Feedback for admissions offices: what did you like/dislike about the process?

[Anonymous]

+1 on great admissions experience at GDS upper school. Both the high school admissions director and associate director were warm, personable, and truly understood and appreciated my DC. The essays were demanding, but gave DC another chance to express himself, and he also learned more about himself through the exercise.

[Anonymous]

+1 on great admissions experience at GDS upper school. Both the high school admissions director and associate director were warm, personable, and truly understood and appreciated my DC. The essays were demanding, but gave DC another chance to express himself, and he also learned more about himself through the exercise.

[Anonymous]

Note that Sidwell has experienced 100% turnover in its Lower School admissions staff in the last two years. The new folks have a very different philosophy that is anti-legacy, anti-feeder schools, and anti-sibling/teachers' kids. In short, if you are not diverse, apply elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

GDS- some good, some meh interactions. Admissions staff was best in the interview. Teachers and coaches were more engaged. Kid admitted; he was surprised based on interactions.

Field- great interactions with admissions staff; really great interviewer. My child loved this school, but the admission offer two days after everyone else's was anticlimactic. I think this is what changed his mind about attending.

St Andrews- great from start to finish; admissions team was low key but made him (and us) feel like they knew us, and wanted my kid there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SJC- entire process cold, and paper based. For a school with so much money you'd think they'd upgrade their admissions department.

Their admissions process is terrible - impersonal and cold as you say. One of the admissions officers was not only cold she was actively snotty to people.
Wickedly unprofessional.

We were out of the country for their one open house and tried to get a shadow day for DC - she refused.
We even had another child from the school who was more than willing to escort DC at the school for a day and we were told no.
DC was admitted but we had no idea what the school was about at all.

Craxy unprofessional over there.

SJC addressed all the communications to the student. It was very different from the other schools. They did not offer parent tours (unless you showed up for the open house) nor did they offer parent interviews. It seemed to be very hands-off wrt parents. I think that is odd because they stress community so much. Re pp about all paper-based - we applied online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SJC- entire process cold, and paper based. For a school with so much money you'd think they'd upgrade their admissions department.

Their admissions process is terrible - impersonal and cold as you say. One of the admissions officers was not only cold she was actively snotty to people.
Wickedly unprofessional.

We were out of the country for their one open house and tried to get a shadow day for DC - she refused.
We even had another child from the school who was more than willing to escort DC at the school for a day and we were told no.
DC was admitted but we had no idea what the school was about at all.

Craxy unprofessional over there.

SJC addressed all the communications to the student. It was very different from the other schools. They did not offer parent tours (unless you showed up for the open house) nor did they offer parent interviews. It seemed to be very hands-off wrt parents. I think that is odd because they stress community so much. Re pp about all paper-based - we applied online.

We applied online but then had to send in a check for the application fee, then had no way of checking any kind of portal for admissions status, etc. The student essay also had to be mailed. That is what I mean by paper based.

[Anonymous]

Praise to GDS, Potomac, Madeira, and Holton on their admissions staffs. Sidwell not so much. First four were very down to earth and easy to talk to. Except for the African American guy at Sidwell that was head of diversity, the others at Sidwell seemed very stuck on themselves. I did not get that sense from the other 4. Especially in the interview, the arrogance shined bright. And no we didn't get in to all of the first four. We went 3/4 and a wait list at one. And yes we were declined from Sidwell (honestly a blessing).

Take GDS, for example. They were confident about their academics but not cocky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 on great admissions experience at GDS upper school. Both the high school admissions director and associate director were warm, personable, and truly understood and appreciated my DC. The essays were demanding, but gave DC another chance to express himself, and he also learned more about himself through the exercise.

Agree 100 percent. Elaine was outstanding in terms of customer service as well as her assistant. Though we ended up elsewhere, I can not praise the stuff enough.

[Anonymous]

Great Landon experience. Professional, friendly, personable with DS, forthcoming, followed up as promised...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great Landon experience. Professional, friendly, personable with DS, forthcoming, followed up as promised...

Agree on Landon -- the process leading up to our admissions decision ("yes") for middle school was the best of all the schools we applied to. However, after we got the letter, we emailed and called the office (leaving voicemail) with a basic question -- making clear that we were an accepted family -- and never heard back -- not sure what that was about as they always called back or returned emails while the process was going on.

[Anonymous]

We didn't have a positive Landon experience. I think it depends on who gave your tour