My kid is considering to apply for 9th grade. For Groton is a small school from 8th grade, I don’t think DD has a somewhat decent chance to get in although DD has almost 95/99/99/97 ISEE percentiles or 8/9/9/9 Stanine.While waiting for Nov SSAT scores by now, DD needs to choose one last school to apply: Groton or Hotchkiss. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Groton or Hotchkiss? Personally, I’d say both, although the 2 schools in my mind could not be any more different. Additionally, unless she is happy with her current school (or whatever school her current school feeds to), she/you needs to cast a wider net - both those schools are extremely selective.
From your other thread:
That is an unacceptable answer from the school, and I cannot imagine why you would not have escalated that up the administrative ladder.
^ Poster’s child is probably in a public school currently, is my guess. And I read the post to mean that Groton or Hotchkiss is the final school to be added to a small list of prospective schools. I second the idea that any list needs to be a lot bigger than just these two very selective schools.
If this is public school, be careful about pushing the counselor too far. My experience (confirmed by many others’ experiences) is that public school teachers and administrators can be vindictive, especially with smart kids. They don’t answer to parents, and increasingly they don’t care about school boards either. Just approach any request of a public school official with tact.
Truly thanks.
DD loves both schools; of course, she really likes all other chosen ones.
The matter is that she is in a private school in which most kids are applying to either private day or boarding. So there is a limit to apply not to mention another rule, “No more than three applications in one boarding.” I understand this is to spread their kids and lower the risks of friendly fires on applications.
We have been doing this through HS Placement Meeting, and now it is time to decide the last one among great schools such as MX, Milton, Groton, Hotchkiss, or Deerfield.
I met an AO of Deerfield at a local school fair. She gave me a good impression to Deerfield.
Groton is greatly considered while DD prefers a big school.
Hotchkiss has lots of benefits: proximity, size, boarder ratio, and others.
Milton would be a great fit because DD is a wannabee author from 3rd grade.
I do not know much of MX but a friend of DD’s summer camp really recommended DD to apply.
If DD were in a public school, we could cast a wide, wise net.
Whatsoever, I respect DD’s school rules.
“I understand this is to spread their kids and lower the risks of friendly fires on applications.”
And now it’s my turn to thank you! I always suspected something like this goes on at elite private elementary/middle schools, and helps me better understand the whole admissions picture of the eastern elite schools (we were based in California, where the private school world is comparatively much smaller).
FWIW, out of that group of schools I’d vote for Milton for a high achieving, high intelligence kid.
If she prefers a big school, then choose Groton OR Middlesex. They’re both small and similar-ish. I’d keep Hotchkiss on the list.
Thanks @GMC2918. Yep, so I do gather all information for better chances.
@SatchelSF Thanks for your reminding on Milton. Pretty much I like Milton for its diversity, the higher performance, and mostly its location benefits compared to others.