CA CA - Sydney “Syd” West, 19, Univ of CA student, San Francisco, 30 Sep 2020 #2

[realanastasia]

Snipped by me from www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1257098

“Sydney’s family continues to turn to social media to aid in the search efforts. The “Find Sydney West” Facebook page has more than 8,000 followers and the timeline is filled with photos of Sydney and heartfelt posts from family and friends pleading for her safe return. One post reads, “Come home Syd! Let's go crabbing again! We love you!” Another reads, “Sydney your piano needs some playing! I miss hearing you!!! (Despite the nights your sister was trying to sleep and I asked you to stop for the day )”

<modsnip>

 

[NSamuelle]

Snipped by me from www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1257098

“Sydney’s family continues to turn to social media to aid in the search efforts. The “Find Sydney West” Facebook page has more than 8,000 followers and the timeline is filled with photos of Sydney and heartfelt posts from family and friends pleading for her safe return. One post reads, “Come home Syd! Let's go crabbing again! We love you!” Another reads, “Sydney your piano needs some playing! I miss hearing you!!! (Despite the nights your sister was trying to sleep and I asked you to stop for the day )”

The second post that’s quoted is about as backhanded a compliment as I’ve ever seen. Actually, it’s a criticism disguised as a “joke.” “Ha ha, you were so inconsiderate of your sister’s needs.” I sense a great deal of anger on the part of the author.

Sydney’s friend says she used to joke that Faith was the “golden child” and they preferred her, but I wonder if she believed that herself. If so, barbs like the one you posted about the piano - and the post about how Faith only kept 50% of Sydney’s furniture when she took her room - would be even more painful to read, if she was out there.

 

[NSamuelle]

Her father says he is reviewing footage from a Chevron in Atlanta GA where someone says a Sydney lookalike was begging for change 2.5 months ago. Father says he received the footage on Friday. Would a gas station keep footage for over a month? For over 2 months?

 

[SJ16321]

Her father says he is reviewing footage from a Chevron in Atlanta GA where someone says a Sydney lookalike was begging for change 2.5 months ago. Father says he received the footage on Friday. Would a gas station keep footage for over a month? For over 2 months?

It's not common to keep footage for that long, although it is possible with most CCTV systems recording to hard drives now and not tapes that need to be constantly reused. I wouldn't hold out much hope on this lead though, we're told it's a "Sydney lookalike" but from photos there doesn't seem to be anything specifically distinctive about her, you could walk into any American high school or college and probably find multiple girls that look like her pretty much immediately.

 

[lowes123]

I remember someone posting on the fb page about seeing her in Atlanta. She does have a look that is very similar to many others, blonde hair, blue eyes, but someone would most likely notice. For every hundred people I see begging, 1 might be a woman. Maybe it is just where I live, but a woman begging would stick out to me. Hopefully it does turn out to be her!

 

[10ofRods]

Her father says he is reviewing footage from a Chevron in Atlanta GA where someone says a Sydney lookalike was begging for change 2.5 months ago. Father says he received the footage on Friday. Would a gas station keep footage for over a month? For over 2 months?

I suppose it's possible it wasn't CCTV footage, but cell phone footage from some gas station user. Perhaps someone worried about a young woman out begging and filmed it, then later connected the dots - or maybe they already knew what Syd looks like (doubtful). But if you're the type of person who starts filming homeless-appearing young people and sending those videos out to people with missing loved ones, that's what you do.

That's what I've started doing, although I'm not out much these days.

 

[K9Enzo]

Emma Fillipoff (age 26 at disappearance) has been missing (Canada) since 2012. I believe her mom still gets videos and pictures sent to her still today. Many very close resemblances, but not her. What a mind trip I'm sure. I believe her mom still welcomes all of them.

