Why does Sidwell seem so hypocritical?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too small of grade sizes to be good at sports. Sure it can stack a team around some stars once in awhile, that doesn’t bother us. But they can’t support more than 1-2 teams at a time for that when each grade is 120-140, half males, half females roughly. They don’t even have a swimming pool.

So isn't it smart to focus on sports with biggest impact per recruit (basketball, tennis), especially when you can find those kids and have them be good students that would fit into your community anyway?

And, for those speaking of music, I am certain playing a needed instrument in orchestra/jazz band would help in admissions, even if they aren't recruiting.

parents pay for the all the training and coaching for the individual sports. looks at the olympic fencer. Heck, even the GDS runner had private coaches yearround and competed year round at a regional and national level. Sure a DC private school can throw Fin Aid at that so it can run some headlines for a few years about their alum. Meanwhile, elite athletes hoover up all the college spots. I hope the College Counselor dept is adjusting to this dynamic, otherwise it won't be serving 80% of its population well whatsoever. A school will only take 1-2 people per school and X per city so I'd like the hear the school's strategy for handling that.

[Anonymous]

Wow. At over $50k/yr, you’d think they’d have the resources. Especially when sports recruiting is part of admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too small of grade sizes to be good at sports. Sure it can stack a team around some stars once in awhile, that doesn’t bother us. But they can’t support more than 1-2 teams at a time for that when each grade is 120-140, half males, half females roughly. They don’t even have a swimming pool.

So isn't it smart to focus on sports with biggest impact per recruit (basketball, tennis), especially when you can find those kids and have them be good students that would fit into your community anyway?

And, for those speaking of music, I am certain playing a needed instrument in orchestra/jazz band would help in admissions, even if they aren't recruiting.

parents pay for the all the training and coaching for the individual sports. looks at the olympic fencer. Heck, even the GDS runner had private coaches yearround and competed year round at a regional and national level. Sure a DC private school can throw Fin Aid at that so it can run some headlines for a few years about their alum. Meanwhile, elite athletes hoover up all the college spots. I hope the College Counselor dept is adjusting to this dynamic, otherwise it won't be serving 80% of its population well whatsoever. A school will only take 1-2 people per school and X per city so I'd like the hear the school's strategy for handling that.

But because you live in a highly educated, high income part of the country, you are going to face this problem everywhere in the DMV. It's not the CCO's job to adjust this dynamic. Colleges want what they want, right?

If you feel like going public for a higher GPA or a public in an area where competition is a different student body so your child can shine, you have the option to do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too small of grade sizes to be good at sports. Sure it can stack a team around some stars once in awhile, that doesn’t bother us. But they can’t support more than 1-2 teams at a time for that when each grade is 120-140, half males, half females roughly. They don’t even have a swimming pool.

So isn't it smart to focus on sports with biggest impact per recruit (basketball, tennis), especially when you can find those kids and have them be good students that would fit into your community anyway?

And, for those speaking of music, I am certain playing a needed instrument in orchestra/jazz band would help in admissions, even if they aren't recruiting.

parents pay for the all the training and coaching for the individual sports. looks at the olympic fencer. Heck, even the GDS runner had private coaches yearround and competed year round at a regional and national level. Sure a DC private school can throw Fin Aid at that so it can run some headlines for a few years about their alum. Meanwhile, elite athletes hoover up all the college spots. I hope the College Counselor dept is adjusting to this dynamic, otherwise it won't be serving 80% of its population well whatsoever. A school will only take 1-2 people per school and X per city so I'd like the hear the school's strategy for handling that.

This is the most insane argument I've ever heard.
Should Sidwell not take kids who excel at both academics and athletics because it's not fair to kids kids who don't?
I guess they should just admit mediocre kids in 9th because it might step on the toes of the lifer kids who are hoping for elite admissions.
You know what? Every Sidwell kid is free to develop an elite talent or interest of their own.

[Anonymous]

That makes the case for ONLY taking smart elite athletes and racking up the D1 Ivy and T25 admits! Great strategy.

[Anonymous]

Don't you all know that the likes of SFS, GDS, STA, Potomac only focus on the top 20% of the class anyhow?
The rest of you can roll mini slac dice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too small of grade sizes to be good at sports. Sure it can stack a team around some stars once in awhile, that doesn’t bother us. But they can’t support more than 1-2 teams at a time for that when each grade is 120-140, half males, half females roughly. They don’t even have a swimming pool.

