<p>I'm from Kentucky, and I'm legacy at Exeter, Hotchkiss, Milton, and sort of Groton.
I'm currently a freshman applying for 9th grade fall 2013. I attend a public magnet school that is the most competitive in the state.
I have all A's.
I am also taking all Advanced classes (above Honors at my school)</p>
<p>(At my school an A is a 93.6% or above)
This year:
AP Human Geography- A
Journalism 1- A+
ADV Integrated Science- A
ADV Geometry- A-
ADV English- A
ADV Spanish 2- A
Desktop Publishing (Design)- A</p>
<p>I have been prepping a lot for the SSAT and take it this Saturday. I got a 2213 the last time I took a practice test. I know that isn't that good, but I'm working on it.
My Dad used to do interviews and he's been helping me prepare.
I did Governor's Cup, Quick Recall, and Model UN.
I won best proposal writer in Model UN (KUNA) Last year.
I wrote a novel in the month of November last year.
I won the writing award for my Elementary School in 5th Grade.
I picked up the cello last year. I'm not that good but I'm improving fast and I really love it.
I am able to talk about things that I really care about and am passionate about. I have ways that make me stand out from others.
I volunteer at libraries a lot, and was an assistant at one in MA all summer.
I work really hard.
The only thing I'm really concerned about right now is my teacher recommendations because my school is really big and my teachers don't really know me that well.
I am well rounded, but strongest in English-y subjects.</p>
<p>I think you’ve got a good shot. You never know though. Do you play any sports?</p>
<p>Yeah. I row crew and play field hockey. I’m not that good at field hockey, but I’m a pretty good runner and pretty good at crew.</p>
<p>Yea, in my opinion you’ve got a great chance. Good Luck!!</p>
<p>you are a freshman in 8th grade?</p>
<p>Much depends upon your actual SSAT score & whether or not you’ll be seeking financial aid (but this does not apply to “need-blind admissions” schools).</p>
<p>wait… just out of curiosity, how are you legacies for 4 different schools?</p>
<p>@ katrissRed I’m a freshman applying to repeat Freshman year at a boarding school.</p>
<p>@Axelrod I am not applying for FA. I took the actual SSAT last Saturday and I’m waiting for results.</p>
<p>@trumpetjean My dad went to Exeter, my mom went to Milton, my uncle wen to Groton, and my brother is graduating from Hotchkiss this year, thus four legacies.</p>
<p>**only ancestors constitute a legacy<a href=“i.e.%20parents/grandparents/greatgrandparents”>/B</a>-- not siblings, uncles/aunts, cousins</p>
<p>top schools are not giving as much weight to siblings as they did in the past. ditto for legacies.</p>
<p>@GMTplus7
During my interviews, it was brought up, and they said it counted. I am also aware that it does not make a huge difference, and very possibly any difference. I just thought I might mention it.</p>
<p>@possibleprep You are in 9th grade applying for freshman?</p>
<p>As possibleprep said, they are applying as a repeat. Good, that’ll increase your chances. Your grades are good, and your practice test SSAT is enough to at least put you in consideration. Talk about your volunteering, but don’t come across as cocky. Also, the fact that you are from Kentucky is good…I don’t think it’s exactly under-represtented, but it definitely isn’t like being from NJ or NY. Also, don’t include your writing award from fifth grade as an honor-I think schools are only looking for stuff from the last two, maybe three years. Do you need FA?
Good Luck-I think you have a good chance if you do well on the SSAT and essays.</p>
<p>@purpleswirl Thank you. I am not applying for FA. My interviews went REALLY well. Like, I was very surprised. They were all very easy and conversational. Hotchkiss really stood out to me but all the schools I visited were great. My essays are coming along and I think they’re pretty good. My mom is a writer and I’m checking them by her and some of her friends. I’m just hoping I get in somewhere…</p>
<p>You seem to be in as good as a position as you could be. Here on CC I guarantee you that having a connection to the school is extremely undervalued, whether it be legacy, having a family member attend (your case for these schools), or getting recommendations from those who donate large sums to the school. You have at least one of these benefits, and you seem to be in a stellar academic position. From what you have said, you seem likely to receive good-excellent recs and ssat scores. However, your ECs are a bit low; try to emphasize your commitment to them, convince the admission officers that you seek quality over quantity.</p>
<p>You seem to be in as good as a position as you could be. Here on CC I guarantee you that having a connection to the school is extremely undervalued, whether it be legacy, having a family member attend (your case for these schools), or getting recommendations from those who donate large sums to the school. You have at least one of these benefits, and you seem to be in a stellar academic position. From what you have said, you seem likely to receive good-excellent recs and ssat scores. However, your ECs are a bit low; try to emphasize your commitment to them, convince the admission officers that you seek quality over quantity.
However, your application would hinge on your essays if you were perfect at everything else. I CANNOT stress this enough. The essays are everything. That said, I am sure you will have good essays (and I apologize for my writing here, I’m rather tired and not feeling like the writing quality is particularly pertinent here). That said, many, many people will have excellent essays. You will definitely not be thrown out as a “why would they ever think they could get in here.”<br>
When it comes to applicants, there are really four different cases: there are kids who have a “hook” and are excellent at everything else, there are the normal “hook” kids (with notably low academics and ECs), there are kids with an overall excellent application (you), and then there are kids with decent to poor academics and no hooks. No one will be admitted from the last group, and VERY VERY few “hook” kids with poor to mid range academics will get in. Almost every kid who has a “hook” and a good app will get in. And then there’s your group. Your group will comprise about 60-80% of your school, but MANY more kids apply. There are some geniuses, and if they’re smart across the board they’ll get in. If they’re only good in a single discipline, they’ll get mostly rejected.<br>
Kids like you are the borderline case. You are also in the largest group of applicants. Probably 30% will get accepted, 5% waitlisted, and the rest rejected depending on how they rank you, which will be completely and absolutely subjective, depending on how they weight apps. So basically, depending on who looks at your app and how the rest of the applicant pool is made up, you have somewhere from a 20-40% chance. And it really is just a chance. There is no accept-waitlist-reject line. Applying is extremely subjective and its just luck.
Take this coming from someone who wasn’t really that sucessful. I applied to a variety of top schools my first year, I wasn’t accepted anywhere. I applied to the above schools, and worse schools. I was waitlisted at two, Andover and Deerfield, but neither of those lists helped. The next year I applied to a larger list of schools. I got all rejections. nExcept one waitlist, from Groton. I thought this deal would be the same as all the others, but I of course stayed on the list. Two weeks before school started, I got the call. Anything can happen. Even if you get rejected, you can do just as well elsewhere. Best of luck to all of you. That said, feel free to ask me any questions about applying or the schools themselves.</p>
<p>You seem very well rounded and qualified. Good luck!</p>
<p>@prepscholar Thank you so much. I’ve been working so hard on my essays, just working to show my commitment to learning and the ECs I have, as well as trying to just be myself and let that come through. I’ve kept up with my interviewers, especially at Hotchkiss. They’ve all been really really nice. Again, thank you for your wisdom!</p>
<p>@prepscholar Are you at Groton now?</p>