Michele Hern

Applying to College
21

<p>Can you address whether you actually talk to colleges about clients as some have suggested?</p>

22

<p>never in a million years would I talk to anyone I know in admissions about a student - that would be a complete ethical breach. Any private counselor who pulls that card is lying. Being ethical (for example, only a hack counselor would write essays FOR students - I have never come close to anything like that) is my top priority. And as a former admissions officer at Dartmouth, I can tell you that we did not even SPEAK to private counselors, so I can aver that no counselor can use this kind of pull. Of course a high school guidance counselor can call to advocate for a student, but that’s a different matter!
Michele</p>

23

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<p>I can vouch for that last word. Michele has promptly responded to an e-mail or two from me over the past few years, at no charge. Of course to be respectful to her profession, I made sure that any question required only short answer.</p>

24

<p>Michele, on the parent’s board, there’s a thread on kids with 3.6 GPAs and high scores applying to top colleges. Can you give your 2 cents about what you would tell a client in this position?</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/767118-under-3-6-gpa-applying-top-20-parents-thread.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/767118-under-3-6-gpa-applying-top-20-parents-thread.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

25

<p>Okay - let me know if I answered - it’s a difficult question! and one with many nuances and other factors. If there’s anything I am sure of, it’s that there is no formula - top schools READ applications and often there are extenuating circumstances!</p>

26

<p>I think the key issue on that thread is that most of these kids don’t go to highly competitive schools and are not in the top 10% of their class. They had an academic glitch somewhere. All of this will come up again and again with Fitzsimmon’s recent NYT piece. Do these kids really have any chance at a top 20 today?</p>

27

<p>Then I’d have to answer that it’s the “top 20” that holds the key - top 20 liberal arts schools AND National? that would be 40s schools - sure, some weaker students get into one of those 40 schools if they have other outstanding qualities, but in general, kids out of the top 10% in a less than competitive high school are at a distinct disadvantage - they won’t get into the Ivies, but there is a very wide range of schools in the top 40, so I do think with some strong interests and a good application they would have a chance at a few of the schools, especially if they committed to early decision.
MH</p>