Sidwell college advisor leaves

[Anonymous]

Every single teacher in Montgomery County makes more than that, even with no experience: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/ersc/employees/pay/schedules/FY18%20MCEA.pdf

[Anonymous]

Embarrassing. Maybe the private schools should just farm this out to private counselors.

[Anonymous]

In all fairness, this could be for the more junior position in the CCO, which is also open at Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting so many people obsessed with what is going on at schools like Sidwell, GDS, STA that they have ABSOLUTELY zero connection to? I smell, what is that, the sting of rejection? Get. A. Life.

Or is it you are getting nervous that paying 40k plus a year for each kid for the Sidwell name may not payoff because your kids are totally inadequate without the Sidwell name on their transcripts?

[Anonymous]

I hold a similar position at an independent school in the greater area and make more than that. There isn’t a chance I’d EVER take the job at Sidwell for those wages. It’s a set-up for financial struggle AND failure. The parents’ expectations would be impossibly high. A surprisingly high number of families outsource this job to a private counselor anyway, because many can afford it and recognize that whoever holds the in-school position tends to be pretty green. In my opinion, the priority for these jobs should be hiring someone who can write a good letter of recommendation, who knows the admissions process inside out, and who has enough charm and hustle to advocate for a waitlisted kid or talk a crazy parent off the ledge. I’d want far more than 50K for the pleasure.

[Anonymous]

Number of posts in this tread is soon going to be catchup to the number of posts in “What is wrong with Flinthill?” thread. Yep, Sidwell soon will be in good company with Flinthill. Wonder if the title of the thread could be changed to “What is wrong with Sidwell?”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would be great if Garman would have a AMA meeting with parents.

In addition to meeting current junior families.... I think he should be setting expectations on behavior and culture as families enter the Upper School. And that messaging should be repeated annually.

Or you could just apply to STA, where they having doing that for decades

[Anonymous]

I’m another (former, in my case) independent school college counselor. I notice that the posting copied here had an ESTIMATED salary. Is it possible that this was copied from monster.com or something with a generic salary estimate? This cannot be right, even for the junior position. My first college counseling job after working in admissions was a similar junior position at a much lesser school, and I made 58k eleven years ago. There’s just no way that’s correct unless the people running Sidwell are the dumbest people on the planet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey, look who's hiring. Maybe you get what you pay for.


College Counselor
Sidwell Friends School - Washington, DC
Full-time Estimated: $45,000 - $58,000 a year
Job Description
Ratings and Reviews
Education

Bachelor's Degree

Skills

Counseling

Sidwell Friends School, a coeducational Quaker day school located in Washington, DC, seeks a college counseling professional to join its experienced college counseling office.

The College Counselor reports to the Director of College Counseling and is responsible for administering all aspects of the college search and admissions process, including educating students and parents about various colleges and universities, the college admissions process, admissions trends, office procedures, and standardized testing options; advising and supporting a caseload of seniors and families as they proceed through the college process; and helping students and families aspire realistically and choose wisely.

The College Counselor meets with juniors and seniors, individually and in groups, to discuss the college process and individual college choices, co-teaches a comprehensive college counseling class for juniors and seniors, serves as an advisor to a group of Upper School students and also provides academic and personal counseling.

The College Counselor is responsible for maintaining working relationships with college admissions professionals; visiting college and university campuses on a regular basis; maintaining familiarity with important programs and issues in the admissions and college counseling fields; representing the School at meetings and conferences of professional associations; and assisting in the organization of various annual events, such as college night programs and mock admissions programs for students and their parents.

A Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3-5 years college counseling and/or college admissions experience are required. The successful candidate will possess a sophisticated and current understanding of selective college admissions and financial aid. Excellent counseling, writing, and communication skills are absolutely essential, as is an enthusiastic commitment to school life and to the mission of Sidwell Friends.

Please upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references via our online application.

It for the Asst.

This is a job for a 1st or 2nd year out of college , entry level job.

Parents posting that $50 K a year for a 1st job out of college is " insultingly low pay " are the kind who also try to get their kids into Ivy as well as jobs.

Someone will a BA and NO proven JOB skills could also be a waiter.

50 K is a fair shake right out of school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hold a similar position at an independent school in the greater area and make more than that. There isn’t a chance I’d EVER take the job at Sidwell for those wages. It’s a set-up for financial struggle AND failure. The parents’ expectations would be impossibly high. A surprisingly high number of families outsource this job to a private counselor anyway, because many can afford it and recognize that whoever holds the in-school position tends to be pretty green. In my opinion, the priority for these jobs should be hiring someone who can write a good letter of recommendation, who knows the admissions process inside out, and who has enough charm and hustle to advocate for a waitlisted kid or talk a crazy parent off the ledge. I’d want far more than 50K for the pleasure.

