I’d like to throw our scheduling puzzle out to the hive mind and ask for your thoughts. While it is technically a scheduling question, it really is also a question about how to understand school cultures, and how to make use of limited resources…
Quick note, I am using the words “reach” and “match” for lack of a better terminology. I understand it is not an ideal framework given the large number of applicants for all of these schools, and the limited spots available. I get that (with shocking frequency) great kids do not get in anywhere, even so called “matches” and 'safeties". I am using these terms to represent admit percentages, and am not making any snotty claims about school quality. I am in the camp that all of these schools are phenomenal, and that individual fit matters more than brand name.
BASIC DETAILS:
zixzaxKid will be applying next year. (In 7th now.)
zzKid wants to:
(1) Apply to 5 “reaches” (all favorites based on websites and school fair visit), and possibly an extra 2 depending on tours (these 2 are also “reaches”). If no acceptance 1st time, stay home an extra year and then cast a very wide net as a 9th grade repeat applicant the following year. ie. “Go Big or stay home on the first try. Go with a very wide net on the 2nd try.”
(2) zzK also wants to tour one, possibly two “match” schools to see them. But has said that this is just “because [zzK] is curious to compare… not to actually apply.”
zzKid came to conclusion about this school list and approach based on websites, conversations with friends, and meeting AO’s at a local school fair.
++This plan gives us 9 schools to see.
zzParent wants:
(1) To see the 9 schools on zzKid’s list and see another 3 or 4 hidden gems.
(2) zzParent loves the hidden gems, thinks nothing matters more than fit, and yet does acknowledges that fit for zzKid could of course be one of those “reach” schools. Nevertheless, zzParent thinks the final application list should be whatever subset of these 12 or 13 schools has a great vibe for zzKid while touring. If that subset is 2 “safeties” and all “matches” so be it.
++This plan gives us 12 or 13 schools to see.
zzKid and zzParent both totally respect the other viewpoint, and feel that the tour/interview trips can accommodate both approaches and will probably really change the thinking on the final list for both of us. Ultimately, zzKid will have final say over the application list with zzParent having potential veto power if there is some giant red flag sort of thing. (ie. I can’t imagine a case in which I’d exercise veto power. All these schools look great.)
Finally! The puzzle: we can take two trips to see the schools and MUST take two trips (because of work constraints). And, unfortunately, one trip must be in the summer (how much can we tell about a school if there are no kids on campus?) and the other can be in the fall.
How would you divide the list between the summer trip and the fall trip? Let’s say there are:
(a) 5 “Go Big / zzKid first choice schools”
(b) 2 “Go Big/ zzKid curious-about schools”
© 2 “zzKid curious-about match schools”
(d) 3 “zzParent let’s-see-more-hidden-gem schools”
Which schools would you absolutely see in the fall? And which in the summer? (I think we can’t see more than 7 schools on any trip, assuming being able to tour/interview at 2 a day, and one on Wed/Sat?)
I know this is a lot of ink to spill on what my seem trivial in the end… but since I have to make some decision on dividing the visits into two lists, and since comparing the schools we see in the summer to the schools we see in the school year will give us very different experiences, I should try to make it the most logical division I can…
Thanks for your input!