Help!!!

<p>PM Arky, she knows more about it than I do.<br>
Don't worry, I just wanted to remind you that sometimes things on message boards come out differently than you want them to. :)</p>

<p>Thanks, Linda S. Much respect here.</p>

<p>How about Saint Margaret's school?
I just visited the website and was fine in my eyes.</p>

<p>I don't know about St. Margarets.
Hey, have you looked at Annie Wright in Tacoma?<br>
Very different from the Stoneleighs and the Miss Porters but all girls for 9-12 (co-ed day for K-8). Different in the sense that they are in a downtown vs a country-like campus, but thier headmaster is new and has a great vision for the school. I'm not sure about FA for international students but it may be worth a look.</p>

<p>Yeah, I've looked it up.
It was excellent, beautiful campus, great students, terrific education.
However, they didn't offer financial aids to international students.
YOu must be a U.S. citizen and returning student.
THe tuition is 34360 or 39915 dollars.
I am 100% sure that my parents are not eligible to pay THAT much amount of money.
Neither am I qualified to get scholarships..
I can barely get into the school.</p>

<p>How's Miss Hall's School?
I've found that it gave 50% of students FAs..</p>

<p>Have you taken a look at Conserve School? Conserve</a> School – a private college preparatory boarding high school in Wisconsin</p>

<p>it is not on the east coast -- and a new boarding school. Different than the traditional schools you have looked at -- but 90% of the kids recieve financial aid, they also offer merit aid and they don't say anything about aid only being available for US students -- so you might check. They have excellent college placement.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>It's wonderful!</p>

<p>For tests, do I have to take both SSATs and TOEFL or SLEP?</p>

<p>~THanks!~</p>

<p>According to the schools I'm applying to, as long as English is your first language you don't have to take the TOEFL or the SLEP. You do, however, have to take the SSAT.</p>

<p>Ahem. Cate_intl, my first language is not English, it's Korean.
Which probably means that I WILL have to take TOEFL or the SLEP.
OK, thanks! (I'm not being sarcastic.)
Uh,,, DOES conserve make us(international students whose first language is not English) take TOEFL or the SLEP in ADDITION to the SSAT?
Or does it make us take TOEFL or the SLEP or the SSAT?
Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>onelittlepanda -- I can't tell from Conserve's website, so you need to call and ask them. You also want to call and ask whether the Financial Aid is also available to internationals -- it doesn't say anything about that on the website, so you want to be sure and check.</p>

<p>I have some other schools to suggest you check out -- they are not the normal, run of the mill east coast boarding schools -- but because of that, they aren't nearly as difficult to get into. they are still all great schools -- and the perfect fit for the right person. I didn't have time this morning to check and see if they all award aid to international students -- so you will need to check that yourself:</p>

<p>Fountain Valley School
Colorado Rocky Mountain School
Midland School
Thacher (this school is very selective -- but I didn't know if you had looked at it yet)
Northfield Mount Hermon
Proctor
Mercersburg
Putney
Asheville</p>

<p>While NMH has a high percentage of Asian students, their website does say that aid to internationals is very limited. I have two sons who attended (one is attending).</p>

<p>I think that I checked Fountain Valley School before.. It's excellent! Great academics, great college placements, great campus, great students, great everything!
Most of all, it doesn't require SSATs! I wonder if they offer aids to international students.. I gotta check..
Collorado Rocky Mountain school : Great! But I like FVS more!
Midland School : Okay.. I'm not quite sure... Excellent school, but still.
Thacher : Oweee!!! Very good school, but TOO SELECTIVE, don't you think?
Northfield Mount Hermon : I checked it before. Quite selective, great students, wonderful campus, I'm not sure if I have a chance.. It's a big reach... :(
Proctor : Oh, wow. Did you see the application form? There are like, so much EC spaces! I am SURE that I can't get into this school! I'm not a girl who is both academically and musically or athletically talented!!!!
Mercersburg : Selective.. Great environment... Fantastic academics... SSAT not required for international students(I think...).. It's all right. Selectivity is the biggest problem here.
Putney : Muah ha hah ha!!! No test required!! SUPERB!!!! But it looks selective.. I mean, I have to be academically and musically or athletically talented!!! See what I said in Proctor.
Asheville : Great. No SSATs!!! But low SAT scores. I think.</p>

