Chance Me - Intl' Student - Andover, Exeter, Lawrenceville, Choate, Hotchkiss

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
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<p>Hi, I'm currently in grade 9 (14 years young) from Australia. I want to study university in America, and I was wondering if my going to one of the above schools will increase my chances? My grades aren't superior, they were a bit slack in first semester of grade 9. </p>

<p>Ethnicity: Eurasian (Mum - Chinese, Dad - English)
Country: Australia
FA Needed: Yes (Income lower than $20k) </p>

<p>SSAT Score: Overall 98% percentile. </p>

<p>Grades and Achievements according to grade - </p>

<p>GRADE 8: </p>

<p>Grades: (in AUS we only go up to A, we don't have - or +, also we only have extension class as IB isn't offered at my school. And we need to specially be selected to go into the extension program. </p>

<p>Semester 1: </p>

<p>SOSE Extension: A
Math Extension: A
Chemistry: B
Biology: B
PE: B
Writing: B
Public Speaking: A
Art (Gifted and Talented Program): A
Textiles: C<br>
French: A </p>

<p>Semester 2: </p>

<p>SOSE Extension: A
Math Extension: A
Physics: A
Geology: A
PE: B
Writing: B
Public Speaking: A
Art (Gifted and Talented Program): B
Cooking: A
French: A </p>

<p>Achievements for Grade 8:
Top Student in whole year level for SOSE.
Accepted Into Gifted and Talented Program
Distinction of Australian Math Competition (Top 16%) </p>

<p>Extra-co incl. community service, voluntary work:
30hrs voluntary work: Volunteering at soup kitchen, community garden,
North Shore - Academic Extension, like Kumon
Gifted and Talented Art - on saturday. </p>

<p>GRADE 9 </p>

<p>Semester 1:
SOSE Ext: A
Math Ext: A
Ecology: B (my teacher said he would give me an A but he got angry at my because I reported him)
Writing: B
Public Speaking: A
Art (GATE): A
Cooking: A
French Ext: A
PE: B </p>

<p>Semester 2: (note in AUS we can't select what subjects we want to do till year 10-11)
SOSE Ext: A
Math Ext: A
Chemistry: A
Physics: A
Biology: A
Writing: A
Public Speaking: A
Art (GATE): A
Clay work: A
French Ext.: A
PE: A </p>

<p>Achievements: (I stepped up my game because this year I realized my goals) </p>

<p>• Simpson Prize - Highly prestigious. Travelled to Canberra and was presented with silver plate at Parliament House. Travelling to Gallipoli next year for the 100th year ceremony.
• National History Winner - Won $1000, flown to Canberra and presented with medallion at Parliament House. Very prestigious competition. And yes it is linked with my below award. The National Young History Winner is the overall winner in Australia. A great honour.
• National History Challenge - Womens History Winner - Won $300, flown to Canberra and presented with medallion at Parliament House.
• Distinction – Australian Math Competition (Top 7% in Australia)
• International Junior Short Story Competition Finalist
• CPA Plan Your Own Enterprise National Competition Winner - Won $2500, and flown to Melbourne to give a presentation.
• International Junior Authors Poetry Competition Winner
• Top Student in Society and Environment (1/280) for 2 years in a row.
• Gifted and Talented Special Art Student
• Premiers Anzac Competition Winner - Once again, a very prestigious competition. Flying to Gallipoli next year for the 100th year ceremony. </p>

<p>Extra-Curricular:
• Karate
• Gifted and Talented Special Art – Saturday Workshops
• Volunteer at Regis Age Care Home – 70hrs (July – Present)
• Inter-school debate team. </p>

<p>Miscellaneous:
• Student Councillor (2 years – Present)
• Language Perfect Ambassador
• Chess club.
• Writer on Laura Thomas Communications ‘JaBlog’ – Have had several poems published.
• Self - taught fluent German. Nearly fluent French and Mandarin. Plan on self-mastering Spanish and Russian next.
• Piano (8 years)
• Instructor on Udemy (Online Course)
• 80hrs+ voluntary work – MANNA (serving food to homeless), community garden, Regis Retirement Home (3hrs/week).
• Have had poems, articles, stories published on Business Insider, JaBlog, and various newspapers. </p>

<p>Successfully Completed University Online Courses:
• University of Maryland – The First Step in Entrepreneurship (7hrs/week for 4 weeks)
• RMIT University – Entrepreneurship and Family Business (4hrs/week for 6 weeks)
• Wharton Business School, UPenn – Social Entrepreneurship (4hrs/week for 6 weeks)
• University of North Carolina – What’s Your Big Idea? (3hrs/week for 6 weeks)
• International College of Management – Management For A Competitive Edge (4hrs/week for 4 weeks)
• Case Western Reserve University – Beyond Silicon Valley; Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitional Economies – (3hrs/week for 6 weeks)
• Universiteit Leiden – Configuring the World; A Critical Political Economy Approach (6hrs/week for 8 weeks) </p>

