I am a current ninth grader looking to apply for tenth grade at Phillips Andover. I actually have a bit of a special situation…I am currently attending a mostly day student school with a small boarding program in Boca Raton. My family just moved to Georgia from Oregon a few months ago, so, because I am a serious synchronized swimmer (more on that later), I decided to go to a boarding school to continue synchro (there is a really strong team near the school). However, admission to traditional boarding schools had already closed, which brought me here. My school is by no means a bad school, it’s just not great. I’m not sure if this story about moving away from my family for my sport will show dedication or just make it seem as if I won’t be an active member of the school community (because there is a synchro team near Andover that I would swim for instead of a school sport). Maybe some advice on whether or not to focus on that? Anyway, that’s just a bit of background about my current situation.
SSAT’s: Haven’t taken since fifth grade (98%) except for a practice test six months ago I had NOT prepared for (80’s)…Probably could get about a 93% overall with studying.
Grades:
Honors Algebra 2: A
Honors French 2: A minus
Honors English 9: A plus
Honors Physics: A
Honors World History: A plus
(A minus is a very high A minus that will be brought up soon)
Extra curriculars:
Swim team (swam for winning team at counties, but not really that many individual accomplishments)
Eighth grade best in fair science project (stage after school wide, won fifty dollars plus opportunity for national)
Red Key student ambassador (basically a glorified school tour guide, but it has a title lol)
Math club
French club (Will compete at competition)
Various philanthropic clubs (tutoring impoverished children, making pottery to put soup into for the hungry, etc.)
Member of national charity league (sixth-eighth grade)
National charity league class president
Member of teen acting company (eighth grade)
School math tutor during extra help hours
Running for honor council at school (undetermined so far)
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING: Eighth year, national team trials finalist (only 12 person team), 1st in region, 15th at junior olympics in solo, ranked 25th nationally (more like 13th now), might make national team this year (I don’t know…possible but on the edge), also conducted a survey of synchronized swimmers and used it to write a chapter book (80 pages) geared towards 5-8 year olds to grow the sport (I plan on selling it on a website and donating money to USA synchro)
Also, I plan on being involved in the school play and possibly water polo in the spring.
I think my SSAT’s will be the biggest issue, but am also concerned with how not being very involved in a school sport will play into my acceptance chances…However, I hope that it will also make me a unique candidate that will stand out in the large pool of applicants. Please give the most honest answer possible!
Also, I am planning on volunteering at a center for sex-trafficked children in Georgia over christmas break…I am caucasian and will be applying for boarding only. I know it doesn’t seem to matter for Andover, but no FA. In addition, does anyone have any thoughts on tutoring companies versus online/textbook for SSAT? I really want to get tutored somewhere, but my mom doesn’t want to pay for it because she believes it is a scam (she read up on statements issued by SSAT company that only they can give accurate tests and co.). Any compelling evidence otherwise?
So sorry! I put this under college chances instead of prep school chances…I guess if anyone who sees this has experience with prep schools then still answer? lol
They might not like the fact that you want to focus on synchronized swimming. You will be required to do a sport at Andover. Fitting in something else on top would be difficult.
Are you sure Andover is a good fit?would you go if you had to give up synchronized swimming?
I know exactly what you are saying. Right now, I am able to do swim team and many other activities on top of synchro and, while it is difficult, I do not perceive that it will be an issue. In addition, it is not like other schools offer synchronized swimming as a school sport, so it does not make too much of a different in fit for me. I am just more concerned about how Andover will perceive it during acceptance. If they accepted me, I assume that it would mainly be for my passion and excellence in the area of synchronized swimming, so I don’t think I would have to give it up. I also called the school and, while I did get the impression that it makes admission harder, the school does allow boarding students to go off campus for sports not offered. Again, more concerned about admission chances and not about fit or the possibility of having to give it up. Thanks!
My daughter plays a club sport outside of school. It was important for her to be able to continue doing that while at BS. This was one of the first questions she brought up at each school where she interviewed. At some schools, the coaches were supportive, at others rather lukewarm. The only coach who strongly discouraged it was the Andover coach. He argued that this will take here away from campus for most weekends and many nights, detract from the BS experience, be difficult logistically, and potentially interfere with academics. He said you go to BS to be part of that community, not to spend all your free time away from it. He certainly has a valid point. (My daughter will be playing club nevertheless, at a different BS.) Now all that may be sport-specific and may not apply to you at all. I’m just sharing our experience, FWIW.
Yes he does. Different schools will have different philosophies on this. Even if the school allows club participation, the logistics may prove problematic. In this instance, casting a wide net is even more critical.
If participating in a club sport is a deal breaker, I’d suggest having the conversation with the Athletic Director, not the coach. S/he may still say no, but s/he will generally take a bigger picture view than a coach.
My kid is a boarder at Andover who participated for many years on a club team. Our experience was essentially the same as described by @GoatMama. I also agree with @skieurope about casting a wide net and talking with the AD, particularly because this sport is not offered at Andover. I also agree that the logistics could be difficult, in particular if the sport has practices or competitions which would extend past the dorm check-in time of 8pm. If you are intent on continuing with synchro I think that you need to have a very complete discussion with the AD and the appropriate Dean(s) about how specifically you will be able to fully participate while being a boarding student. I would not feel comfortable with only having that discussion with admissions. Perhaps this is a discussion you wait to have until after you have been accepted, but I would certainly want to have it before sending the enrollment deposit.
@Andoverhopeful9 have you talked with the coach of the synchro team about your hopes and plans? My kid found that talking with the club coaches during the search process was very informative. They shared their experiences with kids attending XYZ boarding school while trying to participate with their club. Ultimately my kid decided that everything Andover has to offer outweighed participating in a more traditional training/competition program for higher-level athletes in my kid’s sport (but it is a sport that is offered at the school).
Have you also looked into Brooks located in North Andover? That may be another option close to the club team you identified.
And have you looked into other synchro teams that may be near other schools which may be more flexible regarding participation in club sports?
Also, the admissions people will know if you are trying to do extra curriculars just to say in the admissions process bc sometimes they have you write when you did a certain sctivity
Ummm. And how do you think that would happen? One needs to get the money to hire a coaching staff, for starters, since it’s unlikely that any of the current salaried professionals have experience in that area. Additionally, where would this team practice? There’s limited practice time and one pool. So do you kick out the swim/dive team or the water polo team to accommodate?
At andover, you are required to participate in an activity after school every term. They do not make exceptions from everything I have heard. The synchro team is not walking distance from the campus. You would need permission to get a ride to the team and you would need to be back on campus for study hall hours. I think the students who are able to manage synchro at Andover are day students. I would definitely recommend speaking to admissions as well as the athletic director though. I could be wrong!
hey, im also in the same situation as you, im also applying for 10th grade. Your application is looking great at the moment (its making me reconsider mine) and i hope it turns out well