So isn't it smart to focus on sports with biggest impact per recruit (basketball, tennis), especially when you can find those kids and have them be good students that would fit into your community anyway?

And, for those speaking of music, I am certain playing a needed instrument in orchestra/jazz band would help in admissions, even if they aren't recruiting.

parents pay for the all the training and coaching for the individual sports. looks at the olympic fencer. Heck, even the GDS runner had private coaches yearround and competed year round at a regional and national level. Sure a DC private school can throw Fin Aid at that so it can run some headlines for a few years about their alum. Meanwhile, elite athletes hoover up all the college spots. I hope the College Counselor dept is adjusting to this dynamic, otherwise it won't be serving 80% of its population well whatsoever. A school will only take 1-2 people per school and X per city so I'd like the hear the school's strategy for handling that.

But because you live in a highly educated, high income part of the country, you are going to face this problem everywhere in the DMV. It's not the CCO's job to adjust this dynamic. Colleges want what they want, right?

If you feel like going public for a higher GPA or a public in an area where competition is a different student body so your child can shine, you have the option to do that.

Right, so what's your upper school's strategy for dealing with that dynamic and now elite athlete increase dynamic.

Ask them, point blank.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't you all know that the likes of SFS, GDS, STA, Potomac only focus on the top 20% of the class anyhow?
The rest of you can roll mini slac dice.

+1 time, resources and support go to this above. and maybe some big donor kids. this goes for in the classes and for college app time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too small of grade sizes to be good at sports. Sure it can stack a team around some stars once in awhile, that doesn’t bother us. But they can’t support more than 1-2 teams at a time for that when each grade is 120-140, half males, half females roughly. They don’t even have a swimming pool.

So isn't it smart to focus on sports with biggest impact per recruit (basketball, tennis), especially when you can find those kids and have them be good students that would fit into your community anyway?

And, for those speaking of music, I am certain playing a needed instrument in orchestra/jazz band would help in admissions, even if they aren't recruiting.

parents pay for the all the training and coaching for the individual sports. looks at the olympic fencer. Heck, even the GDS runner had private coaches yearround and competed year round at a regional and national level. Sure a DC private school can throw Fin Aid at that so it can run some headlines for a few years about their alum. Meanwhile, elite athletes hoover up all the college spots. I hope the College Counselor dept is adjusting to this dynamic, otherwise it won't be serving 80% of its population well whatsoever. A school will only take 1-2 people per school and X per city so I'd like the hear the school's strategy for handling that.

+1. If you are not a recruited athlete, forget about getting into HYPS from Sidwell. Those seats are taken

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too small of grade sizes to be good at sports. Sure it can stack a team around some stars once in awhile, that doesn’t bother us. But they can’t support more than 1-2 teams at a time for that when each grade is 120-140, half males, half females roughly. They don’t even have a swimming pool.

So isn't it smart to focus on sports with biggest impact per recruit (basketball, tennis), especially when you can find those kids and have them be good students that would fit into your community anyway?

And, for those speaking of music, I am certain playing a needed instrument in orchestra/jazz band would help in admissions, even if they aren't recruiting.

parents pay for the all the training and coaching for the individual sports. looks at the olympic fencer. Heck, even the GDS runner had private coaches yearround and competed year round at a regional and national level. Sure a DC private school can throw Fin Aid at that so it can run some headlines for a few years about their alum. Meanwhile, elite athletes hoover up all the college spots. I hope the College Counselor dept is adjusting to this dynamic, otherwise it won't be serving 80% of its population well whatsoever. A school will only take 1-2 people per school and X per city so I'd like the hear the school's strategy for handling that.

+1. If you are not a recruited athlete, forget about getting into HYPS from Sidwell. Those seats are taken

What are you talking about? Kiki is going to UCLA. 2 men’s lacrosse players are going to Hamilton, as is a tennis player. A women’s soccer player is going to another SLAC. All good schools, but this doesn’t fit the narrative that recruited athletes are going to the very most selective colleges and taking all the spots. Yes there is a football player who just committed to Harvard, but as far as I have heard that’s it for the most selective schools. This is a ridiculous non-issue that people are coming up with now, suggesting that athletes are overwhelming the college application process for the rest of the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too small of grade sizes to be good at sports. Sure it can stack a team around some stars once in awhile, that doesn’t bother us. But they can’t support more than 1-2 teams at a time for that when each grade is 120-140, half males, half females roughly. They don’t even have a swimming pool.

So isn't it smart to focus on sports with biggest impact per recruit (basketball, tennis), especially when you can find those kids and have them be good students that would fit into your community anyway?

