“since many of the selective schools receive more qualified applicants than they can take, admission to a school is never a sure bet, even with a 4.0”
I absolutely agree with this and I also think that saying above is neither “negative” nor “discouraging.”
I think this thread and many others in this forum is filled with realistic and practical advices.
The point of the thread is read and research, inform yourself, etc not in any way to discourage or scare someone.
It’s important not to fall in love with a school too soon. It is important to cast a wide net of schools with different selectivities or otherwise find your “safety” first be it you LPS or a day school. However, know that selective as they are, PA and PEA do admit kids just like you. MANY of the current students there once were like you uncertain about their odds. Don’t be scared and don’t be discouraged. Give it your best run. Whatever the outcome is, you will learn from that experience. Good luck!
I was a complete BS newbie last admission cycle for my DD who was applying to 11th grade.
She applied to 7 selective schools, was waitlisted at 1 and admitted to 6 (one from an initial waitlist).
Good luck to everyone beginning the cycle this year!
Just a few observations on the process itself:
**Start early** if you have to travel any distance and want to coordinate over weekends - right now is already late! Our initial BS discussion & research was after a high school fair in September last year. I quickly discovered that all the Friday & weekend slots were already taken for visits/interviews so couldn't schedule a visit at most schools until after applications were due to be submitted. Unfortunately, a huge snowstorm in the Northeast resulted in trip cancellation so we didn't actually see a few of the schools until revisit days. We might have ruled out a couple of the schools earlier in the process. As an aside, DD had only one interview on campus, the others were skype or a local alumnus. The lack of visit and in person interview didn't seem to be detrimental judging by her outcome.
**Be organized!** It is a lot of work for kids, parents & teachers who need to write recommendation letters. The schools we applied to had a mix of applications - we used Gateway to Prep for a few and two had their own applications to complete. We went ahead and paid the application fees for all so we would have access to the recommendation forms and essay questions. DD spoke with and gave recommendation forms (or online link) to all her teachers & coaches before Thanksgiving break so they would have plenty of time to complete. She did have to "nag" one teacher to submit a recommendation right at the deadline. She also created a spreadsheet to keep track of communication with admission officers, BS teachers and coaches. Also, jot down detailed observations as you visit schools - the more information you have compiled about each school will help tremendously when it is time to make a decision.
**Demonstrate interest** but make no assumptions about the interest you receive from the school. DD was proactive about contacting BS with questions (there are no stupid questions, but she never asked anything that was easily found on website). Also, she plays two team sports - she filled out sports inquiry forms on website but also emailed coaches directly to introduce herself and outline her experience. She had lots of back and forth communication with some of the schools and virtually none with others. There was **NO** correlation between interest and acceptance.
**Be authentic**- as mentioned earlier in the thread. There is really nothing to be gained by participating in activities in which you are not truly interested in an attempt to impress AOs. It is also an exercise in futility trying to "figure out" what a particular boarding school wants in an applicant. Quality over quantity - focus on the things you enjoy and you should be able to craft a cohesive narrative to present to schools. Note: this bit might be more applicable to students applying for grades other than 9th as middle schoolers are probably still trying out a variety of activities.
**Thank everyone** involved in the process. This is obvious, but I remember having to remind DD to be prompt with notes and emails. To be fair, there was a lot of correspondence and she really had to be diligent with keeping up with the email chains in addition to her school coursework. She also bought small gifts for her teachers, coaches & counselor in appreciation for writing recommendation letters.
**Relax** and try to enjoy the process as much as possible. Remember, you are evaluating the school for fit just as they are evaluating you as a candidate for admission. At each visit, we would take time before or after the official tour to walk around on our own, speak to random students, attend a sporting event. Can you envision yourself as a student here? Also, as @ThacherParent already said, just be proud of the initiative and grit it takes just to "put yourself out there" to possibly be rejected. DD was already a "winner" well before M10 decisions were out - we praised DD's efforts, not the outcome. Regardless of the decision, this undertaking is great preparation for the college admissions cycle.
I am a new (and grateful) reader to this section of CC. My son is in 7th and we are starting unofficial visits this year to get a good sense of our list before Fall. What do you think of an area to post visit notes? Somewhere we could share our observations of schools that we have toured?
We too are in the boat of applying to bs schools for 2015-16. We have toured four so far and our DS’s reactions have been confirmation for the most part on the type of bs that will be the right “fit” for him. We are truly searching for the right fit. Based on four visits so far, the process confirmed that he wants a smallish school and finds the biggies – Choate, Andover and Exeter – much too big…next up are bs with 500-600 students and we will see how that goes…
Thank you to everyone for the practical tips. Both my hubby and I attended HADES schools, but we are casting a wide net for schools that fit our DS. He is his own person and it has been very interesting so far to see how he reacts to the different schools. For what we want out of BS, we know we have to dig deeper than HADES – which are great schools, but we think a great school for our DS is one that is a “fit” for him and will allow him to thrive.
Thank you for all of this information! It has been very helpful as we go through this process. This is my family’s first experience with applying to BS.
Hi Sculptor Dad. What stands out to me is an applicant’s independence (they have to be comfortable living away from friends and family, after all) and his/her ability to expand on an answer, rather than just saying yes or no. This shows a strong ability to think critically. Nerves are entirely normal, so I’m not concerned if a student exhibits nervous laughter or the like.
A small town boy from very under-represented State, extremely smart and nice, went to a top boarding school that is most frequently mentioned here. He received a very generous FA. He was that good.
It turned out that his learning style was totally opposite from the competitive BS. He started under-performing there and wasn’t happy. He shocked at his GPA in his first term, became depressed and finally decided to leave the school. 3 years later, he finished at a small BS and went to MIT.
If your child is very smart but not very fond of growing through competition, please think twice on those tough, competitive top BS. Any school mentioned here has good academics. If you chase only the reputation, believing it would make you and your child happy and help get into top college, your happiness will disappear from day 2 when you get a midnight call from your child. Please don’t let the reputation get in.
Such an important message about not chasing prestige if you are looking for the best possible environment for your particular child to be challenged AND thrive! Thank you @jyc1230 … Would you mind sharing the name of the school where this boy blossomed?
Checkout the boathouse on Revisit Day if you haven’t already.