do private high schools manage who applies where

[Anonymous]

I’ve heard that at some private schools, parents of lower-GPA students push counselors to control who applies where, so stronger students are somehow blocked(?) from applying to the same colleges.

But how does that make sense for the top students? They usually benefit from applying broadly and seeing which schools offer the best merit aid.

[Anonymous]

They do steer the hell out of it in ED. Making sure all the hooks get into top choices. For kids care about merit, they can RD every where and compare.

[Anonymous]

Some private high schools limit the number of apps a student can submit.

If you are merit-hunting, talk to the counselor about that situation. You may need to apply to more schools than your high school allows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard that at some private schools, parents of lower-GPA students push counselors to control who applies where, so stronger students are somehow blocked(?) from applying to the same colleges.

But how does that make sense for the top students? They usually benefit from applying broadly and seeing which schools offer the best merit aid.

You’ll probably get better responses in the private school forum, but I’ll give you my 2 cents as a private school parent. On the advice of parents of older students who cautioned me that the CCO’s motivations wouldn’t necessarily align with DC’s, I hired an independent college counselor whose motivations did. Worked out great, but of course I can’t speak to the road not taken.

[Anonymous]

Some might. Not all do. DC’s private school does not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard that at some private schools, parents of lower-GPA students push counselors to control who applies where, so stronger students are somehow blocked(?) from applying to the same colleges.

But how does that make sense for the top students? They usually benefit from applying broadly and seeing which schools offer the best merit aid.

You’ll probably get better responses in the private school forum, but I’ll give you my 2 cents as a private school parent. On the advice of parents of older students who cautioned me that the CCO’s motivations wouldn’t necessarily align with DC’s, I hired an independent college counselor whose motivations did. Worked out great, but of course I can’t speak to the road not taken.

hiring an outside college counselor who protects DC interests makes sense. School counselor cant be trusted. impossible to know which student interests they represent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard that at some private schools, parents of lower-GPA students push counselors to control who applies where, so stronger students are somehow blocked(?) from applying to the same colleges.

But how does that make sense for the top students? They usually benefit from applying broadly and seeing which schools offer the best merit aid.

You’ll probably get better responses in the private school forum, but I’ll give you my 2 cents as a private school parent. On the advice of parents of older students who cautioned me that the CCO’s motivations wouldn’t necessarily align with DC’s, I hired an independent college counselor whose motivations did. Worked out great, but of course I can’t speak to the road not taken.

hiring an outside college counselor who protects DC interests makes sense. School counselor cant be trusted. impossible to know which student interests they represent.

Yep. At the end of the day, school counselors work for the school, and are therefore incentivized to do what’s in the best interest of the school. An outside counselor works for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some might. Not all do.

+1

[Anonymous]

my kids went to a TT in nyc and they limit the apps, which is better for everyone.

they don't broker the kids. (they did that in preschool though!) they kids do kinda broker themselves. I was very surprised by how much my kid knew about the other kids - who would be applying where, who was legacy where. and it makes sense to not apply ED to harvard when three other kids are who are legacy and Blackstone billionaires. So they pivot instead to another school.

it's smart tbh.

there's also a whole group who did questbridge, etc. they also sort themselves out. again, best for everyone.

it's true that the most hooked ever sort of gets first choice, but they were going to get first choice whether you knew it or not

[Anonymous]

Our counselors quietly promote the candidates they believe to be in service to the best interest of the school’s reputation and ongoing relationships with universities.

The school and its staff take precedence over everything else. Individual kids are grist to the mill, they will be graduated and gone soon enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard that at some private schools, parents of lower-GPA students push counselors to control who applies where, so stronger students are somehow blocked(?) from applying to the same colleges.

But how does that make sense for the top students? They usually benefit from applying broadly and seeing which schools offer the best merit aid.

You’ll probably get better responses in the private school forum, but I’ll give you my 2 cents as a private school parent. On the advice of parents of older students who cautioned me that the CCO’s motivations wouldn’t necessarily align with DC’s, I hired an independent college counselor whose motivations did. Worked out great, but of course I can’t speak to the road not taken.

hiring an outside college counselor who protects DC interests makes sense. School counselor cant be trusted. impossible to know which student interests they represent.

