calling schools who've rejected your application

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if schools in this area are willing to talk to parents whose kids' applications are rejected and explain why? Can you expect the admissions people to be honest about this? And lastly, is it ok to call right away or should one wait a while?

[Anonymous]

Wait a while.

[Anonymous]

For what reason?

[Anonymous]

Geesh. Is this the same poster asking how people will celebebrate?

Answer: because the admissions office is busy wooing the families they accepted and the alum/sibling families they rejected. They are not concerned about giving you a response. Wait at least a month before calling but before the end of the school year. After April 1, when all contracts are due is a good time.

Good luck and chill out.

[Anonymous]

23:52 again. Don't expect to hear anything revealing like your child was a monster on the play visit or her WPPSI scores were too low. They will say "well, we had an unusually high number of siblings applicants this year
and/or "we had an unusually strong applicant pool this year" [the subtext being but your child wasn't one of them]. You won't hear anything informative or relieving.

If you get waitlisted, they will say the same things but that they like you and that's why they waitlisted you, not rejected you but we won't know anything but we'll call you if anything comes up [READ: DON'T KEEP CALLING US.]

Peace.

[Anonymous]

Actually, I believe that more than one school welcomes calls from parents whose kids were rejected. WIS actually offers to set up phone appointments with the director of admissions. WHen my child was rejected there, the director explained at length what the reasoning was and encouraged us to apply again the following year (we did not). It gave me significant insight and I'm glad I made the call.

I don't think WIS is the only school that does it.

[Anonymous]

I know several schools that supposedly welcome calls.

[Anonymous]

O.06 reply is perfect that is exactly what schools say. I know we were waitlisted at one of the schools discussed on this board and we were told that response on more than one occassion. Even when we reapplied this year they kind of said they same thing glad you reapplied your DC was a great kid; I wanted to ask does that better DC chances or will the same thing happen again. So if we are rejected or waitlisted this year I wonder what they will say? Seems like they would have to come up with a new reason. It does seem like schools should be more specific when parents ask about their application, so parents can make a sound decision about applying again.

Just thoughts from the parent of a waitlisted child at one of the so called Big 3.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to be late to the party here, but can anyone tell me what is meant by the term "Big 3"? And in whose opinion are these schools the so-called best, other than the parents who have children there? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Beauvoir, Sidwell, GDS.