Does knowing an alumna help in school admission?

[deanstreet]

For the highly selective schools such as St Pauls and Kings College etc, just out of curiosity, assuming that school grades, entrance exams, and interviews go well , I wonder if an applicant family knowing an alumna or two help during the admission process?

No

How would the school know who you ‘know’. I doubt it would make a difference. It shouldn’t.

No. Some schools would very slightly care if a parents attended (not the very selective ones), but simply knowing someone who used to attend is irrelevant.

Not in the slightest.

No They’re taking your child, not the one who got in 30 years before.

Ha! I’ve known of ex-Etonian fathers pretty much on their knees in their prep headmaster’s office when their sons don’t get in to their old school.

Obviously your alumna friend should be able to expand on the aims and ethos of the school in conversation with your child - which should be bolstering for the interview. But I highly doubt that a mummy or daddy dropping the person’s name into conversation with the deputy head will swing an application. (Unless there’s a truly vast donation hanging in the balance …)

Many private schools will ask on the application form if you have a connection with the school.

My DD goes to the same private school I went to. I honestly don’t think it makes the slightest bit of difference. I know someone who was head girl at her school and her child didn’t get in.

Ouch. That must have been painful!

A smaller/less selective school might be interested to know there’s some kind of connection - especially if the alumna is willing to say good things about the kid, or if the alumna seems likely to donate well if kept happy.

But for a selective school it’s very unlikely to make any difference. It’s not unusual at all for the children of alumni to be rejected, so just knowing one is irrelevant.

I think JAGS and SPS asked us if family members had attended the school - I think at SPS they put boys in the same house as their dads/grandads.

Don't think it works that know alot of people want to think it does because of whatever agenda they have going on

A connection with is your parent or sibling. Not an acquaintance from work or the pub

Still makes no difference.

It sort of does though. I have a DD at one of the super selectives and another joining this year. I have no doubt our our good relationship with the school has helped both my children get in / flourish there.

Being pedantic but I just wanted to point out that the word alumna referred to a female graduate. A male is an alumnus and plural is alumni.

If your child had not passed the stringent testing requirements for a super selective there is no way they’d have been offered a place no matter what your relationship with the school. Maybe 30 years ago but not now. And if they have a sibling policy your younger child would automatically get in.

Refers, not referred. Can’t edit.

You can tell yourself this but if they hadn’t passed the exams it would make no difference - no place would have been forthcoming. In fact you’re rather undermining your second child’s achievement by making it about you.

yeah I think the Mumsnet thing of seeing one post and then analysing the poster on that is really unhelpful.

we’re massively proud of BOTH girls but quite frankly, random stranger on the internet, it shouldn’t matter to you.

You are literally posting to random strangers on the Internet, of course they’re going to have an opinion on your posts 😆
You’re flattering yourself to think it “matters” to anyone.