Was Told By College Admissions Officer That Sidwell Secretly Ranks Students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
All schools do that, OP, both public and private.

Are you a public parent? Maybe your school doesn't "rank" students but there's a huge difference between public, where GPA IS calculated and GPA IS weighted and a private where there is no official GPA and even the mocked up one isn't weighted. Being told GPA is not calculated or given to colleges but then having CCO and that there are no rankings - but then CCO chooses to "reveal" a rank for some students is not ok.

My, my.

The is a difference between schools that provide GPA, weighted or unweighted, and schools that don’t. Public/private, makes no difference.

But if you believe your school when they say they don’t rank, don’t provide GPAs and treat students equally when dealing with college AOs, you really have not been paying attention.

We have been paying attention - and so - when unhooked high rigor students as a large group are being passed over for hooked students and then you discover the CCO is secretly sending information for just some people - that's a problem.

Then sue Sidwell so all of this “secret” assistance is exposed. Perhaps it will help your child get into an Ivy too!

No thanks... done and gone. No need to go back.

If you’re “done and gone” why are you trolling this thread?!? Pick a hobby that doesn’t involve Sidwell.

Because Sidwell should do better and I care about other families with students there.

You don’t care about Sidwell families. Move along with your “concern” trolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
All schools do that, OP, both public and private.

Are you a public parent? Maybe your school doesn't "rank" students but there's a huge difference between public, where GPA IS calculated and GPA IS weighted and a private where there is no official GPA and even the mocked up one isn't weighted. Being told GPA is not calculated or given to colleges but then having CCO and that there are no rankings - but then CCO chooses to "reveal" a rank for some students is not ok.

My, my.

The is a difference between schools that provide GPA, weighted or unweighted, and schools that don’t. Public/private, makes no difference.

But if you believe your school when they say they don’t rank, don’t provide GPAs and treat students equally when dealing with college AOs, you really have not been paying attention.

We have been paying attention - and so - when unhooked high rigor students as a large group are being passed over for hooked students and then you discover the CCO is secretly sending information for just some people - that's a problem.

Then sue Sidwell so all of this “secret” assistance is exposed. Perhaps it will help your child get into an Ivy too!

No thanks... done and gone. No need to go back.

If you’re “done and gone” why are you trolling this thread?!? Pick a hobby that doesn’t involve Sidwell.

Because Sidwell should do better and I care about other families with students there.

You don’t care about Sidwell families. Move along with your “concern” trolling.

I do, actually. But you are probably that parent who attacks anyone who hasn't had the 100% perfect experience that you claim your kids have at Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
All schools do that, OP, both public and private.

Are you a public parent? Maybe your school doesn't "rank" students but there's a huge difference between public, where GPA IS calculated and GPA IS weighted and a private where there is no official GPA and even the mocked up one isn't weighted. Being told GPA is not calculated or given to colleges but then having CCO and that there are no rankings - but then CCO chooses to "reveal" a rank for some students is not ok.

My, my.

The is a difference between schools that provide GPA, weighted or unweighted, and schools that don’t. Public/private, makes no difference.

But if you believe your school when they say they don’t rank, don’t provide GPAs and treat students equally when dealing with college AOs, you really have not been paying attention.

We have been paying attention - and so - when unhooked high rigor students as a large group are being passed over for hooked students and then you discover the CCO is secretly sending information for just some people - that's a problem.

Then sue Sidwell so all of this “secret” assistance is exposed. Perhaps it will help your child get into an Ivy too!

No thanks... done and gone. No need to go back.

If you’re “done and gone” why are you trolling this thread?!? Pick a hobby that doesn’t involve Sidwell.

Because Sidwell should do better and I care about other families with students there.

You don’t care about Sidwell families. Move along with your “concern” trolling.

I do, actually. But you are probably that parent who attacks anyone who hasn't had the 100% perfect experience that you claim your kids have at Sidwell.

Shoo! 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

[Anonymous]

Coming from Sidwell is absolutely a hook.

[Anonymous]

The typical knock on Sidwell is that they promote minority students over others, so it raises my respect for Sidwell to hear that they focus on class rank.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The typical knock on Sidwell is that they promote minority students over others, so it raises my respect for Sidwell to hear that they focus on class rank.

What?!? Tell that to the Nigerian-American student who sued Sidwell over alleged discrimination in computing her grades.

People will lie about absolutely anything on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, with my largely unhooked kid in 7th at Sidwell who is probably going to stay, is there anything I can do? Or just set my expectations for him not to get into a top 20 school and call it a day?
Any hope that the new head of the upper school will change some of this?

You absolutely shouldn't "expect" him to get into a Top 20 - he might, he might not. Especially if not in top 5 students. But this is based on the past 3 years - things could change in 5 years. I do think it used to be that top 20% GPA kids with rigor did get into T20 but colleges have made a big shift and they are also being flooded with applications.

