How difficult is it to get into St. Albans for 6th or 7th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're both fantastic schools but St Anselm's is a much, much easier admit.
My son was did not get into STA for 6th. We called St Anselm's in April of that year and they said they would be happy to have him. They arranged 1:1 admissions testing the following weekend. We have two family friends who had a similar experience in other years (which is why we thought to call St Anselm's)

He ended up going elsewhere due to the commute but but we loved the school.

St Anselm's is an easier admit if your son is good enough—they'll take him, if he scores well, interviews well and seems a good fit. But if your kid doesn't fit the bill, there's no strings to pull, checks to write, etc. Your son was probably exceptionally well-qualified and that's why he had a smooth process—and there are a lot of kids at St. Alban's who wouldn't, because they wouldn't cut it.

St. Alban's is much more likely to accept a candidate for family, sports or money. The process is much more complicated and at the end, works out well... but there's different standards at work.

While true, this generally sways admissions only if the boy is also qualified academically.

The teachers couldn’t care less if the boys are connected. Grades are issued based on merit. Many of those admitted for $$, family connections, and sports don’t do well and end up at mediocre colleges unless the families are wealthy enough to have donated a building somewhere.

Most teachers care less, but wrong that admin doesn't pay attention to this, or that "connected" boys are also fine academically. There are socially connected families who paid (steeply) to get a son who performed less well on the admissions testing in.

Not saying that connected monied families don’t get their kids in ahead of others more qualified. They are fine academically once admitted with tutoring. B & C grades. Anything below an C average and they would be put on academic probation. The teachers don’t adjust grading for connected kids.

As a former STA admissions officer once quipped, “Somebody has to be the C student.”