<p>I am applying to Andover this year, and I am wondering how much they weigh the scores in the admissions process. And what do you think is the most important section they look at?</p>
<p>Average SSAT 94% for Accepted students @PA</p>
<p>Dont worry too much.grades, essays, and recs matter the most. Think of it like this. What represents you,as an aplicant best: ONE test, or years of grades and analysis from your mentors?</p>
<p>This is such a huge worry every year. The SSAT’s are one important data point among several equally, and perhaps more important data points: grades, interviews, essays, extra-curricular activities and a school’s specific need in a specific year for a specific skill set (like soccer goalie or tuba player etc). All of these data points comprise an overall portrait of a candidate and it’s that overall portrait that gets admitted. If any one of the data points is way-off-the-charts horrible, it can have a blackball effect. But, more often than not, strengths balance weaknesses.</p>
<p>Plenty of fantastic Andover kids get admitted every year with SSAT’s scores in the high 70’s and low 80’s and even more get admitted with scores of 99%. The SSAT’s principal advantage is to tell the school that you can do the work. Anything over roughly 80% and there shouldn’t be too much worry. The last thing you want is to be at a boarding school where you’re stone cold miserable every day because you can’t keep up in class and can’t get your homework done in time. </p>
<p>It’s always been my opinion that if a school had to favor either math or verbal/reading outcomes, it would be the latter. Exeter might be the sole exception among the top 20 schools that would value Math equally or more. Exie might be able to comment on that. It’s just conjecture on my part.</p>
<p>^honestly, it isn’t a huge factor as to your acceptance. AOs will tell you that they look at it last. At some schools, it’s not even required (lots of day schools esp.). I know plenty of kids who got below 60% at PA, so trust me, if acceptance were solely based on merrit, many would probably not get in. Remember that AOs accept kids because they think they will BENEFIT from a BS experience.</p>
<p>Wow that is awesome to hear swimdude006, with that in mind could you please look at my other andover chances thread? Just search “andover chances” (:</p>
<p>^Good luck! Admissions is really unpredictable, so it’s hard to figure out what’s going to happen.</p>
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<p>I believe you are reading too much into this statement. Yes, indeed, the AOs’ objective is to accept kids who they anticipate will benefit from the many opportunities available to them in boarding school. That does not mean, however that their goal is to provide remedial care for students who might need it. Harsh as it sounds, Andover is not in the business of taking in stray puppies. If a student has not performed well in the past, as evidenced by grades, teacher recommendations and test scores, much as that student might benefit from being in a boarding school environment, that is probably not the student that a schools such as Andover want to take a chance on. Yes, the school is looking for students who will benefit . . . but it is also looking for students who will survive the academic rigor of this new environment.</p>
<p>None of us can predict, though, what qualities of character a school might see in any individual applicant. The best answer to the OP’s question is the one he’ll get on March 10.</p>