The bolded statement doesn’t apply to Sidwell. Over half of Sidwell’s graduates consistently attend T25 universities/T25 SLACs. So, over 60 students per year, out of a class of 125, attend these top tier colleges/universities.

Not true for unhooked for T25 university and T5-T10 SLAC but dream on (or sit on your hooked perch with blindfolds on)

It’s true…you just don’t like that it’s true. I personally know several c/o 2024 Sidwell alums who are attending T25 universities (not to mention T25 SLACs) with absolutely no hooks.

True? Uhm...ok, if you say so . LOL...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No dog in this fight but I think OPs point is the school makes a big deal about how they do not rank…when clearly they do

+1

Do parents know where their child ranks?

Knowing your Top 5 or Top 10 (or bottom…) would be useful in deciding where to apply.

My kid's school does not "rank," and the school profile says that it doesn't rank. BUT, it does tell the parents (not the kids) the breakdown of GPA by 20% so you can see where your kid falls into the GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No dog in this fight but I think OPs point is the school makes a big deal about how they do not rank…when clearly they do

+1

Do parents know where their child ranks?

Knowing your Top 5 or Top 10 (or bottom…) would be useful in deciding where to apply.

My kid's school does not "rank," and the school profile says that it doesn't rank. BUT, it does tell the parents (not the kids) the breakdown of GPA by 20% so you can see where your kid falls into the GPA.

Seems silly to tell the parents but not the students.

[Anonymous]

GDS is the same way, I’m sure. Having gone through the process once, it’s clear there is a behind the scenes discussion going on between the college counselors.

The only issue I have with GDS is that they are not clear with parents and students that a school is a stretch to apply to. Everything coded in GDS nice nice talk. What’s in your heart? Is it in your heart to apply to Brown early? Naaah lady - just tell me, does my kid have a shot given who else from GDS is ED’ing there this year? When we went through, no access to SCOIR or naviance for parents either. Apparently that has changed so you can see it in the office now. GDS pretends any numeracy or ranking or indication of odds for a kid at a certain school is an absolute affront to values. Reality is the counselors know. That’s all fine but when they cap number of schools kid can apply to at 10 (now 12), it’s an insult to everyone’s intelligence how they hide how this stuff actually works.

So yeah, I’m sure all of these private schools secretly rank and tell the AOs who call to ask. It’s just that the mission driven ones lie about all of it. They construct some reality where test scores, APs, GPAs are all structurally racist. Behind the scenes, they play the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GDS is the same way, I’m sure. Having gone through the process once, it’s clear there is a behind the scenes discussion going on between the college counselors.

The only issue I have with GDS is that they are not clear with parents and students that a school is a stretch to apply to. Everything coded in GDS nice nice talk. What’s in your heart? Is it in your heart to apply to Brown early? Naaah lady - just tell me, does my kid have a shot given who else from GDS is ED’ing there this year? When we went through, no access to SCOIR or naviance for parents either. Apparently that has changed so you can see it in the office now. GDS pretends any numeracy or ranking or indication of odds for a kid at a certain school is an absolute affront to values. Reality is the counselors know. That’s all fine but when they cap number of schools kid can apply to at 10 (now 12), it’s an insult to everyone’s intelligence how they hide how this stuff actually works.

So yeah, I’m sure all of these private schools secretly rank and tell the AOs who call to ask. It’s just that the mission driven ones lie about all of it. They construct some reality where test scores, APs, GPAs are all structurally racist. Behind the scenes, they play the game.

GDS counseling is much better now it seems. We have a senior and have not had this experience at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GDS is the same way, I’m sure. Having gone through the process once, it’s clear there is a behind the scenes discussion going on between the college counselors.

The only issue I have with GDS is that they are not clear with parents and students that a school is a stretch to apply to. Everything coded in GDS nice nice talk. What’s in your heart? Is it in your heart to apply to Brown early? Naaah lady - just tell me, does my kid have a shot given who else from GDS is ED’ing there this year? When we went through, no access to SCOIR or naviance for parents either. Apparently that has changed so you can see it in the office now. GDS pretends any numeracy or ranking or indication of odds for a kid at a certain school is an absolute affront to values. Reality is the counselors know. That’s all fine but when they cap number of schools kid can apply to at 10 (now 12), it’s an insult to everyone’s intelligence how they hide how this stuff actually works.

So yeah, I’m sure all of these private schools secretly rank and tell the AOs who call to ask. It’s just that the mission driven ones lie about all of it. They construct some reality where test scores, APs, GPAs are all structurally racist. Behind the scenes, they play the game.

GDS counseling is much better now it seems. We have a senior and have not had this experience at all.

PP here - very glad to hear this. 2 years ago it was not great. I will have another going through it in a year or two