I'm Not That Smart

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>Hi guys! I'm new to the forum so bear with me here :)</p>

<p>I was accepted into Exeter two years ago and am entering my upper (junior) year in the fall. I absolutely love it there. My friends and dorm are amazing and I'm very active in the community. I take part in tons of extracurriculars, including StuCo (Student Council), ESSO (the community service group), and more. I've befriended students, teachers, and members of the staff. Exeter is truly a second home to me.</p>

<p>It seems that I fit seamlessly into Exeter..except for my grades. In middle school, I was a straight A student, always getting 95% and higher on tests, papers and final grades. My SSAT score was fairly low for an Exonian standard - only 87%. And when I got to Exeter, I found that I was very far behind other students academically.</p>

<p>The public school system I was raised in before attending Exeter was absolutely horrible and was my main fuel for applying to ten boarding schools, which meant lots of all-nighters and handling amounts of work that would make a college student cringe all in eighth grade. Little did I know that this would prepare me entirely for Exeter! I work extraordinarily hard on homework, usually spending five hours a night working with only a few breaks to call home, grab a snack, or chat/study with a dormmate. This is typical for a dedicated Exonian.</p>

<p>And yet, with all this work, I still receive C's in math and science. I've always been more interested in arts and humanities; I've never received a grade lower than a B+ in English or an A- in history. But I'm still unsatisfied with my grades in math and science, which have been consistently in the low B-low C range since my first term.</p>

<p>Many Exeter teachers are known for being welcoming and easy to receive good help from...but I seem to always get stuck with the few who are either unhelpful or downright mean to students who have difficulty with their class. These teachers get general complaints from all Exonians. (Potential applicants, don't be disheartened by this - I'm sure teachers like these exist at every school you'll look at!)</p>

<p>I guess my question is: am I alone? I know I shouldn't compare myself to others, but it breaks my heart when I'm the last one still left taking a test or when my end-of-term comment underneath my C- says "she's dedicated, but just didn't understand the concepts." I also know I shouldn't base my academic experience completely on my grades..but colleges don't see the comments teachers leave about my work ethic and determination. I have certainly learned more at Exeter than I had in eight years of public schooling, even if I perform poorly on math and science tests.</p>

<p>Sorry for the novel...I was just thinking about the upcoming school year and was wondering if anyone else had these issues!</p>

2

<p>@doubleohseven,
I’m applying to Exeter next year and I was wondering if you have any tips for an Exeter applicant. Also, with five hours a night of hw, how do you fit in time for EC’s? At Andover I think that they only have four hours a night… lol. But seriously, how do you fit in the time for EC’s and socializing and any tips for an applicant? Thanks.</p>

3

<p>@ifax108,
I know you’ve probably heard this a million times before, but just be yourself! If Exeter is a good fit for you, your interviewer will know. I’m a tour guide and I see tons of kids trying to fit the “perfect” Exeter model, but you can sense that they’re not exactly genuine.</p>

<p>Life at Exeter is extremely hectic. Five hours of homework comes from an hour a night per class, and you’ll take five classes a term. Classes end at 6 PM every day except Wednesday, leaving two hours for extra curriculars/club meetings before preps and lowers (freshmen and sophomores) have to head back to their dorms. Most club meetings happen on weekends and on Wednesday afternoons.</p>

<p>You’ll have to get used to not having much free time. At Exeter you’re always going, going, going, and for some people that’s a lifestyle they need to succeed. Others appreciate a more relaxed atmosphere. For me, I like having a packed schedule because I’m never bored!</p>

<p>Also – two hours of sports or theater (if you’re in the play for that term) are integrated into your daily schedule. You can choose what sport you take, although club sports aren’t an option for preps. Check out the courses online.</p>

<p>Hope this helps!</p>

4

<p>@doubleohseven,
Thanks! And the life at Exeter seems pretty hectic. One thing about Andover is that it seems a bit less stressful. Not saying Andover is a better school or place, I don’t go there. But my impression is that Exeter is probably the most stressful boarding school out there. Would you say that is true? And do you have to fill out evaluations of each person you give a tour to and if so how much does that affect the applicant? Thanks!</p>

5

<p>At my BS it’s pretty common for students to have a weakness in at least one subject. If you are getting C’s in the math/science course that you’re taking, you may want to consider dropping a level (especially if it’s an honors/AP course). While getting a B in an advanced class trumps an A in a regular course, a C in that class will not look impressive and it will kill your GPA + if it is an AP class you probably won’t do that well on the AP exam to get college credit.</p>

<p>If it is a course that is standard for your grade, consider getting extra help. Teachers at boarding school are very accessible (primarily due to the smaller student body) and will be willing to help you with whatever complications that you are having. Also try to do your best on assignments, quizzes, and labs. Last year in my science class I kept getting B-/C+ on the tests but because of my other assignments that grade was raised to a B+.</p>

