Hi, I was wondering; per say schools like Phillips Academy: Andover and Exeter. Do they prefer unique ECs and hobbies (for example, idk: being a competitive ice skater, or teaching crocheting classes) or is it better to have good SSAT scores as an indicator, (for example, the last time I took the SSAT, I got full score in the verbal section, or getting a 99 percentile. I would love your opinions. Thanks
They expect both, that’s why they’re the top private schools in the country.
Would fencing count as unique? Also, on my candidate profile I said I like art and played piano. Would they still ‘notice’ it if I didn’t upload any media?
Because I already submitted my profile, I’m considering contacting them to submit some media if it helps
@Woahchu you should make yourself stand out from the crowd. If you are applying to a very popular and competitive school you will need to be noticed. Like was posted above, the schools see candidates who are exceptional students and very talented in multiple endeavors. Even if you have submitted your profile there is a way through the application process to submit additional material - this includes highlight videos, performance videos, art and photography portfolios. It was our experience that a couple of the schools had different ways (or their OWN way) they wanted applicants to submit materials. We actually had to pay extra $$ for submitting performing arts and visual arts portfolios to a couple of schools. There was a different online materials submission platform for a couple of schools. Also, there was a different address or faculty member that was going to review the arts portfolio (creative writing, photography, drawing). We were given specific criteria for materials to be submitted. For sports, we sent videos to individual coaches and also to admissions people. For the arts, we had videos and relevant examples of photography and sketches on the iPhone to show during meetings, as well. I know we had auditions to go through for performing arts for a couple of schools. I will share with you that kiddo has a unique sport in addition to golf and one other mainstream sport. The awards and ODP in the unique sport made kiddo stand out (more than golf or the arts) with a couple of the admissions people because they told us so after the fact (“that’s the student that does XXYZ sport”). Having that unique sport also showed them that this kid has confidence, commitment, maturity, and takes responsibility.
If you have taken a unique path to pursue a passion, then really show it and don’t be shy to share your journey with the admissions committees.
- It helped to have researched the submission criteria for highlight videos and portfolios before the interview and/or campus visit. Also ask @ performing arts auditions (if relevant) when calling for your interview. When the AO asked “Any questions?”, kiddo jumped into questions about the portfolio and video submissions. Let the AO know that you will be submitting extra materials.
Best wishes and Bon Chance :bz
They definitely would prefer both, but from personal experience I would say the factors outside of the numbers matter more. I had a 2307 which was 99%, great grades but I didn’t get into top private schools. Waitlisted at 1 out of 3 that I applied to, the other were outright rejections. My ECs were well rounded but not showing any depth, I was in 2 clubs, played an instrument, and a sport but wasn’t spectacular at anything and didn’t send anything special in. I also didn’t prep for interviews much and I was clueless and inexperienced so I spent like 30 mins writing my essays because I was lazy. They were terrible. I hope you can learn from my mistakes. Good luck!
P.S. It isn’t the end of the world if you do not get in. There are still plenty of opportunities at public schools if you take advantage of them.
Honestly, I think “unique” passions are more interesting to colleges than to boarding schools. If you are a nationally ranked fencer who is also an ice skating champ, the schools might not care unless they happen to have a fencing team and you tell them you want to quit figure skating to join their ice hockey team. It could even backfire because they might assume you haven’t done your research and don’t know they don’t offer either.
Some gross generalizations follow: The larger schools are intrigued by superstars who can help take their athletic teams, theatrical productions, musical ensembles, visual arts programs, and other clubs and competitive teams to the next level. They love specialists with outstanding credentials and achievements under their belt as long as those achievements are related to the activities they offer. The smaller schools need kids who can wear multiple hats: The kid who can star in the musical, captain the soccer team, play the clarinet in the band, AND contribute to the school paper.
I think most kids at BS have multiple areas in which they excel. Nearly all had very high grades, most but not all high SSAT scores and then usually a kid has either: sports, arts or drama ( some ( many) have multiples). Talking to kids after the fact, we learned that most kids had some spike in the sense of something they did rather well. Something which set them apart. For example, some did something very unusual, some did something common but at a very high level. Others did just one thing but were phenomenal. Speaking to more parents and also hearing from kiddo and volunteering for a couple of admissions things I have to say, kids today are amazing.
I would also say don’t overlook personal attributes like good manners and sociability. For one interview, my kiddo couldn’t connect to the interviewer ( got waitlisted). Make sure you/your kid understands that its important to be social and talk about what they like to do. But it’s also important to connect with the interviewer. Having been through the experience, I think the interview matters most if everything else is strong.
@Calimex - I beg to differ on your point…I actually think the BS admissions committees value the unique student and care more about the whole child than college AO’s…It is my understanding that when applying to college you have to pass the “numbers” gate-keepers first (unless a recruited athlete). I am speaking from experience having a kid who was nationally ranked in 2 sports and represented this country in one of them. Although all the schools had one of the sports, none of the schools we applied to and/or were accepted to had the second “XYZ” sport to offer… However, all of the AC’s (except for one school) actually told us after acceptance (or in the letter) that they valued that this applicant could get up at 4:00 AM for 7 years, have the guts to compete in a brutal sport, to commit to something for so many years and perform the additional training necessary to succeed at that level while earning all A’s and taking advanced classes. They also valued the talent in performing and visual arts that came with the it. The other “unique” sport they valued because it was one of the few sports where men and women compete on equal playing fields, so to speak. They expressed that they saw character traits of courage, maturity, cognitive ability (you must calculate for this sport), and discipline.
