Are big 3 applications down?

[Anonymous]

Anyone get any information from admissions offices at these schools? At my school, there is a rumor that requests for applications are down.

[Anonymous]

Given that you can find almost everything (inlcuding applications) online for most of the schools, I doubt that this little fact means anything.

[Anonymous]

I imagine that people will still apply despite the economy, even if finances later dictate that they don't accept the offers of admission.

[Anonymous]

I would guess that since applications are not due for several months, there is no data available for such a question.

[Anonymous]

Our 8th grader's advisor recommended that she look at Maret and Georgetown Day. We may not even apply due to the economy.

[Anonymous]

Even if the economy recovers, the kids that go public because of the down turn may never come back to private schools for various reasons. In the years to follow this mess, these schools could be looking at low enrollment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I imagine that people will still apply despite the economy, even if finances later dictate that they don't accept the offers of admission.

I doubt families who won't be able to afford it will be offered admission unless you were part of intended ethnic/racial or economic diversity pool. Maret is rumored to have no one refuse them these last few years. I bet they will do their best to continue this tradition. If they had to go to their wait list they would have to reevaluate their entire applicant pool because they wait list everyone.

http://www.maret.org/support_maret/annual_fund/index.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I imagine that people will still apply despite the economy, even if finances later dictate that they don't accept the offers of admission.

I doubt families who won't be able to afford it will be offered admission unless you were part of intended ethnic/racial or economic diversity pool. Maret is rumored to have no one refuse them these last few years. I bet they will do their best to continue this tradition. If they had to go to their wait list they would have to reevaluate their entire applicant pool because they wait list everyone.

http://www.maret.org/support_maret/annual_fund/index.aspx

Not sure what you meant by "I doubt families who won't be able to afford it will be offered admission unless you were part of intended ethnic/racial or economic diversity pool". I meant that families who typically (in a sound economy) could afford the tuition will probably still apply to schools now, and decide later (after admission letters are sent) whether they are willing or still able to afford the tuition. We are applying. But if the 401k continues to tank, if the bonus isn't decent, if the raise is non-existent (you get the picture) we may not accept any offers of admission we get.

[Anonymous]

I refused Maret last year and I know three other families who did the same. It is a myth.

[Anonymous]

My neighbor's kid turned down Maret a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Really, for which grade(s)? Certainly not K?

[Anonymous]

For 6th grade.

[Anonymous]

They only started taking applications for 6th this year.

[Anonymous]

You're right; it was GDS, not Maret, that she turned down.

[Anonymous]

I meant that families who typically (in a sound economy) could afford the tuition will probably still apply to schools now, and decide later (after admission letters are sent) whether they are willing or still able to afford the tuition. We are applying. But if the 401k continues to tank, if the bonus isn't decent, if the raise is non-existent (you get the picture) we may not accept any offers of admission we get.

New poster here, this totally describes our situation as well.

The additional pieces we are considering are the possibility (probability?) that this economic situation will continue for a few years. I know we could come up with $25K for a year or so, but $100K and more is going to be damn difficult for this middle class family if the economic situation persists, as I think it will.

Also, I honestly worry about DH losing his legal job at some point. He has been in-house at various companies in the last 15 years, and in that time many of his colleagues have been laid off, bought out, merged out, etc etc.

And, the economic situation is really spanking the retired / near-retired crowd too. If we were ever in a very serious $ situation, say surprise medical expenses, I would not be embarrassed to go to our parents and ask for help. But I don't feel like I could, or should, do this for tuition help when the parents' monthly fixed income (and assets) are being pummeled.

So these are some more issues we will be considering come mid-March.