<p>If my child is applying for 10th grade, do you think there is an assigned group of interviewers who only interview incoming 10th graders? Likewise, an interviewer interviews one specific grade level for the other grades as well? That would seem the most organized way to do it.</p>
<p>Yes, I think there is a categorization process. The obvious one is day students which for example, at Andover is (to my understanding) a largely separate process. They also say every application is reviewed twice and I think certain cases (e.g. Legacies) get an extra look. I’m sure super athletes are looked at in a different manner than typical applicants. </p>
<p>This is why looking at the average SSATs and so forth means so little. Applicants aren’t competing against each other in one giant group. They aren’t deciding between a quarterback from Mississippi or a math genius from North Andover or a Student from Nigeria who wants to enter in 10th grade. Those all have different folks looking at the files.</p>
<p>In my (albeit limited) experience, the interviewer could be anyone . . . but when it comes time to read, each AO is assigned to a certain grade. So, very often, the AO who interviewed a particular applicant may not be a member of the committee who reads that applicant’s file. The interviewer’s notes will be part of the file, but the interviewer herself may be reading for a different grade.</p>
<p>But again, what I found to be the case at School A may well not be the same way things are done at School B . . .</p>
<p>Likely, your file will be read by one AO (your interviewer if applicable) and one faculty reader. Then the readers’ recommedation will be forwarded to the class officer (think in bigger schools they may have 9th grade boarder/9th grader day, or 10th grader boys/10th grader girls officers etc.) for a preliminary decision. The final decision will be signed off by the dean/director of admissions. Some cases may take less time - namely the “shoo in’s” and clear denials, but others may be put in a pile and reviewed more closely by the committee (could be just still the readers, class officer and the dean, but I’m not positive). I think the legacy cases are supposed to be in that pile automatically if they are not “shoo-in’s”.</p>
<p>What kind of student is considered a “shoo-in”? A kid who plays a varsity sport as a freshman?</p>
<p>I may be totally wrong, but I don’t believe there is such a thing as a “shoo-in". You can look at old threads that show admissions results after March 10, and it always amazes me that a child might be accepted at Exeter and Deerfield, declined at Andover and Choate, and waitlisted at Hotchkiss. Why? I would guess different needs at different schools at different times. They are building a community - and there are so many variables, based on what kinds of students are already in the community, and what kinds of students might be applying in that particular year.</p>
<p>In this context, if both readers and the class officer support someone with no reservation, I consider him/her a shoo in</p>
<p>I would think a shoo in would be the kid whose last name is on a (or several) buildings. Especially if they are also smart, athletic, and a legacy. But I doubt there are many of those each year.
I wonder if the AOs look over a file and say YES absolutely we need this person, and if so how often that happens, or if so that basically describes every person in the pile that goes to the readers.</p>
<p>DA Feb 14-March 8</p>
<p>Financial Committee Meetings…</p>
<p>@mountainhiker: Yes, schools may be looking for different profiles to fill out a class. Also, a child accepted at some schools and rejected from others may be a legacy or a sibling at the accepted schools and seen as unlikely to attend the schools by which they are rejected. Interviews can play a part in this also.</p>
<p>In the case of very dissimilar schools, a school that feels they are a safety school or that an applicant may not “get” the school may reject or wait list a child who is otherwise accepted by top schools.</p>
<p>I haven’t read this entire thread, so I’m not sure if anyone mentioned the wonderful book by NYTimes Educational reporter, Jaques Steinburg, The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College as a source to get an under-the-hoods look at the admission process. While it is the college admission process at Wesleyan University, I imagine the process is somewhat similar to the BS review process. In the book, the process used at Wesleyen consisted of a rubric where an application was reviewed by two officers and rated and then given to the dean to make the final decision. Through the process, it seemed that the reviewers were very consistent, and when there was a discrepency it went to committee, with final say to the dean. One thing that may be different, is that applications were reviewed on a rolling basis and it seemed that applications submitted before the deadline were given more care and applicants themselves had a great likelihood for acceptance as the spots were greater. If the topic at all interests you, def read the book – very interesting and extremely well written, with a look at all sides of the admission tables – the applicants themselves, the university, and then also the high schools and their counselors who help shepard the process.</p>
<p>This year’s March 10 is a Saturday. I think they may send out the decision letters on March 9th. If they use FedEx, or USPS, you may get it on March 10th, or later depending on the distance from your house to the school. ( My guess).</p>
<p>Does anyone know whether boarding schools communicate with each other about applicants during the selection process? For example, do Andover & Exeter AO’s call each other to discuss candidates?</p>
<p>A-N-T-I-T-R-U-S-T laws.</p>
<p>Seriously. I heard some schools have close relationships and some AO’s might communicate with each other. So, this is not true?</p>
<p>Let’s hope not.</p>
<p>I know a student whose last name is on a building at a “top” school and would have been I think the 18th or 19th family member to attend a school and was denied. He then went to a Jr. Prep school for 9th grade, applied again - as a 9th grader and was accepted. So…shoo-in or no? Certainly not for the first time applied, for the second - maybe. </p>
<p>I posted on another thread the story of 2 kids whose parents posted here in recent years - both accepted to top schools. One to Andover and Exeter and the other to Deerfield and Hotchkiss. One was waitlisted at Williston and the other at Suffield. You might think they would be “shoo-in’s” at those schools if they have the qualifications to be accepted to the others (nothing against Williston and Suffield - they are great schools, but simply less selective). The theory is they didn’t think they would attend. </p>
<p>Even if you think about it not being ethical for the AO’s to talk to each other just think about the sheer volume of applications and the amount of time it would take to coordinate how would accept who it really does not make sense. They are looking to create the best class and community for THEIR school.</p>
<p>There won’t be any collusion between the schools. AOs might discuss a particlar kid with AO counterparts of other schools when they conference over the summer, but certainly not during the admissions cycle.
There are always some “shoo_ins”, be it a prep school or an Ivy. A famous example would be the Bush’s. No matter how well they do in standardized tests or how the application looks, would a school dare deny admission?</p>
<p>Heh. Remember, Bush jr went to Andover before his father was president. Of course, Bush Sr. had already made a lot of money by that point, and had been a very successful Andover student (president of the class, on the school news paper, captain of several sports teams, etc.).</p>
<p>Both Bush jr and Jeb Bush went to Andover: according to Wikipedia, Jeb Bush made honor roll his first semester, which is non-trival. Bush jr was, I think a more indifferent student.</p>
<p>Bush jr’s kids went elsewhere for their high schooling. Nothing is noted as to why, though it looks like they just wanted to stay near home.</p>
<p>I expect how schools handle that situation is look over the progeny carefully as much as they can in advance, and try to discourage applications if they don’t think the kid can hack it. But I expect the Bush kids (jr and Jeb Bush) were both capable. History might be quite different if the other brother had wanted to be president…</p>
<p>Prescott Sheldon Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush’s dad, graduated from St. George’s. Go Dragons!</p>