Anonymous
04/01/2026 19:16
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Ours do not make them (Big3). I think from some schools (Michigan maybe being one?) they are sometimes asked who among the applicants are still interested.
Anonymous
04/01/2026 18:46
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Has anyone scheduled a meeting with their CCO for advocacy calls for the WL this month?
Were they receptive?
Were they receptive?
Anonymous
03/08/2025 09:22
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Harvard Westlake says they are no calls anymore. There were many calls 15 years ago. Some calls 5 years ago. Zero calls now.
If HW isn't having calls, I doubt any schools are. Maybe something specific like BC High and BC. Otherwise, no.
Most schools will tell you there are no calls - this is not true. They are saying it so you will not ask them to call on behalf of your kid.
+1. In information sessions ours has said colleges don't take the calls anymore but the CCO still "advocates" and has relationships with admissions folks. Not in the process yet but assume there will be different conversations in one on one meetings.
PP here. I also get the sense advocacy picks up steam for the WL round.
Anonymous
03/08/2025 09:19
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Harvard Westlake says they are no calls anymore. There were many calls 15 years ago. Some calls 5 years ago. Zero calls now.
If HW isn't having calls, I doubt any schools are. Maybe something specific like BC High and BC. Otherwise, no.
Most schools will tell you there are no calls - this is not true. They are saying it so you will not ask them to call on behalf of your kid.
+1. In information sessions ours has said colleges don't take the calls anymore but the CCO still "advocates" and has relationships with admissions folks. Not in the process yet but assume there will be different conversations in one on one meetings.
Anonymous
03/07/2025 20:12
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Harvard Westlake says they are no calls anymore. There were many calls 15 years ago. Some calls 5 years ago. Zero calls now.
If HW isn't having calls, I doubt any schools are. Maybe something specific like BC High and BC. Otherwise, no.
Don't believe this for a second.
I don’t believe it either. There is a ton of hobnopping and networking between college admissions staff and high school college counselors. The entire higher ed industry is built on relationships.
They don’t actively call and arrange placements. That is mostly a thing of the past, I agree. But, if they’re inclined, they can advocate for students they feel strongly about.
So is that what an advocacy call is?
A college counselor can call and say Larla is wonderful and really wants to attend if admitted. The AO says their college saw record applications and gives some stats about the pool. That’s it.
DP
Anonymous
03/07/2025 20:07
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If deferred from early decision, it’s best to try and get a letter from headmaster or assistant head of school or someone in a very senior leadership capacity at HS to augment the application.
That will generally do more than any advocacy call.
Where did you come by that information? Most of the schools say additional letters won't do anything and specifically say not to send them. A letter from a trustee might be the exception (but if you had such a letter, why wouldn't you send it before the ED?
HOS letter is highly coveted and can work in certain situations.
Anonymous
03/07/2025 20:07
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
My kid goes to a TT private in NY. They said they can make calls, but the feeling is they’re not that important
The truth is also that high schools don’t really care about your kid. Through the combination of money, legacy, private help, insane rigor - we send roughly 20% to HYPSM and at least half the class to t20. BC is the level of safety. And we have very rich and connected families. And they def do reach out. But our HS knows we’ll always send the same number to these schools. Maybe there’s one kid every couple of years who is important for some reason. But that’s one kid to one college. Each of our counselors has a load of 20-25 kids. Maybe they have a special affection for 2. Almost always the diamonds in the rough, kids on FA. They do spend a lot of time w those kids - on Questbridge and scholarships and maybe a call. That’s it.
The truth is also that high schools don’t really care about your kid. Through the combination of money, legacy, private help, insane rigor - we send roughly 20% to HYPSM and at least half the class to t20. BC is the level of safety. And we have very rich and connected families. And they def do reach out. But our HS knows we’ll always send the same number to these schools. Maybe there’s one kid every couple of years who is important for some reason. But that’s one kid to one college. Each of our counselors has a load of 20-25 kids. Maybe they have a special affection for 2. Almost always the diamonds in the rough, kids on FA. They do spend a lot of time w those kids - on Questbridge and scholarships and maybe a call. That’s it.
Anonymous
03/07/2025 20:03
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Harvard Westlake says they are no calls anymore. There were many calls 15 years ago. Some calls 5 years ago. Zero calls now.
If HW isn't having calls, I doubt any schools are. Maybe something specific like BC High and BC. Otherwise, no.
Don't believe this for a second.
