“Collusion”

[Anonymous]

At DC’s school, I’ve heard rumors that counselors may steer students away or toward certain colleges, especially in the early round, based on who else is applying that year. I’m not sure if this is actually true or not, but it made me wonder if students might do something similar among themselves, e.g. you apply to College A because you are legacy, I’ll apply to College B because 5 other students are already applying to College C, etc. For those of you who’ve BTDT, is this common?

[Anonymous]

The Big 3 helicopter moms are out today in the college and university thread. I love it! OP, there have been some very interesting threads on collusion over the years. Obviously your kid should apply to where they want to apply, but, wouldn't you want to know which Top 20 your kid might have a shot at? These schools are only going to take so many, and most of the ones they take will have some sort of double hook. How will your kid's accomplishments stack up?

[Anonymous]

I know at Sidwell, they will not do this. That is how they ended up with so many 2022 kids applying to Brown ED. This is a can't win proposition.

Plus, let's say the CCO does this, just using schools as examples, if they steer kids who want to apply to Brown to instead apply to Tufts, what does that do to the kids who had Tufts as a first choice?

Again, there is a no-win here where the CCO or the kids are concerned. Everyone should just make their choices and live with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Big 3 helicopter moms are out today in the college and university thread. I love it! OP, there have been some very interesting threads on collusion over the years. Obviously your kid should apply to where they want to apply, but, wouldn't you want to know which Top 20 your kid might have a shot at? These schools are only going to take so many, and most of the ones they take will have some sort of double hook. How will your kid's accomplishments stack up?

My social anxiety prevents me from being the helicopter parent I could only wish to be, which is why I’m rather out of the loop at school and instead turn to DCUM. I searched for threads on collusion, but only found ones referring to collusion on the part of colleges, not students!

[Anonymous]

Probably best to keep in mind that college counselors work for the school, not for you. We had nothing against the counselors at my son's school, but the interests of school and student obviously are not always aligned.

[Anonymous]

When a CCO shows naviance data and a kid is below stats of previously accepted kids, or tells another kids that multiple applications are being made to same school, is that steering them away? I would say no it is simply providing data but others may disagree. My kid’s college counselor will do things like the above but will never say don’t apply - he has repeatedly said he has no crystal ball and can’t know ahead of time who will be admitted.

As for kids, I think they are aware of other kids applying but they often don’t know the full universe or know what an applicants entire profile is. I would be surprised if they horse trade applications as you suggest - not to mention most kids genuinely prefer a school, which is why they apply ED. Maybe it happens around the margins if a kid likes schools equally in the sense that a kid may go with the choice that has fewer kids applying. But I have never heard of the “collusion” you are suggesting.

The psychology I did see with my kid is to weigh their chances against previous years’ results. He was more apt to research a school that has consistently admitted kids from his school. Maybe this was smart or maybe he missed out on a better fit choice. Who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When a CCO shows naviance data and a kid is below stats of previously accepted kids, or tells another kids that multiple applications are being made to same school, is that steering them away? I would say no it is simply providing data but others may disagree. My kid’s college counselor will do things like the above but will never say don’t apply - he has repeatedly said he has no crystal ball and can’t know ahead of time who will be admitted.

As for kids, I think they are aware of other kids applying but they often don’t know the full universe or know what an applicants entire profile is. I would be surprised if they horse trade applications as you suggest - not to mention most kids genuinely prefer a school, which is why they apply ED. Maybe it happens around the margins if a kid likes schools equally in the sense that a kid may go with the choice that has fewer kids applying. But I have never heard of the “collusion” you are suggesting.

The psychology I did see with my kid is to weigh their chances against previous years’ results. He was more apt to research a school that has consistently admitted kids from his school. Maybe this was smart or maybe he missed out on a better fit choice. Who knows.

That makes sense about the CCO. I’d definitely rather have more info than less in this situation.

[Anonymous]

While some see something sinister here, don't you see it as the counselor protecting the student from rejection? If they know stronger students are applying and a particular school isn't going to take but so many, isn't it a kindness to help the kid find alternatives?

[Anonymous]

Not at a top private, but at my kid's top public school, kids don't even reveal to one another where they are EDing or what is their first choice to avoid public disappointment when they don't get admitted.

[Anonymous]

Kids should apply where they want not to a school based on where others are or are not applying. That being said, DC didn’t tell a single person where she was applying. Both because didn’t want anything like this and didn’t want others to know if she didn’t get in. Many kids do, however, discuss, and some do shy away from schools a lot of others are applying to.

[Anonymous]

Probably best to keep in mind that college counselors work for the school, not for you. We had nothing against the counselors at my son's school, but the interests of school and student obviously are not always aligned.

This. School wants some admits

[Anonymous]

At our Big 3 the kids don’t talk about where they are applying at all. I was quite amazed actually.
They start talking about it when results come out but generally not a peep before.
Our college guidance let you apply wherever you want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Big 3 helicopter moms are out today in the college and university thread. I love it! OP, there have been some very interesting threads on collusion over the years. Obviously your kid should apply to where they want to apply, but, wouldn't you want to know which Top 20 your kid might have a shot at? These schools are only going to take so many, and most of the ones they take will have some sort of double hook. How will your kid's accomplishments stack up?

My social anxiety prevents me from being the helicopter parent I could only wish to be, which is why I’m rather out of the loop at school and instead turn to DCUM. I searched for threads on collusion, but only found ones referring to collusion on the part of colleges, not students!

OP shoujd t search for “collusion” but steering is better. There have been a number of threads here over the years by school advisors on exactly this topic, usually under “top three” or “top DC private”

[Anonymous]

collusion is wrong word here...

Agree with above Sidwell won't do this. They won't even give you information from the past such as - "I know it looks like your stats align well in scattergrams, but our experience is that those acceptances have been primarily legacy or athletes"

[Anonymous]

Threads like this make me want to revive the “rejected by top colleges” thread that some snowflake complained about and got deleted.