Applying AGAIN for BS 2011

Prep School Admissions
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<p>I haven't posted at CC for a while...maybe since April. At the time I was still wallowing in my own sorrow and pity since I got rejected at 5 schools and WLed at 1. Not exactly a very ideal result =/ . I posted a thread just before I left, but to be honest I didn't really check it much. So yea =). </p>

<p>Anyway, I'm applying for boarding schools again for 2011 and frankly I'm pretty sure it'll be even more difficult than last year because I'm try for 11th grade this time.
Many people have warned me (including my interviewers) that the 11th grade is an extremely crucial year as it's the most important year in applying for colleges.
However, my decision has not changed and I will apply for boarding school again. I firmly believe that the experience I will get from any one of these schools will definitely enrich me. </p>

<p>Last time, I overestimated my capabilities and applied only to top tier boarding schools(all HADES).
Well, not really overestimated but since I'm an international student might as well try for the best schools because it wouldn't be worth the travel if not (that was the mindset of my parents and I at the time). </p>

<p>This year, I'm thinking of applying for 6 to 8 schools again ( I did 6 last time).
I'm thinking of applying to: Deerfield, Choate , Loomis, Westminster and St Marks....
I'm still thinking of the rest(but I'm definitely applying to the first 3 I mentioned) </p>

<p>Can anyone tell me what is the situation of applying to 11th grade? I know it's different since we have to sit for the SAT or some other tests? Do we still have to take the SSAT too? What is like a baseline score for the SAT for the schools to at least consider me? I took it once already and got 1720( but that's because I didn't study for it at all since I was having finals in my school here and I wanted to know at what level I was BEFORE studying)
I'm thinking I'll be able to get at LEAST 1850 when I do it the second time, but I myself believe that I MAY get 1900 or even 2000 (crossing my fingers).</p>

<p>What are other good schools that are in the Massachusetts and Connecticut area? We'll be arriving in NY and drive a car to MA....so it HAS to be in that area or somewhere near because driving to all these schools is NOT an easy task ( I gotta tell you, sometimes you just can't trust the GPS). I want to apply for easier schools this time round, so no HADES. (except those I mentioned because it'll be my first choice)</p>

<p>I'm really determined to go to BS this time. I want to have some experience living and going to school in the US before applying for colleges in the future. This is my FINAL chance at applying to BS. This application will decide whether I stay in the country I'm living in now or go to the US. </p>

<p>Any advice at all, even those that I did not ask for is VERY WELCOMED.</p>

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<p>Why not look for schools on boardingschoolreview with SAT averages around 1800? Of course your SAT average is not the only factor in admissions, but it will make you a stronger candidate at schools with averages in that range.</p>

<p>You have to ask your selected schools if they will take the SAT instead of the SSAT. I suspect that most will do this, but it can vary.</p>

<p>You probably know this already, but you can consider applying as a repeat 10th grader.<br>
It’s not for everyone, but it is an option for you.</p>

<p>I don’t know anything about you and what you want out of boarding school in the US or what talents you bring to a boarding school. As a result, I cannot recommend any specific schools that look like good fits. </p>

<p>Because your flight arrives in NY, you can consider Blair Academy as first or last stop. It isn’t far from Rt. 84 that heads up to Loomis and Westminster, and it is easy to reach from Rt. 80 close to the NY airports (add time for the GW Bridge crossing!). Other schools you might consider include Kent, Brooks, Berkshire, Suffield, Millbrook, Northfield Mount Hermon and many more. If you are a boy and enjoy athletics, you might consider the all-boy schools Avon Old Farms and Salisbury. If a girl consider Miss Porters School and Emma Willard.</p>

<p>If you select carefully and realistically, you should have choices this time. If you have the time, it would be good to visit schools that interest you but might not be on your short list. If you were able to visit last year, then you know that you can get a very different feel from a school than the feel you get from a viewbook or website. You want to find schools in which you can thrive. </p>

<p>I can understand your desire to live in the US before committing to college here. Be sure to apply to a range of schools that would find you a competitive candidate and schools that you would be happy to attend. Remember that many US colleges also offer summer programs for high school students that would give you a taste of US college life.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>I’d fly into Newark and out of Boston. Here’s a map with gobs of schools on it:</p>

<p>[Yahoo</a>! Maps, Driving Directions, and Traffic](<a href=“Yahoo Search - Web Search”>Yahoo Search - Web Search)</p>

