First choice letters

[Anonymous]

Will first choice letters to your top option will make a difference? I am hesitant to do it....would like to hear your views.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

My son has a clear first choice. No- we are not sending a letter.

[Anonymous]

Yes they do especially when your child is a good candidate. The schools want to accept kids they believe will attend. My child wrote a first choice because it was a clear
first choice.

[Anonymous]

IME, it doesn't change the result. Kids get in who don't write it (and some then choose a different school), while other kids who do write it, don't get in.

Probably doesn't hurt, but it won't change the result.

[Anonymous]

Either a letter or a personal conversation with Admissions.

The school is curious about where else you are applying.

And they really want to accept those who are highly likely to attend. The want to fill the class without going to the wait list which is a administrative mini-nightmare.

But your statement has to be supported by some logic as to why this is your DCs first choice and that you guarantee he will attend if accepted.

[Anonymous]

My DC didn't submit a separate first choice letter but mentioned it in the interview, and I recall, wove it into an essay? We did ask the head of DC's middle school to write an additional recommendation on top of the two teacher ones, because the school was the first choice. DC now attends the HS.

[Anonymous]

A lot of people said not to bother but we ignored and did. We found out later some of the same people had their kids write a first choice. This is a super competitive process.

[Anonymous]

It seems cheesy and like a last ditch effort to me.

This could have (and should have) been addressed in the student's personal essay as part of their application. To get to the final weeks, right before decisions are made, and to come in begging seems a little cheap to me. Why don't you send a gift too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Either a letter or a personal conversation with Admissions.

The school is curious about where else you are applying.

And they really want to accept those who are highly likely to attend. The want to fill the class without going to the wait list which is a administrative mini-nightmare.

But your statement has to be supported by some logic as to why this is your DCs first choice and that you guarantee he will attend if accepted.

At the end of the day, it isn't going to hurt your child's chances by telling the school it is your first choice. However, only do that if it is a true first choice. DO NOT ask current families to write a note on your behalf unless it is your true first choice. I'm still annoyed that we had "friends" ask us to do this because they were definite that they wanted our child's school for their daughters. They got into two schools and apparently played the first choice card at both schools. I don't think I could ever write another letter on someone's behalf.

[Anonymous]

Whether they help or not seems to depend on who you ask and whether that person thinks it worked for them or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems cheesy and like a last ditch effort to me.

This could have (and should have) been addressed in the student's personal essay as part of their application. To get to the final weeks, right before decisions are made, and to come in begging seems a little cheap to me. Why don't you send a gift too?

+1

Maybe I am in the minority, but I think the kid's record and application should stand on its own. We have also stayed out of our kid's education path. They advocate for themselves. They do their own work. They write their own essays. By the time a kid is applying to HS, let them handle their application.

My kid is the one that approached his teachers for recommendations. He handed in the transcript request form, etc.

Frankly, I would be suspicious of any parent that was always bugging admissions and sending letters, etc. My 'future major pain-in-the-ass' meter would be blowing up.

If my kid is going to get rejected, he will get rejected on his own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems cheesy and like a last ditch effort to me.

This could have (and should have) been addressed in the student's personal essay as part of their application. To get to the final weeks, right before decisions are made, and to come in begging seems a little cheap to me. Why don't you send a gift too?

+1

Maybe I am in the minority, but I think the kid's record and application should stand on its own. We have also stayed out of our kid's education path. They advocate for themselves. They do their own work. They write their own essays. By the time a kid is applying to HS, let them handle their application.

My kid is the one that approached his teachers for recommendations. He handed in the transcript request form, etc.

Frankly, I would be suspicious of any parent that was always bugging admissions and sending letters, etc. My 'future major pain-in-the-ass' meter would be blowing up.

If my kid is going to get rejected, he will get rejected on his own.

And I meant to add...if he gets in, it will because of his merit and hard work. The sooner you start teaching your kids this, the better they will do in life.

[Anonymous]

You are clueless.

[Anonymous]

I think you should probably do it if you have a clear first choice and will 100% attend if accepted. Schools want families who want them.