<p>Do SPS and Andover accept the common app?</p>
<p>I don't believe they do. I'm only operating from the vaguest recollection for Andover. But, regarding SPS, if they do accept it, you should note that their on-line application is so easy (and costs less if you apply that way) that I wouldn't be too concerned about any extra effort. I'm pretty sure you'll find the SPS on-line application to be the preferred way to go.</p>
<p>That's just for the applicant's portion of the application. Both use the common recommendation forms, so there's no need for teachers to prepare a separate response for these schools.</p>
<p>For the english and math teacher and school recs I think just about every school expects the common app, although some also require additional recs of their own. Even for these, I think if someone writes a letter instead of the school's specific form, or your school has its own form, I think the bs's are flexible. They understand.</p>
<p>For the student's part, I wouldn't even consider doing the common app for a school like these. I doubt you would get in when hundreds of other kids are doing the work to submit the school's their specific application. It just sends an "I can't be bothered" message. Did anyone get into a school like these by doing the common app?</p>
<p>I can't answer that last question on any sort of universal basis, but the Deans of Admission at two of the top oft-mentioned schools have told me that they'd like to dispel that sort of "gaming" and psychology that people stress over. If they accept the Common Application, then they're fine with applicants using it. As one said, "We're not setting traps for people to walk into. I am trying to reduce all the stress that goes in to the process for applicants and their families. Telling them that they can use the common forms is one way we're trying to do that. But no good deed goes unpunished. And there are plenty of people who think that it's all a trap and they get stressed because they've been given a choice."</p>
<p>I believe, in my heart of hearts, that these deans were not only being straightforward, but I think they speak for all BS admission deans. My son applied before these conversations and we resisted the common application (though we used on-line forms in some cases). And, in all honesty, I think I'd resist the common application again -- for the reasons articulated by Inquiring mind. I know they mean well, these deans of admission, but they can't save me from my own paranoia and neuroses and I'd still avoid the common applications simply because I would sleep better.</p>
<p>I feel it's worth sharing what these deans told me for those who are less neurotic than I am and are a little more well grounded. But I'd be lying if I told you that I'd act on that information myself.</p>
<p>That's right, I'm not even involved in the application process this year and I'm sort of psychotic about it.</p>
<p>yeah they definitely do. I'm applying to both of them, same application for english, math and school reports. personals are different though i think.</p>
<p>the "top ten" as they call themselves (andover, exeter, st. pauls, hotchkiss, taft, loomis chaffee, deerfield, lawrenceville, hill school, and choatte rosemary hall) all have the exact same application for english, math, and school report. I;ve requested information from all of those schools and they all have EXACTLY the same forms for those three things. personal reccomendations and essay are different however.</p>
<p>So I can just give my teachers the Andover forms and ask them to copy them and send them to Andover as well as SPS?</p>
<p>Common applications make my life easier. Is there a list of schools that accept them? "Calling D'yer Maker, Calling D'yer Maker"</p>
<p>Jonathon, just wondering, why are you applying to boarding school? Do you like Greenhills? I've heard it is a great school. What are you looking for at Andover and SPS that you're not receiving from your present school? (Not being at all sarcastic--sincerely interested in knowing....)</p>
<p>I love my school! It's just that I had such a great experience at Andover Summer Session, and while the education is amazing here, it's better at Andover and St. Paul's. I really love boarding life and the opportunities for international travel at these schools aren't offered at my school, however, I'm really interested in SYA and I could probably apply for that by staying at my school, and if I went to boarding school I would try to go on one of the trips that last a few months.</p>
<p>I won't know how my transportation situation will be by next year, because the person that drives me is somewhat unreliable. My parents are already spending near GH tuition on transportation alone. By applying to boarding school, I would have the opportunity to visit these schools, if accepted, and make my decision from there.</p>
<p>The Common Application form is available through The Association of Boarding Schools' web site: TABS:</a> The Association of Boarding Schools</p>
<p>The current list of schools that accept that form is here:</p>
<p>TABS:</a> How to Apply</p>
<p>The Common Application .pdf file is here (for the student section):</p>
<p><a href="http://www.schools.com/forms/applicant.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.schools.com/forms/applicant.pdf</a></p>
<p>You can type your responses directly into the .pdf document. Unfortunately, you cannot save your responses (which sort of defeats -- or at leasts diminishes -- the economies of using a common application form) so you need to print out the form once it's complete and then revise as necessary for each school if you want to include some customization.</p>
<p>The SSAT also provides an on-line "common application" -- but the list isn't the same. For example, Hotchkiss -- which doesn't like the SSAT on-line process because it's not user-friendly -- doesn't allow SSAT applications to be processed. The SSAT process is sort of a pain and, seeing as Hotchkiss' Dean of Admission is very much into customer service and having applicants keep life in perspective, I can see why they've opted out of the SSAT on-line application.</p>
<p>The list of schools there at SSAT.org is available here:</p>
<p>SSAT</a> Student Guide Online</p>
<p>But note that there's no list of schools that are connected to the SSAT's on-line application service (that I'm aware of). You have to select a specific school and see if there's a link to apply to that school. If not, check with the school itself to see if they have some other on-line application process.</p>
