Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 14:11     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Anonymous wrote:Hah! Not impressed: no Bucknell, no Holy Cross, no Northeastern.
But then how will they make it to The Street??
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 14:10     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP — everyone is NOT happy. Parents especially.

why do you say that?
Imagine being the parent of the kid with Ivy-level stats and ECs who was pushed by the counseling team to apply to Dickinson (no offense to Dickinson)
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 14:00     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

I don't quite understand the need for ED at fine institutions like Dickinson and Bobson if not recruited.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:52     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

If you are going to PE then you are most likely hooked somewhere.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:51     Subject: Re:A prime example of college counseling steering

How on earth do you know if they are happy?
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:38     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The original Phillips in Massachusetts does the same. I had a friend whose son went there and they steered him to UIUC. Oh a girl from DC’s class who attended ended up at UC Davis. I believe she is a Harvard legacy. Wonder if she was even allowed to apply to Harvard if she ended up at Davis.


Some kids are adamant about going to school in CA. On UC Davis family day in fall ‘25, I encountered a father of a high stats Connecticut kid who was going to UCD for this reason. Combination of location and program can lead to this result.


It’s good for premed, bio, public service focus within Econ or PoliSci, environmental science and best in the world for animal science. If it was one of those majors, it would make sense.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:35     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Anonymous wrote:Whatever happened to WASP restraint and good taste. It’s pathetic to post “college results” on a public instagram page. It’s sad how far Exeter has fallen.


Exactly. Everybody know Ivy Leaguers never brag.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:33     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Hah! Not impressed: no Bucknell, no Holy Cross, no Northeastern.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:30     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/phillipsexeter26decisions/?g=5
You won't find a cluster of more than 2, 3 kids for a same school. They are steered to a WIDE range of ivy league and plus and top lac schools.
No rat race, everyone finds somewhere they are happy.
Well done!


They sent EIGHT to Chicago. Jesus! Read!
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:26     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

How do you know they were steered? Kids want different things. They are applying all over the place at my kids' public and believe me the school is NOT steering anyone.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:16     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are about 200 more kids in that grade.


RD isn’t out yet.



Exactly, the placement may look very different in April.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 13:00     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Whatever happened to WASP restraint and good taste. It’s pathetic to post “college results” on a public instagram page. It’s sad how far Exeter has fallen.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 12:44     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

I think the early results are great but I’m not overly impressed (considering the connections and wealth). I know a few of the kids and feel that they would’ve and could’ve reached higher had they stayed at their original school. The one pattern I see is several girls who went to different elite boarding schools are all heading to Barnard.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 12:42     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Besides the Welch grape juice fortune, I don’t see any famous last names.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 12:36     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering

Anonymous wrote:Are you connected to the school? Give us a little more color as to what is going on and what sort of accomplishments or hooks different kids have.


Spouse went to a similar school. A significant percentage of the class are super-rich, super-connected, likely mega-legacy. Famous last names, brownstone in NYC, that kind of kid. Then there's a group of very smart, very poor, first-gen, immigrant-parent kids who are intensely desirable to colleges: usually POC, extremely motivated families, incredibly smart and well prepared. Then there are all the normal smart kids who because of the intense resources of the school and their families are able to do spectacular summer service projects or research or start businesses to benefit charities etc.
Plus all the kids who do recruitable and rarer sports like ice hockey, squash, crew.
Does that help?