Sidwell college guidance office

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would add that kids are applying to many more schools. With the common application this is easier now.

I remember about 5 (?) years ago the college counsellor at NCS angered many parents by only allowing certain kids to apply to certain schools. She had the power to tell girls she would not advocate for them if they disobeyed her.

I need an education as my kids are still in lower school. How can a college counselor dictate what colleges your child can apply to? I understand advising but dictating? Yes, if you have a C average you might be discouraged from MIT but I would think you could still apply if you pay the appkication fee. Insight please.

Check out the "Anyone Disappointed with College Placement?" thread for some takes on this.

[Anonymous]

30 years ago, I was a 'B' student in private school. Not a strong 'B' or a weak 'B'. My college counselor told me and my mother in order to get into the top college of my dreams, it would be best to go to the junior college (that's what they were called back in the day) for a year, then try and reapply.

Darlin' mom said bull$%#&, and we applied to the college of my dreams which was a reach even back then. Didn't get in BUT did get into it's academic competitor.

Parents should definitely get seriously involved in the college placement. If my mother handn't been such a warrior queen, things might have been different. I learned from that experience and am a serious proponent of parental involvement in the placement process.

Miss you, warrior queen!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago, I was a 'B' student in private school. Not a strong 'B' or a weak 'B'. My college counselor told me and my mother in order to get into the top college of my dreams, it would be best to go to the junior college (that's what they were called back in the day) for a year, then try and reapply.

Darlin' mom said bull$%#&, and we applied to the college of my dreams which was a reach even back then. Didn't get in BUT did get into it's academic competitor.

Parents should definitely get seriously involved in the college placement. If my mother handn't been such a warrior queen, things might have been different. I learned from that experience and am a serious proponent of parental involvement in the placement process.

Miss you, warrior queen!

PP here. Sorry for the typos and should be its not it's (that's for those who want to flame on the grammar )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have researched many colleges since DC was a freshman basing on DC's interests at the time. DC is a rising junior and interests have changed but some academic interests have gotten stronger. We have eliminated some colleges, some on the back burner, some a second look, etc.

My point being that we started early, and I am an active participant in helping DC find colleges that are a good fit. No way would I put her future fully in the hands of the college counselor, no matter how competent. We might even consider outside placement professionals but that remains to be seen. Ultimately, the choice is DC's but every student should get the benefit of their parent(s) experience who attended college and know the bumps and bruises along the way.

You sound way, way over involved. Researching since she was a freshman? Thats just unhealthy.

Plus we all went to college at a different time. Hence the unrealistic parental expectations referred to. I suspect if you left it completely up to your DC it would work out just right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago, I was a 'B' student in private school. Not a strong 'B' or a weak 'B'. My college counselor told me and my mother in order to get into the top college of my dreams, it would be best to go to the junior college (that's what they were called back in the day) for a year, then try and reapply.

Darlin' mom said bull$%#&, and we applied to the college of my dreams which was a reach even back then. Didn't get in BUT did get into it's academic competitor.

Parents should definitely get seriously involved in the college placement. If my mother handn't been such a warrior queen, things might have been different. I learned from that experience and am a serious proponent of parental involvement in the placement process.

Miss you, warrior queen!

All hail the warrior queen! Your mom was a wise woman, PP, and she kicked butt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In our experience Sidwell did not refuse to "support" any reasonable candidate for a school they wanted to apply to early. Yale often seems to be the school of choice (vs Harvard or Princeton) and in my DDs class 10-12 kids applied there EA, all were strong candidates, about 6-7 got in (some with hooks but most without) the rest got deferred or maybe one reject. 3-4 also later got into Harvard regular admit and all chose Yale.
Anyway, Sidwell college counseling was not perfect, but the advice we received was generally spot-on and the process, if followed and carried through by the kid (not the parent) does result in a reasonable array of safeties, reaches and mid-range schools. The people leaving were competent but not inspiring, the one remaining counselor and teacher was actually very good. They do limit the number of places to be applied to (8-9?) but I believe so do many of the other independent schools. They say to take some of the stress off the kids in terms of all the supplemental essays, make them be thoughtful about it, and also not flood schools with so many applicants from their school that no one can be all that effectively advocated for.

The staff member who is staying also falls in the competent, but uninspired category -- and can be vengeful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have researched many colleges since DC was a freshman basing on DC's interests at the time. DC is a rising junior and interests have changed but some academic interests have gotten stronger. We have eliminated some colleges, some on the back burner, some a second look, etc.

My point being that we started early, and I am an active participant in helping DC find colleges that are a good fit. No way would I put her future fully in the hands of the college counselor, no matter how competent. We might even consider outside placement professionals but that remains to be seen. Ultimately, the choice is DC's but every student should get the benefit of their parent(s) experience who attended college and know the bumps and bruises along the way.

You sound way, way over involved. Researching since she was a freshman? Thats just unhealthy.

Plus we all went to college at a different time. Hence the unrealistic parental expectations referred to. I suspect if you left it completely up to your DC it would work out just right.