<p>Some schools have their own proprietary on-line forms -- with the ones I've seen being available through <a href="http://www.infosnap.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.infosnap.com</a> (including SPS and Epsicopal HS, to name two).</p>
<p>Unfortunately, SPS nor Andover accepted the TABS application..</p>
<p>So should I just fill out two separate common application sheets, but have my teachers fill out the same recommendation forms, or different ones?</p>
<p>Jonathan -- You can use the Common Recommendation form that can be downloaded from TABS. This is a sub-segment of the Common Application, and I think it is used widely. I think this is more politic than using Andover's form for St. Paul's and vice versa. This Common Recommendation is used by almost everyone. If it will make you fell better, call SPS and Andover to verify that they accept the Common Recommendation form. When we did the Admissions rounds, we used the Common Recommendation form but not the entire Common Application.</p>
<p>Could you give me the link to the Common Recommendation form? I can't find it on their site.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot! :)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.schools.com/forms/english_rec.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.schools.com/forms/english_rec.pdf</a>
<a href="http://www.schools.com/forms/math_rec.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.schools.com/forms/math_rec.pdf</a></p>
<p>I might have used this form too, but it was so long ago that I don't have a clear memory: <a href="http://www.schools.com/forms/princ_rec.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.schools.com/forms/princ_rec.pdf</a></p>
<p>If you compare these forms to what you have in your Admissions packets, I think you'll discover that they are the same.</p>
<p>Bump! As it's a useful thread, for current applicants.</p>
<p>My child applied to BS last year and began in fall of 07. The Common Application was available and, a bit confused because I was seeing individual school's applications as well, I mentioned it to the first adcom we met for the first interview of my child at one of the above-mentioned "top" schools. Ms. Adcom said hesitatingly, "yeeees...we do indeed accept the common application, of course, but it's really a sort of service to our international students (??? why??? not sure... can't remember answer, only realized it was sort of ruling us out!) and there are questions on our application that are not on the common application and we like to see those answered." Not a direct quote, but left me with distinct impression that she wanted my child to fill our her specific school's application. So that is what my child did - tediously and at great length filled out 5 separate applications, though we used the common form for the math and english recommendations. When a school requested an additional rec (I think SPS and Groton had a third recommendation form as well) we submitted that school's specific form.</p>
<p>I think Inquiring Mind is right on this, despite what the deans might say. I think careful attention to the school's specific application shows a desire to go to THAT school much more than submitting a common application. If the interview is used, as was suggested in another thread, in part to see how much a child would like to attend that school and how likely s/he would be likely to attend if offered a spot, certainly using the school's individual application sends that message much more strongly over (what could be perceived as, even incorrectly) carpetbombing the BS world with a common app.</p>
<p>I agree with Momtoanundecided. If you can't be bothered to fill out the school's application, why should they be bothered to accept you over a student who took the time to do so? Even if they allow you, I think it seriously lowers you chances of getting accepted at Andover and SPS.</p>
<p>The question, then, is why do schools give applicants that option? </p>
<p>Is it a sick, twisted psychological game they are playing? Because that's what it is if they're thinking, "Aha! Jim Varney decided to send in the Common Application! We can assume he's not 'earnest' about coming to Wonderful Academy since he chose that option. He's really just throwing it in over the transom, so we'll take his application fee and throw a rejection letter back over the transom."</p>
<p>You asked why schools should "be bothered" to accept a student who completed a Common Application? Because the schools bothered to invite students to fill them out, perhaps?</p>
<p>If it's a negative or inferior, then they could easily refuse to accept the Common Application. Or they could indicate -- as they do with on-campus interviews -- that one option is preferred over the others.</p>
<p>If you think about it, it would take a mad scientist level of evil ("Muahahahaha!") for an admissions office to dilute the value of Common Applications after that school had affirmatively made it an option for applicants and they have not warned off applicants from using it (especially considering that many of the same schools clearly state their preferences regarding an interview and on-campus visit).</p>
<p>It would be the admission office equivalent of building a great grey bridge over the Hudson River with upper and lower levels, posting signs directing cars to the both levels of the bridge, collecting a toll before the cars begin the trip, and never telling the drivers that the lower level has a car-sized trap door that's 100 yards shy of the far bank.</p>
<p>Yes, I'm insecure enough that I always opt to take the upper level of the George Washington Bridge 10 times out of 10...but even though I act on my fears and insecurities as though they are fact doesn't make it a fact that there's actually a trap door on the lower level. The fact that I feel safer taking the upper level doesn't make the lower level less safe.</p>
<p>Penalizing common applications makes no sense if you think about it. The admissions office would at least tell you if it mattered. I believe them when they say it doesn't matter. Intellectually, I am totally confident in this. The fact that I won't actually act on that knowledge is evidence of my own phobias, not evidence of widespread duplicity among admissions office personnel.</p>
<p>I'm not saying that they would immediately reject you if you use the Common Application, but that it might lower your chances just a tiny bit, so that when decision day arrives and they're looking at you and some other guy with very similar statistics, but who took the time to fill out the school's own application, they'll probably pick him over you.</p>