Hello there, I am rising 8th grader applying for fall 2023 admission to 9th grade. I’m an African-American (domestic applicant) male, neither overwhelmingly wealthy nor low-income. I am only applying to private day high schools in the Greater Boston area.
Schools (no particular order):
Milton
Noble & Greenough
Xaverian Brothers
Thayer
Academic History:
SSAT: While I have not yet taken the SSAT, I was offered (2x) an “accelerated” English course, where I’m learning deep comprehension of literary works, creative writing, debate, and research writing.
Grades: My grades in the most previous school year consisted mostly of As with two Bs.
Extracurriculars:
- Environment Club - Founding Member. Our work in the spring of 2022 included revitalizing neglected school garden; it now has six newly constructed raised beds (produce donated to school food service) and a flower bed with 20+ flowers working to restore butterfly and bee (pollinator) populations.
- Student Council - Student Representative, elected to represent class of 300+ middle school students. Coordinating a wide range of school-related events, activities, programs, policies, and initiatives.
- Debate Team - Team Member. Received 1st place Speaker Award in the regional competition after earning distinguished speaker points in multiple successive debate rounds.
- Community Service - Organizes nationwide phone-banks with other youth activists to elect proponents of social justice-based policy to political office.
- Volunteer - Outreach Intern with local road safety organization during the summer of 2022.
Brief Question
- Will a poor letter grade during the pandemic hurt my application or may it be excused as a result of no in-person instruction during the spring of 2022? (already-existing achievement and opportunity gaps in education were increased during this time)
Please let me know if there is any chance I might get accepted, especially to Milton, which is my top choice. The early quarter-life crisis I’m currently having over PS admittance will be lessened by your response. Bee well. (see what I did there?!)