Only the TSAO schools agree to notify on M10. Other schools have followed that date traditionally but are not bound by it.
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@MacJackAttack , I always wonder about the timing thing. It can get kids excited early, but usually (in non covid times), kids would do revisits and then decide. Many families that were really excited about x school even after their first visit ended up enrolling at y after doing all the follow through.
I’m sure some of these schools have done some work on the data around this. Personally, I’d put money on there being a disadvantage to being the last ones with revisits this year for kids with lots of options – there can be fatigue around this, not just in doing it but emotionally-- but most families in normal years aren’t that serious about more than 4 (doable!) and the window is short.
But that’s just my hunch.
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The days leading up to M10 are always stressful over on the freakout thread, but I don’t recall there being so much action before.
I blink and there are 100 more posts! It is kinda surprising because I remember thinking a few weeks ago how quiet this year had been. Glad the students have each other, though.
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@MacJackAttack @gardenstategal
I’ll jump in with our experience on this as a family who has experienced both situations. DD2 had LOTS of TSAO schools last year, and 12 total schools that ALL gave answers on M10, and DD3 this year is also applying to 12 schools, none are TSAO, and already has 6 answers.
It DOES make a difference.
DD3 is definitely starting to imagine her life at some of the options she has already. Our first set of answers came on M1, so we’ve attended some virtual revisits already and we’ve been using this relatively less-busy space to get our arms around the options and start to evaluate them.
Left completely out of this analysis?
Schools we haven’t heard from, for obvious reasons.
So, it won’t be THE ONE REASON we choose one school over another, but certainly, there is some kind of benefit to the schools that are dancing in our heads and hearts all on their own for 10 days without any competition from the other offers that she might get on M10.
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@CateCAParent
agree. It’s FREAKOUT mode to the max. And all the external sites and links and craziness – I’m surprised no one has shut some of it down. I think this will be the year the freakout thread feels a little useless to future kids reading. (well, I guess I mean maybe not worth the time it would take to scroll through thousands of posts of bruh I suck but no you don’t so let’s cahoot.). But, hey, I am just showing my age and UN-coolness as a mom, so as my kids would say: you do you boo.
(and actually they wouldn’t say that because that is so 2019.)
Glad they have a place to connect though! :).
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I’d say the kids thread is still useful for future kids. They will be able to relate to the anxiety and realize it is perfectly normal.
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Past threads definitely helped me out and hopefully ours will do the same!
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I think there may be some more permanent changes that come out of this season, both on the BS side and college side.
On the college side, one change is obvious. I think the TO genie is going to be very difficult to put back into the bottle. Some schools will try, and a few will probably be successful. But there will be a large number, possibly several T20 U’s and LAC’s, that remain permanently TO. I doubt if more than 50% of schools outside the top 20 even try to get rid of TO. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the BS side make the same change. I haven’t heard a lot of complaining that they can’t sort kids out without an SSAT score.
On the BS side, I think this year especially due to lack of revisits the early release schools are going to have a much better yield than the ones who stick with M10. As you said, your D is getting excited about schools and making comparisons and lists, and the M10 schools are not part of that process. There is a real danger (to them) that your D fell in love with someone this past week, and they are too late. Maybe not her, but others like her will be in that situation. I know if ANY of our schools had tipped their hand to D a week or 2 ago, they would be sitting at the top of her list right now. Because it’s scary to try to imagine yourself somewhere that might not love you back. But once you have an offer in hand, that hesitation is gone. And especially this year first impressions are going to be critically important. So if you give a school a week head start, that ground could be difficult to make up.
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This feels like a very accurate representation of what we’ve been doing and it’s hilarious thank you
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Newbie here, what’s TO? or maybe there’s an acronym thread somewhere?
My D just received an acceptance with FA from CSW.
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Test Optional.
And congrats on CSW btw. D didn’t apply, the number of boarders was too low for our taste, especially since we are a plane flight away, so she really would be there all alone all the time. It was on the initial list though. I think for the right kid, and D might be one if we lived within driving distance, it would be a great school.
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What time tomorrow will the first “Should I attend Andover or Exeter” thread be posted?
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Not sure. But I’m sure you will remove them asap.
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Decisions for both out by 8:00. So I’m guessing 8:04, unless someone already has the post typed loaded and ready to submit, in that case 8:02.
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The number of boarders is low, but we are a two hour drive away and I have close friends nearby. I can see where it would be helpful to have a much larger boarding community when very far from home.
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That’s funny.
But seriously, which one IS better?
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There should never be any threads asking “X or Y” because you already heavily researched the schools you applied to, you spent a serious amount of time answering why each school is a good fit for you and why you are are a good fit for it, and you did not apply to any school you wouldn’t be happy to attend, so you already know you have no bad or wrong decisions. Ultimately, only you and your family can decide among options should you be fortunate enough to have them. Most of these soon-to-appear useless threads are nothing but not-so-humblebragging which is why @skieurope will delete them for at least the next week. Try not to to be tone-deaf.
Good luck everyone, and let us know your results through the decision thread.
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But if it gets deleted, how will they know they made the right choice and won’t end up living in a cardboard box? 
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i agree with the “should i choose A or B” posts- kinda unnecessary. but what about posts like “what are the dorms like at school X”
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