<p>Hello,
I have been reading alot of different posts, and what I had hoped would help me has confused me beyond belief.
My son a pretty good student, but doesn't test well, Wants to attend Prep school.
He is also a pretty good Hockey goalie, Playing a AA schedule of 50 -70 games per season
and maintaining a very good set of grades.
I do not make tons of money and will need as much financial assistance as possible.
I have read many posts stating how they need 80 and 90% on their SSAT's. I really do not see that happening. So onto my question....</p>
<p>What would be a competetive hockey school that is academically strong and accepts students who probably have no intenions of attending Harvard?</p>
<p>While looking at all of the school websites, they all look fabulous, My sons first choice was PEA and then SPS. After reading all about them from unbiased posters, I have many reservations about having him even bothering to apply.
Does anyone know of more realistic schools for the "Rest of Us".
Do not get me wrong my son gets A's and B's but he is a 14 year old athletically minded boy. I am just trying to find a school where he even has a CHANCE at getting in.</p>
<p>The all boys schools typically have lower SSAT "averages" and the 3 most well known are all wonderful schools with good hockey programs. Trinity-Pawling and Salisbury are the other 2 schools.<br>
AOF is the largest of them at about 410 students, T-P the smallest about about 250 and Salisbury around 300'ish. AOF does have a very strong hockey program, but they also have FIVE hockey teams, so there is definately a place for every level of hockey there and there would absolutely be a team where he would be a contributor. Now, if it's important that he play Varsity right away, then AOF is probably not the place as the Varsity team is all Jr's and Sr's (which includes PG's). </p>
<p>Cushing Academy is another strong hockey school that is easier to get in. My caution there is it's about the same size as the others but co-ed - so half as many boys, thus the hockey competition for the teams is stronger. On the other hand, depending on his skill, since they have less boys, he may have a greater chance of playing Varsity sooner if that's important. </p>
<p>Holderness in NH is also a good winter sports school and you might want to look at that. </p>
<p>Fun is Fun had a post a while back that listed a few more good hockey schools that are not the "top hockey programs." You might want to search for it, or maybe he'll post again here... ;) </p>
<p>As an aside, we didn't visit Holderness, but we did visit the 3 boys schools and Cushing and Cushing had a VERY different feel to it. So you probably also want to at this point start thinking about some of the basics. First, your son might dismiss all-boys - I recommend getting the view books anyway. T-P in particular does an amazing job in theirs of explaining the benefits and value of an all-boys school in ways that are meaningful to the BOYS as well as the parents. Second, think about Saturday classes, dress code, language offerings, etc and see what schools match. Geography, do you have a range of where you'd like him to be? For us, it was 1-2 hours away was the limit. </p>
<p>Then of course visit. For us, Cushing didn't feel right, while we have good friends who spent 4 years there and loved it.</p>
<p>Linda,
Thanks for your post VERY HELPFUL. He nor I is opposed to an all boys school.
He does not need to play varsity right away, We just want a good program where
they have a chance a .500.
Any other input would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Why don't you check out Shattuck-St. Mary which was founded by the same person who founded SPS, a beautiful campus good academics and has a great hockey program.</p>
<p>I agree with all that Linda said. Check out Avon Old Farms---such a fantastic school. All of the boys schools are, really (T-P and Salisbury too). Cushing is a good choice, but also look at Gunnery for a smaller school with a traditional feel.> There are plenty of good schools for you son.</p>
<p>Thanks to every one for their input. After looking at some of the schools I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge of the following schools. When I say knowledge, what I really mean is.... FA, and typical SSAT scores. These are the 2 things really holding my son back from attending.
So here are the schools. Tabor, Salisbury, Trinity-Pawling.
Thanks for any help.</p>
<p>I'll start with the FA question. I think you will want to know what your EFC is. Obviously you won't get the SSS's figure back until a few weeks after you file, but I have found (and others have confirmed) that you can get a reasonably ballpark estimate of what your EFC will be by using one of the online FAFSA and/or CSS Profile calculators often mentioned in the college admissions area of CC. The Profile calculator is probably more accurate, but requires a bit more information - information that SSS requires as well. If you have all your info (tax return, bank statements, etc.) it only takes a few minutes to fill out. And the number you'll get will be within a thousand or 2 of SSS's EFC.</p>
<p>Plus on these calculators you can play with the figures to see how they impact your EFC. Say you are considering paying off your $5000 car note. You can subtract that from your savings balance and determine whether reducing your liquid assets is worth the change in the EFC.</p>
<p>Now once you've got the EFC, you'll need to find out the various schools' policies on FA awards. Many do not give grant aid to match EFC (just like colleges). Often they will offer loans. While these things are not negotiable (not a good idea), your likelyhood of getting more grant aid increases with what you bring to the school (athlete + top student?). Having said the FA offers are not negotiable, there are things that schools will consider beyond the normal number calculation when determining your grant aid. For example if you have a special needs child at home, or have a long-term medical issue - atypical things that are very high priority spending, but without numbers captured through the FA application - those things can be documented and presented as part of an appeal (not negotiation) of a FA award.</p>
<p>I'm not sure what your question is about typical SSAT scores. Are you asking what the typical scores for the schools on your list are, or are you trying to get an estimate of what your son's score may be based upon other standardized testing?</p>
<p>Thanks Goalie DAD, I will check these things out. As I stated in my original Thread,
I started reading this as a way to help and became more confused than EVER.
