in math and science) but got 99 in every section on the SSAT, what do you think of him? Lazy? Challenging curriculum at current school?”</p>
<p>Answer: It could be either or both. In general it is better to have high grades and mediocre testing than mediocre grades and high testing, unless your school is particularly rigorous. Of course, ideally you would have both high grades and high testing. 
</p>
<p>“Transcripts and Standardized Testing, which says more about an international student’s academic strength?”</p>
<p>Answer: Both of them together, along with teacher recommendations and writing samples. One thing is not weighted more than the other. We need them all to make the best decision.</p>
<p>Everyone, I believe this has been asked and answered before. Please stop trying to figure out the magic equation of what weighs more than the other; there is no equation. If there were, I wouldn’t have a job. A computer would be doing it.</p>
<p>@SevenDad:</p>
<p>Hogwarts looks at percentiles. To me, personally, the difference between a 97% and a 98% and a 99% is so negligible, it doesn’t really matter. Any student who scores a 99% or a 2400 on the December test could easily score a 97% and a 2350 (I’m obviously making these numbers up here) on the January test, depending on the vocab words that are asked that day on the verbal section, or whether or not she had a cold.</p>
<p>The most important part of the SSAT is actually the writing sample. Write a great essay–with no help or spell check or anything–in 20 minutes, and that’ll impress me much more than straight 99%s, which I’ve seen often enough.</p>
<p>We don’t penalize a student if the late/missing item is coming from the school or teacher/recommender – after all, it’s not the student’s fault. Just make sure all YOUR parts are in on time. However, I know that at some schools, if you apply “late” you might not be considered in time to receive a March 10th decision.</p>
<p>What do you think of students who have been homeschooled? Does this affect the application positively, negatively, or not at all?</p>
<p>EDIT: Also, if an applicant takes the SSAT more than once, do you read all the writing samples?</p>
<p>How would address/advice the kids in this situation (posted in the “Chance Me” sub section, so it may have escaped your attention):</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-chances/1059383-so-my-english-teacher-refuses-write-me-recommendation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-chances/1059383-so-my-english-teacher-refuses-write-me-recommendation.html</a></p>
<p>@intrinsically:</p>
<p>I don’t get them that often, but when I do, I file it in the file, and ask myself, “Now did he just send that same letter to Andover, Exeter, Choate, and Deerfield, too?” </p>
<p>I would say my reaction to a “first-choice” letter is neutral. It doesn’t make me any more or less excited about your candidacy.</p>
<p>I do appreciate genuine enthusiasm for Hogwarts in an interview setting. When a student I am interviewing can clearly articulate why she is so passionate about wanting to come to the world’s best school of Witchcraft and Wizadry, that it’s her first choice, and these are the reasons why…it’s hard not to be enthusiastic right back.</p>
<p>@Gemma: Forgot to thank you for doing this…do you do it every year? If not, you should…</p>
<p>GemmaV, here’s another question I’ve always wanted to ask an AO. I understand that the actual practice may be different from school to school, but please share what’s going on in Hogwarts, which I believe is at least representative of some “mainstream” schools.</p>
<p>I am curious about new senior and PG admits. Usually the admissions stats we see would group new seniors and PG’s together. In your experience, in that group typically are there more PGs or more new seniors? I personally can’t think of good reasons to switch schools in the last year of high school and one term away from college application. Do most of these new seniors have some sort of “special” circumstances or there are reasons I am not aware of ?</p>
<p>For PGs, it is widely believed that most if not all of them are recruited atheletes of some sort. Is it true? Usually in Hogwarts what is the major reason why students do the PG year?</p>
<p>Thank you very much.</p>
<p>Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Thank you, also, for popping in from time to time to calm the waters.</p>
<p>As you know, people spin theories to explain the patterns they perceive in admissions results. So, I’ll spin mine! </p>
<p>Are there candidates who might be qualified for admission, but would fit better at, say, Beauxbatons than Hogwarts? In other words, if we knew all, we would find fit the best explanation for admissions decisions?</p>
<p>The New York Times recently had an article on its “The Choice” blog pointing out that the online Common application to colleges has a habit of truncating college essays. </p>
<p>Please tell me that isn’t a problem for prep school applications filed online? Otherwise, I’ll urge my son to use more is and fewer ws. ;)</p>
<p>Hello Gemma:</p>
<p>Does Hogwarts factor into the admission decision a sibling attending another school? In other words, do you consider your yield before making the admissions decision (e.g., assume the student would not attend Hogwarts even if there is no evidence the candidate would attend the sibling’s school)?</p>