<p>i’m not even going to ask a question because I think we’ve really bogged down this AO with them already. 
However, I will take a second to thank you on behalf of all of the preppies here on CC and future preppies for your time in answering our questions. Your answers will help us immensely in our applications, and may well lead some of us to a (hopefully brighter but definitely) different future than if we had not had your help. Thanks again!</p>
<p>Hi Gemma!
So I submitted a question yesterday but I don’t think you replied. You probably didn’t see it. Here it is! How much does it help if your brother went to Hogwarts, and did really well? Also, I’m not as smart as my brother and my test scores show!</p>
<p>Thank you so much for putting the time to do this thread! Your helping worried prepsters all over the world!</p>
<p>@teddy100:</p>
<p>The more selective the school, the less likely it is to have a “sibling policy” wherein siblings are given any preference in the process.</p>
<p>So, if you are applying to only highly selective schools, it probably doesn’t help if your brother went to Hogwarts, regardless of what your grades/SSAT results are.</p>
<p>In general, “sibling policies” are unfair to oldest children and only children; so I agree with the highly selective schools’ philosophy of making sure each child, regardless of his/her siblings, is admitted on his/her own merits.</p>
<p>In any case, judging from your post, I am sure that you are a bright and nice young person, even if you think you’re “not as smart as” your older brother. Have faith in yourself, and remember that you have talents of your own that deserve consideration.</p>
<p>@cheeselover612:
You’re welcome.
I would rather receive a graded writing sample of any sort from the current academic year than from last year, so a “power paragraph” (whatever that means) sounds fine to me.
I actually don’t care very much for titles on application essays; most of the time the titles sound “cheesy” but if you can think of a clever one, then go for it. Otherwise, they’re not at all necessary.
Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>@YellowUbi:</p>
<p>If something is labeled as “optional” then it should be exactly that–optional. Submitting one or not submitting one does not raise or lower your chances of being admitted. However, if you can find someone who can write about you thoughtfully, and shed some light on some aspect of your personal/extracurricular life, the recommendation can certainly allow the admission committee to get to know you better. </p>
<p>After reading a file, even of a student whom I did not interview, I hope to have a really good sense of that person. Who is this student? What makes him tick? What does she hope to accomplish? Why is he a good match for Hogwarts? Personal recommendations can help us answer those questions, but the rest of the application can, too.</p>
<p>Gemma I want to show my latest report card to the admissions office but the thing is my latest report card does not some until after my applications are due. The first quarter report card was mediocre but after finding out about boarding school i decided to take school more serious and my second quarter report card has improved tremendously. What should i do. Please answer this question.</p>
<p>@dpolepatriot:</p>
<p>You can always send your latest report card after the deadline; we will add it to your file. Just make sure all of the other parts of your application are there on time, and send that second quarter report card as soon as possible!</p>
<p>@Chelsearoxxxxxx- Your location will most likely change from heaven to hell and we all hope you`re kicked off of CC. :(</p>
<p>hi gemmav
You have probably seen dozens of SSAT questions so I apologize for adding to that number.
If a student gets one subscore that is stellar and two that are not so stellar, but their overall percentile still exceeds the school’s average is that acceptable?</p>
<p>Does timing of the interview or application matter? In other words are candidates that are interviewed in November and December more easily remembered?</p>
<p>Does an application get reviewed (and or “scored”) as it comes in piece by piece or does an AO wait until the whole thing is complete before reviewing it in its entirety?</p>
<p>I have a question. Basically I need to submit a graded essay to the schools I am applying to, the problem is that I submit all my essays online. Therefore, I am unable to print out the graded essay. What do I do ? Should I just send them the essay(without all the feedback written on the side) and write the grade that I got on it ? I know this should vary from school to school but I still thought it was worth asking you.</p>
<p>I posted this question yesterday but you didn’t get a chance to answer it.</p>
<p>If I think two essays I wrote for one school are really good, and I want to just change each one a little bit and use them for another school, would that be ok? Both prompts are similar. I don’t really want to say what the prompts are because then people might do the exact same thing as me.</p>
<p>Thanks again for all your help</p>
<p>@GemmaV: Sorry I actually have one last question if you don’t mind. Can my essays be stories? They answer the prompts subtly but they don’t flat out say my answer to each prompt. For example, if the prompt was who’s your favorite person and why, I might write a story about the day I met the person. Good or bad idea?</p>
<p>Thanks again</p>
<p>wow, they really kicked Chelsearox off the thread.</p>
<p>GemmaV,</p>
<p>Under the “What books have you enjoyed” section of my application, I’m afraid my explanations for why I enjoyed some of the books that I did are a bit politically charged. How would you look upon this?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>@swissbrit - scan and email, fax or mail all work for the graded essay.</p>
<p>Would a waitlisted applicant be looked at differently than a first-time applicant? Also, would a person who was waitlisted last year have a better chance at being admitted?</p>
<p>Gemma, have you ever been offered a bribe or some other inticement to admit a student? I’m sure you have some great stories. I’ve often thought the top schools should put a seat or two up on ebay to increase the endowment! jk</p>
<p>Gemma, before you go, any final thoughts for this application pool?</p>
<p>@pandapandaa: It’s a new year and a new applicant pool. Everyone is looked at with fresh eyes. However, I always appreciate a previously waitlisted student’s determination/persistence, demonstrated by his/her reapplying. Would a waitlisted candidate have a better chance of being admitted? No. Like I said, it’s a new year and a new applicant pool.</p>