<p>I found this on the page for admitted students at Andover.</p>
<p>Phillips</a> Academy - Your Potential Classmates: Some Profiles of the Newly Admitted Class</p>
<p>This is 14 out of 300. I wonder how the other 286 would look like?</p>
<p>Smell…Exeter does it too, in their acceptance letters. There are remarkable kids everywhere. </p>
<p>My d did 100 hours of mentoring at her dance school for 2 years. She didnt think it was a big deal because she comes from a family where giving back is expected and considered part of daily life. During interviews AO’s thought that this was amazing.</p>
<p>Some of the amazing things that young people do are more amazing than you think. You probably have some remarkable things in your life, think about it.</p>
<p>Now that I think of it…it is pretty amazing that I did all the picking up and dropping off—Wow for MOM!!!</p>
<p>Good Luck!!!</p>
<p>The article is from last year and we don’t know who will be in this coming semester. I would say that at least 10% students will be similar to the students in the article and rest of students will be well-rounded students who has good academic background and have passion in other area as well. From Andover, they said that they are looking for a student who’s class rank is about 99th% and SSAT is about 94th%. They may have their own way to quantify all the aspects and caculate scores. Nobody knows and nothing left other than relax and wait. Good luck to everybody.</p>
<p>Mijiking–where do you get that data about Andover???</p>
<p>Class rank of 99th % seems unrealistic. The average SSAT is just that average, that means some lower some higher.</p>
<p>According to the Andover State of Plan 2009, it say that estimated class rank is 99th % and total SSAT score is 94th %. I believe this is not minimum requirement but could be avearge scores. I see a lot of students who don’t have those scores were accepted. Score is just a part of all and don’t worry too much. Good luck everybody.</p>
<p>My son received that same letter last year. Accepted class of 2014. He never dreamed he would have been accepted. He did have good scores and good grades–but so does everyone else. And yes, some of his classmates are already amazing. But most are just really genuinely nice, hardworking kids. It’s my belief that they accept kids who have potential. And they seem most interested in kids where they believe they can “bring out” that potential. Keep the faith!</p>
<p>Intleprepmom-one of the most impressive statements I heard while going though the bs maze was from Jane Fried of Andover. She said, “in the end, we are looking for kind kids”. With the number of kids applying to the top bs’s schools can be selective. </p>
<p>There are tons of “great kids” on paper! The tops schools are looking for communities in which all kids will be challenged, grow and contribute. I loved Andover, but it wasnt top of my d’s list.</p>
<p>Alexz825Mom-Andover wasn’t on the top of my list, nor my son’s. But he loves it. He wouldn’t want to be anywhere else! Just goes to show: have faith in the process and all works out the way it was meant to be.</p>
<p>Aw crap now I feel inadequate! I donated about $40 to a microlending program 2 years ago? blah</p>
<p>I think that is a hook.</p>
<p>Int-yes trust the process. It is surely easier to say when you have gone through the process and its over.</p>
<p>One school, did not select my d. I was a little hurt and so was my d. Now that I look back, the school really did know best, it wasnt what my d needed.</p>
<p>She is surely where she needs to be.</p>
<p>Alex-You are so right. Been through the process twice now. It never gets easier. Only one more to go. Believing in the process is the only way to get through it.</p>
<p>One of the things that is important about these lists is how many students forget to talk about the activities they participate in - choosing instead to focus on academics. We’ve said it before - “what else do you have?”</p>
<p>You’d be surprised how many people forget to mention scouting projects, summer jobs, school projects. Some of the kids on that list “sound” amazing - but really - most are doing typical things that sound huge when put on an isolated list such as this. The deciding factor is they’re doing things proactively that they like (rather than will look good on a resume). Could be a sport, could be they like poetry, could be they volunteer, could be something more mundane (but those won’t make the “pr” list).</p>
<p>Be yourself - just remember to let the school see your WHOLE self. Once the grades and scores are reviewed - what may actually be the deciding factor are all those other non-tangible aspects of your life that help the Adcoms see how you will fit when they’re trying to shape a well-rounded student body. You don’t have to be a superstar - just passionate about something.</p>