Dallas Private School Admissions: Still Upset (Booker, Point: appointed, middle school, university)

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by nothermom

Finally, understand that there is a little bit of luck involved in this as well. So don't take it too seriously, all this will be a flash in the pan many years from now. Children from all schools public and private in Dallas will go on to be happy, successful adults.

Very true.

This guy:

John D. Arnold - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Went to public DISD schools K-12. I don't know him (we did not attend school together), but I know people who went to school with him.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by nothermom

(If they are arts/music/stage minded, you really need to be targeting Booker T Washington.)

Very good suggestion. For an arts kid, Booker T is probably a better choice than one of the privates. I know a girl who went to Juilliard from an elite Dallas private and she had a very difficult time balancing the academic demands with her practices and performances. She didn't take AP/ Honors classes because she couldn't handle the private school workload. Booker T offers AP/Honors but more flexibility as all their students are balancing practices, performances, studio time, traveling competitions, etc.

[FutureTex]

Originally Posted by Bell Baumfree

I am struggling to understand the admissions policies of the three allegedly “top” private schools in Dallas (or at least the hardest to get into). Comparing experiences with another mother of a child of the opposite gender than my child, two children who, beginning at the age of seven and continuing, are extraordinarily talented, hardworking, cooperative, and demonstrably successful – i.e., have achieved something at a young age that the vast majority of people never could at any age – were not accepted. If you pay to attend events in Dallas, you may have paid as much as $175 a seat to see one of these two children, and that is just part of what they have achieved.(I am using a fake name.) The “top” schools won’t admit either of these kids, and yes we can pay the tuition and they have exemplary school records.

My child has ISEE scores high enough to be wait-listed, but high ISEE scores and exceptional success at a young age, combined with glowing teacher evaluations and strong community service, wasn’t enough because we’re not related to anyone or extremely wealthy, and because the schools picked kids with a few higher ISEE points – but none of my child’s real-world successes.

My friend’s child – who is probably more talented than my child – was not accepted, my friend was told, because of ISEE scores despite being a straight A student at current school.

Here’s what I don’t understand– the ISEE isn’t success in life. It helps no one and serves nothing to answer multiple-choice questions people already know the answers to. These schools are ignoring actual, real-world success because they are exalting a presumed indicator of success over the real thing.

And here’s the kicker – the other Mom told me that one of these schools is planning on building a new, expensive facility for the very thing that our two children have already succeeded at –so they want a big building for ersatz performances because they’re deliberately not admitting the most talented?? Only in Dallas.

Can someone explain this to me?

If he didn't qualify for any of the three schools then probably you should let him shift his focus towards academics. Extracurricular activities are awesome but they don't get you into top schools and colleges, unless you have a relatively decent academic record on your resume.

By the way, those applicants with higher scores, may have other talents as well, including acting talent. Most parents don't want their kids to dedicate their childhood to attend kiddy pageants and cast calls. If they have talent and want to pursue it then their is a life ahead after high school. Childhood is time to have fun and learn to be well rounded. There is a reason very few child actors and pageant winners are successful adults.

[LeagleEagleDFW]

Originally Posted by Bell Baumfree

Can someone explain this to me?

Private schools have no obligation to admit anyone they don't want to.

Life doesn't always go the way you would like it to. Suck it up and move on.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Bell Baumfree

I am struggling to understand the admissions policies of the three allegedly “top” private schools in Dallas (or at least the hardest to get into). Comparing experiences with another mother of a child of the opposite gender than my child, two children who, beginning at the age of seven and continuing, are extraordinarily talented, hardworking, cooperative, and demonstrably successful – i.e., have achieved something at a young age that the vast majority of people never could at any age – were not accepted. If you pay to attend events in Dallas, you may have paid as much as $175 a seat to see one of these two children, and that is just part of what they have achieved.(I am using a fake name.) The “top” schools won’t admit either of these kids, and yes we can pay the tuition and they have exemplary school records.