I don’t believe it either. There is a ton of hobnopping and networking between college admissions staff and high school college counselors. The entire higher ed industry is built on relationships.
They don’t actively call and arrange placements. That is mostly a thing of the past, I agree. But, if they’re inclined, they can advocate for students they feel strongly about.
So is that what an advocacy call is?
Anonymous
03/07/2025 20:02
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Harvard Westlake says they are no calls anymore. There were many calls 15 years ago. Some calls 5 years ago. Zero calls now.
If HW isn't having calls, I doubt any schools are. Maybe something specific like BC High and BC. Otherwise, no.
Don't believe this for a second.
I don’t believe it either. There is a ton of hobnopping and networking between college admissions staff and high school college counselors. The entire higher ed industry is built on relationships.
They don’t actively call and arrange placements. That is mostly a thing of the past, I agree. But, if they’re inclined, they can advocate for students they feel strongly about.
Anonymous
03/07/2025 19:57
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Almost all of the CCs at top privates were in admissions depts at selective colleges before moving to the other side. It's a relatively small world and of course there are all sorts of informal conversations happening between AOs and CCs at these schools.
It's also quite clear that at top privates the counseling office is trying to manage all sorts of expectations from parents while maximizing the best total outcome for a particular class.
Anecdotally, a friend whose daughter was on the WL at an Ivy but who was admitted to Chicago told me that the Ivy contacted the CC directly to ask if the student would definitely commit if admitted off the waitlist -- if a yes, they would be admitted, if not, they remain waitlisted. Kid went to Chicago.
Obviously this cannot happen with CCs at every suburban high school in the country. Only at a select group of privates where these relationships are already in place.
What’s stopping a public high school from calling? This isn’t rocket science lol
Generally, they wouldn't have relationships with the AOs.
Of course they do. Good ones do.
Anonymous
03/07/2025 19:21
Subject: Re:private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:From a 40+ director of CCO, counselor calls are an “endangered species” and at best for informational purposes. Says CCO’s conducting calls are not to be like a lobbyist or Hollywood agent.
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/views/2020/04/13/counselor-calls-have-real-purpose-despite-ethical-issues-opinion
What private HS was he at again?
He is currently the Academic Dean and Director of Guidance at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia,
Anonymous
03/07/2025 18:47
Subject: Re:private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:From a 40+ director of CCO, counselor calls are an “endangered species” and at best for informational purposes. Says CCO’s conducting calls are not to be like a lobbyist or Hollywood agent.
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/views/2020/04/13/counselor-calls-have-real-purpose-despite-ethical-issues-opinion
What private HS was he at again?
Anonymous
03/07/2025 18:06
Subject: Re:private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
From a 40+ director of CCO, counselor calls are an “endangered species” and at best for informational purposes. Says CCO’s conducting calls are not to be like a lobbyist or Hollywood agent.
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/views/2020/04/13/counselor-calls-have-real-purpose-despite-ethical-issues-opinion
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/views/2020/04/13/counselor-calls-have-real-purpose-despite-ethical-issues-opinion
Anonymous
03/07/2025 17:53
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Harvard Westlake says they are no calls anymore. There were many calls 15 years ago. Some calls 5 years ago. Zero calls now.
If HW isn't having calls, I doubt any schools are. Maybe something specific like BC High and BC. Otherwise, no.
Don't believe this for a second.
Anonymous
03/07/2025 16:40
Subject: private HS CCO and influence in admissions?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Almost all of the CCs at top privates were in admissions depts at selective colleges before moving to the other side. It's a relatively small world and of course there are all sorts of informal conversations happening between AOs and CCs at these schools.
It's also quite clear that at top privates the counseling office is trying to manage all sorts of expectations from parents while maximizing the best total outcome for a particular class.
Anecdotally, a friend whose daughter was on the WL at an Ivy but who was admitted to Chicago told me that the Ivy contacted the CC directly to ask if the student would definitely commit if admitted off the waitlist -- if a yes, they would be admitted, if not, they remain waitlisted. Kid went to Chicago.
Obviously this cannot happen with CCs at every suburban high school in the country. Only at a select group of privates where these relationships are already in place.
What’s stopping a public high school from calling? This isn’t rocket science lol
Generally, they wouldn't have relationships with the AOs.
You don’t need a relationship to pick up a phone.
You need a relationship for the other person to answer or return your call.
Do you really not understand that money talks and that’s how you get an AO on the phone?
Why would the AO care about money?