Emma's case is so fascinating (you want to know more and more about her when friends/loved ones talk about her), sad and heartbreaking. IMO

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

My apologies if this has already been covered...
I noticed that this recent news article states that Sydney's backpack
"was found in an area *ON* the bridge"
but findsydneywest.com says her backpack was found "in an area *AROUND* the bridge"
If her backpack was actually found on vs around the bridge I feel that it's an indication that she jumped IMO

Family Raises Reward While Searching for Their Daughter

 

[NSamuelle]

I suppose it's possible it wasn't CCTV footage, but cell phone footage from some gas station user. Perhaps someone worried about a young woman out begging and filmed it, then later connected the dots - or maybe they already knew what Syd looks like (doubtful). But if you're the type of person who starts filming homeless-appearing young people and sending those videos out to people with missing loved ones, that's what you do.

That's what I've started doing, although I'm not out much these days.

Father implied it was Chevron-owned footage because he needed permission from “corporate” to view it, so I’m guessing it was CCTV.

 

[amethystcrystal]

Her father says he is reviewing footage from a Chevron in Atlanta GA where someone says a Sydney lookalike was begging for change 2.5 months ago. Father says he received the footage on Friday. Would a gas station keep footage for over a month? For over 2 months?

I think so, I read that some stores or other places can store footage up to 90 days (around 3 months).

 

[lowes123]

Possible Sighting in Mysterious Disappearance of Teen Jason Miller
You never know.

 

[tarabull]

Plenty of "possible sightings" are NOT sightings at all...they r someone who resembles the missing...FWIW.

Where are you Sydney?!!!

 

[Tower]

On reddit, Sydney said she had failed the AP Calculus exam twice...this may have been one of the reasons that she did not get into her top schools.

Just to address some comments about AP exams. Colleges would not deny admission based on “failed” AP exams. You get a score of 1 through 5, and if you get a 4 or 5 (for some schools a 3), you get college credit for that course. If you get a “1”, you would just have to take Calculus in college, no big deal. Colleges would look at your class grade in the AP course (which is not based on the actual AP exam), and it’s possible if Sydney was “failing” her AP exam, she also got less than an A in the class. I have never known a kid to even take an exam twice. I’m not sure how or why they would do that, as they are usually offered only once each spring in our area. I guess Sydney may have taken the entire class over.

My kids will/have taken 12-13 AP classes in high school, starting with 1-2 as freshman. I don’t necessarily agree with this for a majority of kids, but many schools offer a ton of options. Taking 4 at a time is not uncommon here.

Also, Stanford and other top-tier schools would not deny admission for failing an AP exam. It is anyone’s guess who may be accepted each year in their very elite admissions process. Absolute perfection in grades, SAT or ACT scores and extracurricular/sports activities may not be enough to guarantee anything. I can’t tell you how many kids we’ve seen get denied with a perfect application package, while other kids with slightly lower scores but some type of unique qualities may get in that year. No wonder Sydney was likely very stressed out.

Even though some of the minor details about AP exams I may disagree with, your points are very valid. Almost any high school student would be stressed out about taking their exams, even if the score didn’t matter that much. Sydney’s pressure to be perfect would be very likely, understandable and real to her.

 

[10ofRods]

Just to address some comments about AP exams. Colleges would not deny admission based on “failed” AP exams. You get a score of 1 through 5, and if you get a 4 or 5 (for some schools a 3), you get college credit for that course. If you get a “1”, you would just have to take Calculus in college, no big deal. Colleges would look at your class grade in the AP course (which is not based on the actual AP exam), and it’s possible if Sydney was “failing” her AP exam, she also got less than an A in the class. I have never known a kid to even take an exam twice. I’m not sure how or why they would do that, as they are usually offered only once each spring in our area. I guess Sydney may have taken the entire class over.

My kids will/have taken 12-13 AP classes in high school, starting with 1-2 as freshman. I don’t necessarily agree with this for a majority of kids, but many schools offer a ton of options. Taking 4 at a time is not uncommon here.

Also, Stanford and other top-tier schools would not deny admission for failing an AP exam. It is anyone’s guess who may be accepted each year in their very elite admissions process. Absolute perfection in grades, SAT or ACT scores and extracurricular/sports activities may not be enough to guarantee anything. I can’t tell you how many kids we’ve seen get denied with a perfect application package, while other kids with slightly lower scores but some type of unique qualities may get in that year. No wonder Sydney was likely very stressed out.

