Sidwell throttling down college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Russian university system, as well as German, is hard core test-in based as well.

[Anonymous]

And we should probably head back to a merit-based system like the UK. No legacy and no social engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And we should probably head back to a merit-based system like the UK. No legacy and no social engineering.

Head back? We never had such a thing. Also there are more ways to define merit than a test score.

[Anonymous]

Talking about test-based admissions in the context of DC private schools does not make sense. When everyone is prepared like the kids who are lucky enough to go to the top DC privates, you can make that argument. Even after addressing educational inequality, though, you will have to explain why people who test poorly are attractive candidates. The fact is that the higher ed market values other things as well as test scores -- this is why the top schools don't just admit by test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. It seems like the value add of being a legacy for college admissions is WAY lower than, say, for PK/K at the local privates.

value add this year was "1st in my family to ever go to college." 10%+ of admits.

Very true. Will be interesting to see what this does to the business model. Previously the point of going to an Ivy was “the connections you’ll make” and if that changes to connections with international students and 1st in my family types, it’s not clear what that will mean.

Bingo- ivy connections are now pretty meaningless. Diverse classes don’t tend to like each other all that much and there’s little loyalty.

Best bet now is to educate in Europe

[Anonymous]

I take your point that collleges have become segregated. But are you really seeking the camaraderie of a country club? Good education can include people from diff backgrounds who have some tension.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I take your point that collleges have become segregated. But are you really seeking the camaraderie of a country club? Good education can include people from diff backgrounds who have some tension.

Many colleges and universities tout the value of diversity, but then they cave to demands for separate 'safe' spaces, centers, funded advocacy groups and even graduation ceremonies for certain segments. This allows people to define themselves principally in terms of race/gender/status/etc. and to self-segregate on campus, thus defeating one of the biggest benefits of diversity -- that students of different backgrounds, perspectives and views would mix it up and educate one another in and outside of the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Definitely lots of ways to define merit, but I’m not sure colleges are picking the most meritorious candidates. The college admissions system here is deeply flawed.

[Anonymous]

The colleges get to decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The colleges get to decide.

Very true. But secondary schools, including Sidwell, need to step up their game in their college office resources.

[Anonymous]

I think it takes a couple years of being close to this process to recalibrate expectations from the 80’s and 90’s. admits roll in, as a Sfs US parent, Ive been impressed with what I’ve heard about this yrs seniors class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it takes a couple years of being close to this process to recalibrate expectations from the 80’s and 90’s. admits roll in, as a Sfs US parent, Ive been impressed with what I’ve heard about this yrs seniors class.

This senior class overall seems to have faced more challenges than the senior classes in recent years. We may be seeing tectonic shifts in the college admissions game or it may be a question of whether SFS has the right resources in the college advising function, or both. In any case, SFS will need to adjust.

[Anonymous]

I don’t see any issues with the Sfs advising process.

[Anonymous]

These shifts are universal and parental expectations need tobe realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A top kid will forge their way in any environment. That is what we have found after nitpicking our K-12 acceptances a few years ago vs what our kid has accomplished to date. It's been a fun and wild ride, can't wait to see what is next.

Other kid, needs a kick in the pants to not do the minimum effort to get good grades. Honestly, perhaps if big sis wasn't who she was, maybe little sis would step up. Dad and I need to strategize on that one.... they are only 2 grades apart.

As for college admissions, NY, Boston, Palo Alto folks I meet with via work going through this college app season have all hated it. They all question the system, their private school environment, the socially engineered college classes, and realized that legacy means very little.

"They all question the system . . . the socially engineered college classes, and realized that legacy means very little." Ah, the agonized cry of stymied white privilege. Yeah, it was nice in the 1980s when going to Groton or St. Paul's, with good grades and board scores and your legacy status, meant a red carpet to the Ivy League, huh?

The world is a big place and these colleges want global and national student bodies. I've always believed legacy is acceptable legally -- that the business model of institutions highly dependent on donations makes it rational, even though it gives an advantage to white, Christian students (given that many top schools discriminated against non-white and Jewish students well into the 20th century). But just because the legacy system is legal doesn't mean colleges are bound to it, if they put a priority on new talent and diversity of all types -- racial, ethnic, geographic.

Signed, White Ivy League Alum

No actually it was my kid who wanted MIT but got Yale + 3 other comps. System is flawed versus Int'l systems where merit (transcript, test score) is the most heavily weighted input. Many of us think that.
We are not American.

I understood you were talking about how your friends perceived things, not your outlook. But I think your friends are giving voice to white privilege (perhaps unconsciously). Test scores are merit-based up to a point but there is such disparity in access to test preparation and the ability to pay the fees for multiple sittings. And in our country, one class of people was legally enslaved until 1865 and systematically and overtly denied economic/legal/political rights for another 100 years. That means diversity has a different meaning for American universities.