Was Told By College Admissions Officer That Sidwell Secretly Ranks Students

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

And I know of many unhooked very high stats kids from c/o 2023 and 2024 who are not at T25 university or T10 SLAC (and wanted to go to one).

Also - T25 SLAC is NOT equivalent to T25 universities - this needs to be T5 SLAC or T10 SLAC at most.

Why—because you said so? No one cares about where you want to arbitrarily draw the line.

Btw, Sidwell consistently sends over 50% of the class to T25 universities AND T25 SLACs. If you’re an unhooked high stats kid from Sidwell and you can’t make it it into that group, then something is wrong with the applications you’re submitting (essays, reccs, ECs, etc). Or, something is wrong with the kid (and the AOs made note of it). Let’s be real, I know a few high stats Sidwell kids who are, at best, odd and lack basic social skills.

I'm sorry but schools like Richmond and Colgate are lovely (and I have nothing against them) but for people gunning for prestige of T25, these likely don't cut it.

If you are "gunning for prestige," that is your problem. In then end it matters far less than people seem to believe. Then again, 90% of the parents who picked Sidwell picked it for prestige, so why would they approach college any differently?

[Anonymous]

Don’t you know if your kid is one of the top kids in the class? If they are teachers have been telling you this since they were a little kid.

If no one is telling you that your Larla isn’t one of the brightest kids, and most wonderful students they’ve ever had, then they aren’t it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

And I know of many unhooked very high stats kids from c/o 2023 and 2024 who are not at T25 university or T10 SLAC (and wanted to go to one).

Also - T25 SLAC is NOT equivalent to T25 universities - this needs to be T5 SLAC or T10 SLAC at most.

Why—because you said so? No one cares about where you want to arbitrarily draw the line.

Btw, Sidwell consistently sends over 50% of the class to T25 universities AND T25 SLACs. If you’re an unhooked high stats kid from Sidwell and you can’t make it it into that group, then something is wrong with the applications you’re submitting (essays, reccs, ECs, etc). Or, something is wrong with the kid (and the AOs made note of it). Let’s be real, I know a few high stats Sidwell kids who are, at best, odd and lack basic social skills.

I'm sorry but schools like Richmond and Colgate are lovely (and I have nothing against them) but for people gunning for prestige of T25, these likely don't cut it.

I would prefer both of those schools to several large public schools listed on top 25 list.

And that's why they are lovely - but the gunners who "care" about T25 are not in the same camp - so this is why it's nutty to equivicate T25 universities and T25 SLAC. Nothing wrong with any of them or if schools outside of that range either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t you know if your kid is one of the top kids in the class? If they are teachers have been telling you this since they were a little kid.

If no one is telling you that your Larla isn’t one of the brightest kids, and most wonderful students they’ve ever had, then they aren’t it.

LOL - if you think the kids getting into Ivy or T10 are the brightest I have a bridge to sell you. Some absolutely are, some absolutely aren't and in all but 1-2 cases per year (excluding Chicago ED back door)- it was the hook that pushed them over the finish line.

[Anonymous]

They group the students by which college they apply to -- that's why they try to limit how many schools you apply to. Then everyone the counselor respects who applies to a certain school is "top 5 or 10". Add it up across all the kids across all the schools and you'll find a very, very large "10".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

Why are you even at Sidwell in the first place? Petit striver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

And I know of many unhooked very high stats kids from c/o 2023 and 2024 who are not at T25 university or T10 SLAC (and wanted to go to one).

Also - T25 SLAC is NOT equivalent to T25 universities - this needs to be T5 SLAC or T10 SLAC at most.

Why—because you said so? No one cares about where you want to arbitrarily draw the line.

Btw, Sidwell consistently sends over 50% of the class to T25 universities AND T25 SLACs. If you’re an unhooked high stats kid from Sidwell and you can’t make it it into that group, then something is wrong with the applications you’re submitting (essays, reccs, ECs, etc). Or, something is wrong with the kid (and the AOs made note of it). Let’s be real, I know a few high stats Sidwell kids who are, at best, odd and lack basic social skills.

I'm sorry but schools like Richmond and Colgate are lovely (and I have nothing against them) but for people gunning for prestige of T25, these likely don't cut it.

That’s YOUR opinion…and everyone has one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:The typical knock on Sidwell is that they promote minority students over others, so it raises my respect for Sidwell to hear that they focus on class rank.

But if they are only telling colleges class rank for "some" students.... then the first statement could still be true (I am not saying it is true).

Except, it’s not true. There’s no school on DCUM that’s lied about more than Sidwell. None!