And, for those speaking of music, I am certain playing a needed instrument in orchestra/jazz band would help in admissions, even if they aren't recruiting.

parents pay for the all the training and coaching for the individual sports. looks at the olympic fencer. Heck, even the GDS runner had private coaches yearround and competed year round at a regional and national level. Sure a DC private school can throw Fin Aid at that so it can run some headlines for a few years about their alum. Meanwhile, elite athletes hoover up all the college spots. I hope the College Counselor dept is adjusting to this dynamic, otherwise it won't be serving 80% of its population well whatsoever. A school will only take 1-2 people per school and X per city so I'd like the hear the school's strategy for handling that.

But because you live in a highly educated, high income part of the country, you are going to face this problem everywhere in the DMV. It's not the CCO's job to adjust this dynamic. Colleges want what they want, right?

If you feel like going public for a higher GPA or a public in an area where competition is a different student body so your child can shine, you have the option to do that.

Right, so what's your upper school's strategy for dealing with that dynamic and now elite athlete increase dynamic.

Ask them, point blank.

What is is you want me to ask them? I already know that at almost any BIG3/5 school or even our local highly rated public that the chances at top schools is slim and that our high GPA & test score kid will most likely be behind athletes, URM, legacy, first gens. It's just the way it is. What is CCO going to do about that? What are you suggesting they can do to adjust the dynamic? (not being snarky here, very curious what you are asking/expecting).

[Anonymous]

Same thing the private schools in England do to maximize their Oxbridge accepts. Open transparency, horse trading and lobbies for almost every capable student . Maybe you have to apply to balliol and not christs college or vice versa but it’s a lot better than fing up and going 2nd tier.

How deep and wide are the CCO relationships? Or do they only push what they know and let the chips fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too small of grade sizes to be good at sports. Sure it can stack a team around some stars once in awhile, that doesn’t bother us. But they can’t support more than 1-2 teams at a time for that when each grade is 120-140, half males, half females roughly. They don’t even have a swimming pool.

So isn't it smart to focus on sports with biggest impact per recruit (basketball, tennis), especially when you can find those kids and have them be good students that would fit into your community anyway?

And, for those speaking of music, I am certain playing a needed instrument in orchestra/jazz band would help in admissions, even if they aren't recruiting.

parents pay for the all the training and coaching for the individual sports. looks at the olympic fencer. Heck, even the GDS runner had private coaches yearround and competed year round at a regional and national level. Sure a DC private school can throw Fin Aid at that so it can run some headlines for a few years about their alum. Meanwhile, elite athletes hoover up all the college spots. I hope the College Counselor dept is adjusting to this dynamic, otherwise it won't be serving 80% of its population well whatsoever. A school will only take 1-2 people per school and X per city so I'd like the hear the school's strategy for handling that.

But because you live in a highly educated, high income part of the country, you are going to face this problem everywhere in the DMV. It's not the CCO's job to adjust this dynamic. Colleges want what they want, right?

If you feel like going public for a higher GPA or a public in an area where competition is a different student body so your child can shine, you have the option to do that.

Right, so what's your upper school's strategy for dealing with that dynamic and now elite athlete increase dynamic.

Ask them, point blank.

What is is you want me to ask them? I already know that at almost any BIG3/5 school or even our local highly rated public that the chances at top schools is slim and that our high GPA & test score kid will most likely be behind athletes, URM, legacy, first gens. It's just the way it is. What is CCO going to do about that? What are you suggesting they can do to adjust the dynamic? (not being snarky here, very curious what you are asking/expecting).

They are adjusting to the dynamic. They are adjusting in favor of the athlete. They are recruiting athletes and only athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The basketball teams are top ranked. When they travel to popular tournaments, the school gets notoriety. And the basketball teams most likely have sponsors so the school wouldn’t be on the hook for the bill.

Who paid for the private jet to Minnesota?

If they traveled on private jet, which I think you are just making up, that’s awesome. Why do you care?

Instagram pic wasn't private jet but the back of an American regional jet often seen on DCA-MSP flights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same thing the private schools in England do to maximize their Oxbridge accepts. Open transparency, horse trading and lobbies for almost every capable student . Maybe you have to apply to balliol and not christs college or vice versa but it’s a lot better than fing up and going 2nd tier.

How deep and wide are the CCO relationships? Or do they only push what they know and let the chips fall?

Not very. They are all very new to Sidwell. And for two of the four counselors, they are also new to counseling after being on the other side of admissions in prior gigs.