Big 3 College Placement 2018-19 Cycle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours are available through the holidays and even responded to an email on Xmas day.

The head of the SFS college counseling office sent out an email reminding all seniors and their parents that the office would be closed through early January.

What on earth would you have to have from them during the holidays? Please. I had like zero help on anything when I applied from a boarding school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SFS college counseling office is a mere three-legged stool, and one of the legs has been broken for a while. Now the whole stool is unstable.

for an SFS parent of an underclassman, what does this mean? please enlighten us.

Ask your child or ask a junior or senior.

Not helpful bc nobody tells you anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They asked students to plan their application activities in advance --- It's not like closing a hospital ER....

But a prime time to work on apps due Jan. 1 is over winter break, when there's no classwork or exams.

Well, it is a life lesson to start in advance and I'm 100% sure kids knew months in advance they were applying to college and would also have exams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They asked students to plan their application activities in advance --- It's not like closing a hospital ER....

But a prime time to work on apps due Jan. 1 is over winter break, when there's no classwork or exams.

Well, it is a life lesson to start in advance and I'm 100% sure kids knew months in advance they were applying to college and would also have exams.

So the Sidwell C.C.O. takes a tough love approach, saying good luck, you're on your own 'cause we're taking a full break over the holidays. Meanwhile, college offices at other schools are at least partially staffed. And then Sidwell wonders why it seems to be losing a little ground compared to other elite privates on college results. Hmmm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours are available through the holidays and even responded to an email on Xmas day.

The head of the SFS college counseling office sent out an email reminding all seniors and their parents that the office would be closed through early January.

What on earth would you have to have from them during the holidays? Please. I had like zero help on anything when I applied from a boarding school.

The college applications world has changed a lot since you applied. Heck, it's changed a lot in the past five years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They asked students to plan their application activities in advance --- It's not like closing a hospital ER....

But a prime time to work on apps due Jan. 1 is over winter break, when there's no classwork or exams.

And when many kids, having been disappointed with ED/EA results, re-think their strategy and scramble.

[Anonymous]

Not a Sidwell parent, but I could see that having the office closed of break is not that big a problem especially if everyone knows this in advance. The list of schools and a backup plan in case the early answers are negatives can be set well before break. The major common ap essays can also be proofread.

Are they available by email for true emergencies? Otherwise I don't really understand how much hand holding someone might need as long as you plan ahead of time.

FWIW, our school's counselors ARE available by email over break. I asked, conversationally, what this meant for them personally - kind of no break? The response was, they had very few interruptions. At that point, kids are pretty set with their plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours are available through the holidays and even responded to an email on Xmas day.

The head of the SFS college counseling office sent out an email reminding all seniors and their parents that the office would be closed through early January.

What on earth would you have to have from them during the holidays? Please. I had like zero help on anything when I applied from a boarding school.

Hi Andover mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours are available through the holidays and even responded to an email on Xmas day.

The head of the SFS college counseling office sent out an email reminding all seniors and their parents that the office would be closed through early January.

What on earth would you have to have from them during the holidays? Please. I had like zero help on anything when I applied from a boarding school.

Hi Andover mom

Not Andover.

And even if changed, do you think the majority of admits to top schools have access to their counselor on 12/25? Absurd. Time to grow up and prep for the actual college experience rather than just admission.

[Anonymous]

One should have had their contingency in place by early December in the event that the EA/ED options didn't pan out. Having a guidance office closed over the winter break just doesn't seem like that big a deal.

[Anonymous]

Maybe not a huge deal for some kids but clearly not a best practice either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SFS college counseling office is a mere three-legged stool, and one of the legs has been broken for a while. Now the whole stool is unstable.

for an SFS parent of an underclassman, what does this mean? please enlighten us.

Ask your child or ask a junior or senior.

Not helpful bc nobody tells you anything.

The weak leg as OP put it is leaving at the end of the year. Too late for this year’s seniors but at least it will happen. It would not be surprising at all if there are other changes in staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SFS college counseling office is a mere three-legged stool, and one of the legs has been broken for a while. Now the whole stool is unstable.

for an SFS parent of an underclassman, what does this mean? please enlighten us.

Ask your child or ask a junior or senior.

Not helpful bc nobody tells you anything.

The weak leg as OP put it is leaving at the end of the year. Too late for this year’s seniors but at least it will happen. It would not be surprising at all if there are other changes in staff.

The office director reportedly is leaving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SFS college counseling office is a mere three-legged stool, and one of the legs has been broken for a while. Now the whole stool is unstable.

for an SFS parent of an underclassman, what does this mean? please enlighten us.

Ask your child or ask a junior or senior.

Not helpful bc nobody tells you anything.

The weak leg as OP put it is leaving at the end of the year. Too late for this year’s seniors but at least it will happen. It would not be surprising at all if there are other changes in staff.

The office director reportedly is leaving.

Thought he was pretty good.....is this true?

[Anonymous]

Apart from the Ivies, which top colleges are seeing more than 2 students landing there via ED?