Chance for Andover & Choate?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

<p>Please, please, please chance me? (:
I know it's a bit early, but I just want to know if I'm on the right track!</p>

<p>Race: Caucasian
Gender: Female
Living in: New York
Financial Aid: Not entirely necessary.
Applying for 10th grade to Choate and Andover.</p>

<p>I go to a decent public high school right now.
Ranked Top 3 in my grade. Probably #2?</p>

<p>Grades:</p>

<p>8th-
English 8 - 100
Social Studies 8 - 99
Algebra I - 98
Earth Science - 98
French 2 - 100
Electronic Music - 100
Guitar - 100
Phys. Ed - 100
Health - 100
Technology - 100
Art - 99</p>

<p>Current Schedule:
Science Research Honors
Geometry Honors
Biology Honors
Phys. Ed
Global History Honors
English Honors
French 3 Honors
Studio Art I Honors</p>

<hr>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>----Music
--Piano - 10 years
I have played in over 50 concerts, several at Carnegie Hall. I have lessons every week at a music school that I have attended since I was five. I took the NYSSMA exam and received a 25/28. Also received my school's award for Outstanding Achievement in Electronic Music. </p>

<p>--Guitar - 1 year
I've played in two guitar concerts, both affiliated with my school. I love acoustic guitar, though I haven't been playing it for very long. </p>

<p>ALSO:
I received an e-mail, I assume sent to many applicants (?), from a Director of a Music Department saying that he would like to meet me when I visited the school. I'm not sure if this means anything.</p>

<p>--Ballet - 10 years
I've been dancing classical ballet for as long as I could remember. My dance school's curriculum is based on British dance standards. We have yearly exams that are judged by former British ballet dancers/teachers.</p>

<p>--Softball - 6 years
Typical middle school athlete. I'm trying out for varsity this year. I'm a catcher, an outfielder, and (if necessary) a first-baseman. I'll probably see if I can speak with any of the coaches if they're available.</p>

<p>--Youth Historians
I'm the founder of a small group of high school students who help out with the local historical society. We're partnering with a rather large museum in order to bring attention to long-forgotten, but still important, events that happened in my town's history.</p>

<p>--Fencing - 1 year
I'm on my high school's Varsity Fencing Team. I fence foil, and I'm hoping to be a starter by 10th grade, if I'm not at a boarding school.</p>

<p>--Art
I had two of my pieces chosen for my school's art journal. I received my school's art award, and I have been recommended for Honors art placement this year. I'm especially passionate in drawing, graphic art, and painting.</p>

<p>OTHER AWARDS/RECOGNITION-
School's French Award. I had a 100 average all through middle school.
A+ with honors ranking at my music school.
Placed Top 15 in my county on the National French Exam.
National Junior Honor Society.
Selected to play the recessional piece at the NJHS Induction Ceremony.</p>

<p>CLUBS-
Literary Journal.
Student Council.
Student Government - hoping to be elected Secretary.
Environmental Club.
Miracle/Community Service Club.
Key Club.
French Club.
Youth Historians.
(Seems like a lot, but meetings are irregular.)</p>

<p>COMMUNITY SERVICE-
I do a lot of infrequent community service activities..
I'll just list some random things that could be community service.
-Helped the Breast Cancer Research Foundation raise money by being a representative and selling t-shirts, bags, etc.
-Cleaned up a town for five hours with a group.
-Helped with the local historical society at a fundraiser.
-Ran in several 5Ks.
-Helped with a bake sale at my church.
-Chosen to be a school representative (basically showed lost parents around the school.)
This all adds up to around 20 hours.</p>

<p>SUMMERS-
Went to a Choate Summer 09 program, got Honors.
Went to Andover Summer Session this past summer, got 6s in my courses.
(6 is the highest possible grade, apparently received by 5% of summer students.)</p>

2

<p>cant wait to see u in dover</p>

3

<p>haha, i can only hope!</p>

4

<p>You sound like an ideal candidate. I can see that you are passionate about music and dance. Good luck!</p>

5

<p>Thank you so much! (: It means a lot that you think so.</p>

6

<p>Have you also found a cure for cancer?
Sounds like you have a great chance =)</p>

7

<p>Hahaha, that’s for next year!</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

<p>Also, if anyone else has advice for what I can do, please tell me!</p>

<p>Update:
I was elected secretary for my french club. woooot. hahah</p>

8

<p>BUMP–
I have a question.
I got a 94% on the SSAT.
HOWEVER, the individual scores are 78% on math and reading, 99% on verbal.</p>