Agree with @Happytimes2001 that personal attributes count for a lot. As I have said before on similar threads, AO’s want happy kids with positive social skills to come to their school.
And, then, sometimes they just like the average full-pay kid from an underrepresented state who never played a sport, never took the SSAT more than once (because w/he didn’t know he could), never spoke to an AO, and never stepped foot on campus until revisit days. Go figure. 
All schools prefer the kids they want. Don’t waste your time trying to determine a formula or read tea leaves that aren’t there. The OP is asking if A&E have a preference for unique ECs/hobbies or stats. There are interested in both (all schools are). You bring your interests, talents, and stats to the table, and each school will decide how they align with their institutional needs in the year you apply. Our opinions and anecdotes are not really not relevant to your particular situation and may either give you false hope or dash reasonable ones.
My advice is the same for every applicant: Put together the best application you can, the one that best describes your story and how you shine, and let the chips fall where they may. That’s all anyone can do. Worrying about what any particular school is looking for or values suggests you are trying to tailor yourself to a school rather than searching for the school that is looking for you. Don’t limit yourself to two schools or you may miss out on that perfect match.
Agree with all of this but would also note that if you are applying for financial aid, it helps to be a “pointy” kid who is expert at a particular EC or sport or subject that the school offers and needs to support. FA kids are frequently chosen to fill a particular need the school has and these change year to year. There are less FA slots for what our NMH AO called the “sticky” kids - the kid who is well rounded and may not fill any specific need at the school but they really want this student because they see them adding to the community in some less specific way. Sticky kids are the kids you meet and feel instinctively that the teachers would love having them in class and their character adds to the school as a whole. My daughter had a unique sport - she was a nationally ranked rock climber- but this sport did not fill a need at any school so she was wait listed for financial aid but accepted as a full pay student. I think her dedication to her sport was noticed though.
PS great SSATs definitely help and certainly matter but so-so SSATs are not a deal breaker as long as you score well enough to demonstrate that you are capable of doing the work at that particular school.
I’m taking my ssats soon, I have taken them before (middle level) and gotten a 95%tile if that’s an indicator. (of a good score)
But, I feel like I fit all general stereotypes: asian female, piano, rsm/kumon, etc. Is there anything I could do to change that? Like begin to work on some art pieces to submit…
Also, in terms of submitting media; is it ok to just submit work, because I’ve never submitted work to competitions to win prizes or anything, and from what I assume, most people submit artwork that has won awards. But I do think my art is above average.
Oh yeah, I feel like some unique things that are accomplishable for me in my limited time period are:
-art for a webtoon, if I can amass subscribers
-complete some good pieces to submit
-move up a national rank in fencing
And, do they prefer more traditional art??? Because I can do that; but my passion lies more in stylistic/comicky art
I think they prefer to see whatever you are most excited about and comicky art would be a fun addition.
Its because I took tours to both, and looked in their art buildings and I didn’t see any stylistic art i.e anime style
^both Exeter and Andover
@Woahchu don’t worry if the art has not won an award - just submit it - be sure to first check with each school regarding how they want photos of the art submitted. A couple of the schools had specific requirements for the type of art they wanted to see. Are you looking into Choate?
@woahchu: You are competing in a VERY tough cohort…when my older girl was going through the process I was told by more than one AO that the Asian female applicant pool is arguably the deepest and strongest one. To stereotype (and keep in mind that I am an Asian dad): lots of math whizzes who also play the violin/viola/cello/piano to a reasonably high standard. TBH, I think having a high SSAT is not really going to distinguish you in this group. Your art might, though.
As for fencing, I guess I’m as the closest thing the BS board has to having a boarding school/fencing “expert” and I would say that unless the school has a team…and they value results…AND you are an impact player, it’s not really going to have much impact above and beyond being another EC. And even if you could be an impact player they still might not be that interested…I’d argue that my younger daughter could have started on the Lawrenceville squad as a freshman and she got rejected when she applied.
My advice to you is to consider schools beyond Exeter and Andover. Schools where you will be a VERY attractive admit by virtue of your strong scores and ECs. If you want to fence, I’d consider Masters, Dana Hall (all-girls), Culver, and Hun. There are plenty of schools beyond “the big 2” that can offer a great high school experience and prepare you (as well as any school can) for the selective college admissions process (if that is a factor in your decision making).
Best of luck.
My kid needed lots of FA and was well rounded, not pointy. She got into every school she applied to, except for one where she was waitlisted. It was also the only larger school she applied to… The rest were tiny (200-400 kids). She only applied to small schools because she wanted to feel comfortable trying new sports, clubs, and activities without feeling intimated by “pointy” experts … and because she didn’t think the larger schools would appreciate her not being the very tippy top best at any one thing.
It is DEFINITELY harder to get into a school if you need FA. Thacher fundraising documents indicate that although the overall acceptance rate is 12%, it is actually 16% for full pay kids and 9% for those who need FA.
Thanks for all your responses!
@Golfgr8, during the submitting candidate profile, I didn’t submit any piano videos or art pieces. Is it too late to contact them and add it in? Or would it be better not to, as the schools I’m applying to (not just PA and PEA anymore!)