Chances for schools?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

I’m a 14 year old rising HS freshman who wants to apply for boarding schools for sophomore year.

I want to apply to Lake Forest Academy, Phillips Exeter, Phillips Andover, Deerfield, Lawrenceville, Hotchkiss, and Peddie.

I live in Indiana and my parents make $25k or so.

Freshman year I’m taking:

Algebra 2 Advanced
English 9 Honors
Biology 1
Intro to Engineering Design
Spanish 2
Theater Arts 1

So far my high school GPA is a 3.89. I’m going to take the SAT in my freshman year, and I’ll take the SSAT if necessary.

I was the NJHS President last year.

I’m going to play basketball and do track this year. I’m likely going to be JV basketball and Varsity track.

I have a job over the summer, I’m not sure if I’ll put it down.

I’m also going to start a tutoring business as soon as the school year starts.

I also want to do USABO and NACLO.

Also, I was on the school Geography Team, and we got 2nd in the conference.

I won the school spelling bee and went to regionals.

I know I’ll need recommendations, and I’m sure they’ll be pretty good.

I’m a decent writer, so my essays should be good.

2

Skip the SAT and concentrate on the SSAT… it’s required so it is necessary.

Why would you be hesitant about disclosing a summer job? It’s a plus! Good for you!

I’m assuming that your apply-to list reflects your need for full or generous FA. FYI- Every school in the Top 30-40 is in the position to offer a full ride, or very generous aid. If I were you I’d branch out and look at more schools because your list is very " Top" heavy. If you need application fee waivers for any of the schools- inquire and ask for them.

What is the rationale behind this list and who is guiding you? Why do you want to leave Indiana and go to BS?

Also worth noting: If you are applying for IV Form ( 10th ) , you are placing yourself in an applicant pool with many JBS / private day school candidates. These schools only go to VII Form ( 9th ) and these kids have expert guidance behind them . I don’t know one SS Placement Office that would allow this kind of list- and it wouldn’t matter if you were FP or seeking aid.

Many of these applicants have already received aid and have successful track records at rigorous schools. Why am I telling you this? Because you need to understand your competition and up your game. None of these kids are wasting their time taking the SAT because they’re studying their butts off for the SSAT.

Get going. :slight_smile:

I see that you’ve had a leadership role ( great ) but have you done any community service? Also- if sports isn’t your thing - are there any sports that are offered at a BS you’d like to try? Maybe sports that aren’t usually offered everyday like Rowing, Sailing or Water Polo?

A lot more school research is required for this endeavor. You’ll also need to articulate why a BS experience is the logical next step and make your case for each school individually. Those answers will need to resonate and make sense to the AO. Yes, all the kids coming into the process with the experience I’ve outlined above do have an edge, but don’t despair. You have you and you’ll have your say during interviews and on all your apps, too. Be smart, creative and set yourself apart in other ways. It can be done! :slight_smile:

Your apply-to list needs tuning and if you really want to go to BS you’ll need to branch out. Start here and ask questions if you have any. There are many kind and very knowledgeable parents / students here willing to help.:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1545276-2013-14-hidden-gem-applicant-thread-p4.html

I’ve brought you to page four because there are links to school websites and blurbs but the whole thread is definitely worth reading. Do me a favor : Look at schools like Tabor, St Andrews, St Marks, Berkshire , Kent, Pomfret , Canterbury, Blair, Gunnery, NMH, Suffield and Portsmouth Abbey and let me know what you think.

All the best and good luck.

3

Thank you for such an insightful post @PhotographerMom!

I want to apply for BS and leave Indiana so I can take advantage of the best educational opportunities possible.

I did around 30hrs of community service last year, through NJHS and my church.

The rationale behind this list was FA, but I’m definitely willing to branch out.

I applied to and got into one boarding school last year- Culver Academies- but I didn’t get any financial aid so I’m not able to attend.

I would love to do fencing and/or rowing at a boarding school!

And I will certainly look into those schools plus more. Thank you so much for the advice.

I do understand that I’m at a bit of a disadvantage because I go to a rural public HS, where nobody goes to boarding school once they’ve gotten to this age. I’ll start studying for the SSAT and do everything I need to do to make this a reality!

4

Update- I’ve drastically reformed my list!

I erased the entire old list and did a few hours worth of research:

Holderness School
Taft School
Berkshire School
Chatham Hall
The Hill School
Mercersburg Academy
Tabor Academy

I also took a practice SSAT and got a 2350- 800 verbal, 790 math, and 760 reading. I’ll study more to hopefully get even higher than this! Any feedback is welcome.

5

Hey @PampersPinkFloyd that looks like a great list! I’m a current student at Berkshire School and I would be more than happy to answer any questions you have… feel free to pm me:)

6

I like your list, too! All great schools!! I love the addition of Mercerburg - super nice choice! Now- if you want to add a Hail Mary school or two from your previous list that would be totally fine but now we’re talking! Nicely done!!

