Andover Senior Willing to Take Questions

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>Uh I definitely didn't know anything about CC when I applied to Andover... but I like reading the UPenn forum sometimes cause I'm applying ED there right now. </p>

<p>I was an int'l candidate (from Toronto, Canada). I was a new lower (10th grade). I had 99% SSATs. Erm my grades were mostly 90s and one random 70 in history (so don't worry about your grades deterring you too much). I chose the creative writing essay for Andover. Um EC's... I did band, lots of community service, curling team (canadian sport), theatre, publicity for school shows, and maybe some other stuff that I can't remember. </p>

<p>I applied to 8 boarding schools (Andover, Exeter, Milton, Deerfield, Hotchkiss, St. Paul's, Choate, and Groton)
Accepted: Andover, Milton, Hotchkiss
Waitlisted: Deerfield, Choate, Groton, St. Paul's<br>
Rejected: Exeter (so happy I was. Or else I would've chosen Exeter and then not be able to go to Andover, which by the way is better. Better college matriculation, better college counseling, better atmosphere, better school spirit, just BETTER)</p>

<p>all i can say about being waitlisted is the other schools are small and don't accept a lot of international new lowers. But andover, milton, and exeter do. why i was rejected at exeter...i dunno? but hey, i don't really care haha.</p>

<p>Seriously though. Come March if you're accepted to Andover, GO. Will be the best decision of your life :)</p>

2

<p>This may seem off topic, but why Penn? Why is it a good match? Are you applying to schools you feel are a match or good schools in general?</p>

3

<p>@alilies,
Hi I have a question about Andover. I get the sense that Andover’s more athletically orientated than Exeter. (In Exeter’s viewbook they said only 40% of students play sports) Would you say that Andover is more athletically orientated? And how good is Andover’s music program? Thanks.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for taking the time to provide some insights. What can you tell us about the boarder vs. day student populations? Do the two groups interact well? And, importantly, of the day students you’ve known, what local towns have they typically come from? Trying to get a sense of what kind of commute is manageable if you’re a day student.</p>

5

<p>@ redbluegoldgreen: well i’m applying for biomedical science which is in the school of engineering and applied sciences at penn, which is one of the top ranked for the major. i guess penn is just a really good fit for me - i want to go to a larger university, preferably in the city. i went on a college tour, loved it, so here i applied :slight_smile: i’m mainly applying to i guess good schools in general… but i especially thought penn was a good match so that’s why i chose ed.
sorry if you don’t mind me asking, are you a parent or a student?</p>

<p>@ ifax108: i’d say we definitely are more athletically orientated than exeter (except at football, but that’s only because exeter recruits an insane amount of football post-grads and well, that’s not very fair, is it? haha) but yeah we have great crew, swimming, soccer, field hockey, hockey, volleyball, virtually everything is great. if you have a particular sport (and mind telling me if you’re a boy or a girl) i can elaborate a little more…
but i mean, everyone is required to do a sport at andover (and i think at other boarding schools too). you don’t have to play competitively but you just need to be working out (instructional squash, yoga, etc). our music program i would say is great as well… again, are you a singer or a string instrument player or wind instrument player? I know a lot of students who play in the orchestra also play in orchestras in Boston like NEC, etc. </p>

<p>@ pco9668: okay so most of the friends i have are from really close by… andover, north andover, lawrence, methuen, lowell, haverhill, reading and wilmington.
the two groups definitely interact well. day students are definitely handy friends to have 8) (to drive you around senior year haha). umm i think lots of commutes are manageable, but my friend who lives in wilmington decided to become a boarder (it’s not even far but i guess she just wanted to…)
day students have lockers in george washington hall (our mailroom, theatres, and connected to elson - the art building) and a day student lounge.
there are definitely not THAT many day students at andover but more than some of the smaller boarding schools who are more in-the-middle-of-no-where (which andover really isn’t). but i’d say we mesh well, most people have day student friends and day students do sometimes tend to socialize more amongst themselves because they spend a lot of time in gw together (waiting for rides, etc) buuuut there are so many ways to get yourself involved in andover there’s no way all your friends are going to be day students :slight_smile:
i hope that answers your questions. sorry if i’m being vague!</p>

6

<p>hi im a fellow canadian from Ontario i am thinking about applying as a PG i currently go to a bs in new england right now. how difficult is it to get into andover as a PG and what type of sat score would you need, would it be a hook for me that i am currently attending a bs in new england? are canadians considered internationals and is financial aid the same for canadian?</p>

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<p>haha about you getting into andover, but not exeter: it’s very rare that a person will get into both schools. typically one only gets into either andover or exeter, at least that’s what i’ve seen among my friends. but i honestly wouldn’t know for myself… my dad was exie '80 so i didn’t even apply to andover haha :)</p>

8

<p>@allies,
I’m a runner. I’m definitely gonna do Cross Country. I also want to try Wrestling and Crew. How good is Andover is Wresting compared to Exeter?</p>

