Stop the Speculations :)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yup and it was concerning because a box could be checked and it could be subjective depending on if the counselor wanted to push a candidate or not. One was rank how a candidate is respected hey teacher? Exactly what is the criteria?

This information on counselor weight solidifies my belief on how my child was selected to Top 20 school. I believe the counselors relationship with certain colleges help them identify what those schools want in a student. So they know when a kid would be a good fit or not. Counselors see transcripts but students also have a reputation from faculty that circles back to a counselor. They know when a stand out student has the drive and passion to make a difference (not being pushed by parents planning out their academic transcript since 8th grade or kids who just check 20 boxes for the sake of putting more on paper) Counselors can make or break that admission. 100%

Same for mine but in a different context. She went to a large public magnet school where few students know their counselor, but my kid knew her counselor very well. Because of this, counselor could write a passionate, personal rec about her when others were essentially regurgitating brag sheets. I encourage second kid (with similar caliber stats, ECs, honors to older sis) to connect with her counselor early on. We'll see come December.

Yeah, what is interesting in private schools is that for some reason parents and students can't take a hint that when the counselor says little Jimmy is not an ideal candidate for Brown = my counselor letter is going to sink their application because it will be neutral at best and probably slightly negative.

It shouldn’t require taking hints-these college counselors at private schools need to start doing their jobs at a bare minimum. Giving NO advice on where to apply except “choose a safety” is not college counseling in my book. The counselors are also not directing people well when they shoot way too high-like applying to UVA with a 3.85 GPA and maybe one honors class Junior year. As a parent, I would have welcomed some precise info but we got crickets…[/quote

A counselor should not be writing a negative letter is a student did well, took hard classes and never had any infections. If we found out our counselor was getting into back door rating we would be upset. They should provide factual information. and colleges should decide.

[Anonymous]

^^^Good luck with counselors not prioritizing private school lifers, big donors, board members kids etc. I’m sure everything is super objective and fair….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yup and it was concerning because a box could be checked and it could be subjective depending on if the counselor wanted to push a candidate or not. One was rank how a candidate is respected hey teacher? Exactly what is the criteria?

This information on counselor weight solidifies my belief on how my child was selected to Top 20 school. I believe the counselors relationship with certain colleges help them identify what those schools want in a student. So they know when a kid would be a good fit or not. Counselors see transcripts but students also have a reputation from faculty that circles back to a counselor. They know when a stand out student has the drive and passion to make a difference (not being pushed by parents planning out their academic transcript since 8th grade or kids who just check 20 boxes for the sake of putting more on paper) Counselors can make or break that admission. 100%

Same for mine but in a different context. She went to a large public magnet school where few students know their counselor, but my kid knew her counselor very well. Because of this, counselor could write a passionate, personal rec about her when others were essentially regurgitating brag sheets. I encourage second kid (with similar caliber stats, ECs, honors to older sis) to connect with her counselor early on. We'll see come December.

I’ve encouraged my sophomore to do the same, but her counselor is too busy and very short with the students. They have no time niceties and can be abrupt, bordering on rude. The college counselor at our high school is different. She is obviously busy as well, but much more friendly and into relationship-building. I wonder if the college counselors fill out those forms or their regular advisement counselors?

It could possibly be either. Mine actually had the resource counselor write theirs because they knew that counselor in another school-related capacity. Some counselors just aren't great and sometimes kids get switched. Mine had both issues -- really bad, unresponsive counselor and then switched for last year or two. Actually, new one was good, but kid knew the resource counselor way better. I don't think it matters which counselor writes it, but kid should ask the college counselor about this Spring of Jr year, since it is not the usual. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^Good luck with counselors not prioritizing private school lifers, big donors, board members kids etc. I’m sure everything is super objective and fair….

I don’t know what to say but this would be sad. Hopefully the more parents speak up and share stories the more schools will work to be fair.

[Anonymous]

Our public school college counselor can't possibly know most of the kids and our junior just got a new grade level counselor this year. I don't see the LOR being anything other than what is on the brag sheet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are just that. If a student scores 1350 and their school reports that score is the top of the class, that would likely be a “5”. If the students scores a 1450 and that is in the 2nd quintile of his school’s reported scores, then that student may be rated a 4 or lower.

This was the most interesting comment by OP and I apologize if it was asked about in prior threads.

This would imply that your absolute score should not determine if you apply TO or not, but rather how it compares to others from your school.

That is an interesting take that I have not seen discussed before.

I’d be surprised if this is accurate? Because it would require a nuance in interpreting the scores.

DP: I listened to a podcast with the Dartmouth AO, and although he didn't mention a scoring rubric, but he clearly stated that scores are considered within the context of the reported high school scores via the school profile, counselor's rec and/or Landscape/College Board. I also remember a Yale AO saying something similar in why scores were important to their institution.

Yale was the very first mailing my son received October of Junior year and they said 'due to his high scores'. It was a 35 first ACT with 36 in verbal & reading.