Even though some of the minor details about AP exams I may disagree with, your points are very valid. Almost any high school student would be stressed out about taking their exams, even if the score didn’t matter that much. Sydney’s pressure to be perfect would be very likely, understandable and real to her.

While Stanford would not deny admission for failing an AP exam, they surely do give more points to those who have passed (many) of them. These days, it's hard to get into Stanford without a couple of AP exams (heck, it's been that way for more than 40 years, AP exams have expanded in that time - but they've always helped the Admissions Package look better).

Syd's dad had hired an expensive consultation firm to help her get as many "points" as possible. She did not make it into the universities her father had hoped she would. So to her, those AP exams must have been important. Another concern is...why did she fail them? They are basically college level classes and designed to test aptitude for more college classes. Was she simply not motivated? Or was there a learning issue? At any rate, it certainly wouldn't help her get into Stanford.

Of the various things one can do that are extra-curricular, sports is probably the hardest to use to get in - because there are an awful lot of those applications and the athlete must truly show promise (especially at Stanford or the Ivy Leagues). Better to be a nationally recognized cellist.

I get the feeling Syd struggled with depression and overly high parental expectations.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

The Bay Area news outlets are reporting that an unidentified clothed female has been spotted in San Mateo County in the ocean near Pacifica and Pedro Point yesterday morning. They do not know who it is, but the news reports are saying that it appears that whoever it is has been in the ocean for quite some time. Here is the SFGate article Unidentifed body found floating off Pacifica coast They have not released any further details that I can find, but if you want to see more articles you can Google pacifica 21-1471 on a search engine. According to the articles, if they cannot identify who it is, they will be releasing more details.

Having seen this happen time and time again in the Bay Area, typically if they find a body floating in the Pacific Ocean, the initial article does not go into any details. Only if they cannot figure out who the person is, will there be a follow-up article describing articles of clothing like this one - Body found floating 10 miles off Santa Cruz coast

Sydney took 5 AP classes her junior year and 3 (I think) AP classes her senior year according to her reddit posts. She took Calculus her junior year and failed that AP exam according to reddit. She does not specify whether it was AB or BC, but her senior year she took the exam again. I am not sure if she re-took the course, but she said on reddit she failed that Calculus AP exam as well when she re-took the exam the following year. Again, she never specified whether it was AB then BC, or AB twice or BC twice. She said in total she took 8 AP classes, failed 3 of the AP exams and failed Calculus twice.

Based on her comments on Reddit, she stated that the AP classes in NC were easier than the AP classes at Foothill High in Pleasanton. She indicated on reddit that in order to take 5 AP classes at Foothill, a student would have had to have been a prodigy.

For Calculus AB or BC, many Pleasanton students received after school tutoring as well. Many teachers also tutor the students for pay after school as well, which is controversial in Pleasanton. There are dozens of tutoring centers, some that are staffed by Pleasanton Unified teachers. Many Pleasanton students spend hours a week in tutoring centers even as early as Algebra, Geometry, etc.

Other than AP Biology, Sydney in reddit did not disclose what other AP courses she took.

 

[everybodhi]

The Bay Area news outlets are reporting that an unidentified clothed female has been spotted in San Mateo County in the ocean near Pacifica and Pedro Point yesterday morning. They do not know who it is, but the news reports are saying that it appears that whoever it is has been in the ocean for quite some time. Here is the SFGate article Unidentifed body found floating off Pacifica coast They have not released any further details that I can find, but if you want to see more articles you can Google pacifica 21-1471 on a search engine. According to the articles, if they cannot identify who it is, they will be releasing more details.