9

<p>These things seem to run in crazy cycles. A few years ago, SPS was the Div I XC powerhouse. This year, Andover won Div I, but Exeter romped in Div I JV and Andover will lose 6 of their top 7 runners, so next year Exeter could emerge as the Div I XC powerhouse. In Wrestling, Exeter was Class A champions in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, & 2007, while Andover has been more of a Wrestling power the last couple of years. In Crew, Exeter and Andover have been relatively even the past few years. So… you’ll find strong programs in these sports at both Exeter and Andover.</p>

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<p>I’m saying this as objectively as possible, and while you don’t have to believe it, assuming the veracity of my statement without corroborating it, and taking it for verbatim, what are my chances, as a applicant entering as a “Junior” (I know they use different terminology for sake of simplicity I’ll say Junior or 3rd year High schooler), with mediocre grades, all A’s in secular studies (I do dual curriculum of jewish religious subjects as well, with 10.5 hours of school every day),</p>

<p>I am self studying 11 AP’s, including Calculus BC, Physics B and Chemistry. I am also prepping for Math Olympiad, and doing numerous rigorous math courses online (AOPS- W.O.O.T.), and to be describe me, I am not a stickler for grades or meritocracy, I’d rather study and learn for altruistic pure intellectualism. I am both extremely mathematical but also humanistic, very savvy with technology, journalism, writing and a political junkie. I have won awards in debate, model congress, and doing Mock Trial in NY. </p>

<p>I am 100% deaf (now have cohlear implant) , but have worked hard through sweat and frustration to be the confident (arrogant established public speaker that I am. I am an extremely original thinker, and it’s safe to say an original personality. I can be provocative and say things a teacher doesn’t want to hear, either about myself or about a subject. Essentially I’m a cross between a non conformist and a rebel, though i certainly can control myself if the system calls for discipline, especially if it’s rigorous and something I’d respect. </p>

<p>I’m not a trouble maker, in spite of what you read earlier, in fact I am often a leader and model when necessary. I have served on camp staff of the largest council owned scout camp in the nation, (camp size of Manhattan of NYC), and lead over 80 boys in various outdoor seminars. </p>

<p>So first of all, would Andover be a good fit for me? I am very enthusiastic about it, and would be absolutely beyond thrilled to get accepted, but a fit is also important. </p>

<p>For my interview should I be serious and only diligent in PR tone, or more colorful and free flowing with intelligent witty but snappy responses? A lot depends on my type of interviewer of course, analyzing his/her body language, MBTU personality type and political leanings. </p>

<p>I understand Andover can be very selective and is under no pressure to accept any candidate it remotely dislikes, as it has the cream of the crop, and a student like me with mid 90’s grades may not as be lucrative as a student with 100’s and a googolplexian awards. </p>

<p>I hope to convey a persona of genuineness, and that I am only interested in learning and their opportunities for sake of learning and not prestige or legacy. </p>

<p>I am a caucascian (spel is wrong) jewish teen, with russian and dutch parents, very healthy and natural looking. Any other info needed? or Maybe less? Lol ;D</p>

11

<p>shushugah… HOW are you self-studying 11 APs? That’s kind of not possible… “AP” entails an enormous amount of work and even very bright kids are overwhelmed just studying 5-6.</p>

<p>Also, one would think you would at the very least maintain acceptable grades (instead of the “mediocre” you speak of), if you’re really self-studying that many APs.</p>

<p>Just an opinion based on my experiences…</p>

12

<p>whoa i’m so sorry i didn’t expect to get so many replies. i’ve been kind of busy recently… okay!!</p>

<p>@ holden15: candians are definitely in a different pool and we are international. so i don’t know how financial aid works (esp if you’re an athlete). i’m a current student but i’m not a pro at these answers so you should probably just call the admissions office about that. sorry!
i’d say pg sat scores probably aren’t that big of a deal but again i’m sure the school website has information on that - most pgs probably do an extra year to have more time in the fall to take their SATs afterall. sorry for being so unhelpful!</p>

<p>@ ifax108: i know our cross country team is awesome. i don’t know if you’re a boy or a girl cause we don’t really have a girl’s wrestling team (although girls can join the boys wrestling team, it’s been done before by three people last year) i think we’re pretty strong, but i don’t actually know how we compete compared to exeter cause i never watched wrestling matches. sorry ):! but mainer95 seems to have answered the question? :D</p>

<p>@ shushugah: i think you have a definitely solid chance in being accepted to andover. your education caliber seems to par and you definitely have a determined streak!</p>

<p>i think you should dress appropriately to show that you’re serious but then relax when you talk. interviewers just want to get to know you as a person and so just talk the way you would normally talk (although don’t say things like, ‘like’ too much) </p>

<p>for fit - academically, i think you’ll probably be fine. everyone at andover is bright but we’re not like freaky geniuses who don’t know how to have fun. you definitely can do lots of extracurrics here that reflect the ones you’ve already done in your old school. you haven’t really mentioned much about your social life - which is where i would think about fit to be honest - but there are people of all types at andover who would probably click well with you : ) good luck! and it’s a shame i won’t get to meet you if you do matriculate!</p>

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<p>hey what do you do for fun on weekends and are you a boy or girl?</p>