He then received a big book from Harvard, Dartmouth, etc.

This was before we started getting the 100 million mailings from schools I never heard of.

It did sit with me that scores must carry weight because none of his friends received mailings from those schools.

Where did your son ultimately get in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are just that. If a student scores 1350 and their school reports that score is the top of the class, that would likely be a “5”. If the students scores a 1450 and that is in the 2nd quintile of his school’s reported scores, then that student may be rated a 4 or lower.

This was the most interesting comment by OP and I apologize if it was asked about in prior threads.

This would imply that your absolute score should not determine if you apply TO or not, but rather how it compares to others from your school.

That is an interesting take that I have not seen discussed before.

I’d be surprised if this is accurate? Because it would require a nuance in interpreting the scores.

DP: I listened to a podcast with the Dartmouth AO, and although he didn't mention a scoring rubric, but he clearly stated that scores are considered within the context of the reported high school scores via the school profile, counselor's rec and/or Landscape/College Board. I also remember a Yale AO saying something similar in why scores were important to their institution.

Yale was the very first mailing my son received October of Junior year and they said 'due to his high scores'. It was a 35 first ACT with 36 in verbal & reading.

He then received a big book from Harvard, Dartmouth, etc.

This was before we started getting the 100 million mailings from schools I never heard of.

It did sit with me that scores must carry weight because none of his friends received mailings from those schools.

Where did your son ultimately get in?

I don't yet. He's a Senior now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yup and it was concerning because a box could be checked and it could be subjective depending on if the counselor wanted to push a candidate or not. One was rank how a candidate is respected hey teacher? Exactly what is the criteria?

This information on counselor weight solidifies my belief on how my child was selected to Top 20 school. I believe the counselors relationship with certain colleges help them identify what those schools want in a student. So they know when a kid would be a good fit or not. Counselors see transcripts but students also have a reputation from faculty that circles back to a counselor. They know when a stand out student has the drive and passion to make a difference (not being pushed by parents planning out their academic transcript since 8th grade or kids who just check 20 boxes for the sake of putting more on paper) Counselors can make or break that admission. 100%

Same for mine but in a different context. She went to a large public magnet school where few students know their counselor, but my kid knew her counselor very well. Because of this, counselor could write a passionate, personal rec about her when others were essentially regurgitating brag sheets. I encourage second kid (with similar caliber stats, ECs, honors to older sis) to connect with her counselor early on. We'll see come December.

Yeah, what is interesting in private schools is that for some reason parents and students can't take a hint that when the counselor says little Jimmy is not an ideal candidate for Brown = my counselor letter is going to sink their application because it will be neutral at best and probably slightly negative.

It shouldn’t require taking hints-these college counselors at private schools need to start doing their jobs at a bare minimum. Giving NO advice on where to apply except “choose a safety” is not college counseling in my book. The counselors are also not directing people well when they shoot way too high-like applying to UVA with a 3.85 GPA and maybe one honors class Junior year. As a parent, I would have welcomed some precise info but we got crickets…

You need to take that up with the Board at your private. YOu are paying big bucks for a competent college adviso and should be receiving same. BTW SCHEV provides all the statistical information on the Virginia publics. A very quick scan shows your kid was not a contender. Both your private's Naviance equivalent and SCHEV are necessary tools for Virginia applicants, in-state and out. https://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

[Anonymous]

These tools do not reflect rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^Good luck with counselors not prioritizing private school lifers, big donors, board members kids etc. I’m sure everything is super objective and fair….

+100, this is true at Maret, highly disturbing to say the least.

[Anonymous]

I think this happens at many schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our public school college counselor can't possibly know most of the kids and our junior just got a new grade level counselor this year. I don't see the LOR being anything other than what is on the brag sheet.

At many schools they ask the student to list teachers who aren't writing recommendations for them that the counselor can contact. These teachers fill out a quick form and write a sentence or two. The public school counselor has a template that gives info about the student in relation to the school (e.g., rigor of coursework, etc.), acts as a slight verification of ECs, and compiles with what is on the student and parent form. It's pretty cut-and-paste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our public school college counselor can't possibly know most of the kids and our junior just got a new grade level counselor this year. I don't see the LOR being anything other than what is on the brag sheet.

I wish AO reconsidered their use of recommendations. How laughable they make decisions based on these! Public school counselors hardly know their students, and private school counselors have their own agenda. I just heard today of counselors playing with AI to write recommendations! A simple form should be sufficient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our public school college counselor can't possibly know most of the kids and our junior just got a new grade level counselor this year. I don't see the LOR being anything other than what is on the brag sheet.

I wish AO reconsidered their use of recommendations. How laughable they make decisions based on these! Public school counselors hardly know their students, and private school counselors have their own agenda. I just heard today of counselors playing with AI to write recommendations! A simple form should be sufficient.

Some schools do not require counselor letters bc of this (UVA doesn’t).

[Anonymous]

In private schools you do not have the option to not have counselor letter but maybe some
schools will start considering this to keep the process fair.