Does your Big3 preferentially advocate for the kids of big donors at college application time?

[Anonymous]

I am very curious.
My kid is in lower high school at a Big3.

I have heard rumor on here (DCUM) that the Big3 college counseling offices will preferentially advocate for the children of big donors.
Have you actually seen this happen? I know the picture is muddled by legacy status and also that wealthy people often have high achieving kids.
But this all aside, have you seen things happen that really seemed to indicate that something else was afoot?

[Anonymous]

100% true. Give something big to get something in return.

[Anonymous]

We were UMC at our Big 3, and during the middle of a Senate approved political appointment, so $167,000 salary, and obviously no big donations. Our child received fantastic college counseling and encouragement at every step. There is only one school that I can remember that was sort of discouraged and our school's "spot" was obviously intended for a particular kid being recruited for a sport (rather than for a donor's child).

In our Big 3, the class is so small that they want every student to do as well as possible so that college acceptances continue to maintain the school's brand (both to potential families AND to the colleges).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:100% true. Give something big to get something in return.

Can you elaborate? What type of kid or college are you talking about?
I think it's easy to post this or assume but I'm wondering what people have actually seen happen

[Anonymous]

Only in the minds of conspiracy theorists.

[Anonymous]

No preference for big donor kids at our Big 3. Definitely possible that COLLEGES preference them, but not the college counselors

[Anonymous]

Not at our "big 3" - any kid can apply to any college they want, and in fact, were chided on this board because so many applied to one particular school ED this cycle.

Can't win on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Not at our Big 3. Honestly, I think that is a myth.

[Anonymous]

The college counselors absolutely do not do this at our Big3. But there are several parents that are billionaires or have nets worth of $100 million+, so the colleges might be interested in having those kids as students. These are not people who are household names. I assume college admissions offices google parents?

[Anonymous]

Absolutely true at SFS. No sour grapes here because our kids did great in college admissions, but, yes, of course there's special treatment for the children of big donors in college admissions and in every respect except serious disciplinary matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am very curious.
My kid is in lower high school at a Big3.

I have heard rumor on here (DCUM) that the Big3 college counseling offices will preferentially advocate for the children of big donors.
Have you actually seen this happen? I know the picture is muddled by legacy status and also that wealthy people often have high achieving kids.
But this all aside, have you seen things happen that really seemed to indicate that something else was afoot?

Well if they are VIPs on the board and have power enough to fire admissions then yes possibly or best friend of these types as well often benefit in numerous ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am very curious.
My kid is in lower high school at a Big3.

I have heard rumor on here (DCUM) that the Big3 college counseling offices will preferentially advocate for the children of big donors.
Have you actually seen this happen? I know the picture is muddled by legacy status and also that wealthy people often have high achieving kids.
But this all aside, have you seen things happen that really seemed to indicate that something else was afoot?

Colleges counselors discuss every single applicant from their school to each college. There can be a large disparity in what they could say and the level of enthusiasm. I truly believe they do advocate for each child but the difference is the level of enthusiasm. “Jonny is an amazing student and person and you’ll be lucky to get him. He has had such a positive impact on our school community.” “Or Johnny has done well in certain classes and is a good student.”

[Anonymous]

Yes- elite girls schools in area

[Anonymous]

They probably don't have to do anything too special, because let's face it, colleges want those big donor super-rich kids too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely true at SFS. No sour grapes here because our kids did great in college admissions, but, yes, of course there's special treatment for the children of big donors in college admissions and in every respect except serious disciplinary matters.

Nope. That might be your perception but it isn't reality.