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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
You grossly overestimate the power that a college counselor, even from an elite school, has.  With connections, they may be able to help with process, but a threat would almost certainly backfire.[/quote]

No I am NOT overestimating the power.  They have plenty of power and it is their JOB. And yes it matters, even to top colleges.  I have seen it happen with personal experience, even with Yale.  A counselor worth a damn in a department with a trusted reputation from colleges has tremendous influence.  Why do you think selective colleges visit high schools?  [b]They can even take them off the visitation list if they want[/b].

Please note I am not saying the counselor 100% can get this student admitted.  I am not.  But if there is any chance they would take him, the counselor has tremendous influence when they go to bat for a particular kid.

[quote=Anonymous]As demonstrated, Emory is having no trouble filling its spots and wouldn't without kids from school X.  And, parents with kids at school X who think Emory might be a fit, aren't going to hold back based on the counselor's pride being hurt a prior year.[/quote]

You grossly underestimate the competition for top kids.  These are not customers in a restaurant where everyone's money is green.  If a counselor tells a top kid "Don't bother with Emory" or any other school, it WILL have an influence and colleges don't want this.  If the statement is backed up by Naviance data showing 36s rejected....

I repeat: I have seen this work multiple times, and I will not say more than that.  Believe me or not, that's your choice.  But what do you have to lose by trying?[/quote]

No it is not the job of a college counselor to threaten admissions officers that, unless they admit some kid, future students from the HS would blackball them.  And how do you think it would play out if, in retaliation, the college counselor banned Yale or some other coveted school from visiting?  You think parents paying $50k/year are going to stand for that?  Right.

And even if such a threat might work in the abstract, how many times do you think a school could go to that well?  You think Emory or some other highly regarded school is going to take yearly threats from some college counselor to cajole this year's WL kid off the list?  Not a chance.  The relationship game goes both ways here and burning that bridge for a kid this year would have repercussions down the line that would not be good for the HS or its students.[/quote]

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