<p>I posted this thread in Prep school chances too...</p>
<p>Hi Guys,</p>
<p>This is my first thread. I am 14 years old and am applying for the 10th grade in boarding school. My schools are: Andover, Exeter, Deerfield, St. Pauls, Middlesex, Brooks, Governor's, Brewster, and Cushing. We will need financial aid. Of the five schools I applied to last year, I was wait-listed at Governor's and at Middlesex. I live in Massachusetts and would be a boarder at every school. I am in a town where I could be a day student or boarder at Andover though. Should I?</p>
<p>School: High Honors nine terms in a row. I am in my public high school and will probably have honors or high honors first term. I am in my high schools "honors" track.
Awards: Math Team award + Math Counts Award. French National Test Award. I was voted by my peers to be "Hardest Worker". Most importantly, my teachers gave me the biggest award of the year - my peers call it "Best Student"
Extracurriculars: Math team (3 yrs)/Math Counts (2yrs), Junior States of America (just started in high school - will be going to Washington, DC), Mock Trial (just started in high school), Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts (9yrs - Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts and Tenderfoot in Boy Scouts), and a community service group that helps students in local disadvantaged towns.
Athletics: I play on my towns top hockey team and will be heading off to Montreal in February. I have been playing for 4 years. I also have been playing town baseball for 5 years (unleveled).</p>
<p>SSAT: Taking a Kaplan classroom course. I will hopefully be in the 70-90's.</p>
<p>Other things you want to now: I did a Summer Session at PA last summer and LOVED it. I did well and got two 5's (Honors). Since I had an immune disorder when I was young, I took the Immunology course. I was the youngest person (rising freshman) and did well with the college-level textbook we used. We had a 50% dropout rate and I was one of the remaining 5 students. I also took a debate class. I want to be a lawyer or doctor. My favorite subjects are Math and Science.</p>
<p>Please help me! Should I be applying to those schools? Should I be applying to that many schools? I need financial aid. I LOVED my experience over the summer. I so badly want to go to boarding school! Do you guys have any tips for me with my application? Any suggestions about other schools/the ones I already have? Any admissions tips? Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>I would say you have a pretty good shot. The last four schools are pretty good matches and the rest depend on other aspects of your application. Your andover thing is impressive. my sis went there for three years, and getting 5's are pretty good. At your andover interview, be sure to really emphasize how much you loved it there. I also heard that day students are in general happier, with their parents and siblings to support them(and better food and being able to drive), though that may be a stereotype. you also will have a lower tuition as a day student, which is definitely nice. also, don't procrastinate on your essays!! lol</p>
<p>thanks!...but for the other schools, you said "other aspects of your application"</p>
<p>Could you explain that? Does it mean my interview or how well I write my essay etc? Or my SSAT?</p>
<p>Also, since financial aid is a problem...should I be applying to harder schools with greater funds? I know the last four have limited financial aid...</p>
<p>I did a summer program also, the course that you took... Any chance at teacher at PA was involved? I think if you contact them and ask them for a good word, advice, a recommendation ect it would help.</p>
<p>BUMP!
The teacher writes a report on you after the session ends (in my case, he wrote a 500-700 word one). It was very positive, he really liked me. He used to teach at PA but he switched and is now teaching at a college.</p>
<p>Don't let FA factor into your decision about where to apply. Every school discussed on CC has enough money IF they want YOU!</p>
<p>The MOST important part of your application is whether or not you and the school are a good match. Do not make the mistake of applying to all reaches. Make sure you have at least two safeties/matches (I don't think any school is a guarantee for anyone).</p>
<p>Ten applications is too many IMO. You will find yourself exhausted and needing to look at the top of the page to remember which school's application you are working on!</p>
<p>Find three safety/matches or five to six if you're including reaches (most if not all schools on your list are reaches-not just for you, for EVERYONE!) and do a GREAT job on the applications.</p>
<p>Be able to answer this question to yourself (you can practice with your parents or a friend): Why "fill in the blank". It sounds like you can already answer with Andover. Make sure you know the school and what makes it stand out in YOUR mind. What sets it apart in YOUR mind? Why would YOU would be a good match for XXX school? Why would XXX school want YOU?</p>
<p>Thanks baseballmom! Big help! The "Why?" question is one I will be thinking about. But the truth is, I can see myself at any one of these schools. Though I havent visited a few, I know I will absolutely do great at these schools and will have an amazing experience. Honestly, no school made my list this year without careful deliberation. I started with about 30 schools and narrowed my list down based on what I liked the most. I have a few shelves full of boarding school material. If I do narrow down my list more, it will be very hard.</p>
<p>Also, what SSAT score will I need for some of the more "reaches"?</p>
<p>Andover & Exeter, however my interviews/applications weren't good at all....did them at the last minute....i didn't really expect to get in</p>
<p>Concord: Nice School! - but was very artsy (I'm not) and I applied anyway cause I was very uneducated about boarding schools... - My summer experience really showed me why I want to apply to boarding schools and how I NEED to start early...</p>
<p>If you think your chances are still good for andover and exeter then go ahead. Unless you have some pretty big improvements I don't think that applying again is a good idea... I mean it is all up to you, but just for the sake of cutting it down from 10 to something more manageable and your chances were probably only hurt slightly since you are applying sophmore year and I would definently apply to A/E if I was waitlisted, but getting declined makes it middle ground.</p>
<p>Andover and Exeter will never come off my list! At the schools with lower admission rates is there something you think I should do differently on my application?</p>
<p>Financil Aid does not depend on your academic merits. Of cousre you should have academic qualifications, but they decide the FA based on your family income and number of college sudents in your family. There is no merit based scholarship in BS. There is a website to determine if you are qualified for FA. If you dig into this forum site, you should be able to find the website.</p>
<p>Something you can do differently? Find a safety/match and fall in love with it. This should be a school with an above 40% admit rate where you could really see yourself attending. You've already researched the top and near top tier. There is a huge number of schools just below the top tier that offer an excellent boarding experience and top notch academics. </p>
<p>Dig a little deeper until you find one or two at this level. This way you can feel secure that you will be accepted somewhere and those reaches to Andover or Exeter will be the dream that might come true.</p>
<p>Ensuring an acceptance to a solid favorite will have you sitting pretty and CALM come April regardless of Andover's or Exeter's decision.</p>
<p>hey im an 8th grader applying to st.marks for 9th grade.</p>
<p>I have really good ec's: my best would be probably working in my dad's lab for three years and producing a research paper, the rest are numerous awards and other clubs</p>
<p>For grades lets say i have a 3.8-4.0, will i get in if i have gpa's like that?</p>
<p>for ssat im going to take it in december, i heard to get into st.marks you need a 77% or better so im striving to get that or something higher</p>
<p>for teacher rec's my teachers like me, so thats good :)</p>
<p>and for the interview im scheduling it for november </p>
<p>do you think i have a chance, and if they're any questions in here can you please answer them, im open to criticism </p>