<p>well that is definitely a plus for her. Deerfield has one kid from Bahrain and 4 from Saudi, Andover has One Pakistani, and Choate has one kid from Bahrain and she is graduating this year.</p>
<p>To be hones if there was one time it helps to be a minority, this is it!! </p>
<p>Plus the fact that my D is very interested in politics and cutural exchange may help. Actually the interviewer at Choate said, "I have had a lot of kids, but she is the ONLY one that wants to be the President of US AND Prime minister of Pakistan" (yes it can be done just not simultaneously)</p>
<p>Completing the application and interviews to the best of ones ability is the "protocol/process." If that is done, there is nothing more to do, as far as I know (we are at the same point as you and your D). You've done your research well enough, and before applications deadlines, to understand the effects of applying for FA. Maybe I don't understand what your specific question is.</p>
<p>We all want the best for our kids. Best wishes!</p>
<p>Now your last reply contains a specific question. Yes, I would send the grades and achievements as an update since the application has already been sent in. It won't hurt and could help. It demonstrates a strong desire to attend the school.</p>
<p>To increase the scores? No. They stand. But if there are significant achievements and stronger grades since the app was sent, it is certainly appropriate to send that. Schools love to see an upward trend. I do believe that with those schools, they do look at the whole picture in terms of assessing applicants, and pick those that will overall add to their community. Though they do use the SSAT scores which is why they ask for them, they are only one part of the process. The other parts of the app can redeem the SSAT scores is really the answer. But the part of the equation in the air is who else is applying and how much more desireable are their profiles than that of your daughter? No control over that one. An element of luck involved.
Strangely, my friend's daughter was waitlisted at Groton, but accepted at Choate when Groton was her first choice other than the two that rejected her. She knew someone who was accepted at Groton but waitlisted at Choate. The kids actually called to ask if they could swap, which brought a laugh but denial of request from the admission officers of both schools.</p>
<p>LOL that was a good one. Thank you cptofthehouse, for the laugh and a good idea.</p>
<p>Because of your prompt I did remember THE most remote connection any one can think of, but I will call him first thing tomorrow and see if he can make the call for my D.</p>
<p>"if she is consindered an "international" student, she will be judged against the international applicant pool for the percentage of slots the school allocates for international students. So I think it is a more difficult thing to try to guess at her chances given the unknowns about international applicants. "
being international makes it much harder, as someone who goes to hotchkiss from hong kong, last year, hotchkiss took 4 out of around 70 applicants from hong kong... that's around 5 %, all 4 of them had 97+ percentile on SSAT...but the hong kong and korean applicant pool is usually more qualified..so hard to say for saudi, just for reference....</p>
<p>and most of the schools on your lists are not need blind yet, most are working on it though, hotchkiss is looking at being need-blind in the near future, but not yet</p>
<p>Yikes, I never realized that being international would put the kids in a more competitive pool, but now that you have mentioned it, it does make sense.</p>
<p>I agree with you on need blind, that is the reason that we decided NOT to ask for FA</p>
<p>By the way we could not schedule a tour of Hotchkiss, but still drove through, what an awesome music building.</p>
<p>I was very impressed by the Alum that did interview my D, she kept referring to Hotchkiss as "US, WE, OURS" really showed her love for the school.</p>
<p>AliJ wrote: "I am not looking for any special favor or "back door" to admissions." and "I did remember THE most remote connection any one can think of, but I will call him first thing tomorrow and see if he can make the call for my D." Hmm.. well, good luck with that! ; )</p>
<p>Bear in mind that a "remote" acquaintance is not likely to have any postive effect on the decision, and could have a negative one as admissions hates people doing that sort of thing unless it is big heavy that commands attention. A note just saying that they heard that your D is applying the school, and that they think she would be a wonderful addition to the student body is nice, but do not expect that it is a big gun that will make a big difference.</p>
<p>She sounds like a great kid. SSAT scores don't matter as long as she is sold in everything else. Her languages are very impressive, and her essay on having a school blown up sounds extremely poignant. Interviews are an extreme part of the application. I know kids with 40s who got into Choate, so she's good.</p>
<p>You might want to try applying to lower-tiered schools as safeties. Episcopal High School, Mercersburg, Peddie, or Tabor might be good backups.</p>
<p>Wow are you serious 40% getting into Choate? It is definately one of the schools that she would love to go to, as well as Deerfield. I think Andover/Exeter, SPS are very unlikely.</p>
<p>I was just floored by how nice people were at Choate (and Deerfield too). The lady at the reception knew that we had driven like mad to get to Choate , she asked if we had lunch. Insisted on calling the dining hall to see if we could still get in.</p>
<p>Once the staff realized that we had come from Bahrain, they actually remembered that there was ONE other girl from Bahrain. While we took the tour, they found her and she came over to say Hi to my D.</p>
<p>It was just amazing, later they sent my D a picture that some one had taken of her and the other girl from Bahrain.</p>
<p>I think Alumni carries weight, but more so if they donate a lot of money or have donated a building to the school, or if they have a connection to the Admissions office.</p>