Chances for Andover, Exeter, Groton, Deerfield, Choate, or Milton?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

<p>Hi all,
I will be applying for the schools listed above (Andover, Exeter, Groton, Deerfield, Choate, or Milton) the next academic year as an eighth grader. Here is my current resume:</p>

<p>School: I go to an international school located in Japan, which happens to use the MYP (IB) system of grading. As some of you may know, it is extremely difficult to achieve As and A+s in the IB System, as it is based off specific criteria which you will have to fully fulfill to get a perfect score. Please bear in mind that these are rough conversions of my scores:</p>

<p>Math: A+
English: A
Science: A+
Humanities: A
Technology: A
Japanese: A+
Mandarin Chinese: A+</p>

<p>Art: B
Music: A-
Drama: B+
PE: A</p>

<p>Spoken Languages: Fluent in English, and Japanese. However, I only know basic Chinese.</p>

<p>SSAT Scores (estimate based on practice test and potential):
Math: 99%
Reading Comprehension: 94-97%
Verbal: 90-95%</p>

<p>ECs:
Middle School Student Council President (most likely for two years)
Community & Service
Varsity Basketball for two years (one year as captain)
Working experience at a local restaurant
Taiko drumming for eight years
Track and Field
Varsity (most likely) Boys Soccer</p>

<p>That concludes my resume! I would greatly appreciate if you could donate two minutes of your precious time to tell me my chances of getting into these elite schools, as well as any constructive criticism you may have to offer.</p>

2

<p>I don’t want to discourage you, but I think it is important to understand the reality of applying to highly selective boarding schools in the US.</p>

<p>All of the schools you listed have a less than 20% admit rate. So in the case of Deerfield (12% admit rate this year), 88 out of every 100 kids who applied were not admitted. And probably 90% of the kids who applied have great grades, great test scores, and great extra-curricular interests and activities.</p>

<p>You have excellent grades and test scores, but that ALONE is not enough for you to gain admission. You will be one of many very qualified applicants at these schools.</p>

<p>Please read some of these threads to give you an idea of the admission process at elite US boarding schools:</p>

<p>[“Holistic&#8221</a>; Admissions - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1316864&referrerid=228550]“Holistic””>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1316864&referrerid=228550)</p>

<p>[Can’t</a> figure this out - any thoughts ? - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1303492&referrerid=228550]Can’t”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1303492&referrerid=228550)</p>

<p>If gaining admittance to a very good (and there are many, many US boarding schools that are good schools) is a priority for you, then you need to GREATLY expand your list of schools to consider. </p>

<p>[Top</a> Tier BS? - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1305770&referrerid=228550]Top”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1305770&referrerid=228550)</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1130908&referrerid=228550[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1130908&referrerid=228550&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Finally, if you require financial aid, your path will much more difficult:</p>

<p>[Need</a> Blind boarding schools for international students - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1317428&referrerid=228550]Need”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1317428&referrerid=228550)</p>

3

<p>Honestly, I think you have a good chance. You don’t sound like the “typical” asian; which is good! I don’t know too many kids who do Taiko drumming. School’s look for special applicants; and you seem like one. It’s important though to find something that you are really passionate about and focus on this in your application. Mountainhiker is doing a fine job with being “realistic,” but another realistic point is that you seem like one of those qualified applicants. Although Deerfield may have the lowest acceptance rate; the applicants applying may not all be the most qualified. Also, I think Deerfield uses incomplete applications as part of that not accepted percentage. Although it is difficult to get into those schools; you seem like an acceptable applicant. Make sure to do well at interviews and have great essays. Good luck! Also, find some safety schools…</p>

4

<p>magusalex, what is the source of your Deerfield data? Do you think the same (incomplete applications counted; less qualified applicants) is true for the other schools?</p>

5

<p>I said I think. I remember reading an article in andover’s paper, blog, something like that. It talked about their low acceptance and how they only used complete applications. They then pointed out some “other” schools use incomplete applications to get very low acceptance percentages. Then after thinking about it, at that time, Deerfield was the only school with a lower acceptance percentage. So generally, it was implied. Of course though, Andover could be lying, so this information is not certain.</p>

6

<p>Thank you so much for your feedback! On another note, I completely forgot to add that I am Half-Caucasian/Half-Japanese, and that Financial Aid will not be necessary in my case. As I have not been as serious as I could have been about my grades in the first semester, I am expecting much better grades at the end of this semester. Also, what could I do to higher my chances of being admitted into these elite schools? </p>

<p>magusalex - Thanks! Are there any safety schools that you can recommend?</p>

7

<p>you have an excellent chance, but I had straight A’s, 2373 SSAT, and 18 (now 22)
college credits in addition to going to the precollege division of a major music conservatory, and I didn’t get in. It’s honestly unpredictable, but since you are international, you might have an advantage</p>

8

<p>@schakrab: Just out of curiosity, what percentile was a score of 2373 on the SSAT in your year, and what school did you eventually attend?</p>

9

<p>Here: </p>

<p>Taking into account all publically available data, some private data, and personal experience, here is a ranking of the top 20 or so boarding schools. Did this as a planning step for my own purposes but thought I’d share the results of a fair bit of research.</p>