I am the poster, and you haven't a clue what is entailed in our research and involvement. While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I would opine that your crystal ball is seriously cracked as you attempt to surmise what has occurred in our journey along the way and who we are.

Our research since she was a freshman does not involve the intensity that the latter part of junior year and senior year would involved. I would never tell my child not to research if that is what they want regardless when they want to start. And I damn well will be there and help in any way I can. If you consider that unhealthy, that is your problem and not mine.

Feel free to allow your child the journey on their own. I will suggest that you should reserve unwarranted opinions and not read between lines until you have all the facts or at least ask before you make accusations of 'unrealistic parental expectations'.

[Anonymous]

A friend sent this information from USC to me a year ago. According to 14:24, it sounds like USC has it all wrong and looks like USC agrees with 14:42.

http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/prepare/prepare_grade.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend sent this information from USC to me a year ago. According to 14:24, it sounds like USC has it all wrong and looks like USC agrees with 14:42.

http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/prepare/prepare_grade.html

Every single school should print this out or at least copy and email to every parent starting in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have researched many colleges since DC was a freshman basing on DC's interests at the time. DC is a rising junior and interests have changed but some academic interests have gotten stronger. We have eliminated some colleges, some on the back burner, some a second look, etc.

My point being that we started early, and I am an active participant in helping DC find colleges that are a good fit. No way would I put her future fully in the hands of the college counselor, no matter how competent. We might even consider outside placement professionals but that remains to be seen. Ultimately, the choice is DC's but every student should get the benefit of their parent(s) experience who attended college and know the bumps and bruises along the way.

You sound way, way over involved. Researching since she was a freshman? Thats just unhealthy.

Plus we all went to college at a different time. Hence the unrealistic parental expectations referred to. I suspect if you left it completely up to your DC it would work out just right.

I am the poster, and you haven't a clue what is entailed in our research and involvement. While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I would opine that your crystal ball is seriously cracked as you attempt to surmise what has occurred in our journey along the way and who we are.

Our research since she was a freshman does not involve the intensity that the latter part of junior year and senior year would involved. I would never tell my child not to research if that is what they want regardless when they want to start. And I damn well will be there and help in any way I can. If you consider that unhealthy, that is your problem and not mine.

Feel free to allow your child the journey on their own. I will suggest that you should reserve unwarranted opinions and not read between lines until you have all the facts or at least ask before you make accusations of 'unrealistic parental expectations'.

PP here -- my DC did start researching in 9th grade and it wasn't healthy. I don't want to identify us by going into details. Suffice it to say that the focus on college can really skew the high school experience. I don't know how we could have put the breaks on, but I wish we had.

[Anonymous]

The USC page is nuts. Crossing that off DC's list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have researched many colleges since DC was a freshman basing on DC's interests at the time. DC is a rising junior and interests have changed but some academic interests have gotten stronger. We have eliminated some colleges, some on the back burner, some a second look, etc.

My point being that we started early, and I am an active participant in helping DC find colleges that are a good fit. No way would I put her future fully in the hands of the college counselor, no matter how competent. We might even consider outside placement professionals but that remains to be seen. Ultimately, the choice is DC's but every student should get the benefit of their parent(s) experience who attended college and know the bumps and bruises along the way.

You sound way, way over involved. Researching since she was a freshman? Thats just unhealthy.

Plus we all went to college at a different time. Hence the unrealistic parental expectations referred to. I suspect if you left it completely up to your DC it would work out just right.

I am the poster, and you haven't a clue what is entailed in our research and involvement. While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I would opine that your crystal ball is seriously cracked as you attempt to surmise what has occurred in our journey along the way and who we are.

Our research since she was a freshman does not involve the intensity that the latter part of junior year and senior year would involved. I would never tell my child not to research if that is what they want regardless when they want to start. And I damn well will be there and help in any way I can. If you consider that unhealthy, that is your problem and not mine.

Feel free to allow your child the journey on their own. I will suggest that you should reserve unwarranted opinions and not read between lines until you have all the facts or at least ask before you make accusations of 'unrealistic parental expectations'.

PP here -- my DC did start researching in 9th grade and it wasn't healthy. I don't want to identify us by going into details. Suffice it to say that the focus on college can really skew the high school experience. I don't know how we could have put the breaks on, but I wish we had.

What didn't work for your child does not mean that it might not be the way to go for others. Putting everyone in the same category as yours is just not logical. You don't say what type of research your 9th grader did so it would be wrong for anyone to assume it may have been inappropriate and accuse you of unhealthy parenting. I looked at the USC suggestions, and I didn't see anything there that I wouldn't do. But that doesn't mean it's right for everyone nor does it mean USC's recommendations are unhealthy.

[Anonymous]

PP here....it all depends on the child. What works for one just might not work for the another. That is where parenting comes in. Nobody knows your child like you do!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The USC page is nuts. Crossing that off DC's list.

Other than getting all A grades, I'm respectfully curious what you found nutty about the list? When we applied to boarding school for 9th grade, I thought it was so intensive. The list is similar to BS expectations.

[Anonymous]

I couldn't get past the advice to 8th graders to study college websites.

That is just nutty.