Help!!!

<p>how was your stat when you applied to madeira?
For what grade&years did you apply for?
Any advice on admission to there?</p>

<p>okay my admissions process was kinda weird. basically, i decided i wanted to go to boarding school in the fall of 9th grade, but never ended up applying for some reason or another. i just got distracted, i think. so anyway, i was really interested in hotchkiss, exeter, cate, and madeira, primarily. so i decided to wait, apply in the fall of sophomore year to be a junior, and go away for my last two years. but my parents pretty much said that if i was going to boarding school, it would have to be all girls, because that was the only thing they were comfortable with. since madeira was the only girls school i could see myself at, i was like well i dont want to wait and go as a junior, i just want to go now. so i decided this in may or so, and then went off to summer camp. and while i was at camp for a month with no communication except letters, he was doing all kinds of stuff with the mad admissions office- i still dont even know what. turns out, they have TWO spaces in the sophomore class left, and about 8 applicants. so i get home from camp, and hes like "heres the application. finish it in two weeks." so i did the whole application myself in two weeks, including calling my teachers in july and getting them to write recs and having the school send a transcript. the next weekend, we flew to DC for a tour and an interview, and i fell even more in love. i got accepted into one of the two spots about a week and a half after our visit (first-ish week of august) and literally less than a month later, i was moving in. </p>

<p>so it all happened very very fast, and it was unusual. also i was going to be a sophomore, and thats different from applying for a spot in an all-new freshman class. my 9th grade grades were good, all A's with maybe one B, maybe two, i dont remember. i took SSATs in april (before i decided to go, just for kicks and giggles, i think haha, thats me) and did pretty good, although i dont remember my percentages. 99% verbal, 95-96% reading, 84-85% math maybe? something along those lines. im not a math person. </p>

<p>my best advice to you is to get interested in a program. we have excellent horseback riding, swim team (state champs like, 6 years running baby! haha im a swimmer), and great theater and dance programs. but madeira is more apt to take an interest in you if you have a "thing". definitely still present yourself as well-rounded, but if you're a speech and debater, play that up, or if you're a techie, play that up. madeira likes its freshmen to be: academically well rounded, with an extracurricular specialization, but not afraid to try new things at the school (which you will have to do because the activities requirements are obscene).</p>

<p>oh i forgot! we are very, very proud of our co-curriculum program. we all love it because we get to not have school on wednesdays- thats right, only a four day school week <em>every week!</em>(essentially making our weeks into two-day mini weeks with a third, one-day weekend) and because sometimes we get to watch reruns on TBS instead of filing papers, and earn crazy amounts of community service hours while watching said TBS reruns or doing homework, and because we get to meet people like the dalai llama (yes, i have a friend who met the dalai llama, and one who hit john kerry with her purse) and because we graduate with impressive resumes. but the admissions office doesnt know about the TBS thing (and that was just a personal experience, some people do real jobs) and they like prospectives who are super gung ho about cocurric.</p>

<p>THanks!
THe problem is that I do not have any awards concerning sports..
I have some awards from school for painting posters well..(4th grade, 6th grade)
I love to swim but I have not participated in big championship programs.
Any suggestions?
Also, did you recieve FA?
I need it as I have mentioned it before..
I can pay 1000 dollars per month minimum and probably 200,300 dollars more per month.. So about 1200, 1300 dollars for month..
Seeing that this is no match for the expensive 40000 dollars tution per year, I will need financial aid.. Loan is acceptable, but FA is preferred.</p>

<p>P.S. :
YOu seem to have had great SSAT scores.
For me, not only getting such SSAT scores is hard, but I have to take TOEFL, Korean School test and all that.
It's really depressing.
I love to swim(I began to swim in First grade, I swam every summer and winter. I took classes. I swam in Austin, TX cause it's REALLY hot, and I went to a camp where there were a lot of swimming recreation involved. I didn't swim as much here, but I took another swimming lesson at school recently.) but I have not participated in big championship programs- I don't think that I am professionally talented in swimming, it's just that it's something that I love to do. In addition, there are not a lot of chances that you can participate in such programs.
The summer school thing seems almost impossible because of the lack of money- I mean, come on, 2500 dollars for 12 days, plus airplane ticket plus bus ride plus 500 non-refundable deposit? That's like 3500 dollars. No way.
Although I am very interested in MPS summer challange because they hand financial aid and all that. :)</p>

<p>From the Miss Porter's website on need based financial aid:</p>

<p>Financial aid is awarded on the basis of need as determined by the School and Student Service for Financial Aid, in Princeton, New Jersey, and by the MPS Financial Aid Committee. To be considered for need-based scholarships, a family must be paying U.S. income taxes.</p>

<p>Urgh. Thanks Shelley14 for your information.
It was very helpful!
Although I can't go to MPS now.
THis stinks.</p>

<p>..Unless I get a loan! Or other payment method kinda thing.
Is there anyone who goes/went to school on loan/other payment plan(s)?
How is it?
Is it available to international students,too?(those with parents who do not pay taxes)</p>

<p>For FA, does your parents/guardians need to pay taxes?
What about cousins and other related people?
My aunt's family are asian-american so they pay taxes...</p>

<p>yeah, its intimidating to have so many tests you have to take and that you feel pressure to do well on. you'll be fine though, you seem very ambitious!</p>

<p>i did not recieve financial aid for Mad- but i also did not ask for it. sorry i dont know anything about it. </p>

<p>as for extracurriculars: swimming is awesome. madeira looooves swimmers. dont worry about being the best! you are exactly the kind of person we want: you do what you do because you love it. just keep on with that attitude and you will do great. also, i didnt mean to insinuate that its only sports that matter. being an artist, or an actress, or a musician are also very valued and respected interests. you'll find your place. you're only in 7th grade, for goodness sake. im a senior and i dont really know what i want to do! </p>

