Both schools ask on their applications which schools you are applying to, and Prep asked in the interview how it ranked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If your DS's first choice is Gonzaga, conventional wisdom from recent years indicates that he will not be admitted there, due to his interest in GP.

Our school had at least 3 boys accepted at both Gonzaga and Prep. I was not aware that those 2 schools "talked" and found out who was double-dipping and applying to both. (but I have a girl so what do I know about boys' schools beyond what freinds have said) If the kids don't rank their choices -which they don't -

"how is each school to know which one the applicant truly favors?"
Through communication with the elementary schools - specifically those 7th & 8th grade faculty who guide the high school application process. They well know to which school each has interest. These faculty are the source of inside scoop.

Agree. There are too many other factors in the acceptance process, it would seem.

Our school had a number of boys accepted at both. I would not generalize that an application to Gonzaga means an automatic denial at Prep or vice versa. Our school did have a 100% acceptance rate to private high schools. Every child that wanted a spot did get one. Not saying everyone got their #1 choice, but come fall every rising 9th grader does have a private high school placement.

Anonymous wrote: If your DS's first choice is Gonzaga, conventional wisdom from recent years indicates that he will not be admitted there, due to his interest in GP.

Our school had at least 3 boys accepted at both Gonzaga and Prep. I was not aware that those 2 schools "talked" and found out who was double-dipping and applying to both. (but I have a girl so what do I know about boys' schools beyond what freinds have said) If the kids don't rank their choices -which they don't - how is each school to know which one the applicant truly favors?

Anonymous wrote:Surprised & disappointed to confirm that earlier PP may be correct in theory that Gonzaga may discriminate against applicants who may appear to be possibly interested in Prep or other schools. DS with very high test scores, grades, good recs, service, etc., accepted at Prep & St. Anselm's, waitlisted at Gonzaga. No family ties to any school & sincere interest in each school -- but we were honest re applying to other schools & did not write first choice letter to Gonzaga. Hard not to be cynical that Gonzaga is more about connections than merit. Thankfully we have great options.

No need to rationalize about Gonzaga. The downturn in the economy makes Gonzaga so popular. Many of today's Gonzaga's applicants would have favored Prep a decade ago.
Regarding your son's choice at hand - Prep vs St Anselm's - it seems St. Anselm's offers a greater academic, intellectual and spiritual development upside potential than Prep. Were my son so fortunate to have a choice between the schools, I would hope it would be St. Anselm's. Congratulations!

Surprised & disappointed to confirm that earlier PP may be correct in theory that Gonzaga may discriminate against applicants who may appear to be possibly interested in Prep or other schools. DS with very high test scores, grades, good recs, service, etc., accepted at Prep & St. Anselm's, waitlisted at Gonzaga. No family ties to any school & sincere interest in each school -- but we were honest re applying to other schools & did not write first choice letter to Gonzaga. Hard not to be cynical that Gonzaga is more about connections than merit. Thankfully we have great options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Accepted!! But will decline if also accepted by DS first choice so still waiting...

If your DS's first choice is Gonzaga, conventional wisdom from recent years indicates that he will not be admitted there, due to his interest in GP.

GP is second choice, first choice is Groton. DS did not apply to Gonzaga but what you say makes sense.

Not trying to be snarky, but genuinely curious: If first choice is Groton, why GP over StA (which always has struck me as more "Groton-like") for the local option?

OK, I'm the one with the kid that had the nerve to apply to Groton and thereby generate the ire of others... DS shadowed at STA and while it is a lovely and wonderful school, he simply did not get the feeling that it was for him. He shadowed at Prep and still didn't feel like he fit. But when he went thru the process at Groton he simply fell in love wtih the place, felt like he belonged and had a great experience. The admissions staff at Groton has absolutely bent over backwards to be accomodating, helpful and nice and they made him feel totally welcomed and were very encouraging. The process at both STA and Prep was very impersonal but given the volume of applications both of these schools receive, that is the nature of the process. There is simply not enough hours in the day for the Admissions staff as it is. So, when we asked DS, if it comes down to STA or Prep, which do you prefer - pick one to apply. He said Prep so that's why we applied at Prep and not STA.

FWIW, Groton is not the only boarding school we visited and we didn't start out looking for boarding schools. They found us through CTY. DS is an awardee for High Honors CTY (this means verbal and math exceed 600 on SAT in the 8th grade). Yes, there is academic recruitment for HS.

StA is St. Anselm's; STA, Saint Alban. The most appropriate school is most likely St. Anselm's. Dear parent of the gifted son, please give St. Anselm's a close look. Good luck with Groton, but if Groton doesn't work out, it would be far better that he attend St. Anselm's as opposed to GP, as "He shadowed at Prep and still didn't feel like he fit."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well said 9:58. A relevant conversation is what leads an admitted applicant to choose one school over another. Managing the yield.

