do private high schools manage who applies where

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that guiding partly because they have a broader view of the class as a whole so they can be realistic with each student? Is there a way to say that the student is welcome to apply but within the HS there are a lot of kids applying to the same place and based on this student’s profile they may want to reconsider?

Exactly. It's actually not a big conspiracy to only support the wealthiest kids. I've had 3 kids go through this at a top private.
College guidance knows the whole picture and knows that if your unhooked kid is applying at the same time as 2 legacy kids with strong grades then your kid's chance of admission is very slim. They don't want to see your kid waste their ED and then be disgruntled later on when they only have safety options. I have seen this happen time and time again. Kids waste their ED on a moon shot and then fall way down. But parents at these schools don't like this. Frankly they are used to being to get their way in life.

I don’t think legacy gives much boost nowadays. They got rejected or deferred all the time. Donors? Yes. School counselor should not give preferential support to legacy.

At top private schools it's often multi-generational legacies who have served on parent committees, given money for decades, etc. It's not your generic legacies. It's people who have lived and breathed the Ivy in their professional lives and family lineage.
The "regular" legacy kids don't do as well.
Even legacy has it's hierarchy.

No. Unless the donation over the decades is substantial, not going to move the needle much. Serving on parent committee helps. But this is very different from being on the board.

You're incorrect. These kids get in like clockwork from our school every year.

Sure, Jane.

I don't know why you are arguing this. If you have a kid at a private and there are 5 hooked Princeton applicants BY ALL MEANS, have your kid apply. I didn't have a hooked kid so mine didn't when the field was crowded like this. Most kids wouldn't. The kids figure it out themselves. They self-sort to the open spots.

If that isn't your thing, cool. Shoot your shot. Take on the 4th generation legacies with the top stats and the recruited athletes. Maybe they'll bump the kid off the roster to take your unhooked kid into a non-roster spot. Those of us who have kids at these private schools are just saying that it doesn't generally work out.

It’s not true. I know many multi-generation (if that’s a thing) legacy turned down at ivies. Without significant donation, it doesn’t do magic. Sorry.

Sometimes it’s the multiple institutional priorities at work at least at our private. So the multigenerational or multi-member legacy, the private feeder school, the undersubscribed major, and talent or uncommon ability in something desirable at the school/filling new “community” priority.

Check.
Check.
Check.

Look at that visual that someone posted from the Hoffman counselor guy. That visual shows all of the initials for the hooks. A kid like this would probably have three initials.
Check.

The feeder private school wouldn’t be listed - but when the numbers shake out, they also have more admits than make statistical sense. Ever see that Harvard visual of the feeder schools? It’s shocking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that guiding partly because they have a broader view of the class as a whole so they can be realistic with each student? Is there a way to say that the student is welcome to apply but within the HS there are a lot of kids applying to the same place and based on this student’s profile they may want to reconsider?

Exactly. It's actually not a big conspiracy to only support the wealthiest kids. I've had 3 kids go through this at a top private.
College guidance knows the whole picture and knows that if your unhooked kid is applying at the same time as 2 legacy kids with strong grades then your kid's chance of admission is very slim. They don't want to see your kid waste their ED and then be disgruntled later on when they only have safety options. I have seen this happen time and time again. Kids waste their ED on a moon shot and then fall way down. But parents at these schools don't like this. Frankly they are used to being to get their way in life.

I don’t think legacy gives much boost nowadays. They got rejected or deferred all the time. Donors? Yes. School counselor should not give preferential support to legacy.

At top private schools it's often multi-generational legacies who have served on parent committees, given money for decades, etc. It's not your generic legacies. It's people who have lived and breathed the Ivy in their professional lives and family lineage.
The "regular" legacy kids don't do as well.
Even legacy has it's hierarchy.

No. Unless the donation over the decades is substantial, not going to move the needle much. Serving on parent committee helps. But this is very different from being on the board.

You're incorrect. These kids get in like clockwork from our school every year.

Sure, Jane.

I don't know why you are arguing this. If you have a kid at a private and there are 5 hooked Princeton applicants BY ALL MEANS, have your kid apply. I didn't have a hooked kid so mine didn't when the field was crowded like this. Most kids wouldn't. The kids figure it out themselves. They self-sort to the open spots.

If that isn't your thing, cool. Shoot your shot. Take on the 4th generation legacies with the top stats and the recruited athletes. Maybe they'll bump the kid off the roster to take your unhooked kid into a non-roster spot. Those of us who have kids at these private schools are just saying that it doesn't generally work out.

