Reply to private school admissions--what sets kids apart?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Also, we had former attendees/board members write letters of recommendation. [/quote]

+1.  This is an important comment.

I recall that I have stated this on this DCUM board in the past, and I'll repeat it because it was eye-opening for me.

If you know someone on the board or a big donor or a family whose children excelled at that school, it may be helpful to ask them to write a letter on behalf of your DS or DD.

Approximately 8 years ago, when our DS was rejected from Potomac, I had a friend tell me that she wishes she would have known that my DS was applying because she or her DH could have written a letter.  My son still may not have been admitted even with the letter, but I was intrigued that she was pretty confident that the letter could have helped.  I honestly didn't think that there was a place for any letters in the application, other than letters from teachers or coaches.

In the past 10 years, we knew a girl who was admitted to a top school (cannot state it) off of the wait list for middle school.  The girl's friend had been admitted to this school, but had turned it down for another top school.  Upon turning it down, that girl's family recommended that this school admit the girl who was on the wait list.  Within one day, that girl got a call off of the wait list.  Maybe it was coincidence, but maybe not.

Finally, I know of a family where their DD was admitted to a top school for middle school.  She might have gotten admitted on her own.  However, a person very connected with the school was willing to write a letter on her behalf.  Who knows if that helped, but it likely did help as this school gets so many applicants.[/quote]

Additional datapoints, especially from respected boosters who have a vested interest in the school, are very helpful. You just have to make sure you don’t come across as pushy and the supplemental letters are gratuitous or superficial. [/quote]

I echo this. We had similar letters of recommendation from board members for both of our DC. We also had a Jesuit who knows our DS offer to write a letter which I really think helped him gain admission to his #1 school in an extremely competitive year. They are both great students and very well may have gotten admission anyway but I doubt the letters didn't help at least somewhat. Also, in response to someone saying there wasn't a place for additional letters, in both my DC's cases, the additional letters were sent to the admissions office or President's office, depending on who the person recommending knew better. They both got responses saying the letter had been added to the admissions file. [/quote]

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