Feeling Incredibly Disappointed

[Anonymous]

We applied out of our private school for 6th grade (child was ready for a change). DC had straight As, plays sports, is involved in music and is a super nice kid. Waitlisted everywhere. Ditto for another family from our private school. No idea what the secret sauce is. Wealthy? Legacies? High profile parents? We clearly didn't have it. Crossing fingers for waitlist movement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks for all of the practical advice and viewpoints. She just returned home and we were able to chat. She is amazing. Truly, I have an amazing kid. She is handling this better than I am and in such a mature manner. She said, word for word, "there are a lot of great kids out there, I knew these schools were going to be very competitive, and I am not taking it personally. I will be fine at [public school]. It has [x, y, and z], which I am looking forward to." She definitely wants to submit a follow-up letter of interest at one of the schools and passively remain on the waitlist for the other two. I am so proud of her. We are going out to dinner shortly but thank you all for your comments on this thread. My husband has been in client meetings all day so we have not had a chance to share the news with him and I have been mulling this over alone (and with you all) for the past couple of hours!

OP, my daughters are younger, one public/one private but I hope they are as AWESOME as your daughter when they are her age. She is totally resilient and ACE-ing this approach. All we should hope for our kids is that they can handle the highs and lows of what life throws. Her story is just beginning....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, feeling dumb here, but I hadn’t heard of a first choice letter before this string. Do those carry much (any) weight after your kid’s been waitlisted?

🤷‍♀️

We did it for DC last year, along with an email from a teacher who hadn’t sent a recommendation previously about why DC was an awesome kid and an intellectual powerhouse. We had an acceptance two days later.

Did it help? No idea.

But DC is over the moon thrilled and thriving at the school so it was worth it to go all in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks for all of the practical advice and viewpoints. She just returned home and we were able to chat. She is amazing. Truly, I have an amazing kid. She is handling this better than I am and in such a mature manner. She said, word for word, "there are a lot of great kids out there, I knew these schools were going to be very competitive, and I am not taking it personally. I will be fine at [public school]. It has [x, y, and z], which I am looking forward to." She definitely wants to submit a follow-up letter of interest at one of the schools and passively remain on the waitlist for the other two. I am so proud of her. We are going out to dinner shortly but thank you all for your comments on this thread. My husband has been in client meetings all day so we have not had a chance to share the news with him and I have been mulling this over alone (and with you all) for the past couple of hours!

Well done raising a resilient kid! She will go far in life…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks for all of the practical advice and viewpoints. She just returned home and we were able to chat. She is amazing. Truly, I have an amazing kid. She is handling this better than I am and in such a mature manner. She said, word for word, "there are a lot of great kids out there, I knew these schools were going to be very competitive, and I am not taking it personally. I will be fine at [public school]. It has [x, y, and z], which I am looking forward to." She definitely wants to submit a follow-up letter of interest at one of the schools and passively remain on the waitlist for the other two. I am so proud of her. We are going out to dinner shortly but thank you all for your comments on this thread. My husband has been in client meetings all day so we have not had a chance to share the news with him and I have been mulling this over alone (and with you all) for the past couple of hours!

Good for her, and you. My DC was WL/rejected for 9th coming from a K-8 a few years ago. Only applied to a few top schools because we have a good public option. When the public option became the only option it seemed tough. But in the end it turned out to be a great choice and DC thrived in public school.

[Anonymous]

Good for your kid. Sounds like she will thrive wherever she goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same position. Older kids were waitlisted everywhere. Middle kid flat out rejected (and he is basically a genius), and our youngest was accepted. Never saw that coming.

Not surprising. It’s way easier to “buy” admissions by applying young and committing to extra 5 years of tuition

This. So many people want to take advantage of “free” public school for elementary, then switch to private in MS or HS when they think it “matters” more or that private is of sufficient “value.” This runs counter to what the schools want. It works out occasionally, but not often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks for all of the practical advice and viewpoints. She just returned home and we were able to chat. She is amazing. Truly, I have an amazing kid. She is handling this better than I am and in such a mature manner. She said, word for word, "there are a lot of great kids out there, I knew these schools were going to be very competitive, and I am not taking it personally. I will be fine at [public school]. It has [x, y, and z], which I am looking forward to." She definitely wants to submit a follow-up letter of interest at one of the schools and passively remain on the waitlist for the other two. I am so proud of her. We are going out to dinner shortly but thank you all for your comments on this thread. My husband has been in client meetings all day so we have not had a chance to share the news with him and I have been mulling this over alone (and with you all) for the past couple of hours!

She does sound great. Best of luck to you both, whether it’s at your public or in somewhere off the WL next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is she at a private K-8 now? If so, get in touch with your current school and they may be able to help. In the meantime, do something fun with your kid. Remind her that many more girls apply than there are spots, etc. If you are not at a private now, decide which she likes most and write a first choice letter ASAP.

How can they help? Our K-8 said they were going to push for DC to be accepted next round. How are they able to “push”?

[Anonymous]

This was 2nd year I applied for my son at St Albans for 7th grade entry and he is WL for the second year in a row. He was devastated because he really loved the school. Last year we were told by admissions staff that they really liked him and he was a great cabdidate his chances would be better in 7th grade entry (entry point). Is WL just a soft rejection? It certainly feels this way the second time around.

[Anonymous]

What are chances os WL movement at St Albans for 7th grade?

[Anonymous]

Turned down my our top three choices abs admitted by Maret. DH thinks this is a disaster- he’s harder to deal with than DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks for all of the practical advice and viewpoints. She just returned home and we were able to chat. She is amazing. Truly, I have an amazing kid. She is handling this better than I am and in such a mature manner. She said, word for word, "there are a lot of great kids out there, I knew these schools were going to be very competitive, and I am not taking it personally. I will be fine at [public school]. It has [x, y, and z], which I am looking forward to." She definitely wants to submit a follow-up letter of interest at one of the schools and passively remain on the waitlist for the other two. I am so proud of her. We are going out to dinner shortly but thank you all for your comments on this thread. My husband has been in client meetings all day so we have not had a chance to share the news with him and I have been mulling this over alone (and with you all) for the past couple of hours!

OP, my daughters are younger, one public/one private but I hope they are as AWESOME as your daughter when they are her age. She is totally resilient and ACE-ing this approach. All we should hope for our kids is that they can handle the highs and lows of what life throws. Her story is just beginning....

+1
Good job mom! I hope one of the waitlists moves for her, but it sounds like she’s going to shine wherever she is.

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry, OP. My child was WL everywhere, too, for a younger grade. I’m struggling with whether to just put this whole thing to bed, or do the letter and additional recommendations and drag out what is likely no chance because if they wanted my kid, they’d have offered them a slot.

To my child, I’ve offered nothing but congratulations. Congratulations to your daughter as well. May they bloom where they are planted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are chances os WL movement at St Albans for 7th grade?

The waitlist won't move.
Are you the poster who was turned down for 6th and 7th?

If you are still interested, I would schedule a time to speak with the AD and have a frank conversation about the possibility of applying again. I know kids who were admitted on the third try. Ask if the waitlists were purely a numbers games (very possible at a school like STA) or if there is anything about your
son's application that make them think he would be a better fit elsewhere. Say, "i completely understand that you can't guarantee that my son will be admitted should he apply for 9th but is your gut feeling that he will always come up just shy of admission? Frankly, would you apply him again". If they give the green light
then you can see if your son is up for it. And then spend the next 1.5 years keeping his grades up, further developing his interests, etc AND exploring other options for high school.