Does calling admissions help with acceptance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Non-thank you note writing PP here. Why would I thank them? It seem pretentious to thank them. I think we have very different views on education/role of private schools.

Np here. (kid had 3 accepts 2 yrs ago). They're selling you something. Why would you show gratitude to an entity that is hoping to sell you a product?

When you tour Equinox, LA fitness and Sport and Health, because you want to find a good gym for you, do you hand write a letterhot the membership manager thanking for his time after he gives you a tour and after your 1hr complimentary workout (playdate)? Would it occur to you at all to wax on about how you could "really see yourself there" and how Equinox seems like such a great fit?

Private school is the same business model but with more limited membership. And that's the crux --competition. Not manners. Writing letters to school is about competing. So do write if you think it means you're more likely to win, but stop insulting everyone by claiming you're more "polite" and demonstrating good manners by writing.

Wrong analysis. The selling model you use is inapt to school applications. School interviews are analogous to college interviews and job interviews: good form is to write a thank-you note after an interview.

[Anonymous]

Oh really. If the school isn't selling you something then why are you paying them $34,855 each year? To be sweet?



(colleges are also selling something, hence the bill)

Switching your argument from "it's polite" to "it's good form" doesn't strengthen your case. It's never required manners to thank someone for trying to sell you products, whether the product is a year at Beauvoir, a year at Washington Sports Club or a Cutco knife.

[Anonymous]

Funny, I was the one who said "send a thank you note" in my list of what to do.
seriously, it just refers to keeping your name in front of admin directors, not that your're so grateful you bend over backwards!!! (nothing more nauseating than an open house, to me, but my TY notes went out and we were accepted to all 7 schools we applied to last year...and no, it's not always about the kiddos...as with small pre-K kids there is no way to tell how they will do--)
Read between the lines, folks...
This time of year is Insane for parents...breathe...
I hated going through this in the past couple of years, and now wonder whether we should've done the public school route...this DC Public schools dance is INSANE

[Anonymous]

I meant "DC PRIVATE SCHOOL DANCE IS INSANE!!"

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who serves on an admissions committee of a competitive school that's talked about on these boards all the time. The one and only piece of advice she gave me for going through this process is to write a thank you letter after our interview. In a sea of otherwise similar applications (great WPPSI scores, playdate, teacher rec), when you have one file with a thank you letter, it stands out and will almost always come out ahead of the other similar applications w/o a letter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who serves on an admissions committee of a competitive school that's talked about on these boards all the time. The one and only piece of advice she gave me for going through this process is to write a thank you letter after our interview. In a sea of otherwise similar applications (great WPPSI scores, playdate, teacher rec), when you have one file with a thank you letter, it stands out and will almost always come out ahead of the other similar applications w/o a letter.

Was your DC accepted (at schools other than where your friend is in the admissions committee) or are you currently applying?

[Anonymous]

There's no arguing what's known to the most successful people: always write a thank-you note after every interview (private school, college, internship, job, etc.). I always write a thank-you, and so do my children. My children and I have gotten into every school to which we have ever applied, and I mean HYP. . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who serves on an admissions committee of a competitive school that's talked about on these boards all the time. The one and only piece of advice she gave me for going through this process is to write a thank you letter after our interview. In a sea of otherwise similar applications (great WPPSI scores, playdate, teacher rec), when you have one file with a thank you letter, it stands out and will almost always come out ahead of the other similar applications w/o a letter.

Was your DC accepted (at schools other than where your friend is in the admissions committee) or are you currently applying?

We're currently applying. And we didn't apply to the school where my friend is on the committee because we're applying to K and it doesn't start until a later grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's no arguing what's known to the most successful people: always write a thank-you note after every interview (private school, college, internship, job, etc.). I always write a thank-you, and so do my children. My children and I have gotten into every school to which we have ever applied, and I mean HYP. . . .

My dc have gotten in everywhere too. I/we. did not write a thank you note to any.

[Anonymous]

The point is, it doesn't matter. If your friend is at a school for older kids, ie 3rd and up, the kid is writing the thank you note.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no arguing what's known to the most successful people: always write a thank-you note after every interview (private school, college, internship, job, etc.). I always write a thank-you, and so do my children. My children and I have gotten into every school to which we have ever applied, and I mean HYP. . . .

My dc have gotten in everywhere too. I/we. did not write a thank you note to any.

Maybe you got in but you won't be one of the most successful people if you never write thank-you notes.

[Anonymous]

This comes back to good manners again. Those who write them are not going to convince them who don't that they should. Stop trying and be grateful. Your DC may get their spot.

[Anonymous]

We didn't write any thank you notes and my son was accepted to GDS, Sheridan and Sidwell and waitlisted at Maret and rejected at Beauvoir. This was 2 years ago.

I do write thank you notes for every gift, vacation house freebie, dinner party and random unexpected nicety that comes my way. Like when my neighbor picked me up at the Sibley ER last year as a favor. I force my kids to write thank you notes for gifts although, I am sad to say, they hate it and complain all the way.

I will urge DC to write TYs to a college recruiter who spends time interviewing them, really talking to them, etc.

I make no apologies for not "thanking" the admissions staff for hosting a cattle call tour, playdate and Q and A session known as an "open house."

Your DC didn't get my DC's spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn't write any thank you notes and my son was accepted to GDS, Sheridan and Sidwell and waitlisted at Maret and rejected at Beauvoir. This was 2 years ago.

I do write thank you notes for every gift, vacation house freebie, dinner party and random unexpected nicety that comes my way. Like when my neighbor picked me up at the Sibley ER last year as a favor. I force my kids to write thank you notes for gifts although, I am sad to say, they hate it and complain all the way.

I will urge DC to write TYs to a college recruiter who spends time interviewing them, really talking to them, etc.

I make no apologies for not "thanking" the admissions staff for hosting a cattle call tour, playdate and Q and A session known as an "open house."

Your DC didn't get my DC's spot.


Lol. Like!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's no arguing what's known to the most successful people: always write a thank-you note after every interview (private school, college, internship, job, etc.). I always write a thank-you, and so do my children. My children and I have gotten into every school to which we have ever applied, and I mean HYP. . . .

They say that George H.W. Bush got to be president by 30 years of writing thank you notes to every county chairman, state agriculture commissioner and cabinet member who ever did something nice for him.