Hi, I’m applying to Taft, Andover, Choate and Emma Willard for next fall. I haven’t taken my SSAT yet. Basically, I’m not an all A student, I’m really worried because I don’t think I’m smart enough and I won’t get good SSAT scores. However I am quite near fluent in Spanish, I do loads of extracurricular and I got a literally perfect English score on the state test. BUt I’m horrible at math. Do bad SSAT scores make them immediately forget about me?!!
Some things that might come into my advantage are: I’m Hispanic (White Hispanic), I’m from the central coast of California which I heard is a underrepresented place for a lot of schools, like I mentioned I speak Spanish and went to a bilingual school, I swim, kayak, sail and do track, I also love to volunteer and have volunteered for some school events and community events.
Sorry for that ramble and bad grammar. Please be honest, I want to know if I shouldn’t get my hopes up… Thanks 
You sound like a lovely person! Those ECs are one step to getting in. But I’m going to be honest with you. I’m attending Andover currently, and I know that at least for my school, I have not met a student who wasn’t the top of their class at their old school (mind you this is Andover we are actually the best school in the nation right now). I am also from Cali, LA if we’re going to be exact, a and I’m a black/puerto rican/Native American/white/Spanish girl. I also speak Spanish quite fluently, as it is all I was taught in my school for six years. I’ve done soccer for 6 years, basketball and volleyball for 2. I’m also a Girl Scout who has achieved the second highest honor one at my rank can achieve, and am currently working on the highest honor. I could go on but- my point is that while all these things you do sound great and attribute to your amazing character, these are academically rigorous schools you are thinking of applying to. If you are seriously considering this, I suggest working really hard and improving your grades. Study hard in math and science and history and all of it. Maybe get a tutor if you’re really struggling. If you’re worried about your SSATs buy a study book (or if they’re too expensive use study guides online). But study as hard as you can and if you ever feel like giving up just remember your goals and study harder.
Of course, I might be sticking to the high expectations and types of people I’m with at Andover, since I am not as familiar with those schools but still: these are the best schools in the country with pretty intimidating yield rates. If you really want to achieve that dream, you must work diligently for it. I wish the absolute best of luck to you. And I am positive you can do it, because I did too.
@snowyglobal As a long time lurker I can honestly say that many people have excellent EC’s but one or two ok grades and are accepted into top schools. Also, you have a better chance at being accepted than a student with 4.0 GPA and mediocre EC’s… You are of a URM ethnicity so that should help you (but don’t count too much on it)… You don’t need 4.0 GPA to accepted to schools, but at the same time it won’t hurt and in the end give you a better chance. I suggest listening to @medwards1 's advice and try to keep your grades up… I am also from LA and we have a lot of libraries… Your local library probably has at least one or two prep study books… You can’t write on them but they still provide practice… SSAT scores are important but not the determining factor… School like to see the more ‘human’ parts of your application to judge your character… So that’s your interview and your EC’s… Bottom line… Keep your grades up but if they don’t turn out as good as you hoped… Its not the end of the world (or you application)… Good Luck 
:-bd
@Atria @medwards1 Thanks both of you! Really helpful advice