Having seen this happen time and time again in the Bay Area, typically if they find a body floating in the Pacific Ocean, the initial article does not go into any details. Only if they cannot figure out who the person is, will there be a follow-up article describing articles of clothing like this one - Body found floating 10 miles off Santa Cruz coast

Sydney took 5 AP classes her junior year and 3 (I think) AP classes her senior year according to her reddit posts. She took Calculus her junior year and failed that AP exam according to reddit. She does not specify whether it was AB or BC, but her senior year she took the exam again. I am not sure if she re-took the course, but she said on reddit she failed that Calculus AP exam as well when she re-took the exam the following year. Again, she never specified whether it was AB then BC, or AB twice or BC twice. She said in total she took 8 AP classes, failed 3 of the AP exams and failed Calculus twice.

Based on her comments on Reddit, she stated that the AP classes in NC were easier than the AP classes at Foothill High in Pleasanton. She indicated on reddit that in order to take 5 AP classes at Foothill, a student would have had to have been a prodigy.

For Calculus AB or BC, many Pleasanton students received after school tutoring as well. Many teachers also tutor the students for pay after school as well, which is controversial in Pleasanton. There are dozens of tutoring centers, some that are staffed by Pleasanton Unified teachers. Many Pleasanton students spend hours a week in tutoring centers even as early as Algebra, Geometry, etc.

Other than AP Biology, Sydney in reddit did not disclose what other AP courses she took.

I don’t think it’s scientifically possible that this could be her body, clothed and intact 8 months later, unless she died much more recently near Pacifica.
*graphic
Here’s What Happens to a Dead Body at The Bottom of The Sea

 

[ElizabethAnne]

I don’t think it’s scientifically possible that this could be her body, clothed and intact 8 months later, unless she died much more recently near Pacifica.
*graphic
Here’s What Happens to a Dead Body at The Bottom of The Sea

In the above article regarding the man found floating out to sea 10 miles off the Santa Cruz coast, he had jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. For whatever reason, he did not sink to the bottom of the sea.

The press release from Pacifica https://www.cityofpacifica.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=18572 states the body appears to have been in the water "for some time." They don't go into specifics, but from that wording, it sounds like the person died quite a while ago. I'm not sure what timeframe because it sounds like they don't know.

Some people who jump off of the Golden Gate Bridge end up being found along the coast such as these two individuals found near Half Moon Bay - Bodies were result of suicide ; however, some are never found. For those that live or have lived in San Mateo County, these articles appear in the news quite often. 16 year old Cathy Qiu, an honors student, was found near Half Moon Bay even though the jump was not captured by the GGB cameras.

In terms of the condition of clothes in the ocean, I think it depends on the circumstances. I recall that when the trial of Scott Peterson was being held in San Mateo County, that the clothing of Laci Peterson remained in place and in fairly good condition to be placed into evidence (e.g. the beige/tan pants that were discussed during the trial) even though she was at the bottom of the ocean for about 4 months until she was found. It depends on the material along with the circumstances.

 

[everybodhi]

In the above article regarding the man found floating out to sea 10 miles off the Santa Cruz coast, he had jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. For whatever reason, he did not sink to the bottom of the sea.

The press release from Pacifica https://www.cityofpacifica.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=18572 states the body appears to have been in the water for some time. They don't go into specifics, but from that wording, it sounds like the person died quite a while ago. I'm not sure what time frame because it sounds like they don't know.

Well yes, you sink and then you float when decomposition begins causing gasses to release in the body, then you eventually sink again.
The man found off Santa Cruz jumped Feb 11 and was found Mar 4. He was also in the ocean for “quite some time” but not 8 months, he would be a skeleton after 8 months and not an intact skeleton if he had traveled in currents for miles.
Did you read the link or check Google to see what remains of a body that’s been in the ocean after 8 months?
After living many years on the CA coast including in Pacifica, I know drowning and bodies being found in the water and on beaches happens fairly frequently, that ocean is treacherous, but it’s just not forensically possible to be intact in the ocean after 8 months, and dressed too.
This is not jmo.

 

[Tower]

While Stanford would not deny admission for failing an AP exam, they surely do give more points to those who have passed (many) of them. These days, it's hard to get into Stanford without a couple of AP exams (heck, it's been that way for more than 40 years, AP exams have expanded in that time - but they've always helped the Admissions Package look better).

