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Ask the College Counselor: Applying from public vs private school |
Q: My son is a junior at a high school in Queens. He is an excellent student and would like to go to a prestigious college. But his high school is huge and the college counselors don’t have much time for each student. On the other hand, my cousin’s son goes to a prep school near Washington DC, and my cousin says their college counselors are known for getting kids into the best colleges. What chance does my son have competing against applicants like that?
A: I went to a very large high school myself, in Queens, many years ago. There were about 1500 students in my graduating class. Now I work at a private school, and yes, there is a vast difference in the amount of individual attention teachers and counselors are able to give to students. But statistics confirm that students in each setting are successful in the college admissions process.
Going to a private school in itself does not guarantee acceptance to any college; nor does attending a large urban public school in itself, assure rejection. Applicants are looked at in the context of their school environment, so your son will not be competing against his cousin.
I recently attended an admissions information session at an Ivy league university. The admissions rep pointed out that if they accepted students who were all exactly the same in background and qualifications, the freshman class would be pretty boring. To keep their school vigorous and stimulating, they admit students who come from a wide variety of schools, communities, and ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds who bring an array of interests and talents to campus. To do this, they recruit widely at both public and private schools. Colleges really do reach out, some more effectively than others. (more…)
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