Son's Prep School Limiting His Applications to Top Colleges. Is This Standard Practice?

[Anonymous]

My kid attends a top prep school and he is ranked in the top 5% of his class. We had a parents meeting for college admissions, and we were informed that the school won't allow any child to apply to more than 4 T20s and only one HYPSM. If a student is admitted to HYPSM in EA, the school will refuse to send their transcript to any other college. My kid has an interest in MIT, Princeton, and Stanford. He will be forced to pick only one to apply to, which I find unfairly restrictive. Is any other family having to deal with this? I'm surprised it's even allowed.

[Anonymous]

He’s going to have to choose among Stanford Princeton mit no matter what if he’s EDing/REAing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised it's even allowed.

You're talking about a prep school. On what grounds would it be disallowed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid attends a top prep school and he is ranked in the top 5% of his class. We had a parents meeting for college admissions, and we were informed that the school won't allow any child to apply to more than 4 T20s and only one HYPSM. If a student is admitted to HYPSM in EA, the school will refuse to send their transcript to any other college. My kid has an interest in MIT, Princeton, and Stanford. He will be forced to pick only one to apply to, which I find unfairly restrictive. Is any other family having to deal with this? I'm surprised it's even allowed.

That acronym really isn't a thing but HYPS are all single choice or restrictive EA so he couldn't apply to more than one anyway. MIT is EA so he could apply to that and other EAs. I have heard of schools attempting to limit kids' college applications and I agree it's absurd, I can not imagine that every family adheres to this (and yes, I understand the school and counselor send everything out and I'm sure some people demand an exception).

[Anonymous]

It's ridiculous in principle. However, you didn't say anything relevant about SCEA, ED, EA, and RD.

And these are very relevant things for a high school.

[Anonymous]

What school is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What school is this?

Right?! Name names and I as a perspective parent will bring it up... and nip it in the bud where it counts.

[Anonymous]

This is common practice at top prep schools. They do this so one superstar doesn't sweep the Ivies and inadvertently keep other kids from getting a spot.

They don't want one kid getting into all 8 Ivies, Stanford and MIT. That takes opportunities from other kids in the class and will make other families very angry. If your kid is the academic superstar, they want them admitted EA/ED to their first choice and out the process early so they aren't competing with other students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is common practice at top prep schools. They do this so one superstar doesn't sweep the Ivies and inadvertently keep other kids from getting a spot.

They don't want one kid getting into all 8 Ivies, Stanford and MIT. That takes opportunities from other kids in the class and will make other families very angry. If your kid is the academic superstar, they want them admitted EA/ED to their first choice and out the process early so they aren't competing with other students.

I’ve heard some boarding schools don’t let you apply to more schools if you get in SCEA (essentially treating it as ED) but not as limiting as OP says.

[Anonymous]

I think this helps everyone. Including OP’s child.

What would happen if the kids who are in the top 3% applied to all T20 schools? Her 5% kid might get locked out.

The school is optimizing acceptances for the class. And I think the top schools know that the prep schools do this. They know that if they accept a kid, there is a good chance that not only will they likely yield that kid, but the kid will be very well prepared.

Mine does not yet know if he wants to play his sport in college. If he does, he will likely be one and done. Will not apply elsewhere for kicks. If he doesn’t? I will be very glad that the counselors are making sure the overall strategy provides good choices for the narps as well.

[Anonymous]

Our HS limits the number of total target/reaches students apply to at seven, but doesn’t micro-manage what those seven are.

Are you sure you weren’t caught up in terminology of admissions (which is often confusing)? Maybe your school said you can only EA publics and RD privates if you REA Stanford, etc. which is the rule everywhere, not just your school?

Also note, for Stanford only, even though USC is private, I believe Stanford REA allows EA to USC (due to some California thing).

Before you get overly concerned, how is your school’s college placement? If it’s strong and your kid is top 5%, trust their process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is common practice at top prep schools. They do this so one superstar doesn't sweep the Ivies and inadvertently keep other kids from getting a spot.

They don't want one kid getting into all 8 Ivies, Stanford and MIT. That takes opportunities from other kids in the class and will make other families very angry. If your kid is the academic superstar, they want them admitted EA/ED to their first choice and out the process early so they aren't competing with other students.

+1
Your kid is competing with his classmates, because colleges will only admit a certain number of kids from a given HS. The HS is managing the competition internally.

[Anonymous]

It is not universal but also not unheard of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is common practice at top prep schools. They do this so one superstar doesn't sweep the Ivies and inadvertently keep other kids from getting a spot.

They don't want one kid getting into all 8 Ivies, Stanford and MIT. That takes opportunities from other kids in the class and will make other families very angry. If your kid is the academic superstar, they want them admitted EA/ED to their first choice and out the process early so they aren't competing with other students.

Yes this. Plus the top schools are different enough from each other that it makes sense to limit apps to them.

[Anonymous]

Do senior year at a public. They won’t do this.