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Now that you have been through it, what would you recommend to parents applying to ongoings next year? What worked?
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Even for the TT. Connected PSD, FC, ILY, no boy/girl spots, basement interview, PSD working only for folks with donor potential-most of the info is bs. Only useful advice was a comment that if an experienced PSD gives you a firm opinion on DC's chances, she is probably correct. Be yourself and it is not your admission,it is your child who has to shine-you can only decrease the chances by overselling, lying or showing signs of being a PITA
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My great kid tested really well but is really shy! If you have a shy kid start theatre classes!
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prep for ERB, write essays over the summer, if you have a clear FC write a FC letter
[ Reply | Options ]and do as many spring tours as you can (especially Dalton, since Babby does the spring tours). Sign up immediately for the Dalton spring tour.
[ Reply | Options ]I always think people who feel the need to prep for erb (which you're not supposed to do--per erb office) have dim kids.
[ Reply | Options ]you're dead wrong. prepping can make the difference between a 97 and a high 99. 97 is run of the mill, but a 99 will get a second look. When you're trying for the top 30 spots in 1000 applicants, every little thing counts.
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ITA. This is the one time people are being honest with you. Most of those super high scores come from prepping.
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that's silly; a "dim" kid cannot be prepped to high scores. prepping means exposure. i am sure our 97 would have been a 99 DC had DC had a teeny bit of exposure to some of the types of questions/ways of thinking. prepping WORKS, otherwise erb would say go for it, it won't make a dfference. it does make a difference, they know it, but it basically preps up a few points, maybe 5 points, but that can make a big difference. it certainly has nothing to do with being "dim" -- maybe dim parents don't get that they should just do it, and i was one of those dim parents! if harry letterman was prepped to 99s (acoording to boards; and is very smart i am sure), hey, not fair, we should have, to!!!!
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i agree with write a fc if you have one. we did not commit to one school bc we liked 4-5 schools and figured one would pan out since dc had great test scores, and school report. luckily one did pan out, but not one in top 3. i would not take that chance again.
[ Reply | Options ]That was us too (last year). In the end, WL at D and B and did not send FC to school #3 because hoped that D or B would work out. Wish we had sent FC to #3 since we ended up at #6.
[ Reply | Options ]^^^which leads to my next piece of advice: Listen to your PSD and try to read between the lines. I think my PSD was trying to be nice and not say "you're not getting in." Instead she said things like "D really loves you, but it's a bad year for girls." Should have known that meant WL.
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My advice after having done this twice is to look at a broad variety of schools, start in the spring with touring the schools that offer spring tours, and to do all of the above, except I didn't do any test prep, so I can't comment on that. I would also do the erbs in the spring instead of the fall/winter if you can, because the dc's score is good info to have when deciding where to apply in the fall. I also had a great deal of communication with my psd, which I think was helpful for me this time around, but you may not have that option. Good luck -
[ Reply | Options ]Be as serious about any public school choices you have as you are with your private school choices. Do the SB for Hunter (if you live in Manhattan), take the OLSAT, find out about unzoned schools and/or lottery possibilities. Tour these schools if you can - talk to neighbors and friends about them. Knowing about the public schools can only help if your dc is shut out.
[ Reply | Options ]ITA, and it can also help you make a more focused list. After touring our public (41), I decided not to apply to a number of schools that I didn't think were worth $30k more than PS41.
[ Reply | Options ]ITA w/this strategy. After doing so, I narrowed down our list of schools SIGNIFICANTLY, and only applied to the 3-4 that we felt offered a COMPELLING value over FREE. This selectivity, in turn, resonated well w/a lot of the schools. It's a risky strategy, but we got into 3/4 schools we applied to.
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Assuming your DC is in the ballpark based on ERBs, playdate, your interview, essays, love letters, etc..., then strategic use of first choice CALL (since first choice letters are officially ruled out) and effective PSD who works with you and talks to the schools are the keys.
[ Reply | Options ]Take the ERB as early as possible - now or in summer - it will help you formulate your list and have realistic expectations. GL!
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