<p>Hi-
My son is applying as a day student to Hotchkiss, Taft, Kent and Gunnery - and needs FA . Does anyone know if it is harder/easier to be accepted as a day student? Thanks</p>
<p>I would look at the number of day students vs. number of boarding students a school usually posts on its website. </p>
<p>Based on a friend's personal experience (Choate), it was more difficult to get in as a day student, though I couldn't tell how much more difficult, percent-wise.</p>
<p>This varies by school, and generally it is harder as a day student if the school is close to urban areas or is heavily suburban with many households within commuting distance. </p>
<p>This is a fair question to ask Admissions. If you live in the same town as a school, and the area is more middle income than upper income, I am guessing that this school would provide some fa to town residents in order to keep good town relations.</p>
<p>This is definitely a question to ask the admissions office -- along with the availability of financial aid. If the school recieves many day school applicants that are full pay, you may find that your son gets admitted but without enough aid to attend.</p>
<p>I can say from experience that it is much more difficult to be accepted as a day student, esp. if you are applying for FA. Some schools will accept day students willing to pay full tuition first, then go to the FA pile later only if needed. Applying for FA puts you in an entirely different competitive pool.
That is from first hand experience, with one prominent school anyway, I cannot speak for them all.
Good luck.</p>
<p>You will get accepted into the Gunnery. I can gurantee that for you. Almost every kid from my school matriculates there and a lot of the kids aren't the brightest bulbs in the box. (no insult meant to your son). It is a bit harder to get in as a day student at Taft. The other 2 i don't know about.</p>
<p>Mcskittlz10... I'm not sure where you go to school, but it is unlikely that "almost every kid" matriculates to The Gunnery. Also, it may be that your school has a good relationship with the Gunnery and that they really enjoy having those students and find that they make good Gunnery citizens once they arrive. Your experience can not be translated to a "guarantee" for pepper's child although you might say that if they are a competitive applicant for Taft and Hotchkiss they would be a likely admit to Gunnery. </p>
<p>Pepper, I have had one kid go to Gunnery and have another currently attending Taft as a day student. PM me if you have any questions and I can relate my experiences with admissions and FA. GL to your child.</p>
<p>it's harder to be accepted as a day student. I mean, think about. Take andover for instance. In this town there is an amazing school literally in their backyards!!!! everyone within a thirty mile radius is going to apply!!!! (why not?) which makes competeition harder. But again, they can also afford to take more day students then boarding students if they wanted to. Boarding students take up space,food, heating water...you name it. Day students don't take up nearly as much space. </p>
<p>but, if you're qualified, it doesn't matter either way.</p>
<p>Mcskittlz10 -- I have to agree with KarateDad. The Gunnery has a range of students. I know someone whose daughter attends, and she was Johns Hopkins CTY. A 50% acceptance rate means that half the applicants do not get accepted.</p>
<p>They may be able to "afford" to take more day students, but they do not want their beds to be empty. So, there are limited numbers of day student spots. Typically you can do the math. For example, look on the web site of the school to see how many day students total there are figure out how many per grade that is. Openings will vary based on faculty children, etc, but you can get a ball park. Andover does have Pike right in town, Hotchkiss has Indian Mountain, Deerfield has Eaglebrook & Bement...etc. It's not easier for those kids to get into Andover, Hotchkiss, DA...in fact, it's almost harder (kind of like the Ivy League argument).</p>
<p>Right now I know of one school that has 5 openings for 10th grade boy day students. Their average acceptance rate is 50%. I'm positive they will get more than 10 applications. It is at most schools much more competitive. That school also gives generous financial aid to day students. They can give less actual money and meet full need.</p>
<p>From my experince in phila area, my son accepted all the day schools he applied. but due to the commute and transportation, he did not go. I think it depends. I feel applying boarding school that put compete with other kids in globe. local school just a few who would like to commute.</p>
<p>from what i've heard, it's harder as a day student. </p>
<p>(remember these schools are really into "diversity")</p>
<p>But at this point, does it really matter? apps. are done, there's nothing else we an do but wait and cross our fingers.</p>
<p>NeLLyRaE: I kind of agree with you on the Andover situation you gave. But...people applying to schools like Andover who live in Andover are competing with the local kids that they go to school with now. I honestly don't think that is nearly as competitive as boarders competing against the world. But, if you are applying as a day student, you have to be a strong, strong applicant because i know for a fact that so many other day students apply whether they are qualified or not. On the other hand, Andover takes day students only from certain towns. I live in a town 10 miles away from Andover! and this is considered a boarding town!!! They don't allow students from my town to apply as day students. Therefore, it seems like the day students from the town next door have easier competition than the kids in my town competing against the whole world! From experience, my town had 9 applicants (that i'm aware of) and NONE of them got accepted. Some of them were VERY VERY strong applicants. But the town next door, which is a day student town had plenty of identical students who got accepted. From my own experience, it seems like Andover wants as much diversity as possible from their boarders and seem to have over enough local boarders. It seems they wanted to take students from new states and countries over the local boarder applicants in my town. </p>
<p>But hey, i could be completely wrong! That's just my theory. By the way, my friend who used to post on this board applied as a day student and got in with low 80s ssats and not as impressive stats as other applicants in my town who had 99th percentile ssats with impressive ecs and everything else and got flat out rejections...</p>
<p>I must caution about trying to create a general rule from one example.<br>
While the SSATs do provide a means of comparing applicants, it is only one measure, and it probably is more useful as a tool to calibrate schools' grading policies.</p>
<p>The factor which is probably MOST important for admissions is impossible to quantify. It's the "nice kid" factor, and its associated quality of, "kid (one could) see attending (blank) school."</p>
<p>
[quote]
The factor which is probably MOST important for admissions is impossible to quantify. It's the "nice kid" factor, and its associated quality of, "kid (one could) see attending (blank) school."
[/quote]
Couldn't agree with you more Periwinkle!</p>