Offers vs places

[Kitsilano]

Does anyone have any inside info about the number of offers made vs places/applications for the West London girls/mixed day schools? Many of them seem to have 10 applications for every actual place - which seems horrible odds - but I'm assuming they must over offer since most girls are applying to a selection of schools. I just don't know to what extent - do they offer twice as many times as they have places for e.g.?

Trying to balance applications so we don't try for too many long shots...

[Ladymuck]

It will vary by school, and has tightened up significantly in the last couple of years. As you will notice the population of children has increased significantly (my borough has added an additional 76 forms of entry at primary level over the last 6 years) but the number of independent school places hasn't. It is a fairly sensitive number so most schools won't tell you, but the lowest that anyone has admitted to seems to be 1.4 offers:places whilst some of the less academically selective schools will run as high as 4-5 offers: place. One school local to me now offers a "first come, first served" basis on their offers. It wouldn't surprise me if some other schools broke away and did similarly.