<p>There are many students who “check in” here, so if you daughter (or anyone’s son) has a question, take advantage of it. This is a time of fear and worry (and excitement :)) so minimalize it by asking students for their input. They all seem to be a wonderfully warm and welcoming group.</p>
<p>I’m wondering if anyone can tell me when the SPS revisit days are (or were). Thanks!</p>
<p>There is one coming up April 3/4.</p>
<p>Oh good - snow should be all melted away by then!</p>
<p>Except for the fact that we are potentially getting another foot and a half tomorrow.</p>
<p>So, should we pack snow boots or Hunters? Or both?</p>
<p>Looking like cold and sunny on Sun, warmer with chance of rain on Monday.</p>
<p>Webcams show it is snowing in Concord now and the forecast says 3-5" more this afternoon, 1/2" tonight and then tomorrow a high of 45 with a chance of snow showers! A friend of mine at SPS emailed me yesterday and said : “Tons of snow headed our way, just in time for our first group of admissions revisiters! Oh well – they need to know what they are in for!” </p>
<p>But as you know the old adage about New England is “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute!” But if you are worried… bring you snowshoes, cross country skis, a compass and a map ! [St</a> Paul039s School Campus Map - 325 Pleasant St Concord NH 03301 ? mappery](<a href=“http://mappery.com/St-Pauls-School-Campus-Map]St”>http://mappery.com/St-Pauls-School-Campus-Map)</p>
<p>Have fun, spring IS on the way! But this weekend the perseverance of the tough will be tested! Bring your boots and humor!</p>
<p>A couple of days ago I received a lengthy PM from the mother of a teen on the waitlist. While their situation had several unique aspects, she asked me to share her experience.</p>
<p>They called the Director of Admissions, had a wonderful conversation and to her surprise they were invited to interview and tour the school (they had done neither). She said “everyone was very gracious, warm and welcoming. We loved the visit. I am so glad we went.” That was the good news. She was also told that there are about 100 teens on the waitlist. She reported “that while they cannot predict how many will end up being admitted, she did say that while they have taken students from the waiting list each year for the last few years. She also said that sometimes it’s only one or two, and the most in recent year was about ten.” {{let me add that a number of these 100 have since accepted offers elsewhere, so less than that now}}</p>
<p>This teen is going to definitely stay on the waitlist, knows the odds are long, but “will wait and hope”. She said “I would also add that although the DA was very, very kind and warm, she did not offer any false hope… In our case, when my husband said, “This would be a dream come true,” she agreed with us.”</p>
<p>As always, hats off to Jada Hebra for being the warm, caring and flexible woman she is. Clearly this mother appreciated her honest and transparent analysis of the risks and rewards of the waitlist. My best wishes and prayers for all of you as you cope with the uncertainties of the process.</p>
<p>That seems like a shockingly high number to put on a waitlist for a school the size of SPS; I can’t imagine what the justification could be for a waitlist as large as the incoming freshman class. While it may be a little less heartbreaking for a student to be waitlisted than to be rejected, the ambiguity of the waitlist, for a teenager, is arguably worse in the long run. I believe that most kids can re-orient themselves and their goals remarkably easily, if it is necessary. To string them along, possibly even through the summer months, knowing that you have a waitlist of 100 (or even 80 or whatever it may be now), seems a bit cruel…</p>
<p>I would imagine that most schools start out with a very large waitlist for the simple reason that usually (though not always), kids who make the waitlist at top schools receive at least one offer, especially if they have been realistic about how competitive admissions are and applied to a range of schools. I wouldn’t be surprised if an initial waitlist of 100 students shrinks to 50 or even 25 as those kids accept other offers. If I were a DA, I would rather have more kids on the WL than have to rely on a late round of admissions. </p>
<p>Is being a on a waitlist without other options as good as being denied? Sadly, in most cases it is, especially if FA needs to become available as well as a spot in the class. But I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it is cruel. I think it only seems like being strung along if kids have unrealistic expectations of coming off the list. It’s possible, but not likely…but still possible :)!</p>
<p>Any reports or reactions to your revisits?
