First Choice Letter

[Anonymous]

^^ Sorry, meant "in good conscience." Typing too fast...

[Anonymous]

Last year we waited until we saw that our first choice had waitlisted our DD. Then we submitted a letter indicating they were our first choice if they could admit her before the contract binding date for our next choice school. DD did not get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year we waited until we saw that our first choice had waitlisted our DD. Then we submitted a letter indicating they were our first choice if they could admit her before the contract binding date for our next choice school. DD did not get in.

You can never be certain but perhaps the letter should have been sent to the first choice at the time you submitted the application so the school would know on the front end it was your first choice and not on the back end. Plus, you communicated to them, at least it sounds from your post, that the time frame for the decision for the second choice was coming due so you wanted them to know they were your first choice? That may have had a ring of desperation and did not have the effect you were intending. I hope all worked out in the end, PP, as it always does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year we waited until we saw that our first choice had waitlisted our DD. Then we submitted a letter indicating they were our first choice if they could admit her before the contract binding date for our next choice school. DD did not get in.

The selective schools (the ones that are often mentioned on this forum) are pretty much everyone's "first choice". I really don't think the first choice letter would have tipped the scale one way or another.

First choice letter absolutely won't hurt; go for it. But to think not sending one in resulted in DC WL or not get accepted.....I don't think so.

[pbraverman]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year we waited until we saw that our first choice had waitlisted our DD. Then we submitted a letter indicating they were our first choice if they could admit her before the contract binding date for our next choice school. DD did not get in.

The selective schools (the ones that are often mentioned on this forum) are pretty much everyone's "first choice". I really don't think the first choice letter would have tipped the scale one way or another.

First choice letter absolutely won't hurt; go for it. But to think not sending one in resulted in DC WL or not get accepted.....I don't think so.

I would disagree that the selective schools are "everybody's first choice" — there are families who have opted not to run on that wheel, which, like all things, has advantages and drawbacks. I am not suggesting this of the PP, but seeing school as the "end game" is an approach that I think does not serve children (or families) well.

As for the first-choice letter, it's easy to make too much of any one aspect of the entire application process — especially those aspects within our control! It's a bit of a paradox: Every one of the dozen or so parts of the application process counts, but no school expects perfection. Even among the most selective schools, there are only a handful of applicants who are at the top of every parameter that matters to an admission office.

Peter

[Anonymous]

Having been through the process more than once, I think it is useful if you have a first choice to let the school know. If you are finishing at a K-8 school, they essentially do this for you in that they ask you to rank your choices and will let a school know that it is your first choice. If you are not in that situation, I think it can be very helpful to send a note letting the school know. At the margins it is helpful to a school to know this. Even for very popular schools, there is no school that is everyone's first choice. So when we applied to NCS, Sidwell, GDS and Burke we let NCS know that it was our DC's first choice. She got in. Got WL at Sidwell and GDS. It's possible that the distribution is just random, but I suspect the first choice letter was a factor (and that if she had listed GDS as first and told them she might have gotten into GDS but not NCS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - hit send too quickly.

DC is applying to 9th grade. Our applications have been to the Big 3 and a couple of others that are usually included in the Big 5. We are new to the area and just heard about the "First Choice" letter. Is it really common for people to send such letters to the school of choice? And more importantly, do people think it actually makes a difference to the decision? We always thought that SFS would be our top choice if DC got in but DC really enjoyed the shadow day at one of the Cathedral schools (NCS/STA) so now we're not so sure whether we really have a top choice. But at the same time if these letters do make a difference in acceptance then we will have a family discussion and agree on a first choice school to which we can then send a letter. Please Help!!!!

First Choice letters are important for NCS.. When we applied and after our interview our daughter was told if NCS is your top choice please let them know.

We are new at this. In terms of communication method / protocol, is sending a "first choice" e-mail sufficient, or is this to be a hand-written letter? By prospective applicant/student? Or do the parents send?

[pbraverman]

Anonymous wrote:We are new at this. In terms of communication method / protocol, is sending a "first choice" e-mail sufficient, or is this to be a hand-written letter? By prospective applicant/student? Or do the parents send?

Don't overthink it; it's not likely to make a very big difference, and the form of the letter is not very important as long as it's to the point. You can copy and paste if you'd like. No charge for this service.

Dear Wendy,

Thank you very much for the time you and the staff spent with Rosepetal last week. We have discussed Cathedral as a family, and it is very much our first choice. If Rosie is offered a spot, we intend to accept it. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks again.

Sincerely,
Murgatroyd

P.S. Peter did not write this note for us, but he sends his regards — it's been too long! — and hope the year begins well for you.

If financial aid might affect your decision, say that. ("...we intend to accept it, assuming sufficient financial aid is available.") Except for the parts that are obviously silly, yes, that's all there is to it. Oh, yeah, and if you do send something like that, don't renege.

Peter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - hit send too quickly.

