Sidwell college advisor leaves

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are trying to say it obliquely yet others continue to suggest the problem is just parents with unrealistic demands. So to be direct: One of the college counseling staff turned out to be incompetent at his job, and the director insisted on keeping him on long after the problem was obvious to students, parents and other school staff.

That brings up more questions. Why was he keeping him in the job? Given the salary, did he think it will be hard to attract anyone else to replace him? Also, are the parents expectation aligned with the reality? If a kid is not fit/prepared for certain school then no matter how hard the counselors push he/she won't be accepted, I can understand after spending so much why some parents will be unwilling to hear that.

I don't think that is the issue. According to what some wrote earlier in the thread, the counselor in question sent recommendations that had grammatical errors etc. which obviously provides little confidence to the admissions staff reading it. I think most people understand that colleges are more selective today than 15 or 30 years ago and not everyone is groomed for Harvard.

And to be fair to the departing director, increased college selectivity across the board means that Sidwell just plain needs more (and more experienced/more expensive) college counseling staff to advise seniors and work increasingly on outreach to the junior class (because the process starts so early). Having 42 advisees per counselor (one of whom is also director) is just not an acceptable level of support at SFS. Does the school expect that parents should just go out and hire expensive private counselors as well?v Many do that already, but others can't afford that on top of Sidwell tuition, and a private counselor can't supplant the school counselor for recommendations, etc. SFS has to commit more resources to the college counseling office, period.

Agree 100%

[Anonymous]

Exactly, at the least improve the ratio. Most of us have realistic expectations of the collegiate admissions landscape and understand that the value of the SFS education is not in getting into school X but having the skills to succeed anywhere. But at least let us know that the counseling office is appropriately resourced.

[Anonymous]

And it would be nice to see BG give a damn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are the top 25% of your class you will get decent counseling from the school Jr and Sr year, as well the top athletes with OK grades.
Everyone else will get the small SLAC (esp boys), U of Vermont, and Elon pitch.

As a Sidwell parent with a not-top-of-the-class kid this gives me chills

This should not give you chills. If so, you’re delusional. If your child is not near the top of the class, the Sidwell name alone is not going to get your child into a TOP school. Sidwell will get your child into a mid level school that he/she is probably still not qualified for. So that’s what you’re paying for. The chance to get into a mid level SLAC or U Vermont etc. because your average kid coming from your local public might be lucky to get into Towson.

Sorry, I was not clear. I'm in no way delusional. The part that I find relatively upsetting is the implication that if you're not in the top 25% of class, you won't get decent counseling from the school. Did I misunderstand that? Believe me, I know my kid's limitations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two college counselors are leaving, the director and a more junior counselor.

Maybe they are starting their own practice with the director college counselor leaving from our school. Parents are brutal and entitled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two college counselors are leaving, the director and a more junior counselor.

Maybe they are starting their own practice with the director college counselor leaving from our school. Parents are brutal and entitled.

No, if you read the thread, you would know where each is going. What you suggest isn't happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two college counselors are leaving, the director and a more junior counselor.

Maybe they are starting their own practice with the director college counselor leaving from our school. Parents are brutal and entitled.

[Anonymous]

Patrick came to sidwell from prep. He’s going to Gonzaga.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was anyone surprised that Obama's daughter got z-listed with her Harvard application?
What was her hook, besides being a legacy and presidents daughter

That’s not just a hook, that’s a Captain Hook!

But she didn't get in right away, had to take a gap year.
Most likely her SAT scores were not spectacular[/quote

You are very ignorant and you make false assumptions based on what? President’s daughter, legacy, oh better yet, is it because she is black and it’s assuming she could not possibly score high on her test? Well you are wrong, both Malia and Sasha are very smart. They have very intelligent parents who earned their seats at prestigious schools. They girls have had the best education. Now about acceptance to Harvard, you get in or you don’t. Gap is a choice. This is what your hour assuming “low SAT” score Malia did: Summer 2016 - using her proficiency in Spanish she completed a Summer Internship at the US Embassy in Spain. Fall 2016 she traveled to South American where she joined “Where there be dragons”3month gap program in Bolivia, covering topics such as environmental conservation and social reform. Spring 2017 she interned on HBO’s Girls. The first two activities, she had to apply and know in advance. Some teens are more thoughtful in what they would like to do and with Malia being on the younger side with July birthday and the upcoming Presidential election her gap year seems appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was anyone surprised that Obama's daughter got z-listed with her Harvard application?
What was her hook, besides being a legacy and presidents daughter

That’s not just a hook, that’s a Captain Hook!

