<p>I'm applying for boarding schools for 9th grade (I'm about to finish 7th grade right now). My first choice is St. Paul's School, and I want to do everything I can to get in. Right now, I'm an okay applicant - I get straight A's, dance competitively, write, volunteer with special needs kids, and love to sing. I took a practice SSAT just so see where I am now, and I scored a 72%, which I know is not good enough. I plan to study very hard for the SSAT, and my friend and I are planning on starting a school newspaper or literary magazine in 8th grade. I am also going to be dancing a little less in order to take photography classes, which I can use to create a portfolio to send to the school along with my application. Do you have any tips on anything else I can do to improve my application? By the way, I'm half British and half Ecuadorian - would that count as diversity for the school? Thanks so much - I'll really do (almost) anything!</p>
<p>I’d really suggest you reach out immediately to the head of SPS’s dance program (and others you’re considering), perhaps by sending some video of yourself dancing. The purpose is twofold. First, you want to determine which dance programs are a good fit for you. Second, you will be establishing a dialogue that you’ll continue through the interview/application process. You would certainly want to meet when you visit campus for your interview.</p>
<p>Second, you need to remove any potentially disqualifying factors such as test scores. My advice is not to rely on the practice tests, but sign up and take the June test if possible. Then you’ll have an actual, real-time, benchmark to inform your preparation for the fall. </p>
<p>Last, it wouldn’t hurt to have discussions with the people who will write your recommendations in the fall as soon as possible. You will have the opportunity for a special recommendation, which will likely be your current dance instructor. You will also need recommendations from the teachers of your eighth grade math and English classes.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Where do you live? You sound like a great applicant and have everything the schools are looking for. However having a low SSAT score may automatically knock you off an acceptance list, so make sure you do imporve a lot!</p>
<p>Here’s some advice for you-stick with the dance. I’m not saying you shouldn’t, but if you’re good at it, then show you’re serious-and there is always room for improvement. I think SPS has a wonderful dance program-email the dance director over the summer ASAP! If you have any questions about SPS or other prep schools (apply to more than one!) than head on over to the main Prep School forum-I think there might be a couple SPS students/parents that would love to answer questions!</p>
<p>It’s important to demonstrate through your record that you diligently pursue your interests and don’t just flit from interest to interest. Balancing that diligence with an open-mindedness to new opportunities and pursuits is what you want to accomplish.</p>
<p>Having a low SSAT score will not automatically disqualify you for admission. I recommend you don’t pay much attention to that. While SSATs are important, they are NOT the deciding factor. If a 72 is your best, and judging by your other statistics, I believe you could get higher, then that’s fine. Aim for your best, that’s all you can do! Good luck!! (:</p>
<p>kraordrawoh - I do more commercial/competitive dance, like jazz, hip hop, and modern, so I don’t really think it would help me much to contact the school because they do more classical ballet. I do take ballet and pointe, however I’m not at a level that will help me much to get accepted. Also, won’t it hurt my application to take the SSAT twice? I’ve heard that before.</p>
<p>Alixindigo - I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, which probably won’t help my cause much.</p>
<p>circlemidnight - I am going to be continuing dance, I just won’t be on the competition team anymore. I want to clear my schedule a little bit in order to have time to do sports (field hockey in the fall, swimming in the winter, softball in the spring) as well as to take photography classes and singing lessons to help my voice.</p>
<p>kraordrawoh - That’s what I hope to accomplish by stopping the competition team, as I stated above. I won’t be quitting any of my interests, but I hope to find new ones that will maybe help me more in my ultimate goal to be a journalist, like joining the school newspaper.</p>
<p>cassat - I totally agree with you. However, I do think that I could do a lot better if I studied, which I plan to do a lot.</p>
<p>Thanks for the answers, everyone!</p>