“School counselor can’t be trusted” is one of the most bat$hit crazy things I’ve ever seen on here. Sure, they spend their lives making 50k to screw over your kid. Seek help, seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard that at some private schools, parents of lower-GPA students push counselors to control who applies where, so stronger students are somehow blocked(?) from applying to the same colleges.

But how does that make sense for the top students? They usually benefit from applying broadly and seeing which schools offer the best merit aid.

You’ll probably get better responses in the private school forum, but I’ll give you my 2 cents as a private school parent. On the advice of parents of older students who cautioned me that the CCO’s motivations wouldn’t necessarily align with DC’s, I hired an independent college counselor whose motivations did. Worked out great, but of course I can’t speak to the road not taken.

hiring an outside college counselor who protects DC interests makes sense. School counselor cant be trusted. impossible to know which student interests they represent.

“School counselor can’t be trusted” is one of the most bat$hit crazy things I’ve ever seen on here. Sure, they spend their lives making 50k to screw over your kid. Seek help, seriously.

If the school counselor has a conflict then it’s not crazy to seek an independent advice...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard that at some private schools, parents of lower-GPA students push counselors to control who applies where, so stronger students are somehow blocked(?) from applying to the same colleges.

But how does that make sense for the top students? They usually benefit from applying broadly and seeing which schools offer the best merit aid.

You’ll probably get better responses in the private school forum, but I’ll give you my 2 cents as a private school parent. On the advice of parents of older students who cautioned me that the CCO’s motivations wouldn’t necessarily align with DC’s, I hired an independent college counselor whose motivations did. Worked out great, but of course I can’t speak to the road not taken.

hiring an outside college counselor who protects DC interests makes sense. School counselor cant be trusted. impossible to know which student interests they represent.

“School counselor can’t be trusted” is one of the most bat$hit crazy things I’ve ever seen on here. Sure, they spend their lives making 50k to screw over your kid. Seek help, seriously.

PP is correct, though, that the counselor's goal is often to get the cohort into the best possible schools while having as much success as possible early on. That goal might come in to conflict with a particular student's goals, if say, a student who who has a great chance at prestigious school A has his heart set on super reach B. Or if a number of students in a particular year all want the same school. Sometimes the group's goals come into conflict with that of the individual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our counselors quietly promote the candidates they believe to be in service to the best interest of the school’s reputation and ongoing relationships with universities.

The school and its staff take precedence over everything else. Individual kids are grist to the mill, they will be graduated and gone soon enough.

What does that mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard that at some private schools, parents of lower-GPA students push counselors to control who applies where, so stronger students are somehow blocked(?) from applying to the same colleges.

But how does that make sense for the top students? They usually benefit from applying broadly and seeing which schools offer the best merit aid.

You’ll probably get better responses in the private school forum, but I’ll give you my 2 cents as a private school parent. On the advice of parents of older students who cautioned me that the CCO’s motivations wouldn’t necessarily align with DC’s, I hired an independent college counselor whose motivations did. Worked out great, but of course I can’t speak to the road not taken.

hiring an outside college counselor who protects DC interests makes sense. School counselor cant be trusted. impossible to know which student interests they represent.

Interesting. My DD is a senior at a top private in DMV area. We also hired a private counselor. They both serve very different roles.

Private counselor did a great job of helping DD shape her narrative, work on essays, organize a timeline and hit the deadlines, and kept the whole process very stress free. School counselor, who has the relationships with the AOs, is there to help guide DD and understands the nuances of the specific schools she applied to.

For example, DD wanted to apply to some very high reaches in RD even if she got into her clear first choice REA. Because CC was advocating strongly for DD in the REA school, she strongly recommended DD not apply to those reaches if she was admitted, because if she isn't going to enroll, it wouldn't be fair to her classmates who want to enroll. DD eventually got deferred and did end up applying to the reach schools and it wasn't an issue at all. CC is still strongly advocating for DD in her first choice school. Private counselor has no role in this whole scenario...she has pretty much bowed out until decisions come in, which makes 100% perfect sense.