<p>ADDITIONALLY in grade 8 - first sem. grade 9 my writing was really bad. But then it improved, and hence why I won those competitions. My submission essay is great, and my teacher recommendations use "the most ambitious and motivated student I have ever met" "incredible and outstanding student" "I wish more students were like her". </p>

<p>Sorry it was such a long post, I just want an honest opinion. Also, please keep in mind that the only reason I am applying is to better my chances of getting into a US university. Thanks!</p>

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<p>Wrong, wrong reason for applying.</p>

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<p>

Then save the time, effort, and money. It will not help, and as mentioned above, is the wrong reason to apply.</p>

<p>International acceptance rates to top US universities are roughly half the overall acceptance rate, FA for internationals, at both boarding school and university, is limited. You have plenty of options in Australia; explore those.</p>

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<p>And save the chance for some worthy, hopeful individual that actually wants to experience all that BS has to offer (That’s predicated on you getting accepted btw, can’t say whether or not that’ll happen).</p>

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<p>I do want to experience it though! Can you give me an honest indication please? @mrnephew‌ </p>

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<p>It doesn’t sound like you want to experience it- the experience should be the first thing you think of, rather than a benefit. I don’t mean to come off as harsh, but you really won’t succeed and enjoy boarding school if you don’t want to go for the right reasons (an experience encompassing all that high school has to offer plus more). I realize that you do want to experience it, but plenty of kids can’t get into an Ivy from a top boarding school (and those are American kids too!). </p>

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<p>It sounds like you want to experience it by getting into a good college. That’s not experiencing it.</p>

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<p>I do want to experience it. I may not come of this way, but I truly do. I have always wanted to go to school in America, that is perhaps why I am so determined to study University there, and trying to better my chances in any way! I always thought that if I couldn’t experience high school in USA, then I can at least experience college there. I do want the experience of a boarding school. @pdl100‌ @mrnephew‌ </p>

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<p>Can you just please chance me!</p>

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<p>No one can chance you. </p>

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<p>@acehyp Don’t feel like you have to justify your desire to go to boarding school or college in the U.S. to anyone here or to anyone else. What you DO need to be able to explain is why it will make you a better person and most importantly, how that will make a positive impact on the world. If you have a special interest or desire, say it. </p>

<p>Just remember if you are driven solely by ambition based on money there is nothing wrong with that (it has built a lot of wealth here) but you will fall into a subset of applicants that is very large and very competitive. </p>

<p>Good luck, but make solid contingency plans.</p>

<p>(BTW, what happened in Textiles class?)</p>

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<p>I imagine there are lots of reasons you are interested in boarding in the States, as is true of most kids. As a boarding school teacher, I’ve seen kids walk in the door with all kinds of reasons for being there; so I don’t buy that there are right and wrong reasons–it all changes once you start to live the experience anyway. </p>

<p>To answer your question, the schools you list at the top probably won’t help you get to an American University. They are among the most competitive schools and have lots of students with perfect scores and stronger resumes vying for financial aid monies and top college admissions. The very low acceptance rates are driven from huge numbers of applicants from China. I’d recommend looking at schools that are a little less competitive. It doesn’t make them bad schools–they have great teachers and great facilities, and many have students who are there for a variety of reasons. For a school that isn’t already swamped with applicants, your diverse background, unique experiences, and need for financial aid may be more compelling. International students do get into top American universities from boarding schools not in the top 10. Your chances are better if you set your sites on one of the schools “ranked” 25-15, rather than 1-10. Contrary to what one often reads on this board, there are more than 5 great boarding schools in the US. Do some research and see if any other schools spark your interest. Good Luck.</p>

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<p>Not sure if this is still going to be helpful, but interviews and essays are a huge part. If one of the main reasons you want to go (I’m not saying the only reason) is because of college, than so be it. You shouldn’t let what anyone says on this forum distract you. Honestly, you either get in or you don’t. Not that being chanced doesn’t help, but consider where you stand compared to other applicants. I suggest you read a bunch of other chance threads from people applying to the schools you are applying to, and chance yourself compared to them. </p>

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<p>Being chanced doesn’t help at all, unless you’re talking about someone’s peace of mind(being told you’re good doesn’t help that with much either). </p>

<p>And other chance threads don’t compare well, because most of the people who come on to cc are people with the better credentials. </p>

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Umm…in a different forum on a different account (we all know you have multiple accounts) it says parents is $200k each? Just correcting you because I think you made a typo. Schools won’t give you much FA, if any at all.

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This is from July.

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Closing thread since user is no longer active.