But she didn't get in right away, had to take a gap year.
Most likely her SAT scores were not spectacular[/quote

You are very ignorant and you make false assumptions based on what? President’s daughter, legacy, oh better yet, is it because she is black and it’s assuming she could not possibly score high on her test? Well you are wrong, both Malia and Sasha are very smart. They have very intelligent parents who earned their seats at prestigious schools. They girls have had the best education. Now about acceptance to Harvard, you get in or you don’t. Gap is a choice. This is what your hour assuming “low SAT” score Malia did: Summer 2016 - using her proficiency in Spanish she completed a Summer Internship at the US Embassy in Spain. Fall 2016 she traveled to South American where she joined “Where there be dragons”3month gap program in Bolivia, covering topics such as environmental conservation and social reform. Spring 2017 she interned on HBO’s Girls. The first two activities, she had to apply and know in advance. Some teens are more thoughtful in what they would like to do and with Malia being on the younger side with July birthday and the upcoming Presidential election her gap year seems appropriate.

This thread isn’t about the Obamas, so let’s give the flackery a rest also.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell and all the other DC private school parents who have enough to send their kid to private school, expensive test prep, paying for psychologists to grant their kid more time but short on funds to donate a wing, acceptance into top colleges and ED will decrease. If the scandal didn’t highlight one big problem, I don’t know what else did. Wealthy families have a big advantage over middle class and lower. Colleges are know this and while they need the deep pockets for donations, many of the colleges with huge endowments are focusing on first generation and lower income students. Large endowed colleges may require less full freight students than the huge applicant pool each year. The private school counselors know this and working at these schools full of privileged families expecting Harvard, Yale etc. is demanding.

If your kid doesn’t have a hook, they may need to focus on less popular but great schools and lighten up on your school’s counselor.

[Anonymous]

The general feeling about the departing counselors among many seniors and their parents seems to be “don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are trying to say it obliquely yet others continue to suggest the problem is just parents with unrealistic demands. So to be direct: One of the college counseling staff turned out to be incompetent at his job, and the director insisted on keeping him on long after the problem was obvious to students, parents and other school staff.

That brings up more questions. Why was he keeping him in the job? Given the salary, did he think it will be hard to attract anyone else to replace him? Also, are the parents expectation aligned with the reality? If a kid is not fit/prepared for certain school then no matter how hard the counselors push he/she won't be accepted, I can understand after spending so much why some parents will be unwilling to hear that.

I don't think that is the issue. According to what some wrote earlier in the thread, the counselor in question sent recommendations that had grammatical errors etc. which obviously provides little confidence to the admissions staff reading it. I think most people understand that colleges are more selective today than 15 or 30 years ago and not everyone is groomed for Harvard.

Well, in this generation not everyone cares that much about classist and racist Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The general feeling about the departing counselors among many seniors and their parents seems to be “don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”

And you know because...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell and all the other DC private school parents who have enough to send their kid to private school, expensive test prep, paying for psychologists to grant their kid more time but short on funds to donate a wing, acceptance into top colleges and ED will decrease. If the scandal didn’t highlight one big problem, I don’t know what else did. Wealthy families have a big advantage over middle class and lower. Colleges are know this and while they need the deep pockets for donations, many of the colleges with huge endowments are focusing on first generation and lower income students. Large endowed colleges may require less full freight students than the huge applicant pool each year. The private school counselors know this and working at these schools full of privileged families expecting Harvard, Yale etc. is demanding.

If your kid doesn’t have a hook, they may need to focus on less popular but great schools and lighten up on your school’s counselor.

Most Sidwell parents are not uber-wealthy and most Sidwell students take the SAT in the regular time like everyone else. There are obviously about 20 students in each class who go one to play one sport or another in college, there are obviously some legacy applicants, but most are just regular people applying to regular schools.