Making the Prep School Forum Better

<p>I like the 2012 Master List of Acceptances, and I find it easy to read because it is in alphabetical order. Thank you baseballmom for creating it and keeping it in order.</p>

<p>I agree: I like the Master List of Acceptances, and alphabetical order is logical. (I haven't added my information yet, I know, but I am waiting till all of the FA info comes in to post complete list.)</p>

<p>I also like the "Meet Your Classmates" list that another posted created. That will be useful to the new students. </p>

<p>Perhaps there can be a form, that posters can submit their schools info to, and a database can create these lists automatically? I don't know if that can work, but I did see something about college applicants submittling lists into a form for all of the places for which they have applied.</p>

<p>I like the way the Master List is set up (alphabetically) because, as baseballmom says, you can look for your friend's id and know what school she has gotten into. I like the list allIdoiswait set up as well, because you can look up a specific school and see the people that are attending that school.</p>

<p>I personally would like at least one subforum about schools (particularly, the 2nd tier schools.) The majority of the kids on this board ONLY talk about the "top tier" schools, but there are many other good schools that they could look at. There were a record number of waitlists and rejections from AESDCH this year, and many of the kids don't have other options. Had they been aware of some of the other good schools out there, many with extremely generous financial aid packages, they would be going to a boarding school next fall.</p>

<p>The Master List rocks. It is ingenious in its set up. I think the idea is for the new poster to put their own message up top and then include the facts in the alpha section that gets copied. But even when that doesn't happen, it really can't be that awful to look at the 14 point font username to the left and figure out where that falls in the alphabet, can it?</p>

<p>As for Roger's request, I've written before about this and I think its time has come. Roger was concerned in the past about too much fragmentation, but I think a cafe area is important. And chances threads definitely need to find a home...which would improve the quality of the main area and make it even more attractive.</p>

<p>Somewhere there should be a FAQ index to threads that's sticky. One question that came up numerous times this year was along the lines of "Should I send in audition tapes." For a while I tried to include in each thread a link back to the previous threads that discussed that fine point. It was clear, though, that people want an answer to THEIR question and prefer not to first search for other threads that may be on point. So a FAQ thread is either going to be a big help or it will be totally ignored. One or the other....</p>

<p>Perhaps the FAQ thread could include the hint, "If you have a question, try the SEARCH function first."</p>

<p>Parents like the master list, and we're old fashioned, so we're also fans of alphabetization.</p>

<p>a special stickied girls schools thread would be nice!</p>

<p>Right now I'm finding it frustrating that, for example, there is already at least 1-2 threads about the Deerfield Waitlist and low and belhold someone starts ANOTHER.<br>
How many Andover topics do we need???<br>
Not sure how to address it, but it is crazy.</p>

<p>I like all the ideas above. And a stickied boys school thread might be good too.</p>

<p>My input -- too many stickied threads and it is hard to get past all of them to the current topics. I like the idea of the museum threads -- there have been several really excellent threads that would be good to refer new posters to, and I get tired of always having to search past posts. Although the "read this first" post is a good idea, I have to wonder if it ever gets read -- it certainly doesn't seem like it. </p>

<p>I don't like the idea of separate subforums for different schools or different types -- I have found that many kids who start off focusing on the top schools can be persuaded to look at other schools by parent and student input. I would fear that that wouldn't happen if kids/parents could focus their posting on the "top-ten" school forum.</p>

<p>So what I'm hearing is this:</p>

<p>-Widespread agreement on "Chances" and "Cafe" forums</p>

<p>Is there critical mass for any individual school forums? That might reduce redundancies. One other way to reduce redundant threads is to reply to the newly posted redundant thread with a link to the established one.</p>

<p>I'd suggests a "schools" forum only, not a collection of forums for separate schools. I sense that the happier participants this week are the kids who expanded their search beyond the handful of well-known, wealthy schools. They're happier because they're much more likely to have an acceptance, or even two or more acceptances. If there were a forum for the big schools, many kids, and parents, wouldn't look beyond the AEDCH, which would be a shame.</p>

<p>No, we should just have this main forum and a chances and cafe forum. If we have anything more, no one would post in the main forum!</p>

<p>Perhaps a sticky or archived thread with useful links: boardingschoolreview, petersons, schools.com, sss financial aid main page. Or some note/thread/FAQS to direct parents new to the search/process of boarding schools that contained these links and some other key important stuff.</p>

<p>Also, on a different bit of advice: when I first was looking here, I thought that if you were a "senior member" that you were an adult, until I read more posts. Later, I realized it only had to do with how long you have been a member. But, I think that the junior/senior thing can be a bit confusing....if anyone looks at it.</p>

<p>i would love threads on different schools! u could meet people applying there, already there, or people who previously applied. u could meet new classmates and learn about the school w/o looking through random threads.</p>

<p>Before I make any suggestions for improvements to this forum, I'd like to apologize for starting the Jonas Brothers vs. Hannah Montana thread that has since been deleted. The argument developed between two members in another thread and I decided to create a new thread about the topic that might help take people's minds off the next day, March 10. </p>

<p>I agree with what Jonathan said--it would be nice to have a cafe subforum and a chances subforum, but if there were subforums for individual schools, the mods would have a huge mess on their hands.</p>

<p>Thanks for making this amazing site!!!!</p>

<p>I don't think we should have individual places for schools. but maybe a general place for questions about the "top ten." (andover, exeter, sps, etc.) it would be easier for those trying to sift through info about those specific schools.</p>

<p>Thanks for this great site! I would not have known as much about boarding school without it!</p>

<p>I don't think that we should have seperate threads for individual schools either because it would be too confusing.</p>

<p>Kids always like the Chances thread, although it is really reading a crystal ball. A Cafe would be nice, though not separated by parent/kid. Some museum threads would be beneficial: Financial Aid, Application Process, Interviewing, Waitlist, etc... How many times does one have to answer what to wear to an interview? </p>

<p>I don't think anyone asked for or wants separate subforums for individual schools. My impression from reading prior posts, the most anyone was requesting was two subforums, one for TASO schools and another for all other schools. </p>

<p>The main thread, a cafe, chances, and few museum threads would be great!</p>

<p>i think you should have organized threads (schools, chances, FA, etc.), but then also have a cafe for us to make our own threads. i REALLY think there should be school threads. then if you're applying or attending a school, you can meet people in the same boat.</p>

<p>:D</p>

<p>I am not sure how you can change this, but it is awkward to have this subsection under the College Discussions link. I think that you would get more users and more information by highlighting somehow that College Confidential is also Prep School (and private school) Confidential. I only know about this site because my older kid already went through the college application process. I believe that the Prep school and private school process is shrouded in secrecy and that many people would benefit greatly from knowing about the process, especially if they are going from public school to private school. The private school kids are groomed for the process in a way that public school kids aren't. Public school kids can learn a lot about the strategies for becoming a successful and competitive applicant.</p>

<p>i completely agree w/USC. the only reason i found this site is when i was looking on google for ssat scores to compare mine too.</p>