Good day everyone. Any parents out here that know about FA for day students in these schools? How does it affect admission ?
Also does the parent have to send a note to the schools after the application process is complete?
Thank you
The same way FA affects admissions everywhere – only so much to go around, so fewer spots than full-pay spots.
What kind of note are you talking about? No school requires “notes.” Once an application is complete, it’s complete. Can you elaborate?
Thank you for the reply. I meant a followup reiterating interest or anything like that.
This is our first experience.
Your student can send a thank-you note following his/her interview, but the application demonstrates all the interest necessary. There is a parent section of the application where you will be able to add whatever you feel necessary.
These schools all tend to be competitive for FA day since all are located within the area of many wealthy and highly educated families. There are many who attended colleges in Boston/Cambridge etc and also many who teach there. There are also networks of software, bio-tech and other industries in these areas. There are are also a higher % of people who graduated from college & graduate school than most other areas of the country(by a large margin you can check the % online). They are in knowledge jobs and so push education. So their kids tend to have higher tests scores and more activities than would be the norm elsewhere. Metro West, the North Shore and some areas right outside of Boston have different demographics that work against students who are applying ( a high % of strong stats kids, a high number of strong public and private feeder schools, and a high % of high income folks-not to even mention the legacy kids).
Kids who attend many of the schools you mentioned on FA, also from what I have seen also can fill another bucket ( sports, URM, legacy, etc). IMHO, they can get the high stats kids easily, what they can’t get as easily is the diversity/sports and high stats rolled into one. Many of these schools have feeder programs from local low income communities. While some will go the boarding route, others might go the day route.
That isn’t to say that your child won’t get FA, it’s just to say that there are more applicants than recipients.
PA is need blind. The rest are not.
thank you. recommended for admission but wait listed on FA from all 
Sadly , I am not sure if it is worth the wait. SSAT 99%(perfect score on couple), all round kid (community service, sports , arts and music & writing ) , but parents both work making it a hard case for FA. Is it worth reaching out to AO? They were all well impressed with the interviews & followups ( after the interview before application completion).
Local catholic schools have offered the top prestigious scholarships - not 100%. and public school seems to be good as well ( though not top 10) . confused and concerned - definitely cannot afford the FP or 50% pay with prep schools.
from college standpoint with the goal of med school in mind, is there a better choice to choose between public or catholic or reach out and wait for prep? any advice ?
@GradEdD
If goal is med school, college grades and MCAT scores are important. High school attended is not directly a factor. It also might be important to consider the future expenses of college and medical school - which can be mind boggling.
Med school is a long way away.
Are you and your child satisfied with the academic rigor and experience of the public high school? Forget about whether it is a top 10 school, but will your child will be adequately challenged there?
Prep school or Catholic school is not necessarily “better” for every kid and won’t necessarily get you a “better” outcome, meaning admission to a “better” college or med school. Look at what these schools can offer your child as part of the high school experience and how much those are things your child feels are lacking in the current school environment.
Thanks @mairlodi & @familyrock - how do we figure that out if my child will be adequately challenged ? her current school is great in LA more so than math, Science is OK. but their core language skills and writing is awesome. With public school I do not have an idea - what we heard in parents night is that kids that are willing to offer more will be challenged and given the opportunity. I am planning to go meet the admin office tomorrow. would that help gauge? the current school is catholic and has through 8th grade. they are a small 350 kids environment.
True Med is a long way/ but thats where D’s goal is as of now . Some of the clubs and internships that the prep schools offer is what caught her eye. she loved having the ability to intern in a hospital through the prep school programs, the various opportunities some of the prep schools offer, I am not sure if they will ever get those kind of exposure in public or catholic for that matter. she would well thrive and push herself the better challenged & will assume responsibilities. good leadership skills.
How can I find out if the public school will offer such opportunity. Will the schools really take steps if the student show that kind of caliber? what can I ask the admin office.
being recommended admission but waitlisted on FA - is there any chance for it to work?
Hey! I can’t really speak for any of the other schools but I can for Andover. Because PA is “need-blind” they don’t consider your financial situation in your application so they admit you based on merit not money. I got a scholarship with my admission package saying that the school will cover around half of my tuition which was around exactly what my family needed.
If you do have questions for the specific school regarding your FA package, I recommend that you reach out to the Director of Financial Aid services at each school.
Best of luck 
Save your money for college and med school.
@GradEdD
She will have to seek out her experiences/exposures whether she goes to a public school, catholic school or boarding school.
Everyone has their own journey. Mine included a public high school and ultimately med school. In high school I took the initiative to reach out to local docs and do a few days of shadowing. In college I volunteered at a local hospital. If med school is her dream, she will do the work to get there. She really should use high school as an opportunity to gain a variety of skills and life experiences. There is no magic education path formula. Each school will offer unique life exposures and I don’t believe that fine details in how you learn a chemistry formula (for example) will make you a better or worse physician.
Finances should be a top consideration. For me personally, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to go into debt for a high school education.
High school is very early to be thinking about med school, unless you are planning to apply to one of the combined undergrad/med programs.
Agree with @familyrock that she will likely need to seek out her own exposures in any of those settings. I am not familiar with clubs or internships that prep schools offer related to medicine, but my guess is she could start something herself like that at public school as well, if she is so inclined, or arrange it through local physicians, as familyrock said.
People look at prep schools for many reasons, but I don’t think wanting to go to med school is something that prep school will necessarily help with directly.
I would choose among the choices you have, and choose what works best for you and your family, including financially. If the Catholic schools are also not an option due to finances, choose public school and have her make the best of her experience there.
I don’t see the harm of accepting a spot on the WL either, but wouldn’t count on it.
Save your money for college and forget about med school at this point. Most high school students shouldn’t be that focused on any one career path, let alone a middle schooler. While I ended up doing both medical school and graduate school, I (and most of my friends) still wanted to be a fire fighter as an 8th grader. Too many kids (and adults) get too burned out, too soon, by committing to career and life paths way too soon. And I’ve seen it happen to way too many physicians. If a child’s life is lived fully and broadly and they find their way to medicine mid-way through college…perfect. One of the best and most dedicated physicians I trained and worked with was a Perkins manager who went back to school in his mid 40s, when his last child graduated high school.
Thanks @familyrock . Did the ranking of the public school matter? One senior from the public school said that no kids from this public school ever go to any ivy/ combined med program. Could you PM me please if you dont mind ?
Thank you @mairlodi. appreciate it. she loved the prep schools for what it had to offer and didnt see it as a straight path to her goal. I thought it will definitely help her and challenge her to be the best she can and also open up a world of other opportunities and exposure.
Do public schools offer that kind of opportunity? Our town school isnt one of the top schools in state either.
thank you @Altras Agreed it may be too early to make any such decisions. hence the interest with prep schools as they offer a ton of diverse opportunities.
Sending a pm