I second this, here’s a good list of schools to add.
Holderness School
Tabor Academy
NMH
Kent
Madeira (all-girls)
Emma Willard (all-girls)
New England Innovation Academy? (you’d need to do a lot of research for this one)
Westover (all-girls)
Williston Northampton
Mercersburg
Hill School
I got all of those from the Hidden gem thread
I second Hill. It has a similar academic program to Andover, Exeter, etc. It also is more a traditional boarding school, and if that is for you, I would apply. If you are still considering Deerfield, Hill is very similar in terms of culture.
From my experience, this advice is simply invaluable. You need to get the best possible “numbers” you could, of course, but keep in mind it is a very human process. Interviews, recommendations and essays together weigh a lot more than any numbers, I assure you. So don’t be complacent, but don’t count yourself out either merely because of the one B or lower than average SSAT.
As for your activities, I would suggest quality over quantity, but the most important thing is your mindset: what they mean to you, or how much you enjoy your activities regardless of your current level. If you do love piano or taekwondo, make it palpable - let them feel it! Tell them why you find poomsae so empowering, how practicing to store that taegeuk into your muscle memory helps you feel strong and lifts your spirit! Do not try to impress them! Do not give them a “model answer”! Simply tell them how you feel and that should make you interesting!
The fact that you thought of applying last winter should help you a lot. Many people think of applying in the fall. (My brother thought of the idea in December! “Mom, Dad, come to think of it, I wanna leave you folks and have my freedom.”) Try to make recordings of your activities this summer. You would be surprised how much time it takes, especially if you have never edited videos before. I used DaVinci Resolve (it’s free!) to edit my basketball video, and inserting the “callout” feature alone took many hours. Callout is a necessity if you do a team sport - the dot follows you to show where you are in the court - but you can use it for taekwondo or swim too to show which one is you. You can find any tutorial on the YouTube these days.
Good luck, and rememer to ask for help - there are quite a few incredibly nice and experienced parents here. My greatest regret is having registered AFTER the application process. I had been visiting this site before, but I did not even know I could chat with someone before registering. Be passionate and humble, and you will receive good news!
At the risk of piling on, please please please add more schools to your list. You may not realize this, but some of the posters above are brilliant, qualified students, not unlike you, who have just gone through the grueling admissions process and learned the hard way what we are gently trying to tell you before it is too late: Great students like you get rejected in droves.
As a parent, I have watched several cycles of it now - it is gut wrenching, the predictability of it: (1) this time of year through fall we beg students who have posted chance me threads to consider more schools, and point them to options, encouraging them to think about what they really want in a school beyond name recognition (2) Most students ignore the advice, for all sorts of reasons: their parents are stuck on prestige, they are high performers in their schools so they don’t think the advice applies (fwiw, you sound like you fall in this category), etc. (3) like 90% of the other qualified students applying, they are rejected or wait listed. Every year we parents are here, painfully watching the soul-crushing disappointment of kids we have grown attached to. Maybe one in ten take the advice to “widen the net” and they typically are much happier having done so. Please be one of them. If you don’t listen to me, at least listen to the kids who just went through it.
If boarding school is your goal, then it doesn’t hurt and can only help to dig in and really learn your options. The quality of the education, matriculation to colleges, and the experience available is phenomenal at 50+ schools. Be a kid in a candy store. I beg you (and every other kid who finds their way to this thread).
One more thing… Try to do some volunteer work. If you have been doing it already, no matter how trivial you feel it is, make sure you include it in your application. My big mistake was not including my volunteer work for 5 years at a local dog shelter. I thought schools would not care to see cleaning dogs as something worth mentioning. I found out it was a mistake to omit it only when parents here asked about my lack of community work. The schools do not expect you to be a Greta Thunberg, someone else pointed out. Even better, I should perhaps have asked for a personal recommendation to the shelter, but I thought it was trivial or mundane (“He came on time every Sunday and did the cleaning thoroughly…”) and it required a translation (I live where most people do not write English) and a certification so I did not even attempt. But you should, if you live in America. This is where you need adults’ perspective. I was more into “impressing” the admissions and did not realize how important it was to show my world as a 13 year old. Good luck!
I agree. I have done so many things in my community that I just failed to mention because it was just fun for me.My advice to you is to take time and reflect on all the things you’ve done.This will help you brainstorm essay topics.I wish I was on CC more before the J15th date so I could take all the advice that was given to me more seriously.You have a headstart,take advantage of it.
I guess i’m the 1/10 that took the advice…really do listen to it. If you widen your net and still get into Exeter, Andover, etc, you obviously can still choose one of those schools! I think if you really want to go to BS and challenge yourself, apply to some schools. Since you are interested in STEM, here’s some suggestions
-Kent(very prestigious engineering program)
-Mercersburg(Great school with strong STEM)
-New England Innovation Academy(Dont know too much since it’s new but it seems legit, and they put an emphasis on innovation)
-Cranbrook(truly a hidden gem)
-Concord(still selective but less competitive than the other schools you mentioned)
-Middlesex(same as above)
-Peddie(you might be able to be a day student, also very good STEM program)
-St. Mark’s School(@buuzn03 can give more info, but the school is wonderful)
-Lake Forest Academy (nice location in VA, strong in STEM)
-The Hill School(close proximity to NJ, very strong STEM program, brand new science/math center)
I like @prepschool2021 list, too. However, I think Tabor is sporty.
Make doubly sure to include everything that was “just fun” to you!
“The talented cannot beat those who strive; yet the strivers cannot beat those who enjoy.” (Confucius)
This school seems to be getting quite some buzz; someone mentioned it to me yesterday. I was intrigued by what was on their website, although I don’t like their name. The “innovation” sounds generic and marketing; besides, most innovators do not have such names. That said, I decided to apply - I am in no position to nit-pick a name.
They also offer $15,000 for anybody who gets in (for the first year only), I noticed. They are still accepting applications, for anyone interested.
Lake Forest Academy is an excellent school, but it’s not in VA. It’s in Illinois. Still a great one to look into though!
whoops. I could’ve sworn it was in VA. 
my bad.
I added it since I heard somewhere on CC that they’re trying to put more emphasis on academics
that was me 
they are trying to put more of an emphasis on academics, however, someone who is scoring 90s on SSAT and does not like sports still doesn’t belong there.
However, they have a very strong girls in STEM program with community service opportunities.
I’m pretty sure OP like sports since she plays two. I agree that Tabor wouldn’t be for everyone. St. George’s (RI) could be a better fit for OP if a school by the sea is appealing. However, it’s much more competitive in admissions.
since OP does like swimming and is a female in STEM, Tabor might actually be a good fit, but OP would most likely not be very challenged. SGS is a good idea.
I would also suggest Berkshire. I think it might cater to OPs needs.
You’re thinking of Woodberry Forest, but it’s all boys
no. my schools seventh grade leveling system is normal, adv, and alg. in eigth grade, adv students go to alg (i think) and alg students go to geo
i was supposed to get into alg, but i messed up on the placement test. however, i actually have taken alg 1 at a local tutoring center, but that probably doesnt count