Potomac Admissions Visit

[Anonymous]

Visited Potomac with my DH and DC for potential 9th grade entry. Among the group were 5 kids. There was one very sporty child who played multiple sports who the admissions person spent all their time asking questions of, completely ignoring the other potential applicants. Is this indicative of the Potomac culture? Is it heavily geared towards athletes?

[Anonymous]

Yes, most schools like sports.

[Anonymous]

Yup, this is what we experienced. Admissions visit in a group with one child that was obviously know to the Admissions team, who got all the attention. We barely got a glance at the end of the visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Visited Potomac with my DH and DC for potential 9th grade entry. Among the group were 5 kids. There was one very sporty child who played multiple sports who the admissions person spent all their time asking questions of, completely ignoring the other potential applicants. Is this indicative of the Potomac culture? Is it heavily geared towards athletes?

+1 We had the same experience and ended up caring very little about being admitted to this school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Visited Potomac with my DH and DC for potential 9th grade entry. Among the group were 5 kids. There was one very sporty child who played multiple sports who the admissions person spent all their time asking questions of, completely ignoring the other potential applicants. Is this indicative of the Potomac culture? Is it heavily geared towards athletes?

Yes, Potomac is moving towards the Bullis model - not full on Bullis, but in that direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Visited Potomac with my DH and DC for potential 9th grade entry. Among the group were 5 kids. There was one very sporty child who played multiple sports who the admissions person spent all their time asking questions of, completely ignoring the other potential applicants. Is this indicative of the Potomac culture? Is it heavily geared towards athletes?

Yes. The current head of school was a longtime football coach at a powerhouse school. Potomac is placing a great deal of emphasis on sports now -- what you saw is one small byproduct.

[Anonymous]

I have students in the high school. It is not just sports. It is more how can a strong academic student contribute to the overall school be it sports, theater, etc. They are looking for strong academic types that will excel in other areas. If you think about it, that person will end up doing well in the college application process.

Make no mistake, it is not at the expense of academics. But when two candidates are nearly equal, it will make a difference. Potomac will get 3 academically qualified applicants for every slot so who should they take? Just like the college admissions process. The school is definitely moving in the right direction with the new Headmaster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have students in the high school. It is not just sports. It is more how can a strong academic student contribute to the overall school be it sports, theater, etc. They are looking for strong academic types that will excel in other areas. If you think about it, that person will end up doing well in the college application process.

Make no mistake, it is not at the expense of academics. But when two candidates are nearly equal, it will make a difference. Potomac will get 3 academically qualified applicants for every slot so who should they take? Just like the college admissions process. The school is definitely moving in the right direction with the new Headmaster.

Sounds like a good direction, but its a shame that the Admissions team seems to be ignoring non-athletes (or those who don't talk up their sports prowess) in the admissions process. It's a huge turnoff, and as a result, my DC (excellent grades, talented artist, great runner but modest) is no longer excited about the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have students in the high school. It is not just sports. It is more how can a strong academic student contribute to the overall school be it sports, theater, etc. They are looking for strong academic types that will excel in other areas. If you think about it, that person will end up doing well in the college application process.

Make no mistake, it is not at the expense of academics. But when two candidates are nearly equal, it will make a difference. Potomac will get 3 academically qualified applicants for every slot so who should they take? Just like the college admissions process. The school is definitely moving in the right direction with the new Headmaster.

They ain't falling all over the flute players . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have students in the high school. It is not just sports. It is more how can a strong academic student contribute to the overall school be it sports, theater, etc. They are looking for strong academic types that will excel in other areas. If you think about it, that person will end up doing well in the college application process.

Make no mistake, it is not at the expense of academics. But when two candidates are nearly equal, it will make a difference. Potomac will get 3 academically qualified applicants for every slot so who should they take? Just like the college admissions process. The school is definitely moving in the right direction with the new Headmaster.

They ain't falling all over the flute players . . .

Potomac has a very strong debate team and a very strong theater program. If the essay spoke to the flute prowess and being high recognized in that field, it should help with admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have students in the high school. It is not just sports. It is more how can a strong academic student contribute to the overall school be it sports, theater, etc. They are looking for strong academic types that will excel in other areas. If you think about it, that person will end up doing well in the college application process.

Make no mistake, it is not at the expense of academics. But when two candidates are nearly equal, it will make a difference. Potomac will get 3 academically qualified applicants for every slot so who should they take? Just like the college admissions process. The school is definitely moving in the right direction with the new Headmaster.

They ain't falling all over the flute players . . .

Potomac has a very strong debate team and a very strong theater program. If the essay spoke to the flute prowess and being high recognized in that field, it should help with admissions.

+1 They just hired a guy named Harry Strong who is the preeminent debate coach in the country. The guy has probably coached more national champions in speech than Coach K at Duke.

[Anonymous]

All great re: debate and theater, but if your Admissions team doesn't try to get this information our of applicants during tours but focuses on sports prowess, that's a missed opportunity.

[Anonymous]

That is fantastic news!! Its wellpast time that these elite private schools look for more than just top IQs and kids who are purely intellectual with no other side to them. Kids who excel at academics AND athletics are the best students IMHO. They are healthier in mind and body. They are typically more organized, the best at coordinating and working with others, and the most collegial. Plus, as a PP mentions, they are what colleges want - kids who are super smart but can also hold their own in other areas and arent one-dimensional. Sprinkle in some musical talent, acting talent and mecfhanical telent and you have a more robust and interesting student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have students in the high school. It is not just sports. It is more how can a strong academic student contribute to the overall school be it sports, theater, etc. They are looking for strong academic types that will excel in other areas. If you think about it, that person will end up doing well in the college application process.

Make no mistake, it is not at the expense of academics. But when two candidates are nearly equal, it will make a difference. Potomac will get 3 academically qualified applicants for every slot so who should they take? Just like the college admissions process. The school is definitely moving in the right direction with the new Headmaster.

They ain't falling all over the flute players . . .

Potomac has a very strong debate team and a very strong theater program. If the essay spoke to the flute prowess and being high recognized in that field, it should help with admissions.

Please just own this. Potomac isn't alone in using sports prowess to market/build community, and it's absolutely happening. Nobody is reporting that their flautist or debater is being given the full court press in admissions. Potomac isn't doing anything wrong but the change of emphasis is real and is reflected in staffing as well (finding full-time positions for major coaching additions over the past few years) as admissions.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

That's fine that Potomac is looking for the best in a multitude of areas and the more power to them as it does create a more vibrant student body. That is not the impression you get, though, if you are not connected to the area or community and go for an admissions tour. The thing is, the visit completely turned off my child. We are coming from out of state and those impressions matter. My child was not asking to be handheld or courted - just some courtesy. Anyway, maybe the shadow day will make a difference.