<p>Has anyone with a suspension on their record ever been admitted to BS? This was a single incident in 8th grade (just last week -- bad timing!), for speaking rudely and disrespectfully to a teacher. Should I address it directly with a personal call to the admissions counselor in advance of submitting an application, or just explain it in the parents' statement? Or will this blot automatically land my child in the reject pile?</p>
<p>That's a tough one. Unlike college admissions, suspensions can be a deal-breaker for boarding school. Schools are not very willing to take on a "problem". This incident will probably lead to comments in your child's recs, too. If this was completely out of character and there is an explanation, it would best be handled by a note from the school or a teacher. There are some schools that are more receptive to "problems" than others. If your child was joking or just being a wise-a$$ and otherwise has a great record, it might be overlooked. Much will depend on how the current school handles the matter.</p>
<p>It would actually be better if the student submitted a letter of explanation as an attachment to his/her part of the application.</p>
<p>I second what Mom of Wild Child said. The top schools aren't going to want to deal with that. There are too many strong applicants, and I really think they would just pass on this situation no matter what you do. </p>
<p>However, outside of the top schools, there are plenty of schools that are not scared of a student who has had a suspension or difficulty with a teacher. They would want to know the whole story, and they would probably admit her if everything else was ok. This is where the "line in the sand" is drawn between the different types of schools out there.</p>
<p>we had this happen... it was probably the first time in the school's history of any "disciplinary suspension" </p>
<p>the person was accepted to some good tsao (it was choate/sps/andover type, i have no clue right now) and got suspension. whee. acceptance retracted, just like that. so i would say definitely add in some letter of explanation, or they will take away your acceptance.</p>
<p>Ask your school if this is going to be on the record. Our middle school does not put this on record, I know. </p>
<p>I agree that it can kill a chance to get into a highly selective school. One young man I know was rejected after a school told the mother it was a "go" after she foolishly submitted his second quarter report directly (parent's copy) that had some unfavorable but not terrible teacher's comments on it. Had she had the school send a copy,they would have sent a sanitized version with no effort scores, no comments. Those personal remarks which really amounted to talking a bit to much, put him on the reject pile. Since so few kids get this kind of disciplinary record released to these schools, even something slightly negative packs a heavy punch. Also boarding schools are paranoid about behavior problems as they know they will be getting some regardless. They want all known factors eliminated. Unless your kid has something the school really wants, like an athletic, URM, socio-econ challenged, development (as in $$s), you are going to have a tough go of getting such a kid in a selective private school. </p>
<p>But do check with your elementary school. Unless what he did is considered truly terrible, or if your school has a strict policy to tell all, it may not go on his record or be told to the school. My kids go to an all boys school and it's a rare kid that doesn't have some disciplinary action as they are very strict. They do not track them or tell the high schools about anything that is not expulsion level.</p>
<p>My son was assigned a detention due to a fourth tardy. I wonder if that would show up? On the records available to me, it is under "discipline" but there are no "points" assigned to it. It was really silly because it was assigned with his first period teacher, who he was staying after with anyway for a club! Kind of a non-punishment. Still, I'm a bit paranoid. I'll shoot an email to the guidance counselor and ask precisely what shows on the school report.</p>
<p>I would not send e-mails on these issues. It could force a school to say something in writing that it does not want to do. Talk to the GC or whoever sends out the records. Also get a copy of what goes out. Everyone should do that for college and for high schools. How else do you know what it is on that thing? THere could be mistakes.</p>
<p>A detention for a tardy isn't going to matter.
What I worry about in the OP's case is that the teacher recs are not going to be good.
My son had a problem with a very obnoxious English teacher one year (the teacher "left" at the end of that year) and I know the rec was terrible. The English teacher rec was required, so there was no way around it. The admissions process that year did NOT go well.</p>
<p>Good point, capt. I guess it's kind of like a credit report! As nerve-racking as this process is, I console myself with the thought that if my son is selected, the other kids will have been just as thoroughly vetted.</p>
<p>at my exeter interview, i was asked something like what's the worst thing you've done or what's something bad you've done....i remember sitting there trying to figure out whether i should tell her that i'd cut PE a few days earlier to finish a bibliography and gotten caught:-)....the good old days. </p>
<p>oh, and i did tell her.</p>
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<p>Just curious,</p>
<p>How much does a past suspension matter anyways?</p>
<p>Depends on what you did, but it's worse because you didn't have time to show that you have mended your errant ways.</p>
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<p>I'm going to suppose you meant 'worse if I did it recently or this year'.</p>
<p>that's difficult...it would be problematic and what bad timing! it would probably be in your best interest to attempt to explain the situation to the best of your ability</p>
<p>That really skrewed the pooch... Don't bother applying to top schools. I'm guessing that speaking rudely and disrespectfully to teachers implies some serious words.
Apply to schools that have STRONG and NURTURING enviroments. I know that some schools are willing to over look such things when they see a strong applicant(in other areas). Try:
-Kent
-NMH
-McCallie
-Episcopal High School</p>
<p>mazatl,</p>
<p>wat school are u at?</p>