Chances for Andover, Choate, Deerfield, Hotchkiss, and Taft

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
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<p>Hi, everyone!</p>

<p>I had posted a chance thread once before...but now 7th grade is over, so I decided I should put a new thread... So here it goes: (I'm not going to include any specific names...)</p>

<p>5th Grade Awards:</p>

<p>Citizenship Award
Service Award</p>

<p>6th Grade Awards:</p>

<p>Musical Recognition
Highest Grade Point Average In My Class
Memorial Award</p>

<p>7th Grade Awards:</p>

<p>Student of the Month
Business Technology Recognition
Language Arts Recognition
Poetry Recognition
Presidential Fitness Award
Student of the Year</p>

<p>Other:</p>

<p>Won Major Swim Race at Summer Camp
Won School-wide Oratorical Contest
Won Local Essay Contest (First place in my age division, 1200 applicants in all)</p>

<p>7th Grade...Grades:</p>

<p>First Semester:
Math- A
Science- A+
Language Arts- A+
Social Studies- A+
Business Technology- A+
Gym- A</p>

<p>Second Semester-
Math- A-
Science- A+
Language Arts- A+
Social Studies- A+
Business Technology- A+
Gym- A</p>

<p>Third Semester-
Math- A+
Science- A+
Language Arts- A+
Social Studies- A+
Communications Technology- A+
Health- A+</p>

<p>Fourth Semester-
Math- A
Science- A
Language Arts- A+
Social Studies- A+
Communications Technology- A+
Gym- A</p>

<p>Extra Curricular:</p>

<p>Play Flute in School Jazz Band (I soloed at our Spring Concert)</p>

<p>Play Flute in School Concert Band (I was assistant-section-leader for a while, but not next year because I'll be doing other things)</p>

<p>(I can play a little recorder; I taught myself)</p>

<p>I do Synchronized Swim (but not during the summer)</p>

<p>I altar-serve and lector at church (I'm the youngest lector that I know of)</p>

<p>I write TelePrompter (the script) for my school's morning news station, and I'm going to be able to go on camera next year</p>

<p>Volunteering:</p>

<p>I've worked at my school and town library</p>

<p>I've helped my mom at work; she removes lead hazards that can give young children and babies brain damage</p>

<p>I volunteer to dress up and give tours at my local historical society</p>

<p>Other:</p>

<p>Petitioned the school to start a Debate Team</p>

<p>Petitioned the school to extend the Business Technology Class</p>

<p>I am in my school's Enrichment Program</p>

<p>For our "Enrichment" Program (where some of us go when everyone else is in tutoring), my group conducted a Science Project that tested focus and concentration on math problems with different background music (it's kind of cliched, I know),</p>

<p>Was a Criminal Defense Attorney in a mock trial held in our SS class that I came up with (I won the seemingly impossible case, even though the trial was set up by me and my partner so that I would lose!)</p>

<p>Wrote a play on the Declaration of Independence that we read in class and my Social Studies teacher gave it to all of the other SS teachers (at least that was what I was told)</p>

<p>I organized, conducted, and moderated for a Mock Election, for which I wrote an entire debate, thought the participants had to write their own speeches.</p>

<p>I (with the help of three friends) filmed a Welcome Video for incoming 7th graders</p>

<p>I organized and wrote our Class Will (which meant hunting down ninety students)</p>

<p>I made my Math, Science, SS, and Language Arts teachers scrapbooks by hand (no one else in my class offered to do anything for the end of the year)</p>

<p>I submitted a piece of creative writing to my school's Literary Magazine, for which I received Poetry Award... (strange, huh?)</p>

<p>I created a PowerPoint SS Game on the American Revolution (with a little help from a friend) that I then presented in front of my SS class</p>

<p>I (and five other friends, but mostly me) put together an end-of-the-year PowerPoint for my class, which we then presented</p>

<p>I created a marketing plan for my historical society which will be presented to the board</p>

<p>I'm currently writing my first novel</p>

<p>I write online FanFiction (I know, I know...but it's kind of fun!) ;)</p>

<p>Plans for the Future:</p>

<p>I'm going to (hopefully) finish my novel by the end of the summer and get an editor and publisher if it is good enough (I don't really know)</p>

<p>I'm going to start learning both Latin and Spanish</p>

<p>I'm applying for one or two internships</p>

<p>I'm going to send some articles into my local newspaper</p>

<p>I'm going to film a video for my local cable station on my historical society</p>

<p>I'm going to attempt to start playing the violin</p>

<p>Other:</p>

<p>SAT Score: 1820 (low, I know)</p>

<p>Math: 470 (35th percentile)</p>

<p>Reading: 650 (89th percentile)</p>

<p>Writing: 700, 10/12 on essay (95th percentile, I believe)</p>

<p>Overall: Around the 80th percentile, I guess; it didn't say</p>

<p>Recommendations:</p>

<p>I think I'll probably do okay on those, to be quite honest. Nearly every teacher I've had has liked me.
:D</p>

<p>Essays:</p>

<p>Writing is one of my strong-points. :)</p>

<p>Interview:</p>

<p>Talking is, like, my hobby! ;)</p>

<p>So...what do you all think? Tips, criticisms, comments, anything?!</p>

<p>I know that I'm not doing great, but I've had a tough life. I had to move three years ago after my father abandoned me and my family, which is why I'm not on many teams or anything; however, I should add that I've been on a swim team...if that's better than Synchronized Swimming.</p>

