What did you or your child do during the admissions process to make you facepalm?

[Anonymous]

The person about to give the tour to DD came in and introduced herself. This is how that went:

Her: hi there, I’m Joan…
DD: we had a dog named Joan! She’s dead.
Me, trying to save it: for whatever it’s worth, Joan was very beloved and made friends all over the neighborhood.

Joan took it like a champ, and was just like “then I’m honored to be in such wonderful company. We have a staff member’s dog visiting today; would you like to meet her?”

DD got in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids shaved their head for a swim meet right before the interview. My younger child started off his interview by explaining that he wasn't a skinhead, and that he wanted to be really sure the admissions officer understood that because he was specifically looking for the kind of school that didn't accept skinheads. The admissions officer assured him that they didn't, and he ended up getting in, but I had to laugh. Of all the things to discuss in your interview, you picked skinheads?

Tone deaf

How?

Ignore the troll.
It is a good story. The kind of thing we don’t typically say out loud but clear your child had good intentions.

[Anonymous]

Last year, during a zoom interview for middle school, when asked about his favorite books, DS explained that he didn’t have any favorite books because he hates to read and finds books boring. Then, when asked if he prefers working alone or in groups, he replied, “Groups, definitely, because you can get the other people to do all the work.” After his interview finished, I asked him how he thought it went and he enthusiastically responded, “Great!”

Miraculously, he got in and is the Language Art teacher’s pet! She told me at the beginning of the year that it’s her personal mission to find books he enjoys and she has. He is now reading more. This is one example of why private school is worth the tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year, during a zoom interview for middle school, when asked about his favorite books, DS explained that he didn’t have any favorite books because he hates to read and finds books boring. Then, when asked if he prefers working alone or in groups, he replied, “Groups, definitely, because you can get the other people to do all the work.” After his interview finished, I asked him how he thought it went and he enthusiastically responded, “Great!”

Miraculously, he got in and is the Language Art teacher’s pet! She told me at the beginning of the year that it’s her personal mission to find books he enjoys and she has. He is now reading more. This is one example of why private school is worth the tuition.

This is funny and similar to our situation recently. DS was asked during interview where else he was applying and if he had any favorite schools. He named two schools he was most interested in, neither of which was the school he was interviewing with. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

DS told the head of admissions that he didn’t want her to worry when she never saw him again, because he was going to attend XYZ school. He added that “if she got fired,” she could go to XYZ school too.

[Anonymous]

When my DS was applying for 4th grade, he had to use the bathroom at the end of the tour. He was not used to wearing a "school uniform" bc he always wore sweatpants to public school.

He had trouble with the belt and khaki buttons/zipper and didn't quite make it to the toilet, so we left the tour somewhat abruptly. The AD followed up to make sure "everything was ok", and my husband explained what happened.

DS was admitted and learned important skills like how to use the bathroom when wearing a belt and how to tie a tie - lol!

At the preschool/elementary school levels, I honestly think it's more likely for parents to mess things up than the students.

[Anonymous]

Two last year 9th grade admissions. Both Big5 schools.

1) At one my son was asked what book he had just finished reading in English class and he had no idea. "I'm sorry, I can't remember". He got in.
2) My son was coming from public and is advanced in math (algebra 2 in 8th). The admissions person asked us how he was doing with online learning and my husband said "oh, it's been a challenge but he learns most of his math on youtube." Which was sort of true but i'm not sure telling admissions that your son is not learning much in class is ever a good thing. He did not get in.

[Anonymous]

My kid, applying for sixth grade entrance, decided to tell the interviewer that his favorite class was art and that he really enjoyed watercolors. Great answer, but completely untrue. Later I asked him why he had said that, and he told me, "Well, it's an artsy school, I figured they'd like that." It was funny / alarming because he seemed a bit young to be so smoothly Machiavellian.

He got in and is doing fine, including in his art class, which he doesn't really enjoy.

[Anonymous]

My daughter applying the Holton middle school told the admissions person that she did not like to read and preceded to watch movies.
She got in

[Anonymous]

Sorry - that she preferred to watch movies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When asked if they could have lunch with anyone living or dead responded Tonya Harding.

I am confident that admissions person had a great story to share at dinner that night. (If nothing else it was a unique response - right?)

I am sure they did! Any reason why you offered that? Or that's between you and your therapist?

[Anonymous]

I can't say what happened as it would out me to all the parents who were there at the time - confident that they remember - as well as to my friends to whom I later confessed it. That said, DC got in!

[Anonymous]

Many bad things occurred during this one particular visit during K admissions. The worst was probably DC having a temper tantrum in the parking lot before we entered, a woman offering to help followed by my quip of "I've got this," then having the woman graciously welcome us some minutes later to the group play date. Fortunately, DC had settled down by the the time we entered the building and after flashing a smile with a "hello, I'm X, nice to meet you," ran over to the book shelf, pulled one off and settled down. She gave me a knowing smile - really was gracious and much appreciated. Also penned the kindest admissions letter.

GL to everyone going through this right now!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two last year 9th grade admissions. Both Big5 schools.

1) At one my son was asked what book he had just finished reading in English class and he had no idea. "I'm sorry, I can't remember". He got in.
2) My son was coming from public and is advanced in math (algebra 2 in 8th). The admissions person asked us how he was doing with online learning and my husband said "oh, it's been a challenge but he learns most of his math on youtube." Which was sort of true but i'm not sure telling admissions that your son is not learning much in class is ever a good thing. He did not get in.

!!! on both of them.

DH, who is generally quite smooth in these settings, asked something that clearly signaled (at least to me) that this was a "safety school" during a K admissions interview. I was absolutely flabbergasted and could not think of anything to save it. Yes, DC was WLed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two last year 9th grade admissions. Both Big5 schools.

1) At one my son was asked what book he had just finished reading in English class and he had no idea. "I'm sorry, I can't remember". He got in.
2) My son was coming from public and is advanced in math (algebra 2 in 8th). The admissions person asked us how he was doing with online learning and my husband said "oh, it's been a challenge but he learns most of his math on youtube." Which was sort of true but i'm not sure telling admissions that your son is not learning much in class is ever a good thing. He did not get in.

Clearly parents are putting too much weight on the importance of the interview. It’s clearly other factors that determine admittance, dah!