How hard is it to be in the top 20% at top boarding schools?

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21

Sorry, I have to disagree with this. While most BS’s do not rank, they will all give some guidance to colleges about where an applicant is relative to the rest of the class, whether it’s an ordinal number or by decile/quintile, etc. So a student attending a school that does not officially rank should think about it, although in this instance, a rising 8th grader should not spend too much time worrying about it.

22

Thank you for disagreeing with me, yet agreeing I am correct.

23

So, my two Choate students (class of 2014 and 2016) both graduated in the top 15% which is Cum Laude Society. If you get into Cum Laude in 11th grade, you made the top 10%. That’s important because fall Senior year is when you apply to colleges, and you get to list Cum Laude which colleges know is top 10% as one of your 5 Honors in the corresponding section of the Common App.

My kids took mostly Honors and AP but I heard that Choate was moving away from Honors classes. They both had at least 4 hours of HW per night, held leadership positions in a few ECs, and both did Varsity sports. One was a 4 year varsity track and the other 3 year varsity Archery.

You will have an opportunity to test your mettle and take rigorous classes. Remember to stop and smell the roses along the way however, and take time to help out a friend. Don’t get in over your head and go talk to the teacher directly if you are struggling in a class. Don’t wait, go early. They are there to help you succeed.

24

My two kids graduated cum laude from HADES school, not an athlete kids, but too many other extracurricular activities, it can be done but not a easy,

25

As a current Choate student, I think I’m qualified to respond to your question…

Boarding school is as hard as you make it. If you do your homework during your free periods, eat healthy, get enough sleep, and leave the right amount of social/free time for you to enjoy, you’ll be fine. As a freshman, the two greatest things that I struggled with are class difficulty and time management.

So here’s my advice:

  1. Don’t waste time. Every minute is valuable. Even relaxation time is valuable towards your health.
  2. Don’t underestimate anything or anybody. Everyone is admitted for a reason. Your days will be challenging.

But most importantly, enjoy the experience. Don’t get caught up in the daily grind and forget to be you!

All the best,
WildBoarAnswers