I just took my SSATs today, and I wouldn’t exactly say I’m extremely confident about it. As I was talking to my dad after my test, many thoughts ran through my head.
What if I don’t get accepted?
Although three of my schools are considered “hidden gems” and their average SSAT percentiles are lower, the people who get accepted still seem to have >90%. I’m quite sure that it would be nearly impossible for me to get a 90%.
I would need financial aid. My father insists against it since it might raise my chances, but I would rather not have my family go through harder times just so I can attend school. It breaks my heart that my father is willing to go such lengths just for me to go to school, yet, I’m not even sure if I can get accepted.
I’m an ORM. I’m Asian American. Would the American part raise or lower my chances? Or does the Asian part just lower my chance period?
My teacher seemed very indignant that I was trying to leave and I’m not sure if the Recs would be great or not.
I play basketball and although it is purely recreational (my school doesn’t have a team anymore), I would say I’m a very versatile player. At interviews, I’ve stressed that I wanted to do Cross Country and Track. I also play the piano, but won’t that be too stereotypical? I also play flute and saxophone, but I consider piano to be my main instrument. I’ve done some community service, but I pale in comparison with some of the other applicants here.
Would those ECs help at all? Or are they just useless?
If you don’t get accepted, you will take a different path, and you will be JUST FINE. Where you go to high school does not determine the course of your life.
Application season can really make you second guess your sense of self but it is a waste of energy trying to compare yourself with other candidates. No one has had the exact same life experience as you (family, culture, morals, values, environment, etc) so you only end up comparing two very different things. Just be confident in yourself and what you can bring to one of the schools you are applying to. Try to remember you are MORE than just a set of ‘numbers’ (test scores, number of ECs, grades, etc)!
Hey, I’m with you. I took my final test today as well. I’m feeling pretty stressed, but try to keep in mind that your ssat scores aren’t the only thing schools will be looking at. Of course your ECs will help you, as will your grades and interviews. Honestly, I got pretty freaked out by the ‘perfect’ applicants I saw on this website, but their existence doesn’t mean that you can’t get in. I really hope that schools will recognize your drive and sincerity, and if not, c’est la vie. I’m rooting for you! And if you need someone to vent to/be excited about with in two weeks, I’m available. Best of luck.
ER physician, Opened own practice, now Coroner went to LSU
ER physician, Opened 3 Urgent care clinics, barely works anymore went to University of New Orleans
Vice President of Owens Corning went to Ohio State
point all of this getting into the top school is great, but it so much more about the applicant than the school for “MOST” degrees I would focus on fit and what you like.
Being an ORM who needs FA definitely won’t work in your favor. But I think you already knew that. Going to a top BS may actually lower your chances of getting into a top college.
However as others point out, getting into boarding school is not the end-game that you should be looking at. Instead try to look for a high school experience that can get you into a great college. If you don’t get in anywhere, its not the end of the world. Use it as an experience to make yourself a better person.
This is a time of second-guessing, angst, vulnerability, etc. Everything will work out the way it is supposed to. If you feel you need to consider a few less competitive schools, do that - it may help your anxiety. But others are right, this won’t be the be all, end all if you aren’t accepted. That being said, I’m a firm believer that we also create our own destiny—so my method of dealing with these situations is to analyze and see what I can do to improve the situation (I’m not good st just sitting and waiting). But it’s most important to remember that you are more than just a SSAT score and you have very special attributes that others don’t have. Focus on your strengths and don’t let a standardized test create self-doubt!
Oh…and if it makes you feel better…ALL applicants will feel this way at one point throughout the process. All of those who act like they don’t are lying to themselves and the rest of us!
@ephimerally - You should be so happy and thankful that you have a dad who is willing to do so much for you. Not everyone does, that’s for sure. Believe me, none of these schools is all it is cracked up to be. Wherever you wind up - and I hope it’s at one of these places with sufficient FA so that your dad doesn’t have to kill himself working! - believe me work as hard as you can and the future will take care of itself. Best of luck!
