Help for a friend - I need a list of schools

Prep School Admissions
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<p>Thanks so much, everyone, for helping me out during my admissions process! I have a friend from a country in central America who is in a bit of a dilemma.</p>

<p>She goes to a school with English right now, but she's not really learning anything. She took an SAT and scored a 1000. Out of 2400 (she'll do much better on the toefl, I think). She's not stupid and she wants to learn, but she doesn't take her school very seriously now, and even if she did, it wouldn't mean much because it's not really preparing her for college. </p>

<p>She wants to go to a boarding school in the United States to help her get everything organized and to learn the skills she needs to do well in college, like writing essays and stuff like that. She's not interested in financial aid and she's from an underrepresented country, so that should help her get in. She speaks English well and she's smart but doesn't really work. She asked me for a list of schools but I don't really know what to suggest.</p>

<p>Here's where it gets worse: She's in 11th and she's looking for next year. She's willing to look into repeating 11th grade (I think it would be a really good idea for her) and she doesn't want a girl's school. She doesn't want a farm-like school and she can't go to a school in like, Maine, because she'll freeze. She'd rather go to a school in the northeast/mid-atlantic but if there's a really good school for her somewhere else, she'll look into it, as long as it's not like, in Idaho or Arkansas or somewhere like that.</p>

<p>Other than being a paying international student, sadly, she doesn't have any major hooks that I can think of and she has a B/B+ average, I think. She gets mostly B's with the occasional C and A. </p>

<p>I didn't know what to suggest, and for starters, I gave her the following list, but I don't know how good list is, so I'm asking you experts to help me out lol:</p>

<p>Bolles School
Masters School
Millbrook School
Blair Academy
Westtown School
Darlington School</p>

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<p>I think repeating a year is a good idea in her case, so that she can strengthen her English. I am guessing that many schools would not want to take a 12th grader with a 1000 SAT and immediately work on college guidance for her. I think you need to find schools with strong English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. I think both Cheshire and Cushing Academies have a high % international and ESL programs. You should verify this, and continue to search for schools with strong ESL programs. Given her unique needs, and if money is not an issue, it might be worthwhile for her to hire an Educational Consultant.</p>

<p>Although you state that she speaks English well, I am guessing that her SAT score is low because she does not know the nuances of the language.</p>

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<p>Her SAT score is really low because she can speak it, but when it comes to writing English, she falls flat and she's really bad at math. And her vocabulary's pretty good, but it doesn't include the kinds of words the SAT tests you on.</p>

<p>Thanks! I'll definitely get her to check those schools out. Do you think I should suggest schools that don't have ESL programs? Or do you think she has to go to a school with special English?</p>

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<p>I don't know enough about ESL to state that it should be a requirement. Intuitively, it seems that it should be. Perhaps someone who knows more can comment.<br>
You might want to consider a few more schools in the south for her if she wants to avoid a bitter winter. There have been posts about schools in the south.</p>

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<p>Check out the Webb School in Bell Buckle, TN! Seriously! We have a large portion of international students at Webb like students from South Korea, Germany, China, and Spain. Webb's ESL programs are amazing and most of the international students feel at home here. I have many good friends who are international students who needed a little bit of academic help and Webb was certainly there to help. I don't think your friend is in any trouble at all and I think you should consider looking at Webb. It is a great school that I have prided in for six years! <a href="http://www.thewebbschool.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.thewebbschool.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>