What do I need to know about College Placement from Private School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is just all ridiculous, in terms of worrying about this in 9th grade. If your DD is really ready for the top track courses, and asks to take them, she will be placed in them if her record and testing justifies being there. Our experience with 2 different big 3/5 schools and college counseling was that their advice was completely spot on. Our kids were completely without hooks (i.e. girls, white, college educated parents, but not potential huge donors, not recruited athletes) and both got into Ivys (although one chose instead to go to a great small LAC). We did not have any paid college counseling. The kids drove the process themselves. A family friend is an admissions officer at Yale, and she indicated the officers could smell paid college counselor from miles away in terms of ridiculous and insincere activities, and essays clearly inspired and edited by a "professional" not in the voice of the applicant. Really, save your money, perhaps use it for SAT prep if your kid could benefit after seeing how the PSAT goes, and calm down.

I love how easy it is for you to be dismissive of the OP's concerns after having two kids accepted to ivy's yourself.

[Anonymous]

I think you may be too late too. Mine started prepping in 6th grade to do the right sports to be recruited, to do national contests and to win them, etc. She should take SAT Prep this summer and do volunteering. Get going.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD going to what is regarded as a strong local private next year in 9th Grade. Goal is Ivy League. What do I need to do/know starting now. Is the college coach type thing worth it? They charge 10-15K for one kid.

If you waited until 9th grade to groom for Ivy, you are too late.

[Anonymous]

HYPS spots from private schools tend to go to big donor legacies, URMs, athletes for a sport and position they are recruiting for THAT year, and highly connected families (e.g. a faculty member in the family, a presidential letter, a high ranking government position, CEO). Outside of that your student with top grades, high test scores and solid EC accomplishments, along with the reputation of the school, will have many great options among which are the other Ivies, Duke, Chicago, MIT, Caltech, LACs.... Your school will also have stronger connections to some colleges than others so that too will factor into the mix. Your child will essentially be competing against the others in the class and you will have no real idea of what that competition will look like so that's why it seems so random.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is just all ridiculous, in terms of worrying about this in 9th grade. If your DD is really ready for the top track courses, and asks to take them, she will be placed in them if her record and testing justifies being there. Our experience with 2 different big 3/5 schools and college counseling was that their advice was completely spot on. Our kids were completely without hooks (i.e. girls, white, college educated parents, but not potential huge donors, not recruited athletes) and both got into Ivys (although one chose instead to go to a great small LAC). We did not have any paid college counseling. The kids drove the process themselves. A family friend is an admissions officer at Yale, and she indicated the officers could smell paid college counselor from miles away in terms of ridiculous and insincere activities, and essays clearly inspired and edited by a "professional" not in the voice of the applicant. Really, save your money, perhaps use it for SAT prep if your kid could benefit after seeing how the PSAT goes, and calm down.

I love how easy it is for you to be dismissive of the OP's concerns after having two kids accepted to ivy's yourself.

Can't comment on the two Ivy's poster mentions. But do agree its absolutely ridiculous for OP to have determined "Ivy". Where in the world is the student in all of this? Does DC want Ivy (or have the DC been pressured into it)? Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your goal is Ivy (and I agree with others that I want to know if it's HER goal as well), then if you aren't in the categories which PP so excellently laid out above, then she has a better chance of getting in by NOT going to the elite school, and by being the top student at some obscure podunk tiny public HS in the middle of nowhere.

(Run-on sentience on purpose, because I love these Ivy conversations & I amuse myself

Yep. Move to Alaska.

[Anonymous]

I agree with everyone that poster is wrong headed about her daughter's education. But since she asked, I can tell you that our unhooked daughter got into a top ivy: a 3.8 or 3.9 from Sidwell or NCS, almost perfect SATS, won national recognition in her passion. Otherwise look elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I agree with everyone that poster is wrong headed about her daughter's education. But since she asked, I can tell you that our unhooked daughter got into a top ivy: a 3.8 or 3.9 from Sidwell or NCS, almost perfect SATS, won national recognition in her passion. Otherwise look elsewhere.

Unhooked, but won was nationally recognized in her passion? That makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I agree with everyone that poster is wrong headed about her daughter's education. But since she asked, I can tell you that our unhooked daughter got into a top ivy: a 3.8 or 3.9 from Sidwell or NCS, almost perfect SATS, won national recognition in her passion. Otherwise look elsewhere.

Once again I have to state that anyone who uses the term "top ivy" does not have a child in one of those schools.

[Anonymous]

HYP is what it's all about for some of the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD going to what is regarded as a strong local private next year in 9th Grade. Goal is Ivy League. What do I need to do/know starting now. Is the college coach type thing worth it? They charge 10-15K for one kid.

Why?

Be specific.

Not OP, but I'm going to presume it's because she would like for her child to attend one of the best colleges in the country. Is that so terrible?

Ivy League schools are among the best schools in the country. They are not necessarily the best. And they are definitely not the best choice for every student, no matter how qualified s/he may be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD going to what is regarded as a strong local private next year in 9th Grade. Goal is Ivy League. What do I need to do/know starting now. Is the college coach type thing worth it? They charge 10-15K for one kid.

Your goal or her goal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD going to what is regarded as a strong local private next year in 9th Grade. Goal is Ivy League. What do I need to do/know starting now. Is the college coach type thing worth it? They charge 10-15K for one kid.

Your goal or her goal?

Her's. We visited Harvard when in Boston a few years ago and she loved it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD going to what is regarded as a strong local private next year in 9th Grade. Goal is Ivy League. What do I need to do/know starting now. Is the college coach type thing worth it? They charge 10-15K for one kid.

Your goal or her goal?

Her's. We visited Harvard when in Boston a few years ago and she loved it.

Hopefully you told her about the other 30,000 plus who will also apply to Harvard and also coming a from a "strong local private". Let us know how it goes.

[Anonymous]

So she decided on a college when she was in 6th or 7th grade? There is no doubt about Ivy league schools being great schools, but she should look at other colleges to be sure of what she wants. This is really early to make a decision like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We visited Harvard when in Boston a few years ago and she loved it.

I made the same mistake with my child, making Princeton the first stop on our college tour. After that, he thought his college search was over. You have to tell kids that every college application is a raffle tickets, and some applications are lottery tickets. You can choose a group to apply to, but you can't choose which one you'll go to until you have your acceptances in hand.