<p>Hi. Josh22x here. I'm going to be an 8th grader when i return to school in August. My parents and I are looking at boarding schools for me to attend in 2014. I only keep hearing about the top few schools. Would you guys be so kind as to point me in a few directions of lesser known schools that are still good academically? I think i'm smart. I'm in an advanced math class, And i'm gonna test out of algebra. I got all A's in my seventh grade year. I'm a good academic student but as far as athletics goes, I'm bad. I don't play any sports. I've been playing piano for a year now. Also I'm a dancer. Everyone tells me I'm really good. Also if this helps I'm an african american male :D</p>
<p>Check out a thread called “Hidden Gems” on this forum and also BoardingSchoolReview.com.
good luck!</p>
<p>Do you think I can get into a good boarding school without being sportsy</p>
<p>Maybe. I think being an African American might help. Honestly speaking, I know that everybody applying to HADES does very, very good academically any way.</p>
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thanks but I’m not only gonna apply to HADES school. I’m gonna broaden my search</p>
<p>Good plan! (On the broad search). Since you are open minded, I second the boardingschoolreview.com Advanced Search function. Try it out and see if any schools appeal to you. Then come back on here and see if anyone can fill in the blanks on specific schools.</p>
<p>As to the sports thing: most schools require sports, but no proficiency is expected or required. You may even find one you like!</p>
<p>I’m going to start playing tennis this year. Think that would help?
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<p>I second that. Chess was the closest thing to a sport ChoatieKid had ever engaged in before BS. Don’t worry about your current level of experience and don’t let your concern about sports define your search. There will be a place for you and, as @london203 said, you will probably find one you really enjoy.</p>
<p>Sorry about the above. I wasn’t meaning to suggest that you were only applying to HADES schools (though they are definitely not BAD schools) Thanks to posters like ChoatieMom, SevenDad and ExieMITAlum (where is she???) the majority of new member of CC are becoming very well informed. Look at Pomfret. After Hotchkiss (My love at first sight) they one of the warmest admissions office yet. They have a very tight knit community.</p>
<p>And by the way, don’t worry about the sports. I have a friend at Hotchkiss that does no physical activity but dancing. :)</p>
<p>Thank you. I believe all will work out. When I told my parents I wanted to go to bs they looked at me like I was crazy. They said there are so many high schools here in Chicago. I guess they think all boarding schools are like in the middle of no where.</p>
<p>Many of them are in the middle of nowhere, which is actually part of their charm. My raised-in-the-heart-of-a-big-city kid is very much looking forward to spending 4 years at a rural school, for a total change of pace.</p>
<p>Josh, we must be twins. I mean I’m not a guy,but everything else is the same and my parents felt the same way about boarding school until we visited campuses. Honestly check out the Hill school it’s a “hidden gem” and is a great school to consider. I think once your parents see what the schools have to offer they’ll understand why you want to go.</p>
<p>@confusedonhades you got to hotchkiss. Was it hard to get in?</p>
<p>At the boarding school where I teach, dance counts as a sport. As you start investigating schools, look up how dance works (in the curriculum, considered and art or activity only, or part of the afternoon athletic program). For what it’s worth, I see lots of kids here who are not particularly great at any sports, but they are enthusiastic and willing to try, and that’s important to the admissions officers as well. Good luck!</p>
<p>Schools to consider: Peddie, Berkshire, Blair, Episcopal, Loomis Chafee, Concord, Wyoming Seminary, Lake Forest, Asheville, Mercersberg.</p>
<p>@josh The whole process was pretty painless. The interview went really well and I connected with my interviewer so much that when I saw her again during my revisit day she remembered everything we had talked about.(I really hope I have her as a dorm mom). I guess looking back on it now it the process does seem much easier than it did when I started. Just project your personality well in the interviews and essays and try your hardest to do well on the SSAT. It won’t guarantee admission, but you’ll be on a good track.</p>
<p>Kent is not necessarily a hidden gem, but could help widen your search. I had a pretty positive feeling after leaving my interview there. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks can you guys give me schools to look at.</p>
<p>ready? This is gonna be as helpful as rolling a dice while skimming through BSR.</p>
<p>Kent
Mercersburg
Lawrenceville
Peddie
Hotchkiss
Worcester
Exeter
Choate
SAS
SPS
SMS
NMH
Middlesex
Taft
Asheville
Episcopal
Westminster
Wyoming
Loomis</p>
<p>In order of best to worst to bester.</p>
<p>I was looking at Lake forest academy because it’s near chicago… Do you all think that’s a good school?</p>