It’s not true. I know many multi-generation (if that’s a thing) legacy turned down at ivies. Without significant donation, it doesn’t do magic. Sorry.

Sometimes it’s the multiple institutional priorities at work at least at our private. So the multigenerational or multi-member legacy, the private feeder school, the undersubscribed major, and talent or uncommon ability in something desirable at the school/filling new “community” priority.

Check.
Check.
Check.

Look at that visual that someone posted from the Hoffman counselor guy. That visual shows all of the initials for the hooks. A kid like this would probably have three initials.
Check.

The feeder private school wouldn’t be listed - but when the numbers shake out, they also have more admits than make statistical sense. Ever see that Harvard visual of the feeder schools? It’s shocking.

I can tell you if the kid gets in some where, 99% of it has nothing to do with multigen legacy. The other things you described are not institutional priorities. They can be spikes.

[Anonymous]

My kid goes to one of those feeders. They do limit apps. They don't sort, but the kids def sort themselves. They're savvy to how this works and most unhooked kids will try to find a lane that is free. If the other top debate kid with the better GPA is applying to Princeton, they'll ED to Duke. They all want a name, but they're pretty flexible about what name. To a point.

The school does broker the scholarship nominations like the Robertson and Jefferson. They'll nominate the kid who will actually go to UVA on a full ride over Yale. We never have someone who gets one of those and then doesn't go.

[Anonymous]

This happens in public and private schools, if they don't tell who applies where, they manipulate it with teacher, counselor or principal recommendation letters.

[Anonymous]

Also coaches put their weight for some and not for others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid goes to one of those feeders. They do limit apps. They don't sort, but the kids def sort themselves. They're savvy to how this works and most unhooked kids will try to find a lane that is free. If the other top debate kid with the better GPA is applying to Princeton, they'll ED to Duke. They all want a name, but they're pretty flexible about what name. To a point.

The school does broker the scholarship nominations like the Robertson and Jefferson. They'll nominate the kid who will actually go to UVA on a full ride over Yale. We never have someone who gets one of those and then doesn't go.

Our DC private does't and every f-ing year they give the nomination to some kid who is the child of 2 law partners with a 7 figure college fund. And the kid always ends up paying cash for a top20 (plus donations on the side) instead. So all scholarships turned down in 15+ yrs from this school. Meanwhile other top kids would have killed for the chance at the money.

[Anonymous]

That's maddening. They should def broker those nominations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that guiding partly because they have a broader view of the class as a whole so they can be realistic with each student? Is there a way to say that the student is welcome to apply but within the HS there are a lot of kids applying to the same place and based on this student’s profile they may want to reconsider?

Exactly. It's actually not a big conspiracy to only support the wealthiest kids. I've had 3 kids go through this at a top private.
College guidance knows the whole picture and knows that if your unhooked kid is applying at the same time as 2 legacy kids with strong grades then your kid's chance of admission is very slim. They don't want to see your kid waste their ED and then be disgruntled later on when they only have safety options. I have seen this happen time and time again. Kids waste their ED on a moon shot and then fall way down. But parents at these schools don't like this. Frankly they are used to being to get their way in life.

I don’t think legacy gives much boost nowadays. They got rejected or deferred all the time. Donors? Yes. School counselor should not give preferential support to legacy.

At top private schools it's often multi-generational legacies who have served on parent committees, given money for decades, etc. It's not your generic legacies. It's people who have lived and breathed the Ivy in their professional lives and family lineage.
The "regular" legacy kids don't do as well.
Even legacy has it's hierarchy.

No. Unless the donation over the decades is substantial, not going to move the needle much. Serving on parent committee helps. But this is very different from being on the board.

You're incorrect. These kids get in like clockwork from our school every year.

Sure, Jane.

I don't know why you are arguing this. If you have a kid at a private and there are 5 hooked Princeton applicants BY ALL MEANS, have your kid apply. I didn't have a hooked kid so mine didn't when the field was crowded like this. Most kids wouldn't. The kids figure it out themselves. They self-sort to the open spots.

If that isn't your thing, cool. Shoot your shot. Take on the 4th generation legacies with the top stats and the recruited athletes. Maybe they'll bump the kid off the roster to take your unhooked kid into a non-roster spot. Those of us who have kids at these private schools are just saying that it doesn't generally work out.

It’s not true. I know many multi-generation (if that’s a thing) legacy turned down at ivies. Without significant donation, it doesn’t do magic. Sorry.

