<p>Well Willem said he is from a good PS in a wealthy neighborhood. Wealthy people go to BS for water cooler talk.</p>
<p>My town is a relatively wealthy town. But I did NOT say that I’m wealthy. I may be better off than a lot of people, but I’m on a good amount of FA. And regardless, BA was MY decision, and I was the one who started talking about it with my parents. They didn’t want me to go originally, and would probably rather have me at my public high school back home. Very few of the people I know who go to BS do it for “water cooler talk”. Maybe back in the day, but not in this age. And you didn’t answer my question, perhaps because you know you don’t have a sufficient answer? Right now I’m assuming you’re a bitter 15 year old reject from last years admissions. Prove me wrong.</p>
<p>We were told by our son’s college advisor that he would have had a better shot at a top school if he’d gone to our public high school. That said, he has received an excellent education that we view as a standalone experience. Regardless of where he ends up, he will always carry that with him.</p>
<p>According to SEWinter’s public profile, s/he is 16 years old. Not a parent, and certainly not an expert either on boarding schools or the college application and matriculation process.</p>
<p>Unless, of course, s/he’s lying.</p>
<p>At any rate, SEWinter’s trolling posts have sparked some truly interesting and insightful conversation, regardless of the origin. Thank you especially, Choatie, Peri and GMT for being the voices of reason and sharing the wealth of your collective experience. I learn something new every time.</p>
<p>I didn’t know there are people stupid enough to post their actual dates of birth on the internet which can be easily hacked. hahaha. My parents told me not to post any personal data on the internet. I hope yours did too!</p>
<p>So I’m assuming that SE is a student who is lashing out at BS culture and the upper class without any real knowledge of the matter. Again, this is my assumption, since s/he cannot give any qualifications for their seeming expertise on the prep schools and the college admissions process.</p>
<p>Conclusion: Boarding Schools Lower College Chances</p>
<p>This thread in now closed.</p>
<p>P.S. You guys have a lot of free time on hand beating a dead horse.</p>
<p>Those last two lines are worth their weight in gold and perfectly convey why we are pursuing this avenue!</p>
<p>ExieMit wrote: </p>
<p>"…Go to BS because it gives you opportunities (social, academic, cultural) that you lack in your current environment. If it doesn’t - then take a pass and save the money for college."</p>
<p>These are the comments to which I was referring “being worth their weight in gold.”</p>
<p>The way my last post popped up, it looked as though I was applauding SEWinter’s last comment, which I was not. Just wanted to clarify.</p>
<p>+1 on Exie’s comments. </p>
<p>For those whose social, academic and cultural environments feature a paucity of opportunity, multiculturalism, and academic challenge, the local PS is not necessarily the answer. The value of the BS education is an end in and of itself. For the OP, it may mean positing his or her case for BS in these terms, rather than trying to argue the more difficult to “prove” case that attending BS will or will not lower the chances of getting into a “top tier” college.</p>
<p>And, in the end, those reasons to go to prep school, can, in fact, sometimes lead to more elite colleges. If a kid is given an opportunity at prep school to pursue an interest–whether academic, athletic, artistic, or otherwise–not available at home, and pursues that interest with a passion, then that can lead to doors opening down the road. However, if a child has to give up a passion to attend bs, or the ps offers more or less the same opportunities as the bs, then the other bright, motivated kids at bs can make acceptance to one of those super selective schools more difficult.</p>
<p>Of course, you never know. My kid gave up something he was very good at to go to boarding school, where he found something he was even better at. But we had no idea that that would be the case. We just knew that he needed something radically different from what he was getting at home. </p>
<p>The bottom line for me is this: pursue boarding school because it provides something your child needs now–not four years down the road–something that you just can’t get at home. Otherwise, as Exie says. save your money for college.</p>
<p>SEWinter… You sound very bitter. For someone who is still in high school I would expect more optimism and less arrogance.
Only when you actually graduate from secondary school, enroll in and graduate from college, and then get an actual job, will be entitled to act like you know something…
I suspect you wanted to go to boarding school but couldn’t get in.</p>
<p>Very nice!</p>
<p>I am applying and hopefully going to attend BS not because i want to got to an IVY but because the education is better. I will defiantly go to college hopefully it will be Oregon State (my preference) I play ball (football and basketball) and i run track. I was six feet five inches tall at the age of thirteen so I am using my athletic strengths to get me a great education. </p>
<p>I am a hard worker and an average B student. I know I am not going to be at the top of my class in BS I am not that kid but I believe it will prepare me better for college then the public schools will with 35+ students per class</p>
<p>What schools are you applying to?</p>
<p>Just returned from an Andover weekend briefing on the college process. They brought in a number of admissions officers from colleges to speak about process, essays, and parental involvement. Inevitably, a question on many parent minds was asked to at least one of the college officers “Is it worth it to go from being a top student somewhere, to being middle of the pack at a great BS, such as Andover”? I liked the response "if you are looking at Andover as a down payment for prestigious college admission, you may be disappointed. However, if you are looking at PAA as a down payment for educational and life excellence, you will be greatly rewarded.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Bears repeating and shouting weekly for those parents and students who keep insisting that the opposite is true.</p>
<p>^ I need to post that quote on my bedroom wall! It is worth waking up to.</p>
<p>@gr8pond I am taking a shot at them all the coaches love me so I have that hook going for me. I really like Exeter and Deerfield and I am applying but I know my chances are slim.
I have several safety schools that I like</p>
<p>I know some of the schools are out of my league but I paid for the ones my parents didn’t want to (my lunch money savings) lol</p>
<p>Love the school that loves you I say</p>
<p>Deerfield
Exeter
Blair
Lawrenceville
Culver
Hotchkiss
St Paul
Taft
Andover
Choate
Loomis
McCallie
Northfield Mount Hermon
Peddie</p>
<p>Of those schools 3 I have had very little contact with. </p>
<p>Andover the coaches email me a lot. My mom does not want me to go there even if by some miracle they admit me. She says she thinks it will be too hard with not enough of a support system in place. </p>
<p>NMH, McCallie, Taft, St. Paul, Blair keep in contact with me thru email and calls. </p>
<p>Lawrenceville, Exeter and Deerfield have been contacting me since last year so I know all those coaches and a handful of the admissions folks quite well since I have been speaking to them for over a year.</p>
<p>How about you?</p>
<p>RileyFreeman,</p>
<p>It sounds like you are all set with a good and comprehensive prep school list. But I thought other CC members and your Mom might like to know that Andover has excellent academic support services. </p>
<p>Andover has a Math Study Center, a Science Study Center, a Writing Center, and peer tutors. Its teachers meet with students during morning conference period and respond to student e-mails before and after class. Each student has an academic adviser, house counselors, and a cluster dean who will pitch in to help. And there is an academic support department if a student falls behind because of an injury, illness, etc. </p>
<p>None of this means you should apply to Andover if it otherwise isn’t a good fit for you. But I thought it would be helpful if people knew more about the academic safety nets at Andover.</p>
<p>Good luck with everything!</p>