<p>hi guys! I'm new to CC and I'm applying for a few top preps next year (10th grade) and I'd like to get some advice! i also applied for summer school at exeter this year!
so I'm currently studying in one of the best (top of the top, no kidding) schools in, well, let's just say, the Asia Pacific region. I'm enrolled as one of the top students in the honors class. </p>
<p>Academically, I get straight As in all the subjects that are unrelated to chinese (i don't get brilliant grades in chinese but im still in the honors class). My best subjects are english and englit. Frankly I'm much of a teacher's pet and I have an excellent relationship with my teachers. I speak fluent english and chinese and im gaining proficiency in french and hopefully spanish. </p>
<p>I have around 9 to 10 ECs:
Topping the list is singing and choral singing. I've been in a world-renowned choir for two years.
I also do well in debate (which is one of my strengths) and public speaking. I'm mostly talented in expressing myself.
I do scriptwriting and I have won one or two big awards.
I've been learning the violin but its like intensive learning so I think i can get my grade 8 degree soon. (grade 8 is like the highest grade under the professional diploma)
I do varsity hockey at school but my school team isnt that outstanding.
I do volunteer work too. I'm an English teacher at an elders' home.
I'm in the business enterprise club, and the math&science club.</p>
<p>The thing is: I would need a financial aid (and my family probably qualifies for a full one) to attend, say, Exeter.</p>
<p>I'm hoping i could get some constructive criticisms and some advice on the interview (tho the interview is the least of my worrries since I'm very good and expressing myself and speaking) and SSAT prep. Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>No, I think cjprep means that he/she won’t be applying until next year.</p>
<p>And, although I’m not in the habit of replying to “chance me” threads, I’m going to jump in and say that even if you are everything you posted, were full pay, and could also walk on water . . . that is no guarantee that you’d be admitted to Exeter, or any of the other really well known prep schools. The reality is that they turn away as many highly qualified candidates as they admit. They just don’t have room for everyone.</p>
<p>So, now matter how qualified you are, take the next several months to find out about other schools - including some that aren’t quite so well known. The more schools you apply to, the better your chances of getting admitted with the financial aid you need. Use [Boarding</a> School Review](<a href=“Boarding School Search Results”>Boarding School Search Results) to find schools you might be interested in. And, then, if you are able to come to the United States this summer, visit as many as you can! </p>
<p>Also, see if you can do interviews at the same time. It will be a real advantage to you if you can do your interviews on campus and in person, instead of having to do them once you’re back home - either via Skype or with a local alumni representative.</p>
<p>I agree about the in-person interviews on campus. Certainly, the Asians I know take this very seriously. If you visit the Andover admissions office, for example, about 8 of every 10 kids is Asian, with generally both mother and father in tow. Some of the talk is about how long of a trip it was from Hong Kong . . .</p>
<p>o hi dodgersmom and kellybkk
I know that Exeter and Andover do send admission representatives to Hong Kong (thats where I’m from) and I know that the representative that interviewed my friends is an alumni of both my current school and exeter- should I still have my interviews on campus?
also since I’m going to Exeter for summer school I wonder if interviews can be scheduled as early as, say, July?
meanwhile what are the things that I can do to improve my chances? (because I can’t really control my family’s finances)</p>
<p>I don’t normally respond to Chances threads. But I see some significant challenges for realizing your elite U.S. BS dreams: You are are an over-represented minority from an over-represented int’l location, who needs FA. As kellybkk commented, the interview waiting rooms are chock-full of high-achieving kids from Hong Kong, and they are generally full-pay. It would help you if you were an under-represented minority coming from Ghana or Peru. </p>
<p>Some inconsistencies in your description I observe: how can your family afford to send you to Exeter (on the other side of the world) for summer school, but need full FA to afford to send you there as a regular student? </p>
<p>The summer school issue aside, if your family’s finances qualify you for full-FA to send you to an elite U.S. BS, how will your family afford the transportation? A cheap economy-class return ticket to HK is going to cost around 1000 USD. At an absolute bare minimum you will need to budget for 4 trips/year (Summer, Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring breaks), plus add day-to-day minor expenses.</p>
<p>Before you embark on the very intense application process, I would contact each school separately to ask about their policy for granting FA to int’l students, to ascertain that it’s worth the considerable time, financial, mental, and emotional investment to apply.</p>
<p>At this school, notice how Hong Kong is listed separately from China, and Hong Kong’s not even technically a separate country. Just the fact that Exeter sends a delegation of Admisssions staff to recruit in Hong Kong tells you that they draw a lot of applications from there.</p>
<p>Your application will probably get a second look if you’re from a country not already represented at the school. Schools love to boast how many different countries and U.S. states their students come from.</p>
<p>Could you specify your awards? World renown in China doesnt necessarily mean world renown in America, as I realized three years ago freshman year of high school.</p>
<p>GMT7: I’m sure public schools won’t offer APs… the school wont have enough funding for teachers… and you’d be surprised at how pricey international schools are, especially the good ones.</p>
<p>oops messed up what was i thinking…
anyways not aps, but no public school would have english classes. and i mean classes like bio and math that are taught in english…</p>
<p>ok i am officially an idiot.
I’m sorry op and everyone else for this yapping…i need to learn to read lol.
Not english based curriculum. lol lol lol… idk but i feel pretty sure op attends international school… but i dont know why i feel this way, prolly.because the op has good english skills that are near impossible to accomplish in a public school setting?</p>
<p>Yeah, do you know how expensive that is in China/Hong Kong? Yeah it doesnt look like a lot for Americans in terms of absolute value, but in Hong Kong that is a pretty dang large sum and you need to be RICH to afford that. When you compare prices in China/Hong Kong you can’t approx it in usd because it goes out of context and seems less expensive than it actually is.</p>
<p>Asian’s claim more than 20% of the Exeter student population whereas they represent less than 5% of the US population as a whole. Some might argue that Asians are overrepresented but few would suggest that they have an easy time getting in.</p>