Chance me for HADES?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

<p>Hello! I know I'm new here and you guys see like a billion of these a day, I'd like for you guys to help me. I'm a 9th grader applying for 10th grade. I want to only apply to top boarding schools. Go big or go home. My school is decent enough that I can stay here if I wish to. I really want to get into Exeter especially because the Harkness system sounds fascinating and I'd really like to try it.</p>

<p>My Stats:
Regular Geometry(School is like that, I'm not behind, not possible to go to Alg 2) 95%
Regular English 88%
Biology 89%
Spanish 3-4(2) 95%
Business Management 93%
PE 100%</p>

<p>Took an SSAT in June or August 2012, higher level. 99% Reading, 97% Math, 99% Verbal. I will be retaking it on Dec 3.
I have also taken practice SATs, my highest individual scores were </p>

<p>Math 650
Verbal 690
Writing 680</p>

<p>And my highest combined score was 1950. I obviously can't submit this because it's practice but this might be a good barometer?</p>

<p>My 8th grade grades were not good. At all. One A, 2 B's and 1 C. However, I didn't really try and as you can see, I have ramped up what I've been doing for 9th grade and could probably go even further if I tried a bit more. I am Asian, and I think I count as international because I have Canadian citizenship. I then spent 4 years in China and moved when I was 4. I have been living in the US in CA for about 8 years. My English is as good as any native speaker. I will be applying for financial aid.</p>

<p>My main hook is politics. I've been extremely interested in it since 6th grade and have devoted large amounts of time to it. I have become, in my opinion, extremely knowledgeable and when I am older, I hope to volunteer for some political campaigns. I have some but I'm not stellar in any of them. I am an extremely avid reader and I have been reading 1984 for the past 2 days. I am also in the process of starting my own computer club. I haven't gotten any word on it it's worked but I have a failsafe. My friends and I also host an informal philosophy chat every lunch period .</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Chess
Piano
Golf
Computer Programming
Painting( Acrylic)</p>

<p>I have an A+ certificate in computers and I am currently working to get my Java certification.
I also have 34 hours of community service at a concert. It's not registered with my school but I have a certificate to prove it. My involvement in my extracurriculars is not very high.</p>

<p>Recommendations:</p>

<p>I could probably count on a good one from my Geometry teacher. I am not entirely sure about the English and extracurriculars.</p>

<p>Interview:</p>

<p>I'm guessing my application hinges on this and the test scores. I go to a tutoring place and many of my teachers there are extremely impressed with me.</p>

<p>Family life:</p>

<p>I grew up without my dad and haven't seen him in nine years. I stay here with my sister and mother on a H-4 visa. </p>

<p>Chance me please. I ask for the truth and I won't be hurt if it turns out to be worse than I expect.</p>

2

<p>Bump？10 char</p>

3

<p>Your SSAT’s are great. Grades are okay, but I don’t think they will help you all that much. Focus on what makes you interesting/unique. Have you had interviews yet? How did they go?</p>

4

<p>Okay, I’m going to be completely honest here. At boarding schools like these, many many many people apply. Most are just as bright and talented as you are. Most play more sports than you and have more experience in that area, and that is the area that most people underestimate. </p>

<p>I think you have a god chance of getting into at least one of the schools, and lucky you, exeter place less emphasize on sports than most of the other HADES schools. You seem to have many unique interests which sets you apart, but you’re grades seem average in contest with others in the applicant pool.</p>

<p>Luck plays a big role, so you can never say anything for certain, but this is my best estimate on a scale of 1 to 10:</p>

<p>Hotchkiss- 3
Andover- 4
Deerfield- 2
Exeter- 7
St. Paul’s- 3
Choate- 3</p>

5

<p>Thank you very much for the advice new! I would have to say this though: I have improved on my golf skills a lot over the past half year or so and come spring, may get on the junior varsity team. Would this affect my chances at anywhere?</p>

6

<p>@ preplovr
Do you think that the SSAT’s will offset my grades? As in, my grades aren’t that good but my SSAT’s will override them and show that I can do well academically? Also, do you think that there’s a chance that maybe the interviewer(have not had interviews yet) will have an opposite viewpoint from me on politics and may rate me lower because we clash?</p>

7

<p>It depends on what the school is looking for. These schools do reject some 99% SSAT applicants. You might want to look at some other Top 15 schools as alternatives … just in case.</p>

8

<p>Also, those SSAT scores were from 8th grade… not really sure what those would translate to in 9th grade. As for jjs123, like I said, go big or go home.</p>

9

<p>By the way, I do not think you would necessarily be counted as an international student. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but even if you have Canadian citizenship (I have it too), if you live in the U.S. as a permanent resident, you’re considered not international. I say this on basis of my application experience last year (living in U.S., Canadian and Korean citizenship…) Besides, from what I’ve read and heard, it’s hardER for international students from particular countries</p>

10

<p>Don’t go big or go home. BS is a wonderful opportunity and even lesser schools are leagues better than without. As for hades, its always a crapshoot. I had similar stats, only got into Choate and NMH. At Choate. Its great. Love it. Don’t worry. There is nothing, absolutely NOTHING you can do about anything now. Just sit back and relax and watch the days go by until march.</p>

11

<p>@ wildboar</p>

<p>I wish I could decide but it’s ultimately up to my parents and they said go big or go home. :P</p>