6

<p>@double7. Don<code>t compair yourself to other students. Just be who you are. Thats what got you into E. C</code>s are not failing so just keep moving forward. Work w/ tutors. I<code>ve had teachers who don</code>t reach out & had others who care that every student understands their subject. It<code>s life. Hang in there, you</code>ll be fine. Good luck.</p>

7

<p>@ifax108, I wouldn’t know if Exeter is the most stressful boarding school out there; I’m an Exonian and know only my experience. In fact, Exeter wouldn’t seem stressful depending on the type of student you are. Keeping yourself busy and having a packed schedule doesn’t create stress for some people, as amazing as that sounds! Tour guides do not fill out evaluations or have any official input on decisions for applicants.</p>

<p>@askjeeves, I was planning on dropping a level this year, but with the way I’ve planned out courses for my upper and senior years, I need to stick with my current level of math so I can stop taking it after the first term of my senior year. I get as much extra help as I can from peers and a math teacher who helps out in my dorm, but sometimes it’s just not enough. I’m trying, I promise! :)</p>

<p>@maddog15, Thanks for the kind words!</p>

8

<p>Hey, whatever works best for you. Just keep in mind that C’s are not going to look good on your high school transcript, especially if it’s going to be a trend that continues on into your senior year, so considering alternative routes wouldn’t be a bad idea</p>

9

<p>Hey, I’m going to be a new Exonian upper. I realize that 11th grade is always a tough year. (I already took 11th grade at public school.) Like you, I feel like my public school education has been pretty good, but not as rigorous as many other students. I will probably struggle a bit in English as I’m not a great reader and I’m have trouble analyzing literature. I’m glad I’m not taking U.S. history this year, but I’m looking forward to developing those researching over the next couple of years. I know I won’t get straight A’s, but it doesn’t matter as long as I try really hard and have fun (hopefully!).</p>

10

<p>Since you’re more interested in humanities than math/science stuff then you should just apply to some liberal arts colleges where the math/science grades will be less significant. If I were you, I would seek to finish up your math/science credits and then fill your schedule with humanities classes. </p>

<p>I think it’s more important to develop your interests than have a good transcript for college. As a new lower last year, I took 1 term of language (fulfilling a language requirement) then dropped it. This will obviously look bad, but I get to take a lot of classes I enjoy (primarily math/science). And when it’s my time to apply for college, I will apply to schools like MIT/caltech where my lack of interest/proficiency in humanities will be overlooked to some degree.</p>

11

<p>@musistat, Welcome to Exeter! Upper year here is notorious for being insanely hard, as I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of already, but since you’re not taking your 331-333 (US History) then you won’t have to deal with most of the difficulty…I’m jealous :slight_smile: Did you get your dorm assignment yet? Did you request/are you particularly hoping for any?</p>

<p>@seikuu, I’m definitely looking at liberal arts college, I love Skidmore, Swarthmore, and Wesleyan though I’ve barely started comprehensively searching for schools and I haven’t done any college counseling yet. I’m planning on spending most of my senior year in English, history, and art classes. Thanks for your input!</p>

12

<p>007, thanks for sharing. I can tell you as a teacher and adviser that it’s entirely normal for kids to struggle in a subject or two. You shoulnd’t assume, however, that because you got Cs in math and science as a prep/lower, you’re somehow destined to always get Cs. It’s not unusual for students to blossom in their upper and senior year. Keep working hard and asking for help, keeping in mind that very few students are “A students” in all subjects. As long as you have clear areas of strength, colleges will be interested in you; they don’t expect perfection either. Good luck on your upper year!</p>

13

<p>@PEAteacher, Thanks for letting me know I’m not the only one in this situation. Exonians tend to focus on/talk about what they’re doing well, so while I’m struggling in certain classes I always hear about how other kids are excelling in them. Hopefully I’ll be able to improve this year, I’m taking bio and of course US history, both of which I think I’ll do better in than classes I took the last two years.</p>

14

<p>i have the same problem. on brazilian university preparatory system, NOBODY is good. the passing mark is 6 of 10, however, almost everybody’s average is 4 or 4.5; i’m afraid that this affects my chances (i’m sure that this will) in being admited at exeter.</p>

15

<p>doubleohseven,
Exeter is on my list of schools for next year. Dont know if I should even try. I am preparing really hard for SSAt but my 7th grade grades last year are mostly B’s B+s, and one A- and one C+. I am pretty well rounded with sports, music and other interests actively involved in. I am hoping I can get 90+ in SSAT but with these grades will they even consider my application</p>

16

<p>@njrjsr, Give it a try! I have no idea if Exeter doesn’t look at applications based on a few grades, but they most likely don’t. I’m a tour guide and know the admission folk pretty well, they all seem to know that kids are more than a few letter grades. I applied to Exeter thinking there was no possible way I’d get in, but I knew that I’d regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t even try.</p>