Hi everyone, this is my first post. So I was wondering if I had any chance at all at getting into Cate School or Thacher. I am currently a girl in seventh grade and plan on going to boarding school in 9th.
Academics
-Report card is all A’s and A+'s
-I was under the gifted program in Elementary School (I still am, but it’s never discussed anymore)
-AP English, top of my class in regular math
-Multiple “character awards”
-I help/befriend the special needs kids
Extracurriculars
-I don’t take classes for what I’m interested in, instead I teach myself.
-Drawing
-I am writing a book that I plan on publishing
-I help my friend babysit her sister in kindergarten
-Planning on training my dog over summer to do tricks
-I don’t do sports, but I have tried to find one multiple times. I occasionally do archery, though.
Whoops! I forgot to mention a couple other things. I also…
-Go to church, and two youth groups
-Nearly got into a STEM camp at a local college for specially selected girls, but the only reason I wasn’t accepted was because I wasn’t in AP math.
-I have yet to ask my parents if I can go to boarding school. I just thought this might be good to say because I know for lots of students it is the parents’ choice, and that getting them to say yes is an achievement in itself.
I also forgot to say why I don’t take classes for my interests. It is because my town is heavily focused on STEM and athletics, and sadly not the humanities. The result is a one-in-a-million chance of finding a decent art class or writing club. Boarding school, I feel, will be a chance for me to finally learn more about my hobbies from a real person and not just the internet. Also sorry if my wording or spelling is off, it is because of spell check.
Of course you have a shot. Other factors that will be considered: whether you need financial aid, SSAT score, legacy status, and teacher recommendations. Other good West Coast schools to look at are The Webb Schools and Stevenson. Remember that these are small schools with low admit rates and that you should not count on admission as a given. Lots of kids with top grades and SSAT scores are not admitted. Good luck, however!
Thank you! And Stevenson is my safety school. 
I think that before you declare a certain school to be your “safety school,” you need to get a realistic view of the admissions process and what these specific schools are looking forward. First, you don’t have test scores yet. That may impact what or what is an appropriate safety for you. Second, your grades are good, but almost all other applicants will have similar grades. So, things that will be important are consistent dedication to extracurriculars, especially sports. Both of these schools expect significant commitment to sports/riding every semester. Make sure that this is something you want. Again, good luck!