Chances Are You'll Want to Reapply
First, we want to recognize the fortitude it took to complete the independent school admission process. Congratulations to all newly admitted families. If you’re waitlisted, hold on, and by all means, stay active. If you plan on reapplying, and you should, you can rely on your judgment; we usually know what needs to be done to try again. The decision-making process is highly nuanced. Your scholar can be admissible, and your family not be admitted .
Consider the guest blog post below from Lexi Massey, Assistant Director of Admissions - Lower School at Rye Country Day School.
Gina,
Thank you for the opportunity to address these best practices, and please know that every parent/guardian should be proud of themselves and their child for going through the admission process regardless of the result. It is an enriching experience that allows you to reflect and learn more about your child, your family's values.
In parent/guardian interviews I am frequently asked: "What are you looking for?" or "What are the benchmarks my child needs to make in order to be accepted to your school?" These are both valid questions. Parents should be made aware that there are many pieces of the admissions process that we look at including: parent interview, student interview, recommendations, assessments (individual and group), essays/questionnaires, and other supplemental materials. Our admissions committee assess the family and student by asking the following: 1) Is the student academically ready for our program 2) does the student's social/emotional behavior observed during their visit(s) and described in the teacher recommendation reflect our school values and meet our program's expectations 3) Does the family's values align with our schools mission and values? Many admissions committees will not accept a student if the answer to any of the above questions is no.
Most Admissions Offices will welcome a call to discuss your child's application and give feedback. My recommendation is to have appreciation and respect for the admissions process and the school when speaking with the admissions officer and to trust the admissions committee's decision.
The top three questions I feel are most important when asking for constructive feedback are as follows:
1) Were there specific academic areas your committee found to be below average from the individual assessment? If so, can you please elaborate, and if you feel comfortable/willing could you please give us a recommendation for resources or remediation we can do between now and next admissions cycle?
2) Were there social/emotional concerns that your committee had about my child that I should be aware of from their visit(s)? If so, can you please describe? Does your admissions committee have recommendations to better acclimate my child for their group visit?
3) Were there other behavioral concerns that your committee observed during the visit(s) that I should be aware of?
3) What can I do to better prepare my child for the individual assessment and/ or the group visit for next year?
Best,
Lexi