<p>I'm a great student, and got > 95 on SSAT, I'm involved in plenty of extracurricular activies (play cello, soccer, ski, student leadership), but I'm not a "superstar" at any of them. Got waitlisted at two top tier schools and I don't expect to be pulled off the list for next fall. Oh well, the local public high school is ok, I won't fall behind academically, at least and I can play in their orchestra...
BUT, I still want to go to a great boarding school. I'm thinking of applying for my sophomore year.</p>
<p>So - what are my chances? And what does it take to get the admissions office to notice me and accept me? As I said, my "hook" is that I am a great student, but that doesn't seem to be enough. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>getting good grades is a NOT a hook most kids applying will have As or go to a very rigorous pre-prep/charter school or K-12 private day and recieve B+s/A-s sorry bro you are “hookless” that doesn’t mean that you don’t have a shot it just means that you have to find a way to make you stand out whether that be through your essay or interview or whatever</p>
<p>If you don’t have a hook to get into a top prep school but you have great scores, grades and EC’s, I suggest that you pick a school that you have a good shot of receiving an offer (50/50?) and then hook yourself into that school at every opening that school has. Go to summer school there, attend as many camps there as possible, do extremely well at the summer programs at that school and let the school know that you are committed to that school. Show your commitment by putting your face in and feet all over that school. Make yourself known high and far at the school in as many positive ways as possible. Dare the school to reject you. If you go all in for that school, it just might go all in for you.</p>
<p>at this point, it’s a bit late to pick up a unique EC (like starting the world’s first heavy metal ukulele band, for instance), so i would work really, really, REALLY hard on your essays… </p>
<p>also, don’t apply to ONLY top tier schools, that’s a crapshoot for anyone! apply to some lower-tier schools too, if possible…
oh, and follow toombs’s advice. parents are wise.
BEST OF LUCK !</p>
<p>thanks, but i’d probably end up stabbing myself with that ukulele i’ll just stick with my regular, non-pointy one, thank you oh, and it’s BLUE!</p>
<p>on topic (sorry, OP!): i have no idea how probable getting off the wait-list is, so maybe you should call their admissions office? good luck! perhaps you could send them a note to remind them of your existence, i’m sure that would help… good luck!</p>
<p>I already did that, but after reading on this board about how the two schools haven’t gone to their waitlists in the past few years, I’m being realistic. It’s not going to happen for this Fall. I’m trying to figure out what to do differently next year. </p>
<p>And yes, I’ll be applying to more schools next Fall, but I still want to go to a “tier 1” school. So has anyone gotten into a great school without an obvious hook (or a big trust fund, ha, ha) and how did you do it?</p>
<p>I don’t think my son had a hook–he’s strong all around, but not the state tuba champ or anything. Like you, he got waitlisted at 2 schools but got accepted to two as well. Interestingly, he does excel at one sport–but the school that offers that sport WL’d him and one that doesn’t accepted him.</p>
<p>Hard to say why he got accepted and you didn’t–it’s a combination, I think of fate and luck and a very good interview (again, fate and luck?). I do think though, that what makes one applicant stand out from another might be passion for something–doesn’t have to be something that you excel at exactly, just a passionate interest. If there’s anything you could do for next year, it might be to think about what really, really interests you (whether it’s ping pong or cruelty to cattle or make that part of your essays and interviews. And, as I’ve said elsewhere, cast your net widely–the school doesn’t have to be HADES to be right for you. Look for a school or three that feel like home to you, and let them know why.</p>
<p>Thanks 'mama. kind of makes me think of my exeter interview (didn’t get in and that was ok with me, it wasn’t a good match…) “What do you want to do with your life?” and I was thinking, omg, I’m only 13, I don’t know what I want to do with my life yet! </p>
<p>Anyone think it makes any difference on how early you get your materials in?</p>
<p>No, I don’t think earlier makes a difference–I do agree with Hcos , though, that spending as much time as possible on your essays is probably a good idea-- they can make you stand out from the crowd of overachieving teenagers </p>
<p>A good essay is not a list of accomplishments–it’s an attempt to reveal something about yourself and to give the school a sense of who you really are (backed up, of course, with specific stories/examples to show you’re not just full of hot air!) So an essay about something you failed at might be every bit as effective as an essay about winning the tuba competition (sorry–but that image just keeps popping into my brain and cracking me up!) Thinking early about those essays can also be a great way to prepare for interviews–just gets you thinking in the right direction.</p>
<p>My daughter, at 13, listed her career goals as “chef, veterinarian, decorator, dancer, chimp researcher…”
I would expect no less, and I would be bored by any 13 year old that simply said “doctor” or “lawyer”. Some of the interview questions were great, others stale.</p>
<p>My best advice would be to talk about what you love, not what you think the interviewer wants to hear. In her thank you note, my daughter thanked her interviewerfor her time and also for the fact that if it wasn’t for her encouraging my daughter to visit, my d would never have discovered tastykake (not available in our area). Despite how frivolous it sounds, the comment was fun, friendly and age appropriate.</p>
<p>Definitely apply those two again next year!</p>
<p>I started a thread last year asking people about their re-applying experience, and also I have some observations from students at my son’s school.</p>
<p>What I found is that if you are waitlisted the first time, you would have a good chance the 2nd time (know many examples), but if you are rejected first time, then very little chance 2nd time. It is almost like the schools don’t want to “admit” they made a mistake last year. :)</p>
<p>Your SSAT score is good. Even if you had the best SSAT scores, recommendation letters, grades, EC, hooks etc., it dosen’t mean you will be accepted to all or any BS you apply. Each school targets an ideal class composition they plan to create and they will only accept applicants based on their target needs. Even if a student is very very good, with highest SSAT scores, great EC, sports, interviews, there is no guaranttee you will be accepted to any BS you apply. During interview process, BS also look for maturity level, to determin if you are ready for a BS environment. </p>
<p>Sometimes it is wiser to apply for more then two or three BS (select from a wide range of BS), if you can afford it. Typically 4 out of 5 kids get rejected who apply. Selecting the right BS to apply, is the key.</p>
<p>Typically International students have less changes of getting accepted to great BS even if they have excellent record, since some schools only target about 5-18% of international students. And the compitation is very strong from overseas, since number of applicants has increased during the past few years.</p>
i’ll just stick with my regular, non-pointy one, thank you 
oh, and it’s BLUE!</p>