DC is applying to 9th grade. Our applications have been to the Big 3 and a couple of others that are usually included in the Big 5. We are new to the area and just heard about the "First Choice" letter. Is it really common for people to send such letters to the school of choice? And more importantly, do people think it actually makes a difference to the decision? We always thought that SFS would be our top choice if DC got in but DC really enjoyed the shadow day at one of the Cathedral schools (NCS/STA) so now we're not so sure whether we really have a top choice. But at the same time if these letters do make a difference in acceptance then we will have a family discussion and agree on a first choice school to which we can then send a letter. Please Help!!!!

First Choice letters are important for NCS.. When we applied and after our interview our daughter was told if NCS is your top choice please let them know.

We are new at this. In terms of communication method / protocol, is sending a "first choice" e-mail sufficient, or is this to be a hand-written letter? By prospective applicant/student? Or do the parents send?

I would not put this kind of communication in an email. It should be handwritten or typed and mailed. Students are generally required to submit an essay which could include a paragraph on why the school is first choice. The parents can send a separate communication, which is what we did. Our children (twins) were admitted but no way of knowing if the letter had an impact. I tend to think it may have shown a level of commitment but I believe the applicants' qualifications and unique qualities would weigh more and if they are a stretch, then not sure a first choice letter would matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - hit send too quickly.

DC is applying to 9th grade. Our applications have been to the Big 3 and a couple of others that are usually included in the Big 5. We are new to the area and just heard about the "First Choice" letter. Is it really common for people to send such letters to the school of choice? And more importantly, do people think it actually makes a difference to the decision? We always thought that SFS would be our top choice if DC got in but DC really enjoyed the shadow day at one of the Cathedral schools (NCS/STA) so now we're not so sure whether we really have a top choice. But at the same time if these letters do make a difference in acceptance then we will have a family discussion and agree on a first choice school to which we can then send a letter. Please Help!!!!

First Choice letters are important for NCS.. When we applied and after our interview our daughter was told if NCS is your top choice please let them know.

We are new at this. In terms of communication method / protocol, is sending a "first choice" e-mail sufficient, or is this to be a hand-written letter? By prospective applicant/student? Or do the parents send?

What age is your DC? Mine was rising 6th and wrote her own note of thanks and indicating that she loved the school. She got in. At that age I would also write as a parent. But I didn't to this school. For high school it should definitely be the child doing it.

[pbraverman]

Anonymous wrote:
What age is your DC? Mine was rising 6th and wrote her own note of thanks and indicating that she loved the school. She got in. At that age I would also write as a parent. But I didn't to this school. For high school it should definitely be the child doing it.

Respectfully, as a school administrator I would not assume anything about a first-choice declaration unless it came from a parent. The school's contract is made with adults; it is the adults whose word on these topics would carry weight with the admission directors I know. I have seen too many parent/child disagreements to think a child's word is nearly as reliable as a parent's — on this topic.

Again, don't overthink it. If it's your family's first choice, just say so succinctly and move on to the next task. I think it's fine (even nice) for a high-schooler to write a note, but I don't think that carries any real weight on its own.

Peter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - hit send too quickly.

DC is applying to 9th grade. Our applications have been to the Big 3 and a couple of others that are usually included in the Big 5. We are new to the area and just heard about the "First Choice" letter. Is it really common for people to send such letters to the school of choice? And more importantly, do people think it actually makes a difference to the decision? We always thought that SFS would be our top choice if DC got in but DC really enjoyed the shadow day at one of the Cathedral schools (NCS/STA) so now we're not so sure whether we really have a top choice. But at the same time if these letters do make a difference in acceptance then we will have a family discussion and agree on a first choice school to which we can then send a letter. Please Help!!!!

First Choice letters are important for NCS.. When we applied and after our interview our daughter was told if NCS is your top choice please let them know.

We are new at this. In terms of communication method / protocol, is sending a "first choice" e-mail sufficient, or is this to be a hand-written letter? By prospective applicant/student? Or do the parents send?

I would not put this kind of communication in an email. It should be handwritten or typed and mailed. Students are generally required to submit an essay which could include a paragraph on why the school is first choice. The parents can send a separate communication, which is what we did. Our children (twins) were admitted but no way of knowing if the letter had an impact. I tend to think it may have shown a level of commitment but I believe the applicants' qualifications and unique qualities would weigh more and if they are a stretch, then not sure a first choice letter would matter.

Agreed. I would not (and did not) send a first choice letter via email. I wrote a thoughtful letter, printed it on resume paper and mailed it. Perhaps it was a tad overkill but I wanted something that could easily be put in DC's file (and didn't have to be printed out). I think that a emailed letter underscores your intent and that you take the decision seriously.

[Anonymous]

^* a mailed letter

[Anonymous]

So basically it's something you mention in the follow-up/thank you note I assume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So basically it's something you mention in the follow-up/thank you note I assume.

No, not in my case. Immediately after our tour we hadn't decided that it was our first choice, so we sent a typical thank you note. We sent a first choice letter after a couple of weeks (when we were 100% certain we'd accept if admitted).