Syd's dad had hired an expensive consultation firm to help her get as many "points" as possible. She did not make it into the universities her father had hoped she would. So to her, those AP exams must have been important. Another concern is...why did she fail them? They are basically college level classes and designed to test aptitude for more college classes. Was she simply not motivated? Or was there a learning issue? At any rate, it certainly wouldn't help her get into Stanford.

Of the various things one can do that are extra-curricular, sports is probably the hardest to use to get in - because there are an awful lot of those applications and the athlete must truly show promise (especially at Stanford or the Ivy Leagues). Better to be a nationally recognized cellist.

I get the feeling Syd struggled with depression and overly high parental expectations.

Agree with your points. If she is getting a 1 on an AP exam, she likely isn’t a good fit for Stanford. I mean that in the most kind and generous way, the rigorous classes would not be easy for someone not getting at least a 4 on the AP Calculus exam, no matter the reason.

But in 2020 and 2021, I am stating again, Stanford did not require reporting AP test scores. AP tests are administered by a private, national company and are completely separate from taking AP classes, which are very important and counted in the applicant’s GPA. There is simply nowhere to note AP scores in most college applications (including Stanford’s), so it would not be considered for admission. That’s the strange thing about the reported posts: her level of stress over “failed” or more accurately, a low score on multiple (?) AP Calculus exams would be irrational because it would not matter. Unless perhaps she was failing her high school AP class repeatedly.

I think this poor young woman was likely stressed out about anything and everything, but that particular stress strikes me as quite odd since a “perfect” GPA, test scores, sports, extracurriculars and a $15K consultant are still no guarantee you will be the unicorn they are seeking to admit. I really feel for Sydney’s state of mind during that gap year and beyond. It’s an almost impossible task to get in to some of these schools.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

Agree with your points. If she is getting a 1 on an AP exam, she likely isn’t a good fit for Stanford. I mean that in the most kind and generous way, the rigorous classes would not be easy for someone not getting at least a 4 on the AP Calculus exam, no matter the reason.

But in 2020 and 2021, I am stating again, Stanford did not require reporting AP test scores. AP tests are administered by a private, national company and are completely separate from taking AP classes, which are very important and counted in the applicant’s GPA. There is simply nowhere to note AP scores in most college applications (including Stanford’s), so it would not be considered for admission. That’s the strange thing about the reported posts: her level of stress over “failed” or more accurately, a low score on multiple (?) AP Calculus exams would be irrational because it would not matter. Unless perhaps she was failing her high school AP class repeatedly.

I think this poor young woman was likely stressed out about anything and everything, but that particular stress strikes me as quite odd since a “perfect” GPA, test scores, sports, extracurriculars and a $15K consultant are still no guarantee you will be the unicorn they are seeking to admit. I really feel for Sydney’s state of mind during that gap year and beyond. It’s an almost impossible task to get in to some of these schools.

Sydney stated on reddit that she had sent the AP scores from the College Board directly to schools she had applied to as well as had accidentally uploaded them and transmitted them including one of the Calc AP test scores that she had failed.
"**Coursework:**8 APs, 1 5 , 4 4s, and legit failed the rest lmao including calc twice idk how. accidentally uploaded one of them too. whoops." Source: reddit

During her postings on reddit, she also said she was attempting in February to re-take the ACT to get a higher score in order to send that score to some of the schools that take the February 2020 ACT test.

When Sydney was a senior, according to her reddit postings, the volleyball coach at Grinnell College in Iowa was recruiting her for volleyball and wanted her to apply Early Decision. She instead decided to apply Regular Decision, but then what happened was that she was actually rejected by Grinnell....even after being recruited for volleyball. She was also rejected by University of Chicago according to her reddit postings.

She then took a gap year, her parents hired a $15K admissions consultant, and it sounds like they tried a new approach---to use her essays and the internship with her father's company to help get her into colleges. She also stated on reddit that she sent the colleges her music recordings as well that she had made also as a way to have her stand out for college admissions.