Chance me for Andover, Exeter, Choate, etc!

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

<p>So I have just recently decided that I would like to transfer to a boarding prep school as I would have a very small chance of getting into a top CS college at my current high school.</p>

<p>I am currently a sophomore at a small high school, whose courses and teachers aren't that great. I have read on here before that it is possible to repeat my grade to have more years at a prep school, and I would have a greater chance of getting in, but is this true?</p>

<p>I currently have a 93.6% unweighted (A-), and a 96.3% weighted (A+). For the past three years my lowest grade in math has been a 97 (A+) and a 93 (A-) in science. I would have a much higher average if I had not taken Honors Spanish 1 in middle school, where slacking off earned me an 86. All the classes I have taken in actual high school I have scored from a 93 to a 99 unweighted. I am currently in the top 12% of my class, and last year on the psat I scored in the upper 90% in my state, and also in the 70 or 80% in class above mine.</p>

<p>For extracurriculars, I have played lacrosse for the past eight years, seven on rec, and the past year for my school's JV team.</p>

<p>As a hobby I do coding contracts, and I have coded several scripts seen and used by about one to four thousand people per day. Is there a way that I could give a prep school proof I am the original coder?</p>

<p>My parents have agreed to let me go to a boarding school, but it would have to not be insanely expensive, I am aiming for financial aid, but as we are right above the threshold, I would most likely need to go to a school with financial aid that does not decide entirely on family income.</p>

<p>So which prep boarding schools are good for computer science (or just more STEM related)? What are my chances of getting into them? </p>

<p>Also, because I have only decided on prep schools very recently, are there any tips you guys could give me? They could be about anything, admissions, preparation, etc.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Most schools do not give merit scholarships- the only kind of aid not designed for students who are not able to afford the education. However, it is unclear what threshold you mean; financial aid is available for most anyone who can prove that they cannot comfortably pay for the school’s tuition. Needing financial aid will significantly lower your chances of acceptance, and acceptance does not ensure that you will get enough financial aid, or any at all. If you are unsure of whether you will get financial aid, now is the time to begin looking at other financial or educational options just in case.</p>

<p>Applications for this school year are now closed, and it seems as if you are significantly well into your four years in high school. It would do you well to repeat a grade, as it would give you more time at the school and because the acceptance rates drop significantly between each grade. You seem like a good candidate, but it depends on the package and on what the schools each need. Some schools might not need a lacrosse player in your position, while others might be looking to fill out a newly formed coding club. Your best bet is to apply to a variety with a mix of reaches, matches, and safeties, just like in college applications. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Thanks for the reply! I understand that applications are over for this year, and that I could not transfer during the year. I am a sophomore this year, I’m just deciding if I will repeat or apply as a junior. It will probably come down to me applying as a sophomore.</p>

<p>So if financial aid lowers my chance of getting in, would it be possible to apply to see if I get accepted, then I could then send my financial aid request? Also, I mean that my parents would not be able to pay for the insanely high tuition at some schools, but for some of the schools I’ve seen, my family’s income was right above the threshold for financial aid. I was wondering which schools did not directly look at income so I could still apply for financial aid.</p>

<p>Also, are there any prep schools that are more geared towards computer science or math?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

4

<p>See <a href=“Schools with Generous FA - Prep School Admissions - College Confidential Forums”>Schools with Generous FA - Prep School Admissions - College Confidential Forums;
and use the search function for other financial aid info on these boards. Several schools give some financial aid to middle class kids, although it depends on the family’s specific circumstances. Many good prep schools have excellent math and computer science-- more than you could ever get through. Look at individual course catalogs on line. </p>

5

<p>You either send in a financial aid request form with your application, or you don’t. Of course, you can try to find funds from another source, like a relative, if you don’t want to apply for aid, but that’s a personal decision. </p>

<p>It seems as if you are right above the threshold for all of it. I don’t know where you are finding these thresholds, as I don’t think schools publish their financial aid cap. However, there are numbers that say, “For any accepted student with a household income under $75,000, they will receive full financial aid.” That’s a guarantee, and it doesn’t mean that students with an income over that number won’t be able to receive aid. </p>