Thank you seekers for your humorous, thorough and thoughtful response. I’m glad that he is staying on for another year at least.
Schools that are known for having a strong community are not generally changed by a leadership change. Refreshed, maybe. And the Board will be sensitive to finding a new head who can maintain what’s good about the culture.
I wouldn’t give this much thought.
Hello all—Quick question for group input. Our child has been waitlisted for the 2020-21 incoming class. SAS was his first choice far and away, but he is taking the news very well. Question is likelihood of moving from the wait to admit list—we have a great day school as his second (and he’s been accepted) choice. SAS was just such a great all around fit for him (his words were he just had a great feel and connection, academically, culture, and extracurricularly).
We have current SAS parents, alumni, his current school reps, etc who have offered to advocate for him with the admissions team for any openings, but our question is how proper/helpful is this, and does it simply prolong the inevitable outcome of no?
Appreciate any insights and guidance.
I’m sorry your son was waitlisted. I’m glad he’s taking it well and has a good alternative.
I’m going to PM you, and if you want to converse a bit we can do it there (you can reply to a PM, even though you have too few posts to initiate conversations).
But for general public consumption, there’s no special advice about the SAS waitlist… follow the general advice you find on the main forum.
Hope they pick the most deserving kid from the waitlist rather than aquintances
Preserving the “magic” of St Andrew’s is dependent on bringing in students, faculty, and staff who love the culture and are willing to work to foster and protect it.
The admissions committee does an outstanding job of evaluating “fit.” And they have some very tough choices to make… there are so many more “deserving” kids who apply than there are available slots.
Every single person on the waitlist would be a great addition to the community. The final decision of who comes off the waitlist will be informed by a dynamic assessment of who accepted the offered slots, and what kind of rebalancing of the class is needed. The simplest example is trying to get the right gender balance in the class (which isn’t just philosophical… it’s practical, given dorm space limitations). But there are other interests, skills, and backgrounds that may factor into that balancing act at the last minute.
I wish the best to every hopeful applicant on that waitlist. The hard reality is that few will have the opportunity to come off the waitlist in any given year. For those who don’t get a slot, don’t take it personally. The admissions process is far from perfect, and it certainly isn’t a judgement on your worth or character. There are simply too many applicants competing for too few slots. Consider re-applying for the following year, if you really believe SAS is a unique fit for you (talk with the admissions folks about that).
Best wishes to all!
Is this thread really 3 years dormant?!?
Here’s something worth bumping it for:
WilRob gets a nice shoutout.
An excerpt (in case you’re blocked by a paywall):
“That evening, as I sat with the head of school, Joy McGrath, in the living room of her on-campus house, I remarked that St. Andrew’s seemed different from other high schools. In just a few hours, I had seen students eat comfortably with their teachers; heard announcements delivered in person rather than via email; watched as chapel was treated unironically, with reverence, or at least respect; and seen not one person glance down at a smartphone. In fact, I said to McGrath, I not seen a smartphone since arriving on campus, or heard one buzz.”
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Love to hear about the pros and cons of SAS.
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Is there anyone on the forum that can comfortable speak about St. Andrew’s DE
It’s been quite a while but @SevenDad 's D graduated from there over a decade ago. Not sure if they know any current families but they LOVED the school.
Mercersburg also bans use of cell phones in all public areas - you can use it in your room or the student center. My daughter received a citation for being seen talking on the phone outside while walking bw classes/buildings.
i LOVE these rules!!
When @gardenstategal pages me, I come!
I think there may be more current parents on the board/in hibernation, but I’m always willing to rep SAS. Love pretty much everything about the school and its ethos.
Feel free to send me a question via DM or post one here. Daughter was class of 2015. She recently got married (dang, I’m old).
You can read our whole family’s story (for both kids!) here: One family’s BS search and application process — start to finish (and then some)
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thank you