<p>First a few comments as caveat:</p>

<p>1) Ranking provides a general idea of overall quality. However, a rank is just a starting point. On-campus visits, personal assessments, interviews, etc are more valuable in finding a good fit. The top boarding schools vary quite a bit in character and strengths, and you’ll want to find an environment where a particular student is most likely to thrive. </p>

<p>2) Contrary to conventional wisdom, a top boarding school will actually reduce a student’s chances of getting into a university of the caliber of Harvard, Yale, or Princeton. There are a number of great reasons to attend boarding school – increasing your chances of getting into HYP is not one of them.</p>

<p>3) Only looked at true boarding schools with at least 50% boarders. My bias is at least 2/3 boarders, and 100% is optimal. Having said that, Milton (50%) and Loomis (60%) made the list. Good schools like Hockaday, Indian Springs, Concord, Cranbrook, and Georgetown fall below the 50% boarder cutoff.</p>

<p>Of roughly 300 boarding schools in the US, here is a ranking of the top 20 or so.</p>

<p>–Elite Tier–
1 St. Paul’s
2 Groton
3 Exeter
4 Andover
5 Deerfield</p>

<p>–First Tier–
6 Hotchkiss
7 Choate
8 Lawrenceville
9 Milton
10 St. Andrew’s
11 Middlesex
12 Peddie
13 Taft
14 St. George’s</p>

<p>–Second Tier–
15 Thacher
16 Cate
17 St. Mark’s
18 Episcopal
19 Loomis Chaffee
20 Woodberry Forest
21 Webb
22 Northfield Mount Herman
23 Kent</p>

<p>This is from an older post but the schools are generally in the right place. Try applying to a second tier maybe one of the first.</p>

10

<p>^^For all future boarding school applicants that might read this post:</p>

<p>This list is the result of one person’s research and opinion - and they obviously spent a lot of time and effort coming up with their list. It may be an informed opinion, but it is still an opinion. ** It is - and always will be - a subjective exercise to create such a list.**</p>

<p>You can research the prep school forums on CC, and find many, many posts about “ranking” of boarding schools. There are as many different lists of the “top schools” as there are people creating lists. A “top school” is only good if it is the right school for you!</p>

<p>A list is a good thing - but only if it reflects the attributes that are important to YOU when ranking the schools. Here are some things to think about and rank according to how valuable they are to you (and these are listed in no particular order):<br>

  • location (NE, Mid-Atlantic, West Coast, etc)
  • selective as measured by % of applicants admitted
  • number of sports offered, including a particular sport you play
  • PGs playing sports, limiting opportunities for younger kids to be on varsity
  • whether or not all students participate in sports (thirds teams, club sports, etc)
  • rigor of academics through IB program or AP program or something different
  • SSAT for incoming students
  • SAT for graduating students
  • matriculation stats
  • urban or rural, mountains or coast
  • ease of access to major airport
  • percentage of boarders
  • size of school
  • coed or single sex
  • diversity (% minority students, # of states or regions represented, % international)
  • total size of endowment, endowment $s per student
  • average amount of financial aid given
  • clubs and activities
  • availability of a particular interest like MUN, debate, robotics, etc.
  • % of faculty with advanced degrees
  • average class size
  • strength of arts programs (studio art, theater, choirs, instrumental ensembles)
  • opportunity for research
  • community service and volunteer requirements/opportunities
  • size of campus
  • newness of facilities
  • dress code
  • Saturday classes
  • religious affiliation, required Chapel attendance
  • total cost
  • “famous” or “prestigious” name</p>

<p>Not all of these attributes will be important to every student. But some of them will be, and your best bet is to figure out what matters to you, and then find the school that meets your needs.</p>

<p>Good luck - the more time you put into researching schools to apply to (versus picking your list based on acronyms like HADES or GLADCHEMMS or someone else’s rankings), the better your chance of getting accepted to a school that is the BEST for YOU!</p>

11

<p>That is correct. I did not create the list above but found it. The best school is the school that fits you best. Some students just prefer to think the best school for them is the best school.</p>

12

<p>@yupjpn It was for this year’s admissions (99% across the board) But I got 2 rejections and 4 waitlists as a reward.</p>

13

<p>Thank you, everyone, for your feedback! I was also wondering how I would fit into the St. Paul’s School if I did get in, as I am not religious in any way.</p>

14

<p>Well, I was accepted to St. Paul’s and went to revisits and although you are not religious, morning chapel isn’t very very serious or anything. They respect what you believe in. It is a very laid back and fun school if you wanted to know.</p>

15

<p>magusalex - Which school are you attending/going to attend?</p>

16

<p>I am on the wl for SPS, it is my top choice and I am PRAYING with all my heart that I get taken off! lol</p>

17

<p>I have signed up to attend Phillips Exeter Academy next year as a junior (9th grade) and am very excited! I feel like I fit in more at Exeter than at St. Paul’s. It truly is magical how when you find the right school everything seems to literally click. I knew Exeter was the school for me because I felt at home; which is very important when choosing a school. I hope you can find this feeling too at one of the schools.</p>

18

<p>THANK YOU, a spot at SPS may open up. If I do get taken off the waitlist I will send you flowers! :)</p>

19

<p>sounds great :D</p>

20

<p>Also, do you have any idea about what Hotchkiss is like? I’ve heard a lot of positive reviews about the school.</p>