College Counseling at Sidwell - One Year Later

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure what you expect the role is with respect to "advocacy" but they are not there to hound their colleagues into taking your kids

I agree that it's an unnecessary waste of time for counselors to be advocating for students who are clearly unqualified for admission somewhere. But what if the applicant is on the admit/WL borderline? If some extra advocacy could put things over the top, shouldn't the school be doing what they can within the bounds of professionalism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure what you expect the role is with respect to "advocacy" but they are not there to hound their colleagues into taking your kids

I agree that it's an unnecessary waste of time for counselors to be advocating for students who are clearly unqualified for admission somewhere. But what if the applicant is on the admit/WL borderline? If some extra advocacy could put things over the top, shouldn't the school be doing what they can within the bounds of professionalism?

Of course. Is there anything that tells you this hasn't or won't happen?

[Anonymous]

There seem to be some folks who think that schools and their counseling staffs shouldn't be doing any advocacy apart from what goes in recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There seem to be some folks who think that schools and their counseling staffs shouldn't be doing any advocacy apart from what goes in recommendations.

Do you think Admissions Officers want to hear from thousands of college guidance counselors hounding them on behalf of their kids?

[Anonymous]

You've loaded the question by using the word "hounding," and I think it's entirely appropriate for guidance counselors to advocate on behalf of a small subset of applicants who may need an extra bump to get over the line.

[Anonymous]

The path can only be plowed so far. At some point, the student has to stand on their own merit.

[Anonymous]

Squeaky wheel gets the grease in this world.

If colleges are choosing among 100 qualified applicants (who made it through all the initial cuts standing on their own merit) for the last 10 spots, how will they do so? At this point, any help could make the difference and I don't begrudge schools for trying to make that last push for those who warrant it.

[Anonymous]

As a private school parent these expectations are all very strange to me. You don’t want “counseling,” you want placement/results. Lots of people are going to regret spending so much on school if this is their attitude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Squeaky wheel gets the grease in this world.

If colleges are choosing among 100 qualified applicants (who made it through all the initial cuts standing on their own merit) for the last 10 spots, how will they do so? At this point, any help could make the difference and I don't begrudge schools for trying to make that last push for those who warrant it.

But they aren't going to fill the spot because someone they met once at a professional conference two years ago is calling them on behalf of their student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Squeaky wheel gets the grease in this world.

If colleges are choosing among 100 qualified applicants (who made it through all the initial cuts standing on their own merit) for the last 10 spots, how will they do so? At this point, any help could make the difference and I don't begrudge schools for trying to make that last push for those who warrant it.

But they aren't going to fill the spot because someone they met once at a professional conference two years ago is calling them on behalf of their student.

You mean the moneyed wheel gets the grease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Squeaky wheel gets the grease in this world.

If colleges are choosing among 100 qualified applicants (who made it through all the initial cuts standing on their own merit) for the last 10 spots, how will they do so? At this point, any help could make the difference and I don't begrudge schools for trying to make that last push for those who warrant it.

But they aren't going to fill the spot because someone they met once at a professional conference two years ago is calling them on behalf of their student.

So, please tell me, how do they choose among 100 equally qualified applicants for 10 spots?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Squeaky wheel gets the grease in this world.

If colleges are choosing among 100 qualified applicants (who made it through all the initial cuts standing on their own merit) for the last 10 spots, how will they do so? At this point, any help could make the difference and I don't begrudge schools for trying to make that last push for those who warrant it.

But they aren't going to fill the spot because someone they met once at a professional conference two years ago is calling them on behalf of their student.

of course they are. When the counselor says "this kid is a great fit and has done well in a rigorous academic environment", it makes a difference.
You need credibility though, and not sell every kid to every school. If you do it right, the colleges will listen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Squeaky wheel gets the grease in this world.

If colleges are choosing among 100 qualified applicants (who made it through all the initial cuts standing on their own merit) for the last 10 spots, how will they do so? At this point, any help could make the difference and I don't begrudge schools for trying to make that last push for those who warrant it.

But they aren't going to fill the spot because someone they met once at a professional conference two years ago is calling them on behalf of their student.

of course they are. When the counselor says "this kid is a great fit and has done well in a rigorous academic environment", it makes a difference.
You need credibility though, and not sell every kid to every school. If you do it right, the colleges will listen.

So what if one counselor has two candidates with equal (equal enough) qualifications, how does the counselor proceed? Lobby for both? Neither?

[Anonymous]

Even if these two candidates are equal enough, my guess is that they have different strengths and weaknesses. I'd think that the counselor would highlight their respective strengths, and leave it to the admissions office to determine which student's specific strengths helped round out the admitted class better.

At the end of the day, colleges are looking for classes that one the whole contain a diverse range of talents and strengths. Which unfortunately is completely out of the hands of those applying (and the schools advocating on their behalf). Hence the pure luck element that some consistently refuse to accept as a huge factor in the end result for borderline applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Squeaky wheel gets the grease in this world.

If colleges are choosing among 100 qualified applicants (who made it through all the initial cuts standing on their own merit) for the last 10 spots, how will they do so? At this point, any help could make the difference and I don't begrudge schools for trying to make that last push for those who warrant it.

But they aren't going to fill the spot because someone they met once at a professional conference two years ago is calling them on behalf of their student.

of course they are. When the counselor says "this kid is a great fit and has done well in a rigorous academic environment", it makes a difference.
You need credibility though, and not sell every kid to every school. If you do it right, the colleges will listen.

But since this is a Sidwell thread, presumably, the applicant is from Sidwell. It is highly likely that the AD will know of Sidwell and the rigor of the high school and will have read the profile sent by the Guidance counselor. Ergo, said counselor then advocating is reiterating what is in the document and record from the applicant.