Of course.

But one way to influence the Yield rate is to try and make sure that the students that are accepted are leaning in your direction. As opposed to a strategy in which you admit the best possible candidates and let them then select. No matter how well qualified, a candidate whose father, uncles and brothers have all gone to Gonzaga is probably not going to be accepted at GP because the GP Admissions office is pretty much convinced he isn't coming to GP.

This works at a college level too. If an Admissons officer is told that his or her school is the candidate's #1 choice and that if they are admitted they are certain to attend, that persons chances of being admitted frequently go way up. I have seen this work many times in negotiations between the college placement offices and the college Admissions department.

There's a tremendous amount of misunderstanding of the Admissions process on this board. In some of these people's minds it's all about test scores and grades and feeder schools. While these are not unimportant and can be disqualifiers, there are a lot of non-quantitative factors that are considered. The Admissions department has got a lot of clients on their own campuses they have to satisfy from the faculty to the coaches to the Development office to the director of the play.

I just know from reading some of these posts that some of these people must be seen as being overbearing, over-involved, etc. And the Admissions person is thinking to himself or herself, "Do we really need this grief".

At GP a few years ago, a student, an older brother of an applicant, was chronically late and often absent. The mother had excuse after excuse. The younger brother was not admitted even though on just about every other point of consideration he was a shoo in. She had literally worn out her welcome. ...

How unfortunate for the younger son to be burdened by the older brother's and parents' reputation. Imagine the injustice. I wonder how the A.D. might have given the applicant an opportunity to demonstrate the applicant's independence and initiative to overcome the family's incompetence and to get to school on time?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Accepted!! But will decline if also accepted by DS first choice so still waiting...

If your DS's first choice is Gonzaga, conventional wisdom from recent years indicates that he will not be admitted there, due to his interest in GP.

GP is second choice, first choice is Groton. DS did not apply to Gonzaga but what you say makes sense.

Not trying to be snarky, but genuinely curious: If first choice is Groton, why GP over StA (which always has struck me as more "Groton-like") for the local option?

OK, I'm the one with the kid that had the nerve to apply to Groton and thereby generate the ire of others... DS shadowed at STA and while it is a lovely and wonderful school, he simply did not get the feeling that it was for him. He shadowed at Prep and still didn't feel like he fit. But when he went thru the process at Groton he simply fell in love wtih the place, felt like he belonged and had a great experience. The admissions staff at Groton has absolutely bent over backwards to be accomodating, helpful and nice and they made him feel totally welcomed and were very encouraging. The process at both STA and Prep was very impersonal but given the volume of applications both of these schools receive, that is the nature of the process. There is simply not enough hours in the day for the Admissions staff as it is. So, when we asked DS, if it comes down to STA or Prep, which do you prefer - pick one to apply. He said Prep so that's why we applied at Prep and not STA.

FWIW, Groton is not the only boarding school we visited and we didn't start out looking for boarding schools. They found us through CTY. DS is an awardee for High Honors CTY (this means verbal and math exceed 600 on SAT in the 8th grade). Yes, there is academic recruitment for HS.

Many thanks, PP, and best of luck to your son!

Anonymous wrote:Well said 9:58. A relevant conversation is what leads an admitted applicant to choose one school over another. Managing the yield.

Of course.

But one way to influence the Yield rate is to try and make sure that the students that are accepted are leaning in your direction. As opposed to a strategy in which you admit the best possible candidates and let them then select. No matter how well qualified, a candidate whose father, uncles and brothers have all gone to Gonzaga is probably not going to be accepted at GP because the GP Admissions office is pretty much convinced he isn't coming to GP.

This works at a college level too. If an Admissons officer is told that his or her school is the candidate's #1 choice and that if they are admitted they are certain to attend, that persons chances of being admitted frequently go way up. I have seen this work many times in negotiations between the college placement offices and the college Admissions department.

There's a tremendous amount of misunderstanding of the Admissions process on this board. In some of these people's minds it's all about test scores and grades and feeder schools. While these are not unimportant and can be disqualifiers, there are a lot of non-quantitative factors that are considered. The Admissions department has got a lot of clients on their own campuses they have to satisfy from the faculty to the coaches to the Development office to the director of the play.

I just know from reading some of these posts that some of these people must be seen as being overbearing, over-involved, etc. And the Admissions person is thinking to himself or herself, "Do we really need this grief".

At GP a few years ago, a student, an older brother of an applicant, was chronically late and often absent. The mother had excuse after excuse. The younger brother was not admitted even though on just about every other point of consideration he was a shoo in. She had literally worn out her welcome.

The high schools are anxious to hear about potential problems with the parents from the middle schools. They are looking for a nod or a wink.

That's in part why Mater Dei is a dual edged sword for people trying to get their boys into GP. Lots of nodding and winking going on there.