<p>How will this affect me?</p>

9

<p>I scored 79th percentile in math and 99th in verbal, too. But I’m here!</p>

10

<p>it seems the maths percentiles are really low this time.</p>

11

<p>Why not apply to Harvard now…</p>

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<p>TomTheCat- You have no idea how reassuring that is! I don’t feel as bad now haha. (:</p>

<p>SnapePotter- Yeah, I thought some of the questions were oddly worded… They were simple, I knew how to do them, but I just got stuck on one thing or another.</p>

<p>Arbydan- Haha, thank you!! I’m not outstanding by any means though, especially looking at other boarding school applicants!</p>

13

<p>Don’t stress over your math percentile. I’ve read that math geniuses have been skewing the percentiles with perfect scores, and I do think schools take this into account. I currently have a 98 in Algebra and I struggled with the math section on my practice tests. Taking the real SSAT in December-- EEK</p>

14

<p>No offense, but it looks like your school inflates grades-like severely. 100 in English?! That’s next to impossible at most schools…IMO, it should be impossible, as 100=perfect, and improvements can ALWAYS be made! 100 in gym?! Is that possible? Unless you’re some kind of uber-athlete who jogs circles around Usain Bolt…99 in art! Are your paintings hanging in the Louvre?! Because IMHO, if you can get 100, 100, and 99 in areas as subjective as these, than your school dramatically inflates grades, or you’re super-student. No offense intended, but I think it’s the former. Now, your other grades are staggeringly high-but achievable. 98s, 99s, and 100s in Science, Math, and SS-incredibly unlikely, but once again, possible. Just to sum it up, 100 average?! Again, not to seem mean, or harsh, but I think inflation or ■■■■■. If these grades are not fabricated, and not inflated, than you’ll get in, no question.</p>

15

<p>Sorry if that seemed mean, and kind of jerk-like. I’m just very skeptical of the fact that you got a 100 in English. Not trying to be cocky, but I’ve won four NATIONAl writing competitions, and I’m only getting a 95 in english.</p>

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<p>heps1996- Ahh, ok, that makes sense… And good luck in December!!</p>

<p>hockeynerd- For starters, I’m most certainly not a ■■■■■. Secondly, the curriculum last year was simply not challenging. At all. In English, I was in a class filled with students who didn’t care about schoolwork. So, comparatively, my writing stood out. I spend a few days editing my English essays, and it’s my best subject. We didn’t have many creative assignments last year, and it was MOSTLY VOCABULARY. I write that in all caps because clearly it’s possible to get a few 100s on a vocab test.</p>

<p>I got my school’s art award last year. I’m in honors art this year. I work carefully. So considering these things, I don’t think it’s crazy to get a 99 in middle school art…</p>

<p>Gym has a specific grading criteria. You show up, wear proper clothes, and participate. Easy 100.</p>

<p>I was good at Earth Science last year, as proven by my 99 on the regents. I don’t think grades were inflated if I could get a high score on a statewide exam. </p>

<p>Now, in ninth grade and in a different school, my grades are still rather similar:</p>

<p>Geometry Honors - 99
Art Honors - 100
Biology Honors - 97
English Honors - 98
Global Honors - 95
Science Research Honors - 98
French - 100</p>

<p>HOWEVER,
Gym - 90.
Haha.</p>

<p>I’m not trying to be defensive! I’m actually glad to have cleared things up.
I work hard for my grades, and I know of only a few who have similar scores.</p>

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<p>good luck at Andover, cassat! I can tell you have worked hard for a VERY long time, you deserve it! Sorry for bringing up old posts, but I think this is a perfect example of someone who has tried really hard.</p>

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<p>Man, people in the states still have vocab quizzes for English in 8th grade?
Now I see the true origin of the crazy smart stereotypical asian.</p>

19

<p>Overandover: Thank you so much!! It’s wonderful to hear you say that, because I HAVE really worked hard! The whole application process has been really eye-opening for me. And it’s flattering that you bumped this. (:</p>

<p>Craysian: Yep, I love vocab quizzes. I still have them, even in 9th grade as well! They’re pretty useless, to be honest, but oh well! Everyone loves a good grade boost. (:</p>

<p>If anyone needs advice as to how to survive the who process, feel free to message me! I think that, by now, I’m an expert on boarding school-related stress… Haha</p>