PUHLEASE... so because parents are demanding Douches, Private Schools should be paying 150K a year to mid -level Admin who have to " effectively deal " with their douche behavior??

So, tuition rise again next year to pay for all the politicking ???

Here's a better idea: get back to Education and tell the parents to go jump in a LAKE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey, look who's hiring. Maybe you get what you pay for.


College Counselor
Sidwell Friends School - Washington, DC
Full-time Estimated: $45,000 - $58,000 a year
Job Description
Ratings and Reviews
Education

Bachelor's Degree

Skills

Counseling

Sidwell Friends School, a coeducational Quaker day school located in Washington, DC, seeks a college counseling professional to join its experienced college counseling office.

The College Counselor reports to the Director of College Counseling and is responsible for administering all aspects of the college search and admissions process, including educating students and parents about various colleges and universities, the college admissions process, admissions trends, office procedures, and standardized testing options; advising and supporting a caseload of seniors and families as they proceed through the college process; and helping students and families aspire realistically and choose wisely.

The College Counselor meets with juniors and seniors, individually and in groups, to discuss the college process and individual college choices, co-teaches a comprehensive college counseling class for juniors and seniors, serves as an advisor to a group of Upper School students and also provides academic and personal counseling.

The College Counselor is responsible for maintaining working relationships with college admissions professionals; visiting college and university campuses on a regular basis; maintaining familiarity with important programs and issues in the admissions and college counseling fields; representing the School at meetings and conferences of professional associations; and assisting in the organization of various annual events, such as college night programs and mock admissions programs for students and their parents.

A Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3-5 years college counseling and/or college admissions experience are required. The successful candidate will possess a sophisticated and current understanding of selective college admissions and financial aid. Excellent counseling, writing, and communication skills are absolutely essential, as is an enthusiastic commitment to school life and to the mission of Sidwell Friends.

Please upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references via our online application.

It for the Asst.

This is a job for a 1st or 2nd year out of college , entry level job.

Parents posting that $50 K a year for a 1st job out of college is " insultingly low pay " are the kind who also try to get their kids into Ivy as well as jobs.

Someone will a BA and NO proven JOB skills could also be a waiter.

50 K is a fair shake right out of school

Try again, it's not an entry-level job

"a minimum of 3-5 years college counseling and/or college admissions experience are required. The successful candidate will possess a sophisticated and current understanding of selective college admissions and financial aid."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hold a similar position at an independent school in the greater area and make more than that. There isn’t a chance I’d EVER take the job at Sidwell for those wages. It’s a set-up for financial struggle AND failure. The parents’ expectations would be impossibly high. A surprisingly high number of families outsource this job to a private counselor anyway, because many can afford it and recognize that whoever holds the in-school position tends to be pretty green. In my opinion, the priority for these jobs should be hiring someone who can write a good letter of recommendation, who knows the admissions process inside out, and who has enough charm and hustle to advocate for a waitlisted kid or talk a crazy parent off the ledge. I’d want far more than 50K for the pleasure.

PUHLEASE... so because parents are demanding Douches, Private Schools should be paying 150K a year to mid -level Admin who have to " effectively deal " with their douche behavior??

So, tuition rise again next year to pay for all the politicking ???

Here's a better idea: get back to Education and tell the parents to go jump in a LAKE

Who said 150k? They could probably get someone decent for 80. The bigger issue is they should hire someone with real experience and pay market rate for someone really excellent. You get someone for 50 who is only a few years out of school, and they’re going to struggle. And don’t kid yourself, schools are businesses. A college counselor who routinely tells parents to go jump in a lake is going to lose their job. Which is why I wouldn’t take that job. Too many demanding parents equals a set-up for failure. If I’m going to make 50k, I’m going to work somewhere wihere fending off parental criticism wouldn’t be a routine part of my job. School heads generally do their best to defend staff, particularly when they’re mistreated, but they too have to answer to a board and to the parents. They feel pressure, too.

[Anonymous]

SFS is living in a time warp where they think they can attract a reasonable candidate because of the SFS name and profile. But the world of college admissions has changed dramatically in the past 5-6 years and now you get what you pay for. Time to shape up, SFS, no more coasting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m another (former, in my case) independent school college counselor. I notice that the posting copied here had an ESTIMATED salary. Is it possible that this was copied from monster.com or something with a generic salary estimate? This cannot be right, even for the junior position. My first college counseling job after working in admissions was a similar junior position at a much lesser school, and I made 58k eleven years ago. There’s just no way that’s correct unless the people running Sidwell are the dumbest people on the planet.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, that is crazy low salary.

It's more than what the teachers make.