I’m not sure why people keep saying these schools aren’t all they are cracked up to be…BS was more than what we ever expected for DS! And, kid2 will NOT be staying local for HS, because the education really is not there. BS is sought after for a reason…and although some of the big name schools may not truly be a better option than a hidden gem…BS has definitely been the best option and education for us, hands down!
Because @buuzn03 they are not the idealized nirvanas as shown on the glossy websites or in our collective knowledge on the “right” path to being part of the ruling elite. A motivated driven young person doesnt need to go to boarding school to be successful.
Wow…I must have missed that memo…when we started looking at BS, we were looking for better education and athletic opportunities for our kids than we had available locally…and in the midst, the media exploited them as sexual abuse havens, which we chose to filter and ignore most of the publicity there. I had no idea they were the end all, be all to success…I thought that came mostly from within and BS was just a tool to help maximize that potential. Mind you, this comes from a middle-class parent who attended HS in the poorest school district in Texas and went on to do post-graduate work at an Ivy League college after a state college education…so, in my mind, BS has been all it’s cracked up to be and has been a far better alternative than anything else we could have provided our children where we are.
Can you be successful without going to BS? I think the majority of the population can attest to the fact you can…but is BS a better opportunity for some with few options? Can it help provide a better platform for them? Absolutely
@buuzn03, I completely agree. Boarding school has exceeded any expectations I originally had for my child for high school. He is exposed to opportunities he would not have at home. Do I believe my child would be successful if he didn’t get into any boarding school? Absolutely. But this experience was worth all of the angst that march 10 brought.
Depends on what you are looking for and what your local options are. If someone else is paying (FA), well then I say absolutely BS is “worth it” every time! Some of the schools are amazing, no question.
I agree. I had no local options that could even come close to the opportunities to learn that my child is experiencing. If I had an excellent school district to compare to then maybe BS would not be a big deal. Still, it makes me wonder why do so many parents send their children to BS if they did not think it is an amazing opportunity?
“Still, it makes me wonder why do so many parents send their children to BS if they did not think it is an amazing opportunity?”
Lots of reasons. Some wealthy parents do not want to have their kids subjected to the intense pressure that many of these top suburban public school districts create. Some have legacy connections and for reasons of tradition opt for BS. As I said, parents seeking financial aid have a different calculus, and may still opt for the “easier” BS option than the intense local test-in magnet, or may simply not have good local options. Some think their kid will get a leg up on college admissions for athletics or other special skills that wouldn’t be notable in a larger, public environment. Those are at least some of the reasons I saw personally (or knew of). Obviously, some of the same considerations apply for private day schools.
@queenmother ^exactly my point! @SatchelSF even our LDS (which has an annual tuition of $25k) cannot compare. Also, I don’t think FA is what makes it worth it. If so, it implies that all of these FP parents are basically just throwing their money away. I think they’re a bit more prudent than that. Again, it is up to the individual to become successful. I’m sure there’s plenty of BS alumni that did not make the most of their education and opportunity. And just as many went to public schools that are now America’s success story. As for me, I’d rather have as many tools possible to build my dream.
My state does not have a test in magnet. I can’t imagine that most parents think BS is the easier option. We have magnet programs that we would have chosen if he had no other options. But even those will not offer him the options for academics and extra curricular activities that he currently has. It is not about the financial aid for me. For the amount I am paying, I am sure I could have found an option at home but it would not have afforded him the same opportunities.
“Some wealthy parents do not want to have their kids subjected to the intense pressure that many of these top suburban public school districts create.” That makes no sense to me. That would imply that the BS that are considered very intense like Exeter and Andover are still somehow less intense than public school. I don’t think that is the case. I think the wealthy parents and legacy parents know that the opportunities that their kids will receive at BS cannot be matched by the public school.