<p>I'm a female 9th grader currently attending a public school. I live in Alberta, Canada. I fell completely in love with Groton School when I was in 7th grade. I was ready to apply last year but my family and I moved across the country and It was just not a good time. I am very serious about boarding school this year. My parents have softened up to the idea of me attending boarding school as I am overachieving at my new school, the education quality is behind here compared to where I used to attend school. I am not being challenged but I'm recieving 100%s on almost everything, excluding perhaps one or two sheets, but my work is mediocre. My parents are aware of how devoted I am to attending boarding school, I'm dropping out of a school trip I was extremely excited to attend, plus I've been working towards and achieving personal goals that are difficult to prove I'm actually serious about it.</p>
<p>My main talents in school are languages. I'm in french immersion and can speak and write french fluently. I also recieve very high marks in French class. I am skilled at reading and writing in english. I am an avid reader with a very large vocabulary. I recieved 100% on my english crt in grade 6. I generally recieve mid eighties or better on my midterm and final examinations. I also do fairly well in social studies and science, averaging mid-eighties on report cards. My only weakness in school is math, where I have alot of trouble but I am recieving private tutoring plus other help to raise my math marks.</p>
<p>As per other things, I am a seasoned ice hockey player. I've played for 5 years. I was an all-star player but I was severely injured a few years ago and I'm working hard to get back to my previous playing level. I was team captain and an assistant captain on different teams. I played male, female, all-star with both genders and I played in a private male league. I also started tennis this past summer and I'm improving quickly. I do not play any musical instruments really, I am willing to take up the saxiphone as I've played before but I quit. I do enjoy participating in choir however. I sang in my school's choir for 4 years before I moved. I attend Drama classes and have been on an improvisation team. I also participate in my school's leadership commitee.</p>
<p>In a school, my only preferences are that they be in Canada or The United States, and that they be co-ed. Also, they must have a fa program.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any idea if I even have a chance at being accepted into a boarding school? I'm definitly applying to Groton, but I'd like to have between 4-7 other schools to apply to as Groton is apparently very picky with it's acceptances. Also, If anyone has any suggestions about how to make myself more desirable to boarding schools, they would be appreciated =]</p>
<p>Thanks to anyone who actually read this or replied, your help is appreciated more then you know!</p>
<p>I replied to an identical thread on the prep school chances section about information that I received that Groton had a tough recruiting year and was needing more skaters. Can you confirm for the OP?</p>
<p>It is such a shame as they did so well last year. Not sure what happened. Best of luck to you and your team (BTW, I don't think you will play against goaliegirl, so I don't have a stake in your season). If it makes you feel any better, goaliegirl's school had a rough time recruiting as well and will skate with a very short bench this season.</p>
<p>With Winchedon adding girls hockey this year plus the formation of the Boston Shamrocks club team (full time instead of prep + pre-post), there seems to be more teams chasing fewer players.</p>
<p>I would suggest you raise your grades. mid eighties from a public school, unless that school is extremely rigorous, is normally not a student Groton would accept.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, you being an awesome athlete will give you a push up, especially because ice hockey is sort of a sport not many people play in general (you know, like how soccer and basketball everybody plays, but ice hockey and volleyball etc are sort of region-restricted?) and I dunno, I just thought that Groton was kinddd of into ice hockey lol (i could be wrong on this, i have friends who go so maybe it's just them)</p>
<p>your ECs are very dedicated, if that makes any sense. i think leadership committee would give you a leg up (correct me if im wrong)</p>
<p>it's a good idea to explore other schools as you mentioned :) a good average in my opinion would be 6, but doing more unless beyond 10 isn't a big deal, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Have you taken your SSAT's yet? It seems like they will be important not only in determining whether you could get in, but, more importantly, whether you would be able to do the work. Students work very hard at Groton and GPA's generally go down there from a student's previous school. It is really hard to advise what other schools might be a good fit until your scores are in.</p>
<p>goaliedad.
you are correct in the fact that we had a tough year recruiting. We lost four skaters and will continue to have 1 goalie again this season. It was disappointing after making playoffs last year for the first time ever. We have 8 returning players, but it will be fun!</p>
<p>Take good care of your goalie. Goaliegirl spent her freshman and sophomore years as an only goalie and now finally has a freshman behind her this year.</p>
<p>She played the last 2 periods of her last game last year with a concussion (someone skated into her helmet while she was down covering the puck in a scrum). Coaches and ref didn't see it. Ref just took the puck to the faceoff circle and dropped it. She had headaches for 2 weeks. Kinda messed up her finals.</p>
<p>You can do it with 8, but it will be tough. Goaliegirl's team started at 10+1 last year and finished 9+1 (injury). They will be 10+1 again this season again and with only 3 upperclassmen. New coach is already starting the "voluntary" conditioning I hear. I hope your girls are getting ready.</p>
<p>NEprepgoer- I will definitly message you! I have loads of questions about Groton in general and their hockey program. Thanks for replying.</p>
<p>westcoast_-Thanks for answering! I am trying very hard this year so my grades are very good and so far my marks have been all 100%s except for one 99%. I probably wasn't clear in what I said about my grades, My report card average is normally between 89-93% depending on what report it is. I generally recieve high nineties on my report cards in english and french, and somewhere over 85 in socials and science. So far thsi year my grades have greatly improved. We recieve our first report cards next week so I'll be sure to post how it goes.</p>
<p>I've also heard Groton is into Ice Hockey so I hope it might help me out a bit.
