I’m international student, studying in a british international school.
He refused for a reason. I’m not the best one in school with a perfect academic results. He told me it would bring bad reputation to the school. I know it’s hard and my chance is almost 0 but I’m not that delusional. I dont have miserable grades nor don’t have any achievements. I do have what would be worth the attempt.
Just need some opinions. Please leave comments below. Thanks in advance!
well he’s wrong about “bringing a bad reputation”. Colleges are fully aware of many students to apply, contrary to advice to the opposite. But frankly, I’m in agreement with him given your stats and your status as an international applicant – going into the most difficult pool. A strong US student with a 1800-1900 SAT has practically zero chance. You?
Listen to your counselor.
thanks, i would hear more from others and make the decision.
You aren’t getting in. He like doesn’t want to waste his time.
But the student should have the final say, correct? In consultation with the parents of course. If they are willing to pay for the application, what right does a school counselor have to refuse to assist him? He might have zero chance of admission - but so do many, many students who apply to the Ivies. The counsellor is wrong. There is no “bad reputation” that will attach to the school. What is the drawback? The counsellor is just ducking the work.
@CValle Many schools clearly put limits on the # of colleges apps that they will process on behalf of the student. I don’t see how this is any different. This is a British international school – which we should assume to be privately run. Their playground, their rules. If OP doesn’t like it, he/she should get parents involved.
I hear about students like this all the time. People who think they’ll sneak pass while the committee is sleeping or something – refusing to face reality, thinking they know better.
This is not that uncommon at an international school. If your stats were in the ballpark, I would say to fight it. But it doesn’t appear that they are.
Agreed. If the school will only do X applications he can’t force them to do more. But can’t he ask them to do it as one of his X applications. Even if we all agree that he doesn’t have a chance (whether or not that is true) shouldn’t the decision rest with the kid and his parents?
“refusing to face reality, thinking they know better.” I got your point. thanks for it.
I’m not trying to be sharp, tdo. I understand your situation. Please give your best to your SAT sittings and then, evaluate what schools you should be targeting. Simply declaring: I want to apply Harvard, Princeton Wharton – without a serious inventory of what you bring to the table is backwards thinking.
There are MANY fantastic schools that would value you, as a 1800-1900 SAT achiever. You certainly will have a successful collegiate career – now is the time to discover what unis you should be targeting, that’s all.
Best of luck to you!
I heard that sentence a lot so I’m fine with it. Many times I did things that no one believed I could so Im going to apply for it anw. But I got your point, it’s very helpful. I will look at other schools also and make sure I have a list of “safe choices”.
Ok
If you apply without the cooperation of your guidance counsellor your application will be considered incomplete and will not be processed. Any school will need official transcripts and a counselor’ letter.
That’s what I worry about
Many private schools have personal relationships with top schools that they protect by sending in only the applicants that they think are worthy of admission. Phone calls get exchanged and students’ records are discussed. Your GC doesn’t want to put his/her reputation (or the school’s - but GCs confuse the two often) on the line by sending in an applicant they aren’t going to fight for. To send in a student’s application with a lukewarm recommendation (compared to the strong recs that they are giving other students from your school) is really a waste of your time and money. The GC could have found a more tactful way of saying it perhaps, but without that recommendation, your application is incomplete, as stated elsewhere.
More to the point, there are many excellent universities in the US besides the Ivies - some which are just as prestigious or more so. Look for them and you will have less competition, an equally excellent educational experience, and perhaps a much better fit for your personal goals and objectives. Look at the many small liberal arts colleges for example. Some of them have an ‘Ivy-like vibe’ but get much less attention from international students because they have no graduate schools and are therefore less well known. Without knowing your grades and test scores, I can’t suggest names, but to get a feel for the range among the top LACs, take a look at Bowdoin, Davidson, Macalester, Amherst, Oberlin, Grinnell, Carleton…All outstanding and Macalester and Grinnell offer very generous financial aid to internationals if that’s a concern for you.
This. To start sending in anyone’s application as if all applications were worthy of submission would lower the value of the counselor’s future recommendation.
I understand!
<<< Im taking SAT next month and in December and I’m looking for around 1800-1900. >>>
Is it possible that the GC is concerned that these “top schools” will think that the “best” students from this particular school will have modest scores?
That may be the concern. Or, the GC knows that some higher scoring students are also applying and she doesn’t want to:
-
waste time on a low-chance app
-
wants to give the other students the best shot.
@momtocollegekids I’m certain both of those things happen. Our HS submits a bunch applications to ivies every year, but it’s an unwritten rule that you have to have a certain SAT, certain GPA, certain SAT IIs, at least 8 APs with 5s, etc. Otherwise, there would be just too many people hoping that they’ll hit the lottery and be part of that 5% that gets into Harvard. Some people think it’s actually a random 5%.
My own grandmother (98, but sharp as a tack) put pressure on my girls to apply to Harvard. My grandfather went undergrad there and then Harvard Law, and she just KNOWS her granddaughters are super smart like him. 
However, my daughters, while top students, do not have that stellar stuff that would get them in. It would be a waste of everyone’s time and money. It was actually a relief to be able to explain that they wouldn’t get solid support from the school, and for good reason.
tdo, regardless of your scores and your accomplisments, the colleges will want a recommendation from your guidance counsellor. If they won’t give it, and it sounds like they are telling you they will not, then your application will not even be considered.
Unless you can change their mind, you cannot just do it without them.