as you might be able to tell from the title i am an asian applying to prep school (HADES). my grades are all very good and i do plenty of ec’s, but i completely flopped on the ssat. i got an 85 and then an 88. now this 88, is there simply because i royally screwed up the reading comprehension (50s). you might think “oh an asian person failing the reading comprehension section what a surprise” but the thing is, english is my first language, so i’m horrified. on the 85 test i had an 86 reading comp.
will schools superscore my tests?
do asians with scores this low even have a chance?
have you ever met an asian person at an elite prep school with scores this bad?
side note: i applied last year and i scored a 92 (didn’t get in anywhere). i kind of have to apply with these crummy scores, and most schools will see my test scores from last year. i am also not a legacy.
What else do you bring as far as extracurricular activities? Are you an athlete or play an instrument at a high level? That would certainly help. I’ve also read on here that many schools like to see repeat applicants as it shows persistence.
Based on the fact that you weren’t offered admission last year with a higher score, have you considered expanding your list of schools beyond the HADES (this assumes you are truly keen on going to boarding school next year)?
I don’t have any more advice because you did’t provide a lot of information. Some schools do superscore. I don’t know any asians who attend but it will bring you some hard competition knowing that many of them apply and many have SSAT’s in the 90’s. To make you feel better, I also received a low score for my reading comprehension even though English is my primary language. I guess I really underestimated my abilities. You’re not alone, but definitely strive for outstanding essays, recs and interviews with your score.
Many schools do super score, so send both sets of scores. Also add some other schools. It makes no sense to only apply to HADES schools - they’re all different and the same kid wouldn’t do well at all of them, wouldn’t like them equally.
I’m a decent athlete who might do varsity squash and xc as a sophomore. I’m a very good musician on the horn. My english and music rec’s are probably going to be very nice. I’m applying to Pomfret as a back up.
Back to super scoring, will I be penalized for having to superscore, when they see the bits that are being superscored? thanks all
side note: I’m sending in videos of my ec’s now b/c I practiced a ton over the summer.
I think that you will have a good chance at Tabor, Lawrence Academy, Williston Northhampton, Canterbury, and Brooks (as safeties). Taft, Kent, and NMH could be good fits. HADES + Groton, St. Mark’s, Choate, Milton, Concord, and L’Ville may be reaches, but you could probably get into some.