Hello,
I am a current 10th grader at The Bronx High School of Science, one of NYC’s best public high schools, but I am applying to Phillips Exeter Academy, Phillips Academy Andover, Choate Rosemary Hall, Hotchkiss, among other boarding schools junior year. I am a straight A student with my lowest grade being a 88 and the rest above 90 with an average of 92. I have not taken the PSAT yet, but I am studying hard for it. My extracurriculars include 10 years of baseball, 7 years of swimming, 5 years of Boy Scouts (working towards my Eagle rank), 2 years of piano, and 1 year of bagpiping. If I score about 1300 on the PSAT and I do well on my essays and interview, what do you think my chances of getting into any of these schools are? I have my heart set on Exeter because of the academics and sports and school spirit, and keep in mind I am applying for entrance into my junior year (11th Grade). Thank you,
1300 on the PSAT is on the low end for schools like PEA, PA and Choate. You might have a better chance if you apply as a repeat 10th grader.
Your chances at selective college admission will actually probably be a bit worse if you transfer, since you’ll be competing with some of the brightest students in the nation. However you will no doubt get a great education. So make sure you want to go to boarding school for the right reasons.
These schools take only a handful of new students in grade 11, so cast a wide net, or don’t be surprised if you get rejected across the board. Most of the new students are athletes or hooked in some other way.
It’s not enough being a top student. You have to give them something they need. Can you get in as a recruited athlete? Can your coach make a case that you can contribute greatly in one of your sports? Are you legacy?
Bronx science is a great school. The top 100 kids at Science are as a group going to be just as smart as the top 100 kids at PEA. Actually, probably smarter. I would focus on finding academic challenge right where you are. Try hard enough and you will find it.
^^^agree. Bronx Science has the most Nobel Laureates as grads. Stuy and Bronx Science have the top college matriculations. You may be better off trying to come from this strong public.
As @SatchelSF and @preppedparent said Bronx Science is probably a more cohesively smarter group than ANY boarding school or other top private school. Bronx Science makes no accommodations based on wealth, athletics, skin color and so forth. And it will be just as hard if not harder to stand out at say PEA or PA because at those schools you will be competing with the smartest kids as well as the recruited athletes and legacies for college acceptances. My child attended one of the NYC public test in schools so I am familiar with them (I believe Satchel has experience there as well). Both choices are phenomenal opportunities --nearly unequalled. However to go from a free absolute meritocracy to a (possibly free depending on your finances) a boarding school seems like an odd choice. You may have your reasons and they be very good ones but I would perhaps think hard about those reasons. For what it is worth there is little to no school spirit at Exeter. While your statistics are strong I do not think they alone will get you in. Lastly, you will need to take the SAT for Junior year admission.
@center there’s no school spirit at Exeter? Just curious I guess …
Bronx Science is one of the top schools in the country, no reason to transfer if you are doing well. Especially to transfer in Jr year…
Bronx isn’t the best. Stuyvesant is.
Bronx is one of the best public schools; however, I personally recommend or encourage a kid to transfer to 1st tier boarding or private schools. @fesgvgv Stuy is the #1 public in NYC.