I'm glad my ec's seem good. I was worried I wasn't involved in enough activities. I am joining the school debate team as well, so if the team does well that might help a bit too. =]</p>
<p>Old1: Thanks for replying! I have not taken the ssat yet, I'm planning on taking it in early December as it's a good time for me because it lines right up with a week off at the very end of November where I am planning on studying. The amount of work is something I am concerned about as I am used to public school curriculum and I am also used to never having any homework. But I'm going to start adding extra studying time everynight until I am doing at least 2-3 hours of homework nightly so I can attempt at the very least to get accustomed with doing work.</p>
<p>Goaliedad- Thanks for replyign again! Your posts have been very imformative and I did follow your advice and emailed the team's coach.</p>
<p>Well, It appears we can cross Groton off the list. I called with a few questions about FA and they do not offer assistence to international citizens. So now what? haha.</p>
<p>Bummer. There are some schools that do offer aid to internationals. Don't have a list, though. </p>
<p>Moving on, though....</p>
<p>I went back and looked through your previous posts. I'm not sure about your family's particulars, but it would seem that your family income is on the high end for getting FA. Now I know there is a currency conversion, plus I believe there are quite stiff income taxes in Canada, so I cannot be too sure about it.</p>
<p>I take it that the reason that you are FA fishing is that your parents aren't quite as excited about the prospect as you are?</p>
<p>Other things...</p>
<p>You will need some type of coach's recommendation or scouting report to catch on this side of the border. I would venture to say very few NE prep coaches venture to your neck of Canada (although I know of some who regularly visit the Maritimes). Are you currently playing for a team? Male or Female? And would you be able to get a good solid letter of recommendation and an evaluation of how you stack up against other female players of your age? These are things that will probably be necessary to get you recruited at most schools.</p>
<p>BTW, in your neck of the woods, are you familiar with Warner? Is it a possibility for you?</p>
<p>But ultimately, we need to know your priorities in where you want to go...</p>
<p>Think about ordering the following.
a. Academic Challenge and programs
b. School Name Recognition
c. Quality of Team
d. Coaching (what type of coach makes you better)
e. Ice time (how long of a bench)
f. Location (rural, suburban)
g. Financial aid amount</p>
<p>Lots more questions, if we are going to help you through all of this understanding your priorities is the most important thing...</p>
<p>Well, It appears we can cross Groton off the list. I called with a few questions about FA and they do not offer assistence to international citizens. So now what? haha.</p>
<p>^ are you sure it's not at all? i heard that it was near-impossible, but "near" was the key word for me =/</p>
<p>Did you tell them that you are Canadian when you asked, or did you just ask about internationals? It seems like I remember reading on their website or in materials that FA was reserved for citizens and permanent residents of the US and Canada. I'll look for you.</p>
<p>I know, it's a bit confusing. Under the FAQ for general financial aid it says that it's not generally available to "international" students. Under the FAQ for the new free tuition policy it says that it is only available to US and Canada. I guess that's why GrotonGirl called. I don't know whether she told them she was Canadian or not. It's unclear whether they consider Canadians to be internationals or not.</p>
<p>Okay, so when I called I told her I was a canadian citizen and asked if I was eligable for financial aid. The lady I spoke to said that they only offered financial aid to american citizens. But it says on their website that their financial aid program is more geared towards american and canadian citizens. I tried calling again so I'm just waiting for them to call back.</p>
<p>To my certain knowledge Canadian applicants can get financial aid at St. Paul's school under the same terms as US applicants. I am not particularly hopeful about your chances to get in with full aid at Groton and Exeter or for that matter to get in at all given your academic record this year but you have no down side. The only sure way not to get in is not to apply.</p>
<p>From my perspective, I consider Groton and St. Paul's to be very similar schools, nothing to choose between academically and both very beautiful places. You would be a fool not to apply to SPS if you fell in love with Groton.</p>
<p>Hockey, is big at St. Paul and they may look to any canadian applicant with an eye to strengthening the hockey team. So that is all to the good. What is however problematic is your relatively low marks and lack of interest in school this year. Since you're already in grade nine you're in quite a tough pool. If I were you I would try to stand out from the crowd by figuring out what St. paul's is really about. If admissions is convinced you love the place for the right reasons and have the will and ability to contribute as well as receive from the experience, you might get lucky. You might want to do some fence mending with your teachers so they will say glowing things about your scholarly potential. Remember you will have to sit the SSAT real soon if you want to apply for a place in IV form in 2009</p>