<p>What source are you using to get your information? Do you consider these to be low SAT scores? Asheville</a> School If yes, you might want to take another look at the SAT ranges of all the other schools on the list above.
Are you certain that these schools don't require SSATs? I think all the boarding schools want to know about your talents. They want to know how you will contribute to the community life.</p>

<p>Putney requires SSAT's (according to their site).</p>

<p>onelittlepanda -- as far as I know, all the schools I listed require the SSAT or another standardized test, at least for domestic applicants.</p>

<p>You will find that the SAT scores are slightly lower at the schools I listed than the top ten, like St. Pauls's, Andover and Exeter. In addition, the schools on my list also send far fewer kids to ivy league schools -- doesn't mean they don't send any, but maybe just a few.</p>

<p>Thacher would be the exception to both statements.</p>

<p>It seemed to me that you were looking for some less selective schools where you might get financial aid -- and that is why I posted that list of schools.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that a school where only a handful of kids go to the ivies may have a class with a broader mix of student abilities -- one where you could really shine. It all depends on what you are looking for.</p>

<p>Kids from terrible schools here in the US still do very well on the SAT and get into great colleges, including the ivies -- so average test scores and college placement are not the best way to select a school. You will do best at a school that is a good fit for you -- both academically and socially. </p>

<p>I also think you need to directly contact any school you are interested in and get the information regarding financial aid for international students and testing requirements for students whose native language is not English. Best to know that information straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.</p>

<p>All right. Thanks everyone. I seem to have been proud and thinking everything based on the SAT or SSAT scores. But now I realize that scores are not everything.
Putney does not require any test scores for ESL students.
According to their site : Do I have to take TOEFL or SLEP to come to your school?
No, you do not have to take any tests to apply to Putney. We will ask you to write something in your own words and we will ask you to send a cassette of yourself speaking in English. But we do not use this information to decide if you can come to Putney. We use it to decide your level. Other information about you, like your grades at school and your recommendations, helps us decide if you will be accepted at Putney.</p>

<p>For sources, I look at boardingschoolreview.com.
Thanks, Burb Parent. Asheville school students are exceptionally BRIGHT!</p>

<p>Phillips and St.Paul's, choate, and other top 10 schools, I do not even dream about. But others, I remain hopeful (although the truth is very depressing.)</p>

<p>I found my information about whether I must take the SSATs or not as an ESL/international student on the schools' website. For some I was not quite sure, the explanation posted was confusing.</p>

<p>I am interested in Fountain Valley school. Any suggestions??</p>

<p>SAT scores are confusing right now because the test was changed a few years ago. It used to be a score for math and verbal. For each test, 800 was the highest score and 500 was around average for test takers or a combined score of 1600 high and 1000 average. The new test includes math, verbal and writing for a high of 2400 and 1500 average. Some schools are not reporting SAT scores for the writing test yet, which is the case for Asheville. Just be aware of this as you do your research. Are you aware of this scholarship program for internationals? <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/415887-davis-scholarships-pilot-program.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/415887-davis-scholarships-pilot-program.html&lt;/a> . You still have time to do your research. Good luck!</p>

<p>Uh huh... All right. Thank you for such an explanation. I had no idea. Davis Scholarships Pilot Program is awesome! This is so helpful! Perhaps I will apply to this scholarship!</p>

<p>What about Fountain Valley school??!!!!</p>

<p>Okay. I've just finished my test.. And they are awful.
I mean, I need to get the scores in order to elevate my chances of going to the schools.
But no, instead, I return with only a few As and quite a lot of Bs, and even some below.</p>

<p>The only thing left for me to do is..
Ask for help and advices to you.</p>

<p>onelittlepanda, don't be discouraged. You are a hard worker and you seem to have a nice, unassuming personality. You have done a lot of research and you are realistic, looking at a range of schools. If you keep it up, I'm sure you will find a school that is right for you. Good luck!</p>