<p>This is what it says in the common recommendation form:</p>
<p>“Please comment on this ** student’s citizenship ** and positive contributions to your school community.”</p>
<p>What exactly are they expecting the teachers to write about that? Disregard the positive contributions part… I’m just wondering about the student’s citizenship part. What is “citizenship”? My teacher’s asking me because she didn’t know what it means.</p>
<p>I am thinking that it is like
the way you act towards other people.</p>
<p>I remember we used to have citizenship awards for the kids who were the most helpful in Elementary school…</p>
<p>I dont know if that was much of a help, but that is what I think it is…</p>
<p>Another way to put this is to ask how the student fits in, contributes to the larger community…possibly beyond the school community.</p>
<p>We are all citizens of the world. Do we act in community with others or are we simply out for ourselves, hoarding what we can and acting independent of – and without consideration towards – our fellow citizens. Is the student a lone ranger, independent, self-contained academic engine? Or is the student excelling academically while also adding value to his or her community? (Again, I think this can be answered in terms of any number of communities that the student belongs to, from school to city to church to athletic team to music ensemble. Everything from the immediate family community to the global community.)</p>
<p>[citizenship</a> - Definitions from Dictionary.com](<a href=“http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=citizenship]citizenship”>CITIZENSHIP Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com)</p>
<p>Some people regard citizenship in terms of a status that is foisted on them. BOOM! I was born in the geopolitical zone known as the United States, so I am – by default and automatic operation of law – a citizen of the United States. That gives me all sorts of rights and privileges of citizenship. But there’s more to it than that. It’s a bargain. I have certain responsibilities and duties and obligations concomitant with the rights, privileges and other goodies that inure to my benefit as a citizen of the United States. Some of these are imposed by law such as the obligation to file income tax returns and register with Selective Service at age 18. Some of these are offered up by law, such as voting and serving in public office. And others spring from within ourselves, such as sending care packages to soldiers.</p>
<p>In a school community…where a middle and high school student is most likely to be fully engaged in community, what might some of these duties, responsibilities and self-initiated imperatives be? In what ways are you more than just a consumer of the services and opportunities offered by your school? How do you give back? How is your experience at your school seen in terms of being part of a larger organism instead of being the “center of attention.” Are you a role player or prima donna? Do you act from an understanding that a “rising tide floats all boats” or is your creed more along the lines of “every man for himself!”?</p>
<p>This question will be addressed if your teacher addresses how you fit and operate within one or more communities (and, remember, she’s expressly asked to talk about “positive contributions to {the} school community”).</p>
<p>You know…if I was running a private school, I’d want someone to answer this question about the PARENTS of the students! So many parents at private schools I’ve been around have an attitude that paying tuition makes them consumers and that their primary role with the school is to make sure that their child is getting their money’s worth by starting at quarterback, starring in the school play, not getting too harshly disciplined for the “toilet paper incident,” and generally extracting as much as possible from the school while insulating and shielding themselves and their child from burdens and responsibilities. I guess the schools can’t vet parents like that, so instead they ask about the applicant and figure that the acorn doesn’t fall too far from the tree.</p>
<p>lol, Dyer. Thanks.</p>
<p>What is your idea of a good recommendation? Does it matter if you didn’t have a page long narrative? Does it matter if you’re not “one of the top few I have ever encountered” at every single category? Does it matter if you have “good (above average)” for some?</p>
<p>To put it simply, what do they expect their accepted applicants to have?</p>
<p>I know I don’t have much control over this, but my teachers pretty much told me what they wrote. So I’m trying to see if my recs suck or not.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>I can’t say what Admission Office people look for, but in the workplace, recommendations that say “Best person ever” in every facet of their existence lack credibility. It’s difficult to regard that as reliable. Now, surely recommenders will try to puff a little. But that’s much different than deceiving prospective employers. I still expect to understand what a job applicant’s strengths and weaknesses are after reading a “good” (as in reliable and credible) recommendation.</p>
<p>Think about it this way. If you were asked in an interview to describe your weaknesses as a student, would you say, “I have none!” and think that you nailed that question? Recommendations should be written as evaluative tools, first and foremost. So if you’re worried that your recommendation isn’t a public relations brochure, then – if real world principles apply to boarding school recommendations – it seems like you should be very grateful for the approach your recommenders have taken.</p>
<p>As for the length, you may be surprised to read this from me but succinct is good. You want your application reviewers to read your file when they get to it, not roll their eyes and skim over it. Right?</p>
<p>Is it bad if I forgot to send a thank you letter/email to my interviewer?
