Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 11:25     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:No one going to Stanford or MIT so far? Assuming this is a school where students would not be allowed to continue applying after an early acceptance.

Last year the other Phillips Academy experienced a tragedy after Ivy Day and I can’t help but wonder how the school steered/guided him.


I remember that tragedy. It was an unhooked top stats who applied to every ivy RD.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 11:18     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC's high school (not A/E but similar) had some sort of odd deal with Georgetown, to the extent that the school's scattergram for Georgetown showed a 100% acceptance rate above a certain GPA threshold (which was approximately the 70th percentile). Pretty much every kid got funneled into applying there so that if they didn't get an Ivy, the school could still have them listed as attending Georgetown on their matriculation list


Georgetown has a clear line on our scattergram too. But the school doesn't funnel anyone there. The kids just know it's their "I'd be happy there" safety if they're over that line. As a result, there's a big cohort of kids from our HS there and they really take care of each other - easier time getting into clubs etc. IT's a really great and lucky outcome for kids who are not even top 25%. At our HS at least, there's a feeling of, this is what we got for being at this HS - a backdoor into some of these good colleges.


Public or private? DMV? Just curious.

I know a kid from a prominent non-DMV private school who I think got gently "placed" at Georgetown. Very bright kid but all of their desired schools didn't work out and they got Georgetown and one other that is likely considered slightly lower but still very good.


NYC private. No kids ever "placed", but maybe that happens elsewhere - although the idea that they got "placed" at two schools seems suspect. If it was the 20 years ago, counselors could do this from time to time but it was a "if I make this happen and they let you in, you will go" - there were no choices at that stage
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 10:16     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC's high school (not A/E but similar) had some sort of odd deal with Georgetown, to the extent that the school's scattergram for Georgetown showed a 100% acceptance rate above a certain GPA threshold (which was approximately the 70th percentile). Pretty much every kid got funneled into applying there so that if they didn't get an Ivy, the school could still have them listed as attending Georgetown on their matriculation list


Georgetown has a clear line on our scattergram too. But the school doesn't funnel anyone there. The kids just know it's their "I'd be happy there" safety if they're over that line. As a result, there's a big cohort of kids from our HS there and they really take care of each other - easier time getting into clubs etc. IT's a really great and lucky outcome for kids who are not even top 25%. At our HS at least, there's a feeling of, this is what we got for being at this HS - a backdoor into some of these good colleges.


Public or private? DMV? Just curious.

I know a kid from a prominent non-DMV private school who I think got gently "placed" at Georgetown. Very bright kid but all of their desired schools didn't work out and they got Georgetown and one other that is likely considered slightly lower but still very good.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 09:40     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
echoing another poster - kids at our HS really sort themselves. they look for paths that are a little clearer. if there are 5 yale legacy kids with good transcripts, they won't be doing that SCEA. kids are very aware of what other kids are doing. it's smart
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 09:36     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:DC's high school (not A/E but similar) had some sort of odd deal with Georgetown, to the extent that the school's scattergram for Georgetown showed a 100% acceptance rate above a certain GPA threshold (which was approximately the 70th percentile). Pretty much every kid got funneled into applying there so that if they didn't get an Ivy, the school could still have them listed as attending Georgetown on their matriculation list


Georgetown has a clear line on our scattergram too. But the school doesn't funnel anyone there. The kids just know it's their "I'd be happy there" safety if they're over that line. As a result, there's a big cohort of kids from our HS there and they really take care of each other - easier time getting into clubs etc. IT's a really great and lucky outcome for kids who are not even top 25%. At our HS at least, there's a feeling of, this is what we got for being at this HS - a backdoor into some of these good colleges.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 02:50     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:DC's high school (not A/E but similar) had some sort of odd deal with Georgetown, to the extent that the school's scattergram for Georgetown showed a 100% acceptance rate above a certain GPA threshold (which was approximately the 70th percentile). Pretty much every kid got funneled into applying there so that if they didn't get an Ivy, the school could still have them listed as attending Georgetown on their matriculation list
This led to DC once overhearing a surreal conversation:
"Oh yeah, she's going to Georgetown."
"Really? What happened?"
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 02:48     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
DC's high school (not A/E but similar) had some sort of odd deal with Georgetown, to the extent that the school's scattergram for Georgetown showed a 100% acceptance rate above a certain GPA threshold (which was approximately the 70th percentile). Pretty much every kid got funneled into applying there so that if they didn't get an Ivy, the school could still have them listed as attending Georgetown on their matriculation list
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 02:45     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Barely anyone in California finds Davis to be a desirable location. UCLA or Santa Barbara sure, but not Davis - the only explanation I would find more plausible is wanting to major in viticulture or animal science/pre-vet.


Agree with this. I have family in Davis and it certainly has a cute town and the school is strong in bio, agriculture, vet, etc. BUT it's location is pretty far away from SF/East Bay and UC Davis unfortunately has the reputation of being full of kids who couldn't get into Cal, UCLA or UCSD (and maybe UCSB or UCI also).


UC Davis is great! Hasan Minaj, London Breed (SF Mayor), multiple Nobel Laureate, Adam D (Counting Crows lead singer), Evan Williams (co-founded Twitter), several female astronauts all graduated from here!
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 00:01     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:Didn’t read all of the replies but there are like 7 kids going to U Chicago.


That’s good counseling early.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 22:54     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Agree. I think these IG pages have gone overboard. I would think some schools would decide they are above this.

Then again, the number of parents who spend countless hours scouring these pages is also kind of scary. The amount of lost productivity is off the charts...


The kids generally run these, not the school. Kids are excited for themselves and their classmates. Maybe try not being an asshat for once.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 22:51     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Why did the op say that you won’t find more than 2-3 at the same school? Not true.

It also seems overly personal to read specific students’ outcomes. I would not want my kid posting something public like this.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 22:49     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Didn’t read all of the replies but there are like 7 kids going to U Chicago.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 18:54     Subject: A prime example of college counseling steering
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Barely anyone in California finds Davis to be a desirable location. UCLA or Santa Barbara sure, but not Davis - the only explanation I would find more plausible is wanting to major in viticulture or animal science/pre-vet.


Agree with this. I have family in Davis and it certainly has a cute town and the school is strong in bio, agriculture, vet, etc. BUT it's location is pretty far away from SF/East Bay and UC Davis unfortunately has the reputation of being full of kids who couldn't get into Cal, UCLA or UCSD (and maybe UCSB or UCI also).
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 18:34     Subject: Re:A prime example of college counseling steering
I think there are some other famous last names in there, no?
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 18:14     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.


Barely anyone in California finds Davis to be a desirable location. UCLA or Santa Barbara sure, but not Davis - the only explanation I would find more plausible is wanting to major in viticulture or animal science/pre-vet.