I’ve heard that people who go to prestigious boarding high schools like PEA, Andover, Deerfield, Groton etc. are more easily able to get into Ivies than people going to normal schools. Ex., instead of winning national awards and topping international competitions, a lot of the boarding school students just have great grades, a couple of leadership positions, and maybe some state/regional awards. Then they are still able to get into highprofile universities and the Ivies.
Is this how it works? Are they really in a separate pool from “normal school” students?
There’s lots of discussion on this topic, so feel free to some searching, and you’ll get plenty of reading. While experiences and opinions vary, the general TLDR is probably some version of: no, it’s not necessarily easier to get into a top school from a BS, once you adjust for legacy and athletic recruitment. And in fact, many would say it would be easier to shine at your local high school – easier to be a big fish in a small pond. Bottom line: apply to BS for the experience it offers for four years, not for college application posturing purposes.
Well, it’s a yes and no. A school like PEA which you mentioned is a known quantity for an Ivy ( there are kids who apply each and every year). The reputation of a too BS, isn’t based on grade inflation. The kids have already been chosen from a large pool so candidates already met a high bar (85-90% are not accepted) to gain acceptance. Ivies also have AO’s that are specific for PEA and PA. They are familiar in other words. And many kids at top BS’s have a talent: sports, theater etc to get into BS. Many are also legacies. So the pool if candidates is often a different demographic than a LPS.
On the no end, there isn’t a pipeline from BS to Ivy leagues like there was many decades ago. Ivies are looking for top students from many backgrounds and with many interests. So many international and public school kids are admitted at every Ivy.
BTW, there are some well known public schools which are also very well regarded. You can google the Ivy name and pipeline. I know it’s often listed for Harvard.
In every case, whether you attend PEA or your local school you’ll have to demonstrate success to be accepted at any college. Find one that fits you rather than going for a brand name.
I did try to search some things up, but I couldn’t find anything…do you know any keywords or places that have talked about this?
Do a search on this board using some key words like “college admissions” or “matriculation,” etc…
Just typing in college admissions for instance, led me to this thread (and others):
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/2186385-will-high-school-at-andover-help-or-hurt-my-childs-chances-of-ivy-league-college-admission-p1.html
@bsstudent1 If you are a truly amazing student, you will succeed whether you go to a public school or private school. Colleges take into factor the opportunities you were given and how you used those opportunities. I personally think more boarding school students make it into top Ivy Leagues because they can cherry pick students they see potential in and put their brand on it.
The important thing to note is that Ivies are selective, and reject great kids. There are many factors to a college application, and there might be more to the story than the whole “eh extracurriculars got him in” thing. Top prep schools often have the resources to supply their students with amazing college counselors. Additionally, these schools have teachers write amazing recommendations. T
hey know how to get their students into college. That’s the biggest difference. The application is regarded the same way. In fact, it might even be harder for you to get in because you are competing with such a high caliber of talent from your own school, making it easy for AOs to compare.
There is a lot that goes into the process. But if you are a really great kid, regardless of where you go, it will be hard for you to slip through the cracks.
Also I second on @Calliemomofgirls 's post. Check out the thread, it’s great!
I’ll just reinforce the general sentiment here: There isn’t a direct quota or so, and its not like PA will put you on a fast track to Harvard, but because BS students are handpicked by BSes by the application process and usually have some highly qualifying factor they’re likely to be able to enhance by chasing opportunities given to them at BS, they’re generally good candidates for any Ivy, by and large.