@SevenDad that really puts things in perspective. I think a big component for all these schools is the right fit…your message reminded me of another kid with near perfect scores not getting admitted to Choate…He landed in Hotchkiss and I think is loving it over there.
@skieurope, yes of course…There may also be sharing bias in the limited amount of data we have available through anecdotes …Higher scores may be getting talked about or revelaed more often in these personal stories. Another user shared with me that Choate average SSAT score is 85 and for Loomis it is 79, which is based on broad data …and is probably a better indicator.
Since this chat group has been so helpful…I do have another question…we are looking for schools only in Hartford, CT area…which explains why DS is applying to Choate and Loomis…So far…our thinking is to try these two…if he gets in fine…if not…our town public school is probably not a bad choice…Would you recommend any other school(s) in the area we should really look into besides Choate and Loomis?
@Sush2016, are you looking only at boarding schools, and in terms of the Hartford area, what radius? Suffield is another that comes to mind – it’s very easily accessible from Hartford, and there are others, as well as day schools, but it depends on your preference and how far you would go from Hartford.
Agree that emails and Christmas cards etc from the school are largely a ploy to get their denominator up by ensuring that students apply.
However, my first student who is a Choate alumna at present was put in touch by the ADCOM with the English Department head to talk about Choate’s offerings in the area of writing because initially that was her thing.
We took it as a good sign that they were interested in her, and they were. She had published some stories in magazines already. As it turns out she is now in Business School, but point is sometimes those emails can be a good sign, but try not to read too much into them.
@preppedparent: As I noted above…the emails/notes from schools don’t mean anything — unless they do! But much better to not read anything into them, especially at this stage of the game.
Mostly agree with you @SevenDad. Just sharing our family’s experience. Don’t try to read the tea leaves, you’ll be disappointed every time. Much better to be delighted and surprised on M10, than disappointed, with hopes dashed.
@CTMom21 yes Suffied academy is a possibility…I don’t know much about it…never looked into it before…but something worth considering? Best is to find something from daily driving distance from Hartford area.
@SevenDad …yes we are only looking into day student options
@preppedparent, do you remember when you started to receive these mails from Choate? Strangely enough…we are not getting anything from Choate on emails…Just one snail mail packet …that’s it!
@Sush2016 Yes, it was after her interview with Admissions. They put her in touch with both the orchestra director and English Dept head. This was prior to M10, sometime in the Fall. Keep in mind Choate has a brand new Admissions Director (from Yale) and things may have changed. I wouldn’t read too much into NOT getting email either!!! Fingers crossed for you.
I agree, Westminster and Suffield are both within range and worth looking at, as well as Avon Old Farms (all boys) and Cheshire Academy, to think a bit more broadly. Kingswood-Oxford is a reputable day school in West Hartford. I can’t think of any others without getting into the 60-90 minute range from Hartford, but there may be more day schools.
DS received many emails from various coaches & departments at Loomis…did not apply to Choate. But in reference to @SevenDad and other’s comments, he had 99 SSAT & was WL’d at LC. Fwiw
applicants will often get WL’d if the school (admissions, coach etc) are not convinced that the student will attend. They want to KNOW it is your first choice.
Please don’t read too much into the mailings…one school told our tour group last summer that (this year) they are “going Green” and cutting way back on traditional marketing materials. The per-potential-student cost of materials and mailing is expensive. One school had reusable materials…Green and creative. We are seeing more email and social media marketing this year, compared to last year or a few years ago with the nephews. =D>
@Sush2016@momof3swimmers I had the same experience with Loomis. The coach and a swimmer emailed with my applicant several times and also sent a cute postcard signed by the team. However, he did not get in. We had added Loomis late and couldn’t get there for the interview, but, I agree with @momof3swimmers that it’s just what Loomis does.
My student had gotten a handwritten letter and XMas card from Admissions director at Deerfield and got waitlisted.
My student told ONE of her schools they were her first choice and got in. To @Center s point. If you do have one school above all others that you want, (others will differ), I think it helps if you tell them if admitted you will go. But you can’t play that game with all of them. And it’s not really nice to say that if you don’t mean it.
DS got several emails and handwritten notes…I think L-ville actually communicated with him the most…he did not get in to L-ville and was WLd by the others.
Wanted to update …DS got accepted at Choate. Loomis…the answer was no. Totally did not see the latter coming…Any who…he is really excited…Choate was his TOP choice. ;
He had taken the SSAT again and was at 96 or 97 something like that…Has excellent grades, recommendations, extracurriculars…and we thought he had good interviews at both places too…so is hard to pinpoint why…Perhaps his enthusiam for Choate was obvious…