My child has ISEE scores high enough to be wait-listed, but high ISEE scores and exceptional success at a young age, combined with glowing teacher evaluations and strong community service, wasn’t enough because we’re not related to anyone or extremely wealthy, and because the schools picked kids with a few higher ISEE points – but none of my child’s real-world successes.

My friend’s child – who is probably more talented than my child – was not accepted, my friend was told, because of ISEE scores despite being a straight A student at current school.

Here’s what I don’t understand– the ISEE isn’t success in life. It helps no one and serves nothing to answer multiple-choice questions people already know the answers to. These schools are ignoring actual, real-world success because they are exalting a presumed indicator of success over the real thing.

And here’s the kicker – the other Mom told me that one of these schools is planning on building a new, expensive facility for the very thing that our two children have already succeeded at –so they want a big building for ersatz performances because they’re deliberately not admitting the most talented?? Only in Dallas.

Can someone explain this to me?

1. I'm sorry things didn't work out for your kiddo.

2. The ISEE is a better predictor of success regarding very competative school environments than previous grades. Further, your assessment of the ISEE is absurd.

[Meyerland]

There will always been more rejections than acceptances at top private schools. They picked the students they felt best fit in their school, whatever the reason.

It hurts, but it happens.

[Bell Baumfree]

Thank you to all who responded; all responses were intelligent and helpful, and I particularly appreciate the kind ones. The message is I should move on, and I agree. My child doesn't need these schools and was accepted to a good school.

There’s just a few more things I want to say.

In a way I get why anyone who complains is quickly discredited as an entitlement case (as illustrated above). But you know, we paid hundreds of dollars in application fees not understanding it’s a game – and one that incidentally hurts children’s feelings. (And yes, I and the other child's mom work for a living).

OK, the money isn’t the point. Posts of parents complaining on this website span years. While I’m sure that somewhere in 6 point type there is a binding legalese statement that we clueless parents agree they can feed our children’s applications to their dogs and we’re chumps with no recourse, so forget the law -- what about decency? Because if you tour these schools and look at the websites, the schools claim to value courage, hard work, cooperation, and the character traits that allow for success, but when qualified applicants have participated in something extraordinary requiring every single one of those traits, the admissions people couldn’t care less. Seriously, I and this other mother met with them after our children weren’t accepted and they had fake smiles plastered on their polite faces and were making their grocery lists in their heads waiting for us to leave. They couldn’t have cared less. We were told what they care about: being “connected” (word used), who is a “legacy”, and/or ISEEscores. The tours and websites are massive misinformation campaigns.

We did apply in a year when there were spaces – I know something about at least a dozen kids who got in (from same schools as mine); they’re all great and the families are great (notably mostly wealthy), but not a single one of these children has appeared before packed audiences dozens of times and gotten paid for it, OK.

What about the rich people donating money for facilities for the talent these schools don’t care one fig about? I thank the person who drew the college parallel for being one hundred percent correct about the SAT’s, but there the analogy ends. I promise you that President Turner has never hit up big donors for a facility to house something that SMU doesn’t care about. If he asks for money for that facility, then the admissions people are going to admit the best and brightest to go with it. That is not going on at these three Dallas schools (well, 2 are in Dallas and the third is north of Dallas).

Thank you for reading this. I am hoping that getting this off my chest will give me some sort of closure. Thank you again to everyone who responded. For those who had kind words, it meant a lot.

[MTQ3000]

Unfortunately, life is unfair but cream will almost always rise to the top. I think your kid will do just great - there are so many different ways to get to the desired destination at the end of the day. Good luck!

Mick

[WorldKlas]

My friend's child withdrew from Hockaday when accepted at Booker T. Its a better place for young students who are talented in performing arts. Set your sights on preparing your child for that school.

[jennifw]

Bell Baumfree - I know you want to keep your anonymity, but can you share what it is that your child does as a performance art? (general area - theater, dance, art) I am just curious.

Thanks and best of luck.