chances (!)

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>Okay, I know that this is probably the 10th thread out there that has been started, but please bare with me :)</p>

<p>I'm applying to Andover and Exeter, because my parents figure that I either go to the best BSs or don't go at all.</p>

<p>Applying for: 9th grade.</p>

<p>SSAT's:
2235 (96% overall)</p>

<p>I've been a Straight-A Student since the beginning of middle school. I skipped a year in math so I'm currently in Honors Geometry. </p>

<p>I've been taking French for two years in school but I can definitely speak a sufficient amount and I even spent last summer studying abroad in Paris(which I talked about in one of my essays). I enrolled in classes at the Alliance Francaise de Houston, but they were too simple for me (unless I enrolled in the adult classes, but those are on week-nights).</p>

<p>Since I'm Chinese, I can speak Mandarin pretty well but I can only speak in my parent's dialect (they come from Hangzhou) so I'm not sure how I would do if I were to take Chinese in a formal environment.</p>

<p>EC's:
been playing piano for about 9 years. Really serious about it. 3rd place winner at the prestigous International Chopin Youth Competition and Texas Music Teacher Association Piano Competition finalist (Since Texas is a HUGE state, there are several rounds in the competition and it is EXTREMELY competitive to make the state finals.)</p>

<p>CFISD District Spelling Bee Finalist (CFISD is the second largest district in Houston and one of the largest in Texas)</p>

<p>Interviews: Doing them on the 29th</p>

<p>Teacher Rec's:
I didn't read them, but I'm assuming Math & English were rather mediocre since they didn't understand the importance of the rec's (They haven't even heard of Exeter and Andover. I guess that's because we live in Texas.)</p>

<p>I gave my personal rec's to my French and Piano teacher and they were both probably excellent. My french teacher gave me the french award last year & she even said how I maintained a 100 average in the class for the year.</p>

<p>And I'm applying for financial aid.</p>

<p>Other thoughts: I have more EC's than just piano and spelling bee, but I figured it would be wiser to just stick two that are important to me rather than several miscellaneous ones (for example, I also do Speech&Debate but the only award I've ever received was a 3rd place for an oratory at a tournament in the beginning of the year. Is that significant enough to put on the application?) </p>

<p>Thank you everyone!</p>

2

<p>I think you have fair chances, but applying to only Andover and Exeter is risky. You could get in, but there is also a chance you could get into neither.
I think that those ECs are fine, if you actively participate in them. It is not just about whether you get awards. It's kind of hard to say since you're applying to only two schools, and two of the most competitive, but you definitely have some chance.</p>

3

<p>Of course you have chances. I'm also sure that by now you realize that it is very competitive to get into those 2 schools. They have more qualified candidates than they have places for those candidates. I sincerely hope that you get into at least one of those schools. If luck is not with you this year, perhaps you could research more schools and demonstrate to your parents that they are worthy. Then, you can apply to more next year. There really are many wonderful boarding schools well beyond the top 10. </p>

<p>BTW, I would include the information on speech/debate. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

4

<p>Yeah, definitely include the speech and debate information.</p>

<p>I think you have a pretty good chance. Your SSAT is higher than the average at both Andover and Exeter.</p>

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<p>^^Which of course doesn't actually mean that much, because the average has been brought down by legacies and hooked applicants. However, you do have a pretty decent chance at being admitted. Keep in mind however, that you are an Asian American, and therefore an ORM (coining a new term--Over-represented minority), so the adcoms will most likely hold you to a higher standard than other Caucasian/URM candidates.</p>

6

<p>caucasians aren't held at the same level as URM's. def not. you're in the "asian range".. but just that. i don't think you have anything that sets you apart. don't set your heart on boarding school if you're only applying to A/E..</p>

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<p>caucasians aren't held at the same level as URM's, yes..but the bar for caucasian is still lower than that for asians..it's way too overrepresented compared to the percentage of asians in the states</p>

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<p>oh wow really?
i thought that the bar would be set higher for cacausian <em>sorri if i spelled that wrong</em></p>

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<p>Rebekke - I think you have a pretty good chance at both schools. Do a lot of kids from TX apply to these schools? They also like a geographically diverse student body. Let us know how you do!!!</p>

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<p>yes, a lot of kids from TX</p>

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<p>THank you all for your input!</p>

<p>Yes, I am OBVIOUSLY aware not to set my heart on boarding school (blairt) if I'm just applying to A/E. </p>

<p>& Thank you for your kind words, burbparent.</p>

<p>Bearcats, who else from Texas do you know that is applying to BS? None of my friends or extended family from Houston, Dallas, Austin, or Ft. Worth know of Andover or Exeter lol, but maybe it's just the people I know.</p>

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<p>at hotchkiss we have a decent amount of representation from texas, and i would guess Andover and exeter would be the same, i mean.....it should be the same for all these name brand schools</p>

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<p>I would love to get more asian feedback.This canidate seems quite qualified.Do you think a white male from TX with identical stats is more accepted?How many concert pianist make sense for a community of 1200?I don't play but want to know if there are some economies of scale or could there be an ego war?Off topic, Exeter has one hell of a practice room with a grand overlooking the commons.</p>

14

<p>texas = oil
oil = money
money = send kids to prep school
sort of.</p>

15

<p>LOL..most asians play piano or violin, we have one that played at carnegie hall</p>

<p>"Exeter has one hell of a practice room with a grand overlooking the commons."
LOL, so? We hotchkiss have 26 practice rooms with 7 of them with a grand piano</p>

<p>and in our music hall we have a $600000 worth handmade Fazioli piano donated by an alum</p>

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<p>why do you care so much about asserting the competitiveness of hotchkiss?</p>

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<p>Competitiveness? What Does This Hav To Do With Competitiveness, I M Just Saying...a Grand Piano At A Bs Of This Calibre Is Nothing To Be Wowed About</p>

<p>, AND YES, SCHOOL SPIRIT</p>

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<p>Hm... so both Hotchkiss and Exeter have great piano programs? I would love to try piano for the first time at either of those schools. :)</p>

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<p>exeter does :)
i dont know about hotchkiss. havent been there.</p>

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<p>and if i were asserting the competitiveness, i am asserting the competitiveness of all the top boarding schools as a whole...from my observation, many of the kids in this forum do really well in their own school as of now and do not really understand the calibre of the schools they are trying to get into, in some cases i see people who think they deserve to go to a school just becoz they are blah blah blah top of the class.but the fact is,
going to a top BS like AESDCH or milton etc is a privledge, not a right...no one "deserves" to go...</p>