Or - you are the the head in the sand person who always pushes back because nothing other than your experience/opinion can ever be true.

Or—you’re just lying on Sidwell. I’m correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

And I know of many unhooked very high stats kids from c/o 2023 and 2024 who are not at T25 university or T10 SLAC (and wanted to go to one).

Also - T25 SLAC is NOT equivalent to T25 universities - this needs to be T5 SLAC or T10 SLAC at most.

Why—because you said so? No one cares about where you want to arbitrarily draw the line.

Btw, Sidwell consistently sends over 50% of the class to T25 universities AND T25 SLACs. If you’re an unhooked high stats kid from Sidwell and you can’t make it it into that group, then something is wrong with the applications you’re submitting (essays, reccs, ECs, etc). Or, something is wrong with the kid (and the AOs made note of it). Let’s be real, I know a few high stats Sidwell kids who are, at best, odd and lack basic social skills.

Same person from above - there is NO way a top rigor/top test scores kid who wanted to a T10/T15 is happy settling for Richmond. No matter what their parents say to them - the student body would consider that not meeting par. They are barely happy to be settling for a T25 edge like UVA or Georgetown.

Either way they get over it - but they should know going in that there is a good chance they won't get into a T25 or T5/T10 SLAC. Perpetuating this expectation that you are selling is NOT healthy for the long game of these kids.

Speak for your own (mentality warped and miserable) self. There are top stats/top rigor students who are happy AND prefer a T15-T25 SLAC. Everyone doesn’t think like you. Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

And I know of many unhooked very high stats kids from c/o 2023 and 2024 who are not at T25 university or T10 SLAC (and wanted to go to one).

Also - T25 SLAC is NOT equivalent to T25 universities - this needs to be T5 SLAC or T10 SLAC at most.

Why—because you said so? No one cares about where you want to arbitrarily draw the line.

Btw, Sidwell consistently sends over 50% of the class to T25 universities AND T25 SLACs. If you’re an unhooked high stats kid from Sidwell and you can’t make it it into that group, then something is wrong with the applications you’re submitting (essays, reccs, ECs, etc). Or, something is wrong with the kid (and the AOs made note of it). Let’s be real, I know a few high stats Sidwell kids who are, at best, odd and lack basic social skills.

Lovely.

…but true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

And I know of many unhooked very high stats kids from c/o 2023 and 2024 who are not at T25 university or T10 SLAC (and wanted to go to one).

Also - T25 SLAC is NOT equivalent to T25 universities - this needs to be T5 SLAC or T10 SLAC at most.

Why—because you said so? No one cares about where you want to arbitrarily draw the line.

Btw, Sidwell consistently sends over 50% of the class to T25 universities AND T25 SLACs. If you’re an unhooked high stats kid from Sidwell and you can’t make it it into that group, then something is wrong with the applications you’re submitting (essays, reccs, ECs, etc). Or, something is wrong with the kid (and the AOs made note of it). Let’s be real, I know a few high stats Sidwell kids who are, at best, odd and lack basic social skills.

Same person from above - there is NO way a top rigor/top test scores kid who wanted to a T10/T15 is happy settling for Richmond. No matter what their parents say to them - the student body would consider that not meeting par. They are barely happy to be settling for a T25 edge like UVA or Georgetown.

Either way they get over it - but they should know going in that there is a good chance they won't get into a T25 or T5/T10 SLAC. Perpetuating this expectation that you are selling is NOT healthy for the long game of these kids.

Speak for your own (mentality warped and miserable) self. There are top stats/top rigor students who are happy AND prefer a T15-T25 SLAC. Everyone doesn’t think like you. Get over yourself.

Yes - there are. But they are not the same ones who are T25 or bust. This is what I am saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

And I know of many unhooked very high stats kids from c/o 2023 and 2024 who are not at T25 university or T10 SLAC (and wanted to go to one).

Also - T25 SLAC is NOT equivalent to T25 universities - this needs to be T5 SLAC or T10 SLAC at most.

Why—because you said so? No one cares about where you want to arbitrarily draw the line.

Btw, Sidwell consistently sends over 50% of the class to T25 universities AND T25 SLACs. If you’re an unhooked high stats kid from Sidwell and you can’t make it it into that group, then something is wrong with the applications you’re submitting (essays, reccs, ECs, etc). Or, something is wrong with the kid (and the AOs made note of it). Let’s be real, I know a few high stats Sidwell kids who are, at best, odd and lack basic social skills.

I'm sorry but schools like Richmond and Colgate are lovely (and I have nothing against them) but for people gunning for prestige of T25, these likely don't cut it.

