PG DYS DD got rejected by some prominent Bay Area independent middle schools last week.
Was she rejected or was she wait-listed? I'm not from the Bay Area, but I'm also not surprised that there are more applicants than available slots in schools in the Bay Area. In the schools we've dealt with, there is always a wait-list which students are either automatically put on or parents are given the option to put their student on. As ashley mentioned, there are likely students with acceptance to multiple schools, and once their parents have sorted that out and made their turn-down calls, space will open up. When you call and ask about wait lists, ask what # your child is on the wait list, but don't necessarily be intimidated if it's a large # - wait lists can go down quickly when it's the time of year that parents have to make final school decisions.
I wouldn't assume that her current school "screwed up" her recommendation letters - what would be the reason to do that? Remember that school faculty and staff are professionals - how they represent a student in a letter reflects back upon their school.
Did your dd have a shadow day at any of the schools, and did you have interviews? Honestly, if it's a situation where there are multiple applicants with equally impressive test scores and recommendations, I'd guess that there would be weight put on the in-person contacts - which isn't a bad thing at all. The private schools I've been associated with used those interviews and visits not to make judgements about students and parents but to try their best to determine if the particular school environment was the right place for the particular child. It's not a negative thing at all to have a school be honest in thinking that they aren't the right fit for your child - chances are if they think that, they aren't.
And I'm also really curious about the private school consultant - what is the consultant's take on this? And did the consultant really help with essays? Is it possible that was detectable on the application?
I hope you're able to find a good school fit for your dd - good luck looking forward -
polarbear
