Reply to Sidwell to increase tuition a WHOPPING 6.7%

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]SFS should do exit interview surveys with students and parents after graduation. They might  find it useful. [/quote]

+1[/quote]

Unfortunately it will not happen.  Like 14:11 said "I was disappointed but not surprised to learn that Mamadou said this morning that they do not formally ask for feedback from parents about the college counseling office and that they are not planning to do so this year" SFS even doesn't want to have feedback from parents about the college counseling office.  How do you expect the school will do exit interview? :( [/quote]

At least he's honest. I'm going to get torched on here, but it won't make what I'm about to say any less true. I have worked in higher education administration, including admissions, for over a decade. Do we solicit feedback from those who wish to provide it, either among prospective applicants, accepted students, or students looking for advice and outplacement to grad school and/or employment? Yes. Is it helpful? Rarely. Most feedback self-selects for the happiest and grumpiest, and it more often than not includes personal preferences and complaints more than it does useful advice that could be applied department-wide. Almost never does it reflect expertise. Accordingly, does feedback change what we do? Almost never. Why? Because in the main, we know what we're doing, and in the main, we're good at it, and if we didn't and if we weren't, people wouldn't come to our institution. At the very least, they would view the administration (including admissions and career offices) as the downsides that they accept in exchange for an educational experience and outplacement track-record they are otherwise satisfied with. Is it a fair expectation that a long-standing institution will change long-standing practices and personnel in light of the feedback of families passing through? Also no.

The same is true at places like Sidwell. They could take your feedback. Would they find it helpful? Rarely, not never, but rarely. Would it self select for the happiest and grumpiest? Yes. Would it more often than not include personal preferences and complaints more than useful advice that could be applied broadly? Absolutely. Would it reflect broad-ranging expertise? It would not, especially since those who have enough expertise to offer the counseling department broad-ranging advice probably did well without their help in the first place and would hardly be inclined to take time to give feedback. Would it change what they do? Again, no. Did you know the career office was considered by some to be a downside in what is otherwise a tradeoff for either a good educational experience or prestige or both? If you did your research, then you knew that. You bought into the institution, warts and all, and it is not a fair expectation for you to change it or for them to cow to your wishes. If they did, they wouldn't be much of an institution, much less one you'd buy into. You bought the name. You bought the institution. I hope you bought it for reasons that go beyond the sweatshirt, but regardless, you bought an institution that was here long before you were and will be here long after you're gone.

You may not like it, but you knew. Don't pretend you didn't. [/quote]

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