I would prefer both of those schools to several large public schools listed on top 25 list.

And that's why they are lovely - but the gunners who "care" about T25 are not in the same camp - so this is why it's nutty to equivicate T25 universities and T25 SLAC. Nothing wrong with any of them or if schools outside of that range either.

Go back and reread what you wrote. Not every top stats kid is a “gunner” whose purpose in life is T25 university or bust. After Sidwell, some of those high stats students want a smaller, less overtly competitive academic environment that they find in a SLAC (even one that is (gasp) at the bottom of T25).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The typical knock on Sidwell is that they promote minority students over others, so it raises my respect for Sidwell to hear that they focus on class rank.

But if they are only telling colleges class rank for "some" students.... then the first statement could still be true (I am not saying it is true).

Except, it’s not true. There’s no school on DCUM that’s lied about more than Sidwell. None!

Or - you are the the head in the sand person who always pushes back because nothing other than your experience/opinion can ever be true.

Or—you’re just lying on Sidwell. I’m correct.

yeah, ok

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

And I know of many unhooked very high stats kids from c/o 2023 and 2024 who are not at T25 university or T10 SLAC (and wanted to go to one).

Also - T25 SLAC is NOT equivalent to T25 universities - this needs to be T5 SLAC or T10 SLAC at most.

Why—because you said so? No one cares about where you want to arbitrarily draw the line.

Btw, Sidwell consistently sends over 50% of the class to T25 universities AND T25 SLACs. If you’re an unhooked high stats kid from Sidwell and you can’t make it it into that group, then something is wrong with the applications you’re submitting (essays, reccs, ECs, etc). Or, something is wrong with the kid (and the AOs made note of it). Let’s be real, I know a few high stats Sidwell kids who are, at best, odd and lack basic social skills.

Same person from above - there is NO way a top rigor/top test scores kid who wanted to a T10/T15 is happy settling for Richmond. No matter what their parents say to them - the student body would consider that not meeting par. They are barely happy to be settling for a T25 edge like UVA or Georgetown.

Either way they get over it - but they should know going in that there is a good chance they won't get into a T25 or T5/T10 SLAC. Perpetuating this expectation that you are selling is NOT healthy for the long game of these kids.

Speak for your own (mentality warped and miserable) self. There are top stats/top rigor students who are happy AND prefer a T15-T25 SLAC. Everyone doesn’t think like you. Get over yourself.

Yes - there are. But they are not the same ones who are T25 or bust. This is what I am saying.

Then we are talking about two different things. I’m talking about T25 universities and T25 SLACs—I will not arbitrarily reduce the SLACs to T5/10/15, or whatever nonsense you’re trying to push.

My point: there are top stats Sidwell students who are happy/want/prefer/ T25 SLACs. They weren’t gunning for anything else, and they got exactly what they wanted.

[Anonymous]

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All schools do that, OP, both public and private.

Are you a public parent? Maybe your school doesn't "rank" students but there's a huge difference between public, where GPA IS calculated and GPA IS weighted and a private where there is no official GPA and even the mocked up one isn't weighted. Being told GPA is not calculated or given to colleges but then having CCO and that there are no rankings - but then CCO chooses to "reveal" a rank for some students is not ok.

DP: It's more than OK. It's essential. Had the CCO refused to answer the question when asked by a college, likely all of the kids under consideration would have bene rejected.

Also, you knowing the rank would not have changed that outcome.

I don't need to know the rank. And, by not providing this info for everyone "secretly in their CCO letter" likely does result in kids under consideration being rejected. If calculated a rigor weighted rank and provided that for all students - then it would be far more clear who the weighted top 5%-10%-20% are. Doing this for just a few people you choose to go to bat for - while claiming it is NOT done due to Quakerly values (which they absolutely claim) - is not ok. They aren't just doing this for a couple of students at the very top of rigor/gpa - they are doing for the students "they want to" (and in some cases, are probably "told to") help stand out. Of course, all those legacies with low rigor and high grades wouldn't want a blanket weighted GPA/rank floating out there.....

No doubt you and your student have benefited from the school treating people differently based on hooks (even when the school says they don’t do that). And you’ve probably touted the Quaker values in other contexts while your student has been at the school. Now you cry unfair because you are not the favored ones.

Nope to both of these. We liked the idea of Quaker values but in reality, Sidwell high school uses Quaker values as their reason for why they don't/won't do certain things. We have no hooks other than full pay - which we would be anywhere.

Be real. Everyone knows the "Quaker values" are a sham at this School for the Highly Privileged