Just a couple of things you may want to consider:

If you like Chatham Hall… you should probably take a closer look at Foxcroft , too. Here’s one small reason why plus it’s a great school like Chatham : http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-parents/1700978-foxcroft-received-a-gift.html#latest

I also think you should consider taking another whack at Culver if you’re still interested . The second time around might be the charm because you’re older and wiser now. You got back up, dusted yourself off and tried again. That shows grit, interest and determination.

Just a thought… but I wouldn’t keep this being your second round a secret with any of the schools on your list… after all you were accepted rather than waitlisted or rejected at a very nice school. You took the time to regroup and you have a compelling story to tell depending on how you choose to frame it- and judging from your posts, I have a feeling you’ll do a great job!

FWIW- Thirty hours of community service is wonderful but remember to think more about quality and what was gained from the experience rather than hours. That’s just a quick tip for future interviews and apps. I’m not saying that you did that at all in your post ( you were simply answering my question! ), but you’d be surprised at how many kids come off like card punchers because they place an emphasis on time instead of what should truly matter. The focus should always be about how meaningful and cool the experiences were. Hours or the time spent are important to some degree but always secondary . Just a little something to remember when you get further down the road…

You chose some wonderful schools with nice rowing programs, too! Your track experience will help you because you if you can run a mile or two without stopping… You’re usually good to go for a novice boat. Make sure you express your interest and add other new sports ( not offered at home ) that interest you. If you aren’t the multitalented rockstar athlete - be the fearless kid who wants to try and mean it. :wink:

The only other quick suggestion I’ll make is to know each school and their website like the back of your hand before interviews. AOs love it when an applicant has done their research and there is no finer compliment than when a candidate enters an interview fully prepared, enthusiastic and asks informed questions.

Take @cababe97 up on his/her kind offer to answer questions about Berkshire, too! Berkshire is one of the coolest schools on the planet! :slight_smile:

You got this! Good luck!!

7

Thank you @cababe97 and @PhotographerMom!!!

I will most definitely take their kind offer!

I’ll do some research about Foxcroft, I really liked Chatham Hall. And just as a Hail Mary school I might apply to Hotchkiss and/or Lawrenceville.

I will probably end up applying to Culver again and this time really putting more effort into the scholarships, because I didn’t do so last cycle.

I’m really excited for the chance of rowing and maybe fencing and MAYBE field hockey if possible. I’m by no means a superstar athlete so it’d be super fun to try new stuff!

Once again thank you to both!

8

I haven’t research the endowment (money in the bank used for financial aid among other things) for the schools that have composed your final list but your original list includes schools that are known for making boarding school affordable for all students. Yes it’s like a lottery to get in but you really having nothing to lose by applying. They will even waive the application fees if you request.

Your rural Indiana location is a plus.

9

The new list is actually very smart and strategic. It reflects personality and sound research. Every list should be fluid until app deadlines anyway and OP can easily add one or two schools from the original list.

All the schools on OP’s new list waive app fees and make boarding school dreams come true, too- and they’re all fantastic schools. Plus- sometimes it’s really smart to avoid the crowds… Especially if you really want to increase your chances and attend.

Mercersburg Endowment : 252M

Taft Endowment: 236M

Hill Endowment: 148M

Berkshire Endowment: 112M

Holderness Endowment: 60M

Tabor Endowment: 44M

Chatham and Foxcroft Endowments ( I believe ) are both in the 40M range.

10

@MAandMEmom Thank you for the insight. How much of an advantage do I get from living in rural Indiana? :slight_smile:

@PhotographerMom Those are big numbers! :o Thank you for taking the time to research these numbers. You’re great :slight_smile:

11

And Culver comes in at 394M…

A closer look this morning shows Foxcroft at 71M and Hill at 153M. And- according to BSR, Berkshire is at 117M but close enough. Just for kicks: https://www.boardingschoolreview.com/top-twenty-schools-listing/largest-endowments

@PampersPinkFloyd - Keep exploring schools and tune up your list as you go . Discard, replace, round out and add schools if you need or want to - you have plenty of time and you’re on the right track. The framework is there. This should always remain your own unique list. FYI- I called an old JBS friend this morning and she said their SS placement office is advising students ( needing full or substantial aid ) to apply to at least 10- 12 schools. I read your original post/ list to her and asked her what she thought and she was silent. I said, I bet you wouldn’t let your top kids with the best stats do that… and she said, No way.

