Submitting a First Choice Letter - Worthwhile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During a parent interview very, very late in the game, and AD flat-out asked us School X was our first choice or not. She also asked if DC would attend if accepted.

Right, but not all interviews occur very, very late in the process. Some parents have their interviews before the holidays. I suspect most ADs would not flat out ask if School X was a first choice until they had a better sense of the applicant pool. Yes, there are probably a few kids out there that a school would want in any situation, but I suspect that most schools do not fit that bill.

[Anonymous]

Ooops, I meant kids, not schools, fit that bill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can't write a letter to a school before you've been through the process. They will see it as insincere and simply a ploy to get in. It will work against you.

I also think it is presumptive to state this unless you know they are very interested in your child. And you absolutely cannot tell every school that they are your first choice - we've heard of families burned by doing this, in part because schools talk to each other.

When our top choice indicated that they like our child alot, we then let them know that we would immediately accept their offer, which we did.

OP: this is the right answer. Definitely don't tell each school they are number one--ADs do talk... Also, I don't think a direct first choice letter is necessary--you can be more oblique--talk about fit for child/family/ love X about school, and so forth. I think that non-Big 3s may be more tuned into first choice sentiments since that way they know they are not throwing away an admit on a kid that will get into and go to a Big 3 (For example, if someone is a great candidate/applicant for GDS, but also applies to Sheridan and tells Sheridan they will go there, that may help. But I am not sure (with no evidence one way or the other) that telling a Big 3 that they are your top choice necessarily helps--since they have such a deep pool of applicants with the same sentiments.

My sense is that it can be refreshing to AD's in this process if you minimize the BS (hard I know in this ridiculous process), and be yourselves.

[Anonymous]

Right on, 9:44. GDS told us we were one of the few families who did not come in and plead our case for admitting our child. We came curious and discussed how our child would fit in re specific aspects of the school. Left it at that - child got in. Admissions people admitted that almost everyone comes across as insistent and pleading, which is a turnoff. They found it refreshing that were exploring and more concerned about the right fit than getting the acceptance. We were told we stood out from the pack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right on, 9:44. GDS told us we were one of the few families who did not come in and plead our case for admitting our child. We came curious and discussed how our child would fit in re specific aspects of the school. Left it at that - child got in. Admissions people admitted that almost everyone comes across as insistent and pleading, which is a turnoff. They found it refreshing that were exploring and more concerned about the right fit than getting the acceptance. We were told we stood out from the pack.

Depends on the situation. We're a double-Sidwell-alum couple and had to be fairly insistent that even though we also were applying to Sidwell, the non-Big 3 school were DC is now (and thriving!) really was our first choice. I don't think they truly believed us until DC actually showed up for class.

[Anonymous]

10:10, we had reverse experience @ GDS. Like most of life, it comes down to each individual situation.

FWIW, I don't think pleading comes across well to anyone, regardless of school calibre. There are probably some pleading first-choice letters as well as ones which are compelling + may (re)capture an AD's attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right on, 9:44. GDS told us we were one of the few families who did not come in and plead our case for admitting our child. We came curious and discussed how our child would fit in re specific aspects of the school. Left it at that - child got in. Admissions people admitted that almost everyone comes across as insistent and pleading, which is a turnoff. They found it refreshing that were exploring and more concerned about the right fit than getting the acceptance. We were told we stood out from the pack.

Depends on the situation. We're a double-Sidwell-alum couple and had to be fairly insistent that even though we also were applying to Sidwell, the non-Big 3 school were DC is now (and thriving!) really was our first choice. I don't think they truly believed us until DC actually showed up for class.

Have your parents and in-laws disowned you yet?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During a parent interview very, very late in the game, and AD flat-out asked us School X was our first choice or not. She also asked if DC would attend if accepted.

I had that "will s/he accept" question for kids at several schools. We don't have money or connections but did get phone calls from a few AD's about the kids. A school that one child attends did not call but wrote a handwritten message on the standard thank-you for touring letter. AD's want to get the process done as efficiently and expeditiously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:During a parent interview very, very late in the game, and AD flat-out asked us School X was our first choice or not. She also asked if DC would attend if accepted.

I had that "will s/he accept" question for kids at several schools. We don't have money or connections but did get phone calls from a few AD's about the kids. A school that one child attends did not call but wrote a handwritten message on the standard thank-you for touring letter. AD's want to get the process done as efficiently and expeditiously.

And I don't see how a cogent letter indicating that the school is your first choice is inefficient.

[Anonymous]

I think a "first-choice" letter coming from the student applicant is much more sincere and believable than a "lobbying" letter from a potential parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a "first-choice" letter coming from the student applicant is much more sincere and believable than a "lobbying" letter from a potential parent.

I'll get my PreK kid to break out his crayons right now....