<p>also, i just reread your OP and saw that you mentioned ESL. madeira has a great ESL program. sometimes, im sitting in english class, and i see this little group of international kids wandering around on the oval looking at flowers and such. and i get really jealous. (really though, that was just one day. and we got an oval day, too. haha, its a strong program. the teacher is amazing.)</p>

<p>onelittlepanda,</p>

<p>Purnell is a school of only about 90 girls, all of whom have learning disabilities or some other issue that has caused them to not find success in their old school. It is a wonderful place that has done a great job with many girls who are struggling or unhappy at school. You don't seem to have those problems, so I'm not sure it would be the right place for you. you could try Grier, which has many students with learning issues, but some who don't have those problems, that might be a better community for you. You would be sure to be accepted, but would still be challenged.</p>

<p>I think that financial aid will be your biggest concern though.</p>

<p>inspiration08: I am not really an artist.. I was when I was young but now everyone's so professional and so good at it that I don't seem talented anymore. I did not get many awards.. Only two, both from elementary school, as I have mentioned. (4th grade, 6th grade.. Oh, I also have two from outside school.. But it's REALLY old.. 2nd grade. :() I'm not really a musician either, I play a bit of piano from which I got some awards, again from 2nd grade, cello, 2nd grade, no awards, singing, second grade, danso, just okay at it, and recorder, not good at it.
For swimming, I got an A easily from school recently. (It was 50meter no stopping free style kinda thing.I finished first out of five!) I also have two qualification metals from school, second grade.
I like acting, I act all the time but not officially cause I have not participated in any school plays/theatre/all that. I did participate in some class plays, unofficial ones, but they were all required stuff from Language Arts.
Overall, I seem to have had better stats in second grade than now.</p>

<p>newyorker22 : thanks for your advice. I checked on Grier school, it was okay(between fine to mediocre)..
THe positive things I saw from this school were :
1. High percentage of international students(cause that means I am more likely to get in.)
2. High percentage of colored students(I am an Asian.)
3. All girls school(Again, I have to confess, I have an all-girls-school kinda thing)
4. 85% acceptance rate (check #1, same reason)
5. 42% financial aid (cause I can pay for my school)
6. SAT range 1250-2100 (I am impressed by the score that are 2000 and above)
7. Small student body (Big student body is okay too, but small is preferred.)</p>

<p>I'm not sure what my parents will say..
They said that I'd be better off in here than going to a school that provides EXCELLENT academics.</p>

<p>Hey, how is Indian Springs?
My uncle lives there because he is attending to a univeristy there.
I am visiting him this summer.</p>

<p>From what I remember, Indian Springs (in Alabama?) doesn't offer aid to internationals. Also, only around 25% are boarders so I think it's going to be pretty depressing over the weekends. Great college placement, though.</p>

<p>Are you taking the SSAT in December 8? I'm starting to get stressed over it because I need at least 90% over all. I have less than a week to study for it! And I thoroughly messed up this quarter (I'll receive my report card on January)... </p>

<p><sorry for="" ranting=""></sorry></p>

<p>Have you checked Stoneleigh-Burnham? I think I head they may give FA to international students (not positive).<br>
All girls in Western Massachusetts. Small. No swimming, but horses, dance, drama and most of the other typical sports. Really good academics from what I have heard.</p>

<p>Stoneleigh-Burnham.. its average SAT score is 1497. Is that good?
Cause the other schools I checked were at least over 1600, I think.
For admission, do you have to take SLEP only or SSAT too? (for INternational student like me)'</p>

<p>Cate_intl, I forgot that fact that many schools do not offer FAs to International students!
THank you for reminding me!
And no, I am not taking SSAT this time.
Where are you applying to?
I'm taking my final exam two days later.
I've got 12 subjects to study on and have no clue on some subjects!</p>

<p>Oh, I just saw what NellyRae posted quite a while ago.
You know how in the SSAT site they provide a sample test with stagecoach things and all that?
Does the test really go like that?
Will the result be similar?
I hope not. I got 85% if I am not mistaken.</p>

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<p>SAT scores aren't everything. PM me if you want more info on SBS.</p>

<p>1497 is amazing if it's on a 1600 scale, but it's probably on a 2400 scale, so a 1497 is slightly below the national average.</p>

<p>arky, I agree with you.
However, I wish to find a school that I can go to and find my academic and other potential there.
Johnathan1, thanks. I don't think I'll apply to Stoneleigh-Burnham unless I'm desperate.</p>

<p>What about the SSAT practice test thing?
Is it similar?
Will my results be similar???</p>

<p>onelittlepanda - Stoneleigh-Burnham is a school you can reach your academic potential at. You might not be interested in it for other reasons, but saying "Unless I'm desperate" makes it sound like it is a sub par school and there are girls on this board who attend, who are very smart, who will be going on to great colleges and you may have offended them. </p>

<p>I have heard of people who get similar scores on the SSAT as practice and then recently my son's friend got considerably lower several times. So I think it is hard to say. Being in the "pressure" setting of the testing location vs. your home of the practice may have something to do with it. Others have said they do better on the real test becasue somehow in the back of their minds they must not take the practice test as serious. So, long way to say, it's hard to say.</p>

<p>Oh, I'm so sorry if I offended any of these people. I wish I could take it back.
Do you need SSATs to go to Stoneleigh-Burnham school? Do they offer FAs to International students????</p>

<p>What do you know about San Marcos Baptist School?
My best friend goes there and she is wondering whether she should go to another prepatory school, probably more competitive one, or just stay there.
:)</p>

<p>Overall, SORRY Stoneleigh-Burnham school people!
(Linda S makes the school sound awesome... I should research more about it.)</p>