advice for applying to prep schools?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
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<p>Hello! I'm an 8th grader who is applying to Lawrenceville, Peddie, Andover, and Exeter for the 2014-2015 year. Here is some basic info about me:
A student, all my overall grades are A's.
6th grade: Pre Algebra Acc
7th grade: Algebra I Acc
8th grade: Algebra II Acc
I haven't taken the SSAT yet, but for SATs in 7th grade I got 770 math, 650 writing, 610 critical reading.</p>

<p>I have virtually no extracurriculars sadly. I mean, I do, but I haven't achieved any accolades for them. I just opened Lawrenceville's online Student Questionnaire, and they ask me for unique pursuits outside of school. Also they have Athletic, Academic, and Artistic Interest form. For Athletic, they ask me for Personal Statistics and awards. For Academic, awards. For Artistic, awards.</p>

<p>This is the most I can come up with:
Did ballet as child ~3 years
Violin 6 years (but I'm no good, I've just played Accolay a few months ago and my friend played it in her first year) no awards or anything. School chamber orchestra
Debate team in Chinese school, our team won second place. But without me they would've probably won 1st.
Art 5 years. I've recently entered a bunch of competitions but no word of the results yet. Doing color pencil now.
Attended CTY, invited to Grand Ceremony and SET. Took Logic class.
I dabble in graphic design but I'm an amateur.
I participated in a selective girlchoir a year, but that was back in 6th grade. Also I'm not very interested in singing.
I play tennis...with my dad for fun.
I do online courses (Biology 7.00x from MIT@edX, and also a few from Coursera). I haven't completed them yet though as they just initiated.
I knit sometimes but it's for fun too.
Cross country, starting this year. I'm pretty good but no statistics/awards to brag about.
Lacrosse ~3 years. I play defense, and participate in a team that is not selective.
Can any of you help make this sound impressive/suggest things to participate in? Thanks. I can provide more details if you want. Also I feel like I should volunteer but I don't know where I should.</p>

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<p>Also, I’ve entered a few art competitions that I may win a prize in, so that will be included.</p>

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<p>Hyperbola, don’t sell yourself short. You don’t have to be great at everything- it says a lot that you have been active in so many domains. I’d suggest that you only include references to activities from the last 3 years, but by all means, if you have been doing any of them for more than that long, share that fact. </p>

<p>Your “marketing angle” if you will excuse the term, is that you are very strong academically, but also well rounded with participation in music, art, and athletics. Only mention contests if you win them or place as runner-up. It looks better to say that you have been taking art lessons for X years than to add that you entered X number of contests. Entering means little, though it does show some initiative. </p>

<p>hth! </p>

<p>RL</p>

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<p>What Percentile is your SSAT score ?</p>

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<p>@PrepCandidate
My scores:
Overall 95+%
Verbal 95+%
Quantitative 95+%
Reading ~70%</p>

<p>@Rellielou
Thanks! I’ll keep all that in mind. Also one of my artworks is going to be published in an anthology, which I can definitely use.</p>

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<p>have you not taken geometry yet?</p>

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<p>@funnygirl
No, in my school it’s Geometry typically 9th grade.</p>