<p>Hi, maybe you have seen this thread before but I'm just nervous so please help me. I'm applying to Exeter, Andover, Taft, Peddie, Berkshire, and chapel-Hill (my main ones are exeter or andover) do you think that I could get in?</p>
<p>Academics:
All A's and no A-'s in 5 honor classes-Biology, French 2, History, english, and math ( only one offered).
Extracircular:
5 years of private art lessons
enviromental club
litereary art magazine
soccer
track
during the summer i do volleyball and do competitions for traditonal indian dancing </p>
<p>I could get a 90 on the ssat
great recommendations already got some from past teachers
and I write pretty well
thanks =)</p>
<p>Yeah I put on there that I do track, soccer, and volleyball. I do a ALOT of community service; soup kitchen, bread of life (soup kitchen also), family table, and my main one St.Judes.</p>
<p>Of course financial aid does factor in, especially this year. Even if you’re looking for quite a bit, I’d say you are a highly competitive candidate. Do well on your interviews-- a few interview tips:</p>
<pre><code>You WILL be asked about books you have read recently. Even if you read plenty, it can be tough to think of a specific title on the spot.
Be calm. It’s not like this admissions officer is deciding whether to give you the death penalty or not. Body languidge says a lot. Don’t sit bolt upright. Don’t slouch. Above all, be yourself.
Also, don’t worry about the tour. It usually comes first, and I got all worked up trying to be a good boy in front of the guide. The tour is your time to relax and evaluate the school.
Another sure fire question the interviewer will ask is “What questions do you have for me?” think of a stock set of questions. It can be really tough to come up with questions on the spot.
<p>Good advice, I had my interview for Exeter last month (first one) so it could have gone better, because I should have told him that I speak two other languages other than french and english but my Andover one was today and she was really nice, she asked me about my school and why I like Andover and she said that it was good that moved once in 5th grade because that shows that I can make new friends and that it was smart idea to apply to other schools just in case. She liked the idea that I used to do Indian dancing and did alot of other community service but she told me that you keep saying other people told you and I told her in the end I’ll just be honest and do what I think is right. I told her that I would send the art department some of my work and she said that that was a good idea and I think that I might send her a thank you note she was very helpful.</p>
<p>Express, do you describe yourself as one of those Varsity Superstars or just someone who plays sports and isn’t that good or that bad?</p>
<p>If you are option one, you are a strong candidate but I can’t guarantee any acceptances.</p>
<p>If you are option two, then you are lacking a bit but still have a decent chance because of community service and decent grades.</p>
<p>In addition, do you have any academic clubs? They help your chances as well.</p>
<p>Also, what are your SSAT scores, although they may not be the breaking point, but they certainly are important?
Getting 95th percentile or higher is good if you want your scores to help you in the application process (as said before, I know they don’t matter THAT much), 85-94- won’t help you but won’t really damage you.</p>
<p>I’m really good at track and I know alot of skills for volleyball but not a superstar for soccer. What do you mean by academic clubs? Like french club or math team or mock trial? I haven’t taken the SSAT’s yet but I am studying like crazy so possibly over 95. Do you think that I could get in? I also do SADD and contribute in best buddies.</p>
<p>Give me percentiles compared to other candidates, I need full FA and I am send them my art portfolio (8 pieces) and some poetry that I did on the literary art magazine.</p>
<p>With Taft, Peddie, Berkshire, and chapel-Hill, you will be in the top 25% of applicants, but they are less high profile schools than E&A (no offense, anyone, I just mean they don’t get quite as many applicants) and I’m not sure how great their FA progams are. Exeter and Andover have fantastic FA programs, and will be ABLE to take you. At those schools, you have a very good chance, but because they get far more applicants, you will need a hook to get in (eg. they just ran out of good volleyball players and need new kids for the next class.) If you have a strong skill, meet with the coach/ ensemble director and get your name in. </p>
<p>My strong feeling: you will be at boarding school next year, should you so choose.</p>
<p>yeah, you’re fine, chances are your in, don’t worry, I’ll guarantee you right now that you’ll get into at least 1 of those schools in the worst case scenario. Meanwhile, can you chance me :); I’ll pm you my stats.</p>
<p>Also, (this is just my opinion) if you are studying “like crazy” for the SSATS, thats not good. It’s not really a test you study hard for, the only thing you really can study is vocabulary. Therefore, if you are studying this much for a simple standardized test, imagine how onerous the task of homework would be a top-tier bs such as A or E.</p>
<p>My kids have studied the commercially available practice books for both SSAT and SAT, and taken SAT prep courses. In general, they help you get comfortable with the format of the test, help you learn to pace yourself, get a better feel for when to guess and when to leave a question blank. Also, helps releave “test anxiety” if you’ve done a dozen practice tests. Always good to practice vocabulary, but my kids have never run across one of the practice words on an actual test. Certainly not going to learn any new math, but SSAT math problems are in a different format than the ones you do in math class every day. It can help to practice.</p>
<p>I think the elite prep schools are looking for well rounded individuals – kind of a Renaissance man or woman. Someone who excels academically, and has a genuine thirst for knowledge (as illustrated by prior grades, difficulty of courses, outside academic clubs). Someone with appreciation for the arts (accomplished musician, artist, or performer). Someone with a general level of athleticism (I don’t think you have to be a three varsity sport athelete, but I think a general healthy life style is important to illustrate. However, sports is clearly a very important part of the prep school experience – high level of expertise in a particular sport can be a very strong hook). Someone who is socially well rounded (participation in clubs, school or communitiy social activities – schools don’t want kids that are going to hide in their dorm rooms studying for 4 years – ivory tower types are a dime a dozen). These schools are trying to educate the future leaders of the world. They are looking for students with opinions, thoughts, views of the world. Think it is very important in the interview to illustrate this – no right or wrong answers. Don’t just have a list of questions. Answers should lead to more questions, not just the next question on your 3x5 card. Express your genuine views. Given the privileged nature of attending these schools, think they are very conscious of the need to give back to the community. Very important that you illustrate that you are genuinely giving of yourself, through community outreach, tutoring, mentoring, fundraising – don’t try to fake this one. Listing a bunch of clubs to show your altruistic side won’t fly. </p>
<p>You aren’t going to hit a home run on all these points, but I think the point is to try to show that you are truly multi-dimensional. In general, think applying to a long list of schools is a problem. We started with 6 and worked down to 4. Even then I think it was clear in my son’s applications and performance in his interviews that he really wasn’t passionate about attending several of the schools. I can’t imagine the difficulty if you made full applications to 6 or 8 schools.</p>
<p>As a side note, going through the prep school application process is very very similar to the college application process, so just think of this all as practice for the real test a few years down the line.</p>
<p>I am not Indian I am from switerzland…I speak German, French, and Spainish. I actually do Jazz, Tap, and hip-hop. I am the captain of my volleyball and track team (varsity), I only qualify for half FA (I checked), I have been each of these sports for 5 years and I particapte in mock trial also. The community service is my friend’s I only do library, my church, and some soup kitchens. I also have been skiing for 4 years (uncompeteviely)</p>