How is this fair?

[Anonymous]

This is what you get when you go private.

I remember talking to a fellow colleague about our kids' college application process. My kid is in public, his in private. He talked on and on about how his son was doing everything and he hadn't lifted a finger. As the conversation wore on, I realized that his private high school had:
* personally assisted and met weekly to review college applications
* personally assisted with the essay writing and editing
* personally assisted with scholarship searches

THIS is what private gets you. People who have private school kids love to say how independent their kids are when privates are just parent-extenders (but doing most of the heavy lifting).

[Anonymous]

When I graduated from one of the elite prep schools (early 2000s), my college counselor specifically told me he’d been in touch with my top choice (HYPS) and I could “expect” an acceptance. Obviously nothing is ever 100% until it’s done, but clearly there was extensive communication with the top schools. There’s also a benefit from the colleges’ perspective in terms of yield protection. The counselors help them game who’s going where and facilitate an order process. Can’t imagine it works much differently now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work for a non profit that helps low income students apply to college. Our counselors do this every year.

The low income and the high income are supported but as usual the middle has to find their own way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work for a non profit that helps low income students apply to college. Our counselors do this every year.

The low income and the high income are supported but as usual the middle has to find their own way.

Very few low income kids are supported. A few non profits like the one mentioned above barely make a dent in the gap that exists between low and middle income children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work for a non profit that helps low income students apply to college. Our counselors do this every year.

The low income and the high income are supported but as usual the middle has to find their own way.

Very few low income kids are supported. A few non profits like the one mentioned above barely make a dent in the gap that exists between low and middle income children.

Sorry, but I have to disagree. The low income students who are willing to work hard are very well supported by programs such as Questbridge and financial aid. I see plenty of low income students apply to elite schools without any thought about how they would pay the tuition because they know they will get a free ride if accepted. Lots of middle income students don't apply to elite school because their family can't afford the tuition and they know there is no merit aid. Have you read about students getting acceptances into a ridiculous number of colleges (like 50+)? Well, it's always about some low income kids that have overcome the odds. I bet that they put in that many application because they didn't have to pay a penny since they qualify for an application waiver. No middle income kids will apply to that many colleges because they just can't afford the application fees. So, yeah low income kids get plenty of support. In this country, you either have to very poor or very rich to have a decent chance at the top universities without going into debt. The middle class students are the ones who are often forgotten.

[Anonymous]

I would think that the majority of admissions counselors would hate this kind of thing. They aren't paid well, but have to take time out to listen to some counselor from a fancy private school go on and on about how special Thurston Gregory IV is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just poking around some of the private school websites in my area (Tri State, not DC) and one of the websites, in their college counselling section, specifically says: "Throughout February and March, we continue to counsel and support seniors as their deans. We also reach out to colleges to check on applications and to advocate on behalf of students."

How the heck is this fair? Am I just totally naive and this happens everywhere? No way did my very middle class public school where guidance counselors had 100s of students have these counselors reach out to advocate on behalf of individual students. I suppose this is what you pay for at a private school? Idk, it just seems wildly unfair to me. I'll probably get flamed for being naive but the fact that they publish this so directly on their website surprises me.

Parents that pay private college tuition to send their kids to a Private HS for an education that they could have had for free are not fools. This is the return they expect on their "investment".

Funny thing is, most of these kids and their parents are SJW/woke types.. after they make sure their own kids are covered. The rest of the middle class, the clueless Asian immigrants, etc. be damned..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would think that the majority of admissions counselors would hate this kind of thing. They aren't paid well, but have to take time out to listen to some counselor from a fancy private school go on and on about how special Thurston Gregory IV is?

It's called building the network. A lot of college counselors end up as private college admissions counselors or work for successful outfits. They will now have a ready network of HS counselors who they can tap into for new customers.

[Anonymous]

30 years ago my middle class public was in contact with the admissions people at least for the top 10% of the class. Making sure all documents were in, answering any questions, and some advocating. For example saying -- I know this is her top pick. She will go if admitted. This is not an issue except to the extent publics have fallen off. They did not do it for the kid going to seconds tier state school but for flagship and privates for people who were real prospects.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from a midwest public high school in the 90's - when I told my guidance counselor I wanted to apply to AU his response was "why would you want to go to school on the east coast? that is a waste of time and effort and you can't afford it apply to this d3 state school instead". To this day this comment just kills me.
(I did get into AU)

[Anonymous]

Select Montgomery County High Schools offer this service through a program called College Tracks. https://www.collegetracksusa.org/what-we-do/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would think that the majority of admissions counselors would hate this kind of thing. They aren't paid well, but have to take time out to listen to some counselor from a fancy private school go on and on about how special Thurston Gregory IV is?

Nope. It is a collegial community. This is part of the job for both of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would think that the majority of admissions counselors would hate this kind of thing. They aren't paid well, but have to take time out to listen to some counselor from a fancy private school go on and on about how special Thurston Gregory IV is?

Nope. It is a collegial community. This is part of the job for both of them.

I feel like the people who believe this most strongly turn in to the people talking up Elon once their kids acceptances come in

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not fair. It’s called privilege.

well you pay a lot for that very thing (among other things). My kid's private school graduating class had 68 students. And 3 full-time college counselors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from a midwest public high school in the 90's - when I told my guidance counselor I wanted to apply to AU his response was "why would you want to go to school on the east coast? that is a waste of time and effort and you can't afford it apply to this d3 state school instead". To this day this comment just kills me.
(I did get into AU)

Ha ha. My kid told the counselor they wanted to go to one of the service academies (think Annapolis or West Point), and the counselor looked puzzled and said "that school isn't very progressive."