BASIS early acceptances
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Anonymous
another basis parent here--honestly how would you like it if someone was saying you were bad at your job? Students have the opportunity to talk to their counselors every day in class since they meet every day, the counselors are there to answer questions, and do frequent check-ins and are always available to read essays during school hours. there's not much more support they could give. My student reports that even if they have a small question outside of class they can just stop by their office and either counselor will find an answer. Let's all just be a bit more courteous and remember we're talking about children and people's jobs. And obviously something is working for them. |
Anonymous
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New Poster. OK, but public monies pay the counselors, along with almost all that goes on at BASIS DC. I know several families with seniors who are hiring outside counselors under the radar this year. Kids shouldn't have to wait for the two counselors to gain hands-on experience, with kids as guinea pigs. The complain is not a personal issue, designed to hurt the counselors' feelings, it's a systemic problem. Show me the DC public high schools with strong college counseling. It seems there is none, which stinks.
Who loses out when college counselors are inexperiencewd? Mostly poor kids as usual. |
Anonymous
Parents in private schools also hire private counselors. It's common in our region because people are anxious and want an edge, or to make sure they are doing everything they can. BUt it impossible to say what makes the difference. It isn't like we can run an experiment on the same kid applying both ways. My kid graduated BDC in 2019. Didn't use a counselor; worked with the one who is still there from last year. Good advice and support and very strong outcomes both in terms of admittances and scholarships. Obviously this is personal and YMMV. |
Anonymous
| Apparently, you'll excuse BASIS for anything and everything. We've been disappointed in their much lauded college counseling program so far. |
Anonymous
Having a different experience isn’t excusing anyone. I really hope things turn out positively for your child. I know they’ve worked very hard to this point. |
Anonymous
| PP who doesn’t want to make this a ridiculously long attached response - if I was not good at my job, I would want to know. If I was bad at communication or LISTENING at my job, I would want to know. Just because students from my school have gotten into top colleges doesn’t mean that I am successful at my job. The counselors need to be better at outreach/marketing to colleges and stop relying on Naviance in a school that has had less than 200 students graduate in it’s history. |
Anonymous
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Pardon the naive question, but what benefit does college counseling provide?
When I applied to colleges 30 years ago, I had no college counseling other than my parents - who both went to selective colleges. I read some guidebooks, did some college tours, and chose some places to apply. And now there's a lot more information available online. I could understand the need for counseling for kids whose parents didn't go to college, but those aren't generally the people who hire private college counseling. |
Anonymous
It reslly depends on the school. In general - there will be exceptions. At big comprehensive high schools they have hundreds of students to support. So their role is limited to providing access to the Naviance platform showing where students w/X SAT/ACT and Y GPA have applied and been accepted/deferred/waitlisted/rejected in past; getting transcripts and teacher recommendations to colleges: preparing the 'class profile' data sheets (how many advanced classes the school offers; range of extra-curriculars available: typical courseloads (how many students take 6+ APs etc( ; average test scores and GPAs for the current graduating class. Providing overviews of process, basics of financial aid, testing, and different application options (ED etc) at a big meeting for parents and students in junior of senior year. Sometimes run an optional essay writing workshop, or provide tips. Produce a counselor letter for each student; ask students to fill out forms highlighting their high school career to assist counselors with the letter. Other schoosl with more capacity: all of the above plus: reach out and coordinate visits to the high school campus by the regional college reps; seek meeting for students interested in one of those particular colleges to meet with the rep 1:1 during those visits; all of the above; read essays and provide comments; manage workload of teacher recs (make sure none are overloaded and that each is high quality and fair); meet individually with parents and students to provide suggestions of colleges that may meet students' interests and feedback on schools the student has identified; more tracking and follow up on all pieces of the process; advice for finding outside scholarships and financial aid and scholarship information. |
Anonymous
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Should have added:
In cases of where a student has a clear first choice, the counselor can reach out to the regional rep to discuss the candidate. This is also often done when a student is wait listed or deferred. |
Anonymous
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Yes, but this only helps with colleges that aren't very competitive, those admitting at least one-third of applicants. Where schools are admitting in the single digits, teens or twenties, the counselor can reach out to the regional rep all they like on behalf of the candidate. It won't help.
Hint: The way the application gets filled in is around the one-third the battle when applying to elite colleges. The current BASIS college counselors don't get too involved in essay writing or strategizing to a first-rate job answering Common Application questions. Mistake. |
Anonymous
Isn't that the way it should be? |
Anonymous
| Not if you want the kid to get in. Many bright kids will write hopeless application essays and short answers without good guidance. |