And they pay her big bucks to tell families that… :wink:

Note to all Chance Me Peeps/Parents : Do you see how the OP regrouped, dug deeper and came up with some great schools without allowing the endowment size to dictate or shape her new list? Can you see how the endowment size for each “new” school was probably a pleasant surprise after the fact ? The size of a school endowment should never come first or be the driver when choosing a school . Always fall in love first for all the right reasons and the rest will usually follow or take care of itself.

I’m very impressed with the OP. She has the right spirit and attitude. IMHO- this is how it’s done. :slight_smile:

Casting a wide net is very smart but what intrigues and delights you ( about each school ) and what you’d like to contribute and get from the experience is far more important. A fine school with a 20M endowment can offer the right student the full ride of a lifetime or substantial aid . The CC “Top Five” ( and I’m a former " Top Five " parent who also happens to be a 3G BS alum ) DO NOT have a lock on a stellar education or an incredible BS experience and they’re certainly not the only high caliber boarding schools out there offering substantial or full FA.

All the best to OP and everyone else gearing up for the next cycle!

12

Your key point @PhotographerMom is the “right student” in terms of financial aid. Doors will open at just about any school it seems for students with the particular traits which the school seeks and that might mean a variety of things such a the geographic diversity the OP brings. These needs of course change over time.

I would venture to say that there is a correlation between endowment and a school’s ability to provide financial aid on a grand scale (meaning say 40% or more of the student population). There are many instances where you might be “that student” who receives a great package at a school with lower endowment where you bring something special, say academically, musically, athletically, etc. My DD’s best financial aid package was at a school with the lowest endowment, but she was “spiky” as they say in a couple of areas.

I agree that a well-rounded list will include a variety of school if financial aid is key to a students who is the first in his or her family to attend boarding school. I’m not at all saying that the schools perceived on CC have the best game in town but just like the top colleges in the nation, they have the means to provide students with limited means access to education. My student receives financial aid knowing that this was important, we visited 13 schools and applied to 7.

13

Thank you all so much for the help!

I really hope I get financial aid at all schools, but even just one school would be great.

14

Based on your list, you might want to look at George School, Westtown, and St. Andrews. Some overlap in “feel” with a few on your list.

15

I keep hearing that the smaller/lesser known schools will find money. We saw this play out differently. Schools also worry about their yield. I truely believe some of the lesser known schools don’t take a chance on the full ride kid with great stats. I think some of them firmly believe they won’t attend if they are let in. SwimKid was accepted to both HADEDs that he applied to, 2 hidden gems and 2 southern outliers. BUT was waitlisted at some “tier 3” and lesser known schools. His stats were outstanding compared to their averages. Don’t completely write off those well known schools either. I think you should keep some of them on your list.
PS endowment isn’t everything. What you need to look at is the financial aid budget and average grant. Some schools have big endowments and have crap aid!

16

Anecdotal nonsense.

17

Well this is a case of:

I’m glad I listened to our secondary school advisors who have done this for hundreds of kids vs this board.

They flat out told us we needed to apply to HADES because of the aid. And it played out as they said. A budget is a budget, and there just isn’t enough money to take ALL the outstanding kids who can’t pay. There are times the non HADES will pick a full aid kid of course. What I’m saying is don’t automatically cross them off the list. If you love the school and want to go there, apply. You won’t know the outcome unless you do.

SwimKid ended up choosing a HADES in the end, not because he “got in” but because he loved the school. Had he written them off because it’s “so hard to get in” he would have never found his home.

18

I have very little patience for people who use the term HADES in an elevated way or refer to all other schools as "lesser known ".

Maybe “lesser known” to you…

And I have absolutely no patience for people who use crap and aid together in the same sentence.

19

I 100% agree with what @momof3swimmers said: “If you you love the school and want to go there, apply.” If you have the time and the motivation, why not?

The truth is that lesser-recognized-by-the-general-population-schools are likely to have smaller endowments and therfore less money for FA. The somewhat-recognized-by-the-general-population schools are recognized because they have money in the first place (although there are other reasons too obviously)!

Although it’s sad to hear, we all should recognize the fact that the hidden gems/lesser known/WHATEVER schools are less likely to give large amounts of FA. So in my opinion if an applicant is looking for a large amount of FA, they should look for a school they love with a larger endowment - probably a HADES or GLADCHEMMS… (but please don’t restrict yourself to these - it’s all about fit in the end, but keep in mind you can’t fit at all without the FA needed).

20

Which schools ( mentioned on this thread ) can’t afford to offer OP a full ride?

You can’t have it both ways @Nico.campbell. You can’t be an advocate for fit while arguing that only a certain set of schools ( based on endowment size ) are worth applying to.

No one would be lowering their standards or wasting their time by applying to any of the schools mentioned on this thread. It takes a certain brand of hutzpah from the " HADES/ GLADCHEMMS " crowd to suggest otherwise- but like clockwork they never disappoint.