My son is not taking his SSAT until January 10. So I have no info on what his scores will be, but I think a fair guesstimate of what he might do is on the 60 to 70%. So going with that any thoughts on his chances at the above named schools. Another one he is looking at is Nobles. Any thoughts on that school?
Thanks and as a side note. I too am a goalie dad.....</p>
<p>If your son pulls a 60th or 70th percentile SSAT score (the equivalent of testing about 80th to 85th percentile on most national achievement tests), he will be a very strong candidate at Salisbury and Trinity-Pawling and a solid match at Tabor. If his hockey is good and the coach doesn't have a favorite goalie in mind, I'd say your chances at admissions would be excellent. You'd be first in line for favorable FA at Salisbury and Trinity-Pawling and probably get whatever is standard at Tabor.</p>
<p>I don't have any specific info on Nobles, but I believe it is a bit more competitive than Tabor. Someone else will have to help more...</p>
<p>And I understand that it is difficult to schedule the SSAT as a goalie. A skater can take a day off for a test without putting the team at risk, whereas the #1 goalie on a team, well that is a whole other story...</p>
<p>We took goaliegirl to a test location 90 minutes from a tournament we were playing in, early in the morning after a late (9 PM) game the night before (they don't even offer the test within 150 miles of where we live). Needless to say, it wasn't the best of circumstances, but it was the only time we could fit the test in to her schedule that year.</p>
<p>You would be all set with a 70 at all the boys schools and his grades are good, so I'd say his chances are fine. Set up interviews now so you can see if there are schools that "feel" better than others and you can meet the coaches. Also if you can get to games that would be helpful too. I know that will be hard with his own hockey schedule, but give it a try.</p>
<p>If your son can score in the 60/70s on his SSAT, given that he has good grades, I wouldn't necessarily rule out applying to schools like SPS or Exeter. If he is a strong hockey goalie, it will give him a hook. Those SSAT ranges in the 80s/90s are just averages and they do take kids with lower SSAT scores.</p>
<p>Yes he has good grades, currently 9th grader but we are looking to repeat if they will allow. He doesn't take AP or Honors courses, he is your average A-B Regular class kid.
As I said earlier, he has no intention nor misconceptions about Harvard. Just a good college with a great foundation. If he feels as though he is going to play hockey and I feel as though he can get a really good education, we both win. As far as his strength in the net, he is hot and cold like most goalies. Right now he is carrying a .80 GAA and a 96.7 Save percentage. But it is still early in the season, with just a few games under our belts. We live in Southern VT and there is NO hockey after this year at our school.
They do not offer it now, we travel 45 minutes or more to play and practice in Massachusetts. Does anyone know how the schools feel about Freshman repeating when the arrive? Also could someone clarify Third Form, Fourth Form etc.. Not quite sure ...
9th Grade (Freshman) = which Form?</p>
<p>Agree with the thought that repeating 9th is no big deal.</p>
<p>With those stats at AA, I'm guessing that his team is doing quite well. Low GAA (.80) + high save pct (.967) = less than 20 shots a game (about 17 if my math is correct). As a credit to him, it is very difficult to keep a high save percentage when seeing fewer shots (keeping focus in a slow game can be difficult).</p>
<p>I can understand your reason for needing prep hockey now. We faced the same problem (no real local hockey opportunities going forward, lots of travel to play what we were playing) when we were applying.</p>
<p>And I am with you on your thinking that if his goatending can get him this opportunity to improve his college outlook, he should go for it. I, for one, can tell you we wouldn't be where we are except for hockey. I would have never had the notion that boarding school was an option, nor would we have gone looking for it. And it is not just providing her with a better opportunity, but also the vision that (for my daughter) you can use all of your talents to get ahead. So many kids separate the ideas of achievement in sports from achievement in school and work because they only think of it as a game. They really do build on each other.</p>
<p>goaliedad, funny you bring up not being where you are today...
last year at a PREP tournament (we got smoked... we start much later than most other organizations. ) But anyway, I said how amazing hotchkiss was and someone said why don't you look here for your son and his comment was .. if he gets accepted they will find a way to make it work... so here we are.. I never in a million years would have thought about it, if it weren't for hockey.. a really wonderful game with wonderful people (for the most part.) Thanks for ALLL the support everyone has given. This sight is better than an Educational Counselor. You guys are great!</p>
<p>One thing we considered when looking at schools was the academic intensity. My son could do the intense work of a Deerfield, Andover, Exeter or St Pauls, but would that be the best fit for him? He's not the type that thrives on work. Many kids do. But for him, sports aside, he is better suited for a school with great academics that is less intense, less of a "pressure cooker" so to speak. So while hockey may give your son a shot at those schools with a lower than their average SSAT, think about the environment. He may love it, I don't know, just offering more to think about since it was thrown out there that his hockey could make up for potentially lower scores.</p>
<p>Linda, thanks for the eye opener, NO he does not love intense school work, he can handle it in small doses probably but I will definitely keep an eye ope for that .
Thanks</p>
<p>hey goalie dad.. his last game he saw 32 shots with 31 saves... so not always low shot games... I wish I could do that math even with a calculator.</p>