<p>I didn’t add all the Boston area schools because there are just so many of them and they’re all pretty close. </p>

<p>This is, of course, if you have unlimited time and can visit as many as you want!</p>

<p>***Ignore the big line bringing you back to Newark. ( It must do a round trip by default.) You would carry on RT 2 East towards Boston from Gill (where NMH is).</p>

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<p>Oh how careless of me! I forgot to mention that I’m a boy.</p>

<p>@Burb Parent Yes I know that I can apply for 10th grade and I would definitely consider that but I’m already old for 11th grade. Because the school year is vastly different, I’ll end up wasting about a year just changing to the US system. By the time I start 11th grade, I’ll already be 17 years old. I don’t understand why I’m old though, since this is perfectly normal in most schools…(i think), but it seems to me that many are young in BS.</p>

<p>@ neatoburrito Thanks for the map! I may not visit the schools that you listed, but it’s a very convenient reference for me to have.</p>

<p>Is it safe for me to say that my SAT score must be at least the average of the school I’m applying for?</p>

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<p>CK…while you’re in the area visiting Deerfield, please check out Northfield Mount Hermon. It is only 15 minutes up the road and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It lacks the name recognition of some of the older schools, but it is not lacking in academic rigor, incredible teachers, superb facilities and an absolutely gorgeous campus. They also have a fairly high percentage of internationals (one of the highest-if not the highest-of all the top bs). </p>

<p>And please do consider applying for 10th grade. My son started 11th grade at age 17 as well. He turned 18 in March of his junior year. This is not at all uncommon. The school has a PG class with many 19 year olds, and some 20 year olds. My son knew several kids in his own class who had repeated (many repeat freshman year when going to bs), so are his age. Also, I am not certain about other areas of the country, but in New England we have something called “readiness” after kindergarten. Many children are assigned to a readiness year before first grade and hence are a year older anyway.</p>

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<p>Apply to the schools that excite you and that match your talents and abilities well. It would be best to apply to a range of schools, and this is why I suggested that you look at schools with average SAT scores of around 1800, along with the schools you want now. If there are schools that offer what you want and have come outcomes that are what you want, then you can consider them. Being in the top 25% at a school is a nice place to be. </p>

<p>I’ve read that SAT scores tend to increase on average from 10th to 11th to 12th grades, so this is likely to happen to you. </p>

<p>Good luck this year!</p>

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<p>Thank you for your replies! </p>

<p>@keylyme I think I will definitely check out Northfield Mount Hermon. I’ve heard a lot of good news about the school. I think you’re misunderstanding though, I mean I’ll be 17 when I start junior year in 2011. So if I repeat 10th grade, I’ll be 18 when I start junior year. I just think that that’s too old. I know that reapplying for 10th grade is the more popular and wise choice, but I just don’t feel comfortable with it. </p>

<p>@ Yea I plan to do so. The point of applying to schools in the US is to give myself a new experience. No point if I don’t enjoy it =). I don’t know if I’ll be in the top 25%, but I believe that academically, I should be at least above average (because some of the subjects aren’t as tough as where I come from, like maths)</p>

<p>It’s going to be a tough few months, because I have a major exam (O levels) starting in late october and ending in mid November.
A problem I’m having now is that I’m considering two SAT test dates: 9th of October and 4th of December.
The problem is that the 9th of October is too early, and the 4th of December is just like a week or so after my major exams.
So what I’m thinking is to take the one on October, and if I don’t do so well I can just take it again in December.
However, my mom disagrees with me and is asking me to just take it on December since the one on October will be too close to my O Levels (major exam here). She doesn’t want me to sacrifice my study time for O Levels because it is an EXTREMELY important certificate and I need to do well for it. She thinks that studying for the SAT will impair my O level results. </p>

<p>Another option is to take it on January, but IMO that test date is just too late! It’s on the 22nd, around a week after application deadlines. I know that schools say that it’s still all right to take it in January, but I feel insecure doing so because while the admission officers are reviewing other people’s application, mine will still be incomplete!</p>

<p>What is suggested in this situation?</p>

<p>Should I take the one in October, and then if I don’t do well take it again in December? Or just take it once in December?</p>

<p>(Remember the major concern is that the SAT date is too near to the finals)</p>

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<p>Im applying as a 10th grade repeat and next year I will be 16 as a 10th grader.</p>

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<p>you should really think about if you were to be denied this chance again, what will you do with your life?</p>