Sometimes it’s the multiple institutional priorities at work at least at our private. So the multigenerational or multi-member legacy, the private feeder school, the undersubscribed major, and talent or uncommon ability in something desirable at the school/filling new “community” priority.

Check.
Check.
Check.

Look at that visual that someone posted from the Hoffman counselor guy. That visual shows all of the initials for the hooks. A kid like this would probably have three initials.
Check.

The feeder private school wouldn’t be listed - but when the numbers shake out, they also have more admits than make statistical sense. Ever see that Harvard visual of the feeder schools? It’s shocking.

I can tell you if the kid gets in some where, 99% of it has nothing to do with multigen legacy. The other things you described are not institutional priorities. They can be spikes.

According to this IEC, they are "institutional priorities" - I choose to believe them.
https://ingeniusprep.com/blog/athlete-legacy-admissions-advantage/

What Are Institutional Priorities?
Institutional priorities are the strategic goals that shape how universities make decisions—about programs, faculty hiring, budgets, and yes, admissions. These priorities reflect a school’s mission, financial health, demographics, and long-term vision.

They’re not static. A school that prioritized increasing international enrollment five years ago might now be investing in mental health infrastructure, expanding sustainability initiatives, or pivoting toward tech fields in response to market demand.

Some common institutional priorities include:

Academic excellence, especially in targeted disciplines
Diversity across race, geography, and socioeconomic background
Financial stability, often tied to full-pay enrollment goals
First-generation access, to serve social mobility and equity goals
Special talents—athletics, arts, leadership in service
Legacy admissions and development connections
Geographic diversification, particularly for rural or underrepresented states
Mission-driven initiatives, such as wellness, sustainability, or civic engagement
You may never see these listed in an official admissions guide—but they matter deeply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that guiding partly because they have a broader view of the class as a whole so they can be realistic with each student? Is there a way to say that the student is welcome to apply but within the HS there are a lot of kids applying to the same place and based on this student’s profile they may want to reconsider?

Exactly. It's actually not a big conspiracy to only support the wealthiest kids. I've had 3 kids go through this at a top private.
College guidance knows the whole picture and knows that if your unhooked kid is applying at the same time as 2 legacy kids with strong grades then your kid's chance of admission is very slim. They don't want to see your kid waste their ED and then be disgruntled later on when they only have safety options. I have seen this happen time and time again. Kids waste their ED on a moon shot and then fall way down. But parents at these schools don't like this. Frankly they are used to being to get their way in life.

I don’t think legacy gives much boost nowadays. They got rejected or deferred all the time. Donors? Yes. School counselor should not give preferential support to legacy.

At top private schools it's often multi-generational legacies who have served on parent committees, given money for decades, etc. It's not your generic legacies. It's people who have lived and breathed the Ivy in their professional lives and family lineage.
The "regular" legacy kids don't do as well.
Even legacy has it's hierarchy.

No. Unless the donation over the decades is substantial, not going to move the needle much. Serving on parent committee helps. But this is very different from being on the board.

You're incorrect. These kids get in like clockwork from our school every year.

Sure, Jane.

I don't know why you are arguing this. If you have a kid at a private and there are 5 hooked Princeton applicants BY ALL MEANS, have your kid apply. I didn't have a hooked kid so mine didn't when the field was crowded like this. Most kids wouldn't. The kids figure it out themselves. They self-sort to the open spots.

If that isn't your thing, cool. Shoot your shot. Take on the 4th generation legacies with the top stats and the recruited athletes. Maybe they'll bump the kid off the roster to take your unhooked kid into a non-roster spot. Those of us who have kids at these private schools are just saying that it doesn't generally work out.

It’s not true. I know many multi-generation (if that’s a thing) legacy turned down at ivies. Without significant donation, it doesn’t do magic. Sorry.

Sometimes it’s the multiple institutional priorities at work at least at our private. So the multigenerational or multi-member legacy, the private feeder school, the undersubscribed major, and talent or uncommon ability in something desirable at the school/filling new “community” priority.

Check.
Check.
Check.

Look at that visual that someone posted from the Hoffman counselor guy. That visual shows all of the initials for the hooks. A kid like this would probably have three initials.
Check.

The feeder private school wouldn’t be listed - but when the numbers shake out, they also have more admits than make statistical sense. Ever see that Harvard visual of the feeder schools? It’s shocking.

I can tell you if the kid gets in some where, 99% of it has nothing to do with multigen legacy. The other things you described are not institutional priorities. They can be spikes.

This is a good video that explains how you are wrong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFND5IytF3E