[other than you had the worst revisit weather in years!]</p>
<p>Currently in the middle of first night’s activities…will give a report on Tuesday. Snow has mostly melted, at least on the pathways…</p>
<p>My S and I revisited the school on April 3 and 4. Everything was great except the weather and we felt kindness and energy everywhere in the campus. I guess there were a large crowd, about two hundreds students and parents. Yesterday, during dinner, I happened to sit next to the new rector and mentioned this St Paul’s thread. He looks very interested in this site and very attentive. Another parent sitting at the other side of the table was also aware of this thread and mentioned this is very helpful to the students who are preparing for the school.</p>
<p>The biology class that I attended this afternoon was great too. One parent who attended at the same class has his older son graduating from the school and younger son coming next year. He told me that he can only remember good things for his older son and is excited about his younger son. </p>
<p>My S was very happy about revisiting the school. He bought several clothes and wore those on the way home.</p>
<p>SPS is my third choice and I absolutely love the school.</p>
<p>I didn’t go to the revisit though, because I was rejected for no apparent reason that I can think of other than something called “yield”.</p>
<p>But I found peace really quick by just reflecting upon the wind surfer John Kerry!</p>
<p>On a serious note, wasn’t half of the SPS graduating class arrested last year due to alcohol violation in a party hosted by a Harvard faculty couple? As much as I love SPS, 50% is still a little too much, isn’t it?</p>
<p>I cry for you Hootoo.</p>
<p>
Can someone pass the tissue box please?!</p>
<p>I still love SPS. In a few years if my young brother is interested in BS, I will make sure SPS is on his list. The thing is he looks very much like me, so I can imagine the horror on the interviewer’s face already - “you!!! ghost??? I remember we got rid of you and you are back after all these years?”</p>
<p>AHockeyDad Yes, the Rector does know about this site and this thread. I suspect we would all be surprised how many people read these posts. But with 250,699 ‘views’ since we started this thread, I guess we knew that already. If you add the PM’s it is even bigger. I know I receive a constant stream (and can’t always answer them in a timely way…sorry). I am glad your revisit went well. The forcast from here on is in the 50’s and rising. Spring at last! Some love snow, I prefer the flowers and grass!</p>
<p>hootoo: Sorry that it did not work out for you. The post graduation part is worth a quick mention. Almost all the NE boarding schools have an unfortunate tradition of what is frequently a week of travelling parties following graduation. It is a truly lousy tradition! It never existed when I went to SPS (so no ancient hallowed tradition) and hopefully last year’s experience brought it to a quick and well deserved end. </p>
<p>Any parent (SPS or any school) that believes it is possible to chaperon or take ANY responsibility for 100+ teenagers for a night is bound to have a problem. SPS has firmly warned the current seniors parents to not do this. I would add that the students need to police themselves and agree that this is a risky practice and does not work. Imagine the first car crash filled with new graduates! </p>
<p>The SPS gathering did NOT result in the arrest of any students (the parents WERE arrested), and no one suffered any injuries. But it never should have happened. That no one was injured was pure luck. The parents involved and the school have both suggested in the strongest possible terms that these roadshows should end. I hope they are over at SPS and I hope no parents host or permit their teens to attend these parties at any school. Even more importantly, I hope** the students will realize they are putting at risk those they love the most… their friends and their parents. **</p>
<p>^^<<the sps=“” gathering=“” did=“” not=“” result=“” in=“” any=“” arrests=“” (no=“” one=“” was=“” actually=“” arrested=“” or=“” charged=“” except=“” for=“” the=“” parents),=“”>></the></p>
<p>Except for the parents??</p>
<p>That’s pretty significant don’t you think?</p>
<p>I know parents at our local public high school who serve alcohol to minors for graduation parties and I think it’s crazy. What’s even crazier is that some kids post pix of them holding the offending beverages on their FB pages.</p>