Thoughts on applying to BS after the deadlines

Garandman
Tue, 22 Aug 2017 22:43:36 +0000

We just went through this, unexpectedly. Only even later: first interviews and applications in the second half of June.
We started off by telling our kid, "You may not know where you are going until Labor Day weekend, We beat that a bit: 8/10.

A few “Lessons learned.”

1. There is apparently a meeting of AD’s in June called, “The Liar’s Club,” because all present say they are fully subscribed.

2. “Summer Melt” occurs when, for whatever reasons, a student’s family declines to pay the initial tuition bill (or commitment to a payment plan). Dates vary by school.

3. Additional “melt” occurs when, say, School A offers acceptance to student N off their waiting list. But student N had in the meantime committed to School B. Sometimes Student N declines (enrollment fees are thousands of dollars) in which case School A continues down the list. If Student N accepts, then School B now has an empty bed to fill.

4. Stuff happens. Kids get sick, parents divorce, parent gets new job opportunity, etc. A friend of mine got in a terrible car crash and had to take a year off.

5. Schools have a business plan and a budget predicated on a certain number of students. “Full” equals “business plan met.” Some schools purposely hold back a few beds for late discretionary enrollments. This is completely at their discretion.

6. Pick up the phone and call. Email responses seem Pro Forma. We had an interview and applied at a school one week after they emailed us they were not accepting applications.

7. It takes longer then you think. Even if the AO loves your kid, there will be a committee meeting to decide their fate. The application will always be pushed up to the AD, maybe even other Deans or the Head of School.