We are seeing a little bit of this where we live. In our community most families don’t qualify for financial aid - unless it is from super elite schools like Harvard where the ceiling is high - but that doesn’t mean they can always afford $75k per year for college. As a result, my son has a couple of friends who are opting for UMass over NEU or BU - it’s a $160k (at least) difference.
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Cost was a big factor in my D’s school too (she graduated in ‘18). Private school and they bragged about all the merit money the kids were awarded. Majority followed the $, not the rankings.
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She is waitlisted in 4 IVYs … so that is challenge with public school… where as in private school counselor are trying to get kid off waitlist.
That is kind of crappy of the counselor, in my opinion. Why not call? Takes a few minutes.
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That’s EXACTLY the reason the counselor SHOULD make the call!!!
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I also am seeing more public school GCs unwilling to call AOs on behalf of students who are waitlisted. I wonder if it’s due to equity based reasons, and/or following the significant decrease we have seen in relationship building/communication between private school GCs and college AOs?
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In defense of the counselor, they might not know that calling the admissions office can help a student get off the waitlist. After all, most high school counselors are not experts at elite college admissions (because their job is to help average students get into college and keep at-risk students safe and on-track to graduate). They may think calling the admissions office could hurt the student’s chances of getting off the waitlist, and the admissions office won’t want to be bothered.
Also, that may really only be an option for counselors at elite private schools who are “in-the-know”.
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I would think helping a WL’d student gain acceptance into a great school could only HELP future applicants from that HS in future years.
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Personally I don’t think schools should take unsolicited calls about students.
It’s like a rich person buying an election.
Students need to win on their own.
Not everyone has access to a counselor able to do this or one that knows the kid well (most don’t).
If I was a top school, I’d dismiss this.
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Not every student has access to anything. It is helpful for counselors to call, as they can add more to the application than is apparent. Is it really the applicant’s first choice? Is this the best student the school has this year? Ever in its history? Are there extenuating circumstances which werent mentioned? Any additional info makes a better decision.
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I get it. But bcuz it’s not a level playing field, I wouldn’t allow it if I was a top school.
My kids…both 3.97 / 4.6 with 32/34 ACT barely knew their counselors. It’s how it’s set up.
Sure if the counselor saw them in the grocery store, they’d say hi.
Some may not call because they don’t know the students. It’s not necessarily the kids fault.
The kids need to support themselves via essays, LOCIs, interviews, etc.
I know counselor calls happen. I’m just saying I don’t like it.
Not every kid has that access or opportunity. Just like I don’t have $10 mil to get myself elected to city council.
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Oh I love this! Thanks for sharing. My D24 will be lucky if she’s top-half (thanks competitive district) so I love hearing stories like this.
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You know - not that I am advocating this, how would a college know if it’s really the counselor calling?
You need to apply to schools that need revenue…hence they’ll discount. Or the publics with auto admits.
And you’ll be fine
Delete
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I can only share my daughter’s recent experience. She applied EA and was deferred by a top 10 public university. She submitted a LOCI that emphasized her 1st semester grades (all A’s in AP/IB classes) and stated she would attend if admitted.
A friend suggested we ask her (large public HS) GC to reach out to the regional AO to express her interest, stress her grades and achievements, etc. The GC has been her counselor for 4 years, though I wouldn’t say she knows her well. My daughter provided the GC her resume and a copy of her LOCI.
The GC did end up speaking with the AO, who said my daughter was a strong candidate and would pass along her new grades and interest to the admissions committee. She was later accepted in the RD round. The AO also reached out to my daughter personally after she was admitted.
I have to think it helped, given how many waitlisted candidates I saw/heard about after the RD.
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Do you think you would feel the same if your child hadn’t been accepted despite expressing interest and maintaining grades?
I think there are many who are waitlisted or were not accepted yet, they did the same things your daughter did. GC told kids: write a good loci, reach out to regional AO, make sure to upload and update resume if you haven’t already. Many kids are still on waitlists to schools which were much easier admits in recent years.
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I think colleges also receive calls from counselors for various low-income programs-Questbridge, Posse, and charter schools too now.
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My D
I think it’s more of a factor where/if they have relationships. Ours was pretty transparent regarding where they may be able to help/advocate. I think it also depends on the student/school and the perceived reason that student was not accepted. To be clear, a call does not equal an acceptance. IMO what they are hopping is to influence the AO to pull that particular file to consider for a WL spot.
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