Asian applying for boarding high schools

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

Hello, everyone!
So, I am an eighth grade right now, applying for a whole lot of top private boarding schools including Andover and Exeter. I feel so much pressure. There are over a thousand qualified applicants, and I have to stand out. I would like for some people to tell me with brutal honesty why I would get in or get rejected. I have not submitted anything yet, so a few helpful tips would be amazing.
I have played piano for a long time and received many high honors including distinction (top 5% in the world) in the ABRSM and playing at Carnegie Hall at age 12. I started violin 3 years ago and have been in two honor orchestras. I love music, and I stressed that at my interviews and in my essays. I also have studied Latin for two years and received many awards on tests and competitions. I danced all my life and won a few tournaments in tennis.
My interviewers said I did very well and was confident, but I am assuming they say that to everyone. I heard that the tour guide evaluates your performance during the tour, but I was kind of soft spoken and my mom asked a lot of questions, so I believe that was a mistake on our part.
For my short answers and essays, I wrote about my passions for music and biology. When I grow up, I want to cure the disease my grandmother died from. I also wrote about discrimination and social classes as being a challenge to the world today.
My SSAT was at the 95th percentile. I heard it was good, but after researching, I have been feeling worse and worse about my score. I made A’s all my life.
For a while, I was very happy about my results, but lately, after doing some research on the internet, I have been feeling down about these for the following reasons:

  1. I’m an Asian American. I feel like there is so much more pressure and competition being an Asian because of our culture. I myself try to break the stereotypes, but schools may consider my background and assume that what my resume says is just the average Asian. I listed that I love music; is that too Asian? You see, I hope schools will see me as an individual, not another Asian.
  2. Thank you notes. I wrote mine too late. I know for a fact that it will affect my admission. That and the tour. To make up for that, I tried my best to show my personality through my essays.
  3. As my school district is competitive (I live in the northeast of the USA), there are also 10 other people applying to the same school as me. Last year, even though the school district is good, all candidates were rejected.
    Basically, I am worried. I truly believe the schools I am applying to can benefit me and vice versa, but I don’t think I will do a good job impressing them. Before, I thought that a 95th percentile was good, my interview was good, and I was pretty confident about the short answers and essays part, but now I am constantly anxious, and I am starting to feel the pressure.
    As I have said before, I have not submitted my application yet, so before I do, with the information above, I would love it if someone gave me the entire truth: is there a chance I would get into a school such as Exeter? Or am I just a walking Asian stereotype? If someone has gotten into one of these schools, could you give me some feedback and tips?
    If you made it all the way here, I am impressed lol. Thank you so much!
2

You could totally get into Exeter! It is true that the standards for Asian applicants are higher, Asian Americans have a slightly better chance than international applicants. You do not seem like a stereotype at all. You may not get in, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

3

Why do you want so badly to go to boarding school?

4

Before I moved, I was in a private school. Once we moved to the northeast, we were considering going back into the private school route. I looked at a few schools online, and I took an interest in the schools listed above. I fell in love with them at the campus tours and decided to apply. It would also be a very unique experience, am I right?

5

You are a very strong candidate and should have already completed your applications before now. Being nervous about the outcome on March 10th is universal to almost everyone, but this should not stop you from applying. I would complete all applications as soon as possible. Put together a video of your piano and violin playing to send into admissions as well as sending it to the academies music directors. I would also touch base with the tennis coaches at each school as it sounds like that my also be a hook. Understand that admissions do not make decisions in isolation and positive input from coaches and members of the music department might be all it takes to make you stand out from the “thousands of qualified applicants”. Best of luck.

6

The standards for Asian applicants are not higher. The majority of applicants are from the NE and New England and are Caucasian and Asian. The schools want other ethnic and cultural backgrounds represented in their student bodies. There are many factors that make ones chances more difficult or higher. Geography, extracurriculars, financial aid, being an under represented minority, legacy or being a recruited athlete or other talent. Any applicant should look at themselves in context of all of these factors and apply accordingly. The OP is a very strong candidate but much like the many hundreds of applicants these schools receive every year.

7

Wait when you say you’re asian american…do you mean you’re asian with a US citizenship or are you actually half caucasian and half asian?

8

I am born and raised as a US citizen :slight_smile:

9

Also, is it too late now to contact the departments?

10

I do not think it is too late at all, but I would definitely reach out prior to the start of February as that is when the admissions process really begins.

11

I am kind of in the same boat right now, except im in 7th grade