I kept meaning to get a good card, but after looking for too long, it’s late :(</p>
<p>I would send one now and just apologize for the delay in mailing it out. Better late than never.</p>
<p>What if it is like 3 monthes late?</p>
<p>In that case you’re just highlighting a faux pas. I think sending in timely thank you notes helps…though barely. I think not sending one in is outcome-neutral. Sending one in 3 months late comes across as neurotic.</p>
<p>If you have a reason to communicate again – a good reason, not a contrived one – write and include a sentiment expressing gratitude for the interview along with the other, primary message that you need to communicate. </p>
<p>I can’t imagine a school not accepting an otherwise desirable candidate with a missing “thank you” note being the dispositive factor that has another candidate leap frog past you for the very last place in the class. Not only is it a minor consideration…the odds that your file will also be teetering on the brink of admission just seems to be mathematically improbable. Don’t sweat it…but do remember the lesson that it feels better when you make a habit of being prompt with thank-you notes. Even if it’s for a cement-like fruit cake that Aunt Hortense brought to Thanksgiving dinner.</p>
<p>When I said “better late than never”, I was under the impression that the interview had occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. 3 months is a significant time lapse. </p>
<p>If this were a different situation, such as if 3 months had passed and you still hadn’t thanked your Aunt for a birthday present, it would okay and still appropriate to send a card, and apologize for the delay.</p>
<p>However, in this scenario, 3 months down the road, I don’t think it would help your chances and it would call attention to the fact you didn’t send one. They probably didn’t even notice. As D’yer said, if there is a reason to update the school with new information (you won a prestigious award), you could then reiterate how much you enjoyed meeting with the school’s representative.</p>
<p>What kind of questions should my daugther expect in her interview?</p>
<p>This is totally new 4 us.</p>
<p>She’s applying to 3 schools. the interviews all come soon.</p>
<p>one school she spent 3wks there last summer in a summer program they gave.</p>
<p>That school in particular really know her all ready??? What you think?</p>
<p>I meant she took 3 classes got a report from those 3 instructors…
She was there 21 days.</p>
<p>Really now they just need her transcript, teacher recom. ???</p>
<p>what u think?</p>
<p>Well,
I was exaggerating with 3 months…
It was about 4 weeks ago…
is that too far?</p>
<p>@ drmaQueen: Here’s a thread with lots of advice on the topic of the interview and expectations: </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/362843-interview-process.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/362843-interview-process.html</a></p>
<p>Here’s a link that explains what you should expect during an interview. Burb Parent points out this same web page in the thread above, but the link has been changed to the one here:</p>
<p>[St</a>. George’s ~ Questions](<a href=“http://www.stgeorges.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=101385]St”>http://www.stgeorges.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=101385)</p>
<p>The role of the parent(s) in the interview is important. I made a mistake in being too conversational when I should have been more focused on gathering information. Here’s a great thread that covers that, but I’m sending you directly to a post in that thread by baseballmom who lists some questions that most parents ought to get answered at some point in time before enrolling their child in a new school away from home:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/369098-list-how-narrow-down-4.html#post4602440[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/369098-list-how-narrow-down-4.html#post4602440</a></p>
<p>You know, good manners never go out of style. If you would like to send the thank you letter, do so. You can even tell them what you told us–you were looking for the “perfect card” and before you knew it, weeks had past. Again, just reiterate how much you appreciated the individual’s time. I am sure it will be fine.</p>
<p>D’yer Maker </p>
<p>Wonderful information Thanks.</p>
<p>Thank you so much, everyone.</p>