<p>i had a similar situation to yours:</p>

<p>I applied for 9th grade, waitlisted at 2 and rejected at 4, then applied for 10th grade and waitlisted at 1 and rejected at 1. </p>

<p>then I realized that staying where I was wasn’t so bad (I also live outside of the USA and wanted to live in the usa for a while before college) and when I got off the waitlist I actually had a hard time deciding whether to go or not because I already thought of what to do for the next few years.</p>

<p>basically, when some doors are closed you discover some open ones that you didn’t notice before.</p>

<p>there are actually quite a lot of repeats, some due to medical things in their past, some due to a different schooling system/calender (countries other than usa–korea, england, etc), others because they started school late, and there are plenty who apply for a repeat year to maximize their time at a school and also have an easier chance at admission</p>

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<p>You state that you want to apply to schools that are easier to get into than HADES, yet you list Deerfield which is a HADES school and Choate which is also considered a HADES or GLADCHEMMS school. Are you aware of that? Not sure either of these two would be easier to get into this time around. What about Concord or Middlesex or even Governor’s? I think these are considered alternatives to HADES, still good but easier to get admitted to.</p>

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<p>Middlesex is as hard to get into as HADES. Just my opinion…</p>

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<p>^ I second this. Even though it isn’t mentioned as much as other HADES schools, it doesn’t mean it is easier to get into. The average SSAT is 86% (higher than H) and the acceptance rate is 23% (lower than Choate’s). With Middlesex being such a small school it forces you to be just as competitive as any HADES level schools.</p>

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<p>It should be DEALS not HADES as Lawrenceville is better than Hotchkiss, just look at their college placement. :D</p>

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<p>College Placement isn’t everything.</p>

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<p>But it’s the only thing. :D</p>

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<p>I said this before and I will say it again and again until people understand it:</p>

<p>Going to one of the select boarding schools that are always talked about on this board will not guarantee you a spot at the ivys or top tier schools. Even if one school has x more acceptances to a college than another school doesn’t mean the school with more acceptances is a better boarding school. My opinion is if you attend one of these schools, you will actually decrease your odds at the ivys and top tier schools because you could have instead stayed at your local public school and became val/sal. Comparing matriculation stats from two completely different schools is never the same as comparing apples to apples. One school could limit the number of college applications a student writes and the other could allow students to choose the amount of applications to complete. One school may post the results of ALL acceptances and another may only post schools that students attend. The length of time that the matriculation list is compiled could also be different between the schools. Personally, I hate looking at college placements from various schools.</p>

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<p>@redbluegoldgreen Don’t misunderstand. I’m fully aware that Choate and Deerfield are top HADES schools. I had mentioned that in my first post if I’m not wrong. But as I said these schools will be my first choice and seeing that I got WLed at Choate, I thought maybe I should just try applying again. I’ve got no justification for Deerfield. I just want to try again =).</p>

<p>@chicknbrothel I understand that many people recommend me to reapply for 10th grade, but I am just not comfortable with it. This is my decision. Oh and just so you know, I wasn’t the one who said that Lawrenceville was better than Hotchkiss (i dunno it just seems like your statement at me)</p>

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<p>You have an intriguing name. How did you come up with it, very imaginative? :D</p>

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<p>First of all, I want to say, that I think you guys must have a lot of guts to re-apply. Having the ability to give it another go, after what must be an emotional rejection really is a statement of character. </p>

<p>That said I think it is very important to pick a safety school (or several). If you get rejected at some highly elite schools where do you want to go? </p>

<p>What I would do is go to: [Boarding</a> School Review - College-Prep & Jr. Boarding Schools](<a href=“http://www.boardingschoolreview.com/]Boarding”>http://www.boardingschoolreview.com/), sort by acceptance rate and find some schools with higher acceptance rates that appeal to you. That way if you get rejected you have another option.</p>

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<p>I don’t think the majority of kids are dying to go to boarding schools so would be happy at a lesser ranked school from a list, and most are happy with their current PS. I think lots of our kids are looking for academic rigor and a great experience and maybe a better chance to get into a great college, which is why they apply to a top tier BS.</p>

<p>So I think most kids want to apply to the top BS’s or will take their chances at their local PS where they can excel and be at the top of the pack.</p>

<p>That said, getting into a top BS is a crapshoot at best. Top scores are just the beginning. I do think it is worth trying again for the top prep schools. It’s so dicey, who knows, you just might get in if you apply a second time.</p>