Reader Comment: Got the wait-list call for first choice school

Yesterday, a reader left the comment below under the post “Admissions Notes”. I’ve posted it because it illustrates the point we’ve made before: kids DO get accepted off wait-lists. Sometimes the wait-list call will even come over the summer. Here’s how it happens:

 

We paid our deposit and were very happy with the school where we were lucky enough to be accepted. Originally, it hadn’t been our first choice, but we were waitlisted at our first choice and quickly found happiness with our new school “home”.

 

Then the unexpected happened – we got the phone call offering us a spot off the waitlist at what had been our first choice. I have to say, even though this is supposedly a “good” problem to have, we were a mess. I couldn’t figure out what my gut was saying, and frankly, I couldn’t figure out if I even had one any more! My husband and I went round and round… I know I shouldn’t say it, but it was miserable.

 

In the end, we did decide to switch horses midstream, as it were, but it was an agonizing decision. We opted for the change and went with the school that had been our initial first choice ONLY because we thought it was going to be the best choice for our child. In the end that was our focus, and the thrust of our decision making.

 

I never realized how psychologically hard it was going to be to revisit the whole process again after what we affectionately call, “D-Day”.

 

Your wisdom has been very helpful and I have appreciated all your insight on this entire subject. Thank you!

Hiring an educational consultant to go from wait-listed to accepted

We know families who have engaged the services of an educational consultant to help get them moved from “wait-listed” status to “accepted” at their first or second choice school. This doesn’t always work and there are no guarantees. However, there are educational consultants who know the admissions directors at top schools extremely well and who will probably know which schools will be admitting students from their wait-lists and which schools will not. If you are really unsure how to deal with your child being wait-listed or declined admission, it may be worth a consultation with an educational consultant. These private school experts can also help you understand how to move forward with the admissions process from where you are now. In our opinion, anything that will help you get your child the education you want for him/her is worth considering. 

 

We have a great list of educational consultants on this blog.