<p>Anyway, I've really tried, so now tell me what YOU think, please! :)</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Oh, six other things:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>On the OLSAT, I was in the top 99th percentile (took it in 6th grade, so a little more than a year ago.</p></li>
<li><p>(I don’t know if this will matter) In 5th grade, I wrote and presented two poems at two assemblies in school.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>3.I like to think of myself as a happy, outgoing person, and I have plenty of friends, so it’s not like I’m some kind of…hermit. ;)</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I have played the flute since 4th grade.</p></li>
<li><p>In Math this past year (7th grade), I was in the advanced-accelerated group, with an overall average of- I believe- an A, while a lot of kids in my class passed with Bs, Cs, and below. (however, I know of one or two kids who had A+s straight across the board).</p></li>
<li><p>I go to public school, but it’s a very good one. (one of the best in the state).</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks! :)</p>

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<p>Also, I’ll need full or almost full financial aid… :o</p>

4

<p>You have a lot of things listed, but they are things you don’t need to include. I am going to a top (HADES) boarding school next year and when you apply, there’s no room to list that you made your teachers scrapbooks, or created PowerPoints for the school. We’ve ALL done that, those things don’t stand out. You have good grades, but that’s not everything. My grades weren’t superb, but through my essays and interview, the school understood I was extremely passionate about my activities and sports.
Why do you want to go to boarding school, anyway? You need to think about that because they WILL ask you in our interview. Furthermore, why do you want to go to THAT boarding school? Is it simply the ‘prestige’? What opportunities can they offer you? For me, it was the fact that my school had a team for the sport I am extremely involved in; no other ‘top’ boarding school has that. Just think about the ‘why’ some more and you should be fine.</p>

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<p>Hehe, yeah I know scrapbooking was pretty pointless to include, but it was just one of those things I was unsure of. Basically, the only reason I put that stuff in was to show that I try to do a little extra whenever I can. : )
Anyway, there are a lot of reasons why I want to go to boarding school. While I’m not going to go into them, just know that I do have them. This post is just here to see if I’ve done a competitive amount of activities. In all honesty, I just put scrapbooking on here to have something down about creativity! ; )
Well, thanks for commenting. : )</p>

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<p>Wait a minute–andover looks at your 5th grade stuff? My life is ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuinnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddddd!</p>

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<p>How did you get straight A+s 3rd semester and then get those low SSAT scores?</p>

8

<ol>
<li>I don’t think they look at 5th grade scores, but I’m really not sure.</li>
<li>I didn’t take the SSAT. I took the SAT- you know, the high scho test- for a program I was applying for.
Thanks for your comment! :)</li>
</ol>

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<p>You are welcome! Good luck!</p>

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<p>You have undeniable good credentials, but have you thought about applying to some less selective schools in addition to your list as safeties? Admissions sometimes seems like a crap-shoot when financial aid is involved.</p>

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<p>Well, to be honest, no I don’t have any less selective schools on my list. However, my town’s public high school is remarkably good, so that is, in a sense, my safety school.
And thank you!! :)</p>

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<p>Hi I’m from singapore. I go to a top independent school here and I was wondering if I could get into any of those schools with these qualifications. I’m currently in grade 8.</p>

<p>I’m a straight A student </p>

<p>Volunteer work: gone to cambodia twice to help orphans,volunteered as a pharmecitical technicians assistant and as a nurses assistant,help raise funds for riding for the disabled association, helped poverty stricken students in hong kong.</p>

<p>Awards: 2 awards in improvements in academics and topped my class each term last year, top 10 in my level for history last year </p>

<p>Others: specially picked by vice principal for hong kong exchange programme and I learned Chinese for 6 years , I did a school based public service announcemt on homophobia</p>

<p>EC: animation</p>

<p>I will be sitting for my ssats at the end of this year.do you think if I do well for my ssats at the end of this year I will be able to qualify ?</p>

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<p>Wow, your application sounds fabulous!! :)</p>

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<p>Hi Bubblegum321- are you on the east coast? How did your interview go? You must be so excited to be considered for such a prestigoius scholarship! I hope you get it.</p>

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<p>You have solid pedigree that could get you into any of these schools, but many kids just like you get denied from these schools every year, I know kids in St. Pauls that don’t have nearly as good scores as you. A great interview and essay will help you a lot even if your grades aren’t that great. But, the truth is that no one here on CC can accurately tell you what your chances are, this is because every year schools look for specific kids to fit their school, every year is different. </p>

<p>Best of luck,</p>

<p>ptyalejandro</p>

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<p>@isitfridayyet- Haha, yes, I’m on the East Coast, and I’m super excited!! It is such a great honor to even be a possibility for something this massive!! Thank you!</p>

<p>@ptyalejandro- I know that no one here on CC can really tell me for sure if I actually have a chance, but it’s nice to hear what people have to say! Thank you for the tips! And I sure hope that I’ll be what they’re looking for!! ;)</p>

<p>Thanks everyone!! :D</p>

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<p>Great grades (Im jealous), Good SAT score for a 7th grader (Well Done although the math is a little low), Good EC’s (remember the amount does not matter as much as the the quality), the financial aid will probably work against you a little…so you should show them your passion, personality, and what you can bring to their school. (Chance me too)</p>

18

<p>@StarJazzy
Thank you very much for the advice. I know that my Math SAT score was fairly low, however, it was still 35th percentile, and I did my absolute best, so I am proud of it.
Thanks again! :)</p>

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<p>As for next year, I’m in the most advanced math course- Honors Algebra 1. I’m also starting the violin! ;)</p>