It's time to stop chancing each other and give back to future applicants...

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
61

I agree with #48 about not doing your favorite school as the first interview. We actually did our first interview with a school that we weren’t sure we were applying to (not intentionally – that was just the way it worked out). It was probably SmallFry’s worst interview and we were grateful for the learning experience.

I agree with starting early. We didn’t decide to apply until early December and it was ROUGH. We had initially intended to apply to 12 schools but had to drop a couple because there just wasn’t enough time. Also, touring New England schools in mid-December and January was also not ideal – in some cases our impressions of schools were negatively impacted by the bitter cold. We were shocked at during the revisit days at how different (and more beautiful!) the campuses looked.

62

Thank you all so much for the awesome contributions to this thread!

I’m bumping this again because some of the kids ( waiting for M10 and who I KNOW have a lot to offer… ) seem to be incredibly lazy this year … cough. :wink: What’s up with that? Parents in this admission cycle or past admission cycles are always welcome to contribute, too! Thanks again and good luck to everyone waiting for M10!!

63

Since March 10 is coming up, (and I saw @PhotographerMom 's post above :wink: ) I am putting in my two cents about my whole application process, as well as any advice I have for future applicants.

First off, and I cannot stress this enough, DO NOT PROCRASTINATE
-I honestly stopped working on my applications through most of winter break, and they came back to bite me, big time
—Jan. 15 was a dark day filled with frantically re-editing and submitting applications :(( (trust me, you do NOT want that!)

Secondly, study for the SSAT!!! No matter how much the rest of your application will affect the outcome, the SSAT is still a vital part of the application. (I would highly recommend taking the Oct. SSAT, as the least amount of students will be taking it then, meaning that it’s somewhat easier to get those higher scores)

  • I highly recommend the Ivy Global English 2nd Edition for the reading and vocab sections
    -also, take plenty of practice quizzes and ACTUALLY GO OVER THEM AFTERWARDS!!!

For the interviews, please do NOT prepare too much. I swear, there were so many times in my first interviews where I over-prepared and ended up sounding SO scripted


[QUOTE=""]

literally the only things that I prepared for were:
-my interests
-question to ask about the school
-get to know a little about the school
and most importantly, HAVE FUN WITH THE INTERVIEW!!!, it is one of the only times that you have to talk with someone working at the BS you are applying to, so take full advantage of it!

[/QUOTE]

In the essays, just write what feels true to you. At first, I tried to write about something that I thought would sound good to the AO’s, but it ended up sounding unlike who I wanted to be. The AO’s read thousands of essays every year, so I personally think that it’s an amazing idea to sound unique, natural, and true to yourself.


[QUOTE=""]

for example, in one essay, I wrote about how the Rubik’s Cube helped me make friends when I moved to a new school

[/QUOTE]

In conclusion, my application process was definitely unlike I could’ve ever thought it would be like. It was full of so many times that I felt like I totally mixed well with the AO, as well as panic attacks just before M10 when I felt like I would never be accepted by any schools.

If I were to do it all again, I would definitely apply to more schools (why didn’t I apply to St. Andrews???)I would also have more fun with my interviews, as I was EXTREMELY nervous on my first couple ones ( on a side note, don’t feel like you have to wear the most formal outfit in the world, I would definitely recommend a button-down shirt with a sweater over it :smiley: )

For any future applicants:
Please know that there is no secret solution to getting accepted by Andover, Exeter, or any BS in general. Only the AO’s know of this, so the best anyone can do is to be themselves. Have fun with the whole process, as you will miss it like I do now (even though I thought it was absolutely terrible when I was going through the app process). Also, remember that BS is just another opportunity that one can have, but it does not define who you are. (I read these once on CC by other members, and they stick with me especially when M10 comes up :wink: )

Good luck to all!

64

The best SSAT preparation according to DC is the online stuff you can buy access to when you register for the SSAT, especially for the Reading section. With the books, DC was scoring really high, but the SSAT practice was much harder – and got us worried when we could not explain some of the answers ourselves. In the end it seems to have made the difference. I would say to buy that practice before your first SSAT so that you don’t have to take the test again.

65

This may be kind of different from everyone else, because for me, I wasn’t really applying to go to prep school, I was applying to go Exeter (only school I ever even considered applying to), but as I got in, here’s what I would say:

SSAT: Do it as early as you can. Here’s why: if you’re really unhappy with your results, you can do again (and knowing that takes some pressure off on test day), and it also gets it out of the way so you can focus on the more subjective parts of your application.
I studied a fair bit for the SSAT, but my scores on the actual test were virtually identical to the scores I’d gotten on the practice tests. The most important thing you do by studying (IMO) is get familiar with the test so that you’re more relaxed when you take it. That said, if there’s an area you really struggle in, put some time in on it.

Interview:
Don’t prepare that much. If anything, think of one or two things that show the school who you are and why they want to accept you and try to bring them up at some point in the interview.
Display interest in the school, and show what makes you unique. Try to make your interview just like any other conversation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions: it shows that you care. Do your homework, as it were; learn about the school beforehand, as it shows interest and engagement in the process.

Essays: Everyone says to start your essays early, and I partly agree with that. Definitely look at the prompts as soon as you can, and start thinking about them. However, don’t stress too much about finishing them ASAP. I basically knew which prompts I wanted to write about, and I started writing my essays in September, in various and sundry iterations, all of which were terrible, as I knew. Finally, about three weeks before the deadline, I wrote one of my essays; it was mediocre. One week before the deadline, I revised that essay (which came out decently) and wrote my other one, which (IMO) was quite good. I definitely wouldn’t have done as good a job on the essays if I hadn’t been thinking about them for a while, but I also wouldn’t have done as good a job if I’d just decided to get them over with and finished in September.
Remember, too, that it’s more important to have a memorable essay than an essay-like one. The AOs read thousands of perfectly formula-fitting essays, so make yours stand out a bit; that’s not to say you should go absolutely wild, but don’t worry about thinking outside the box a bit. Pick the prompts that speak to you: the AO isn’t looking for people to answer a particular prompt, that’s why they give you a choice. There is no “right prompt,” and if you pick the ones you like, your essays will be better. Also, the essays have multiple purposes: to show who you are and why you would be a good fit, but also to show the quality of your writing. Pay attention to how you use language in your essays, and try to have at least one parent/guardian or teacher read your essay and give suggestions.

In summary, make sure that your application shows you authentically and highlights what makes you unique that you want the school to see. Good luck everybody! :slight_smile:

66

Keep up a positive attitude!
Don’t be a pessimist! If you try and be cheerful or act cheerful you actually start feeling it and in turn you get wonderful results. For example: You won’t be as stressed, you can remember your vocab better, you’ll write with more vigor etc.
It’s really helped me since stress is such a huge obstacle so being able to combat that will give you a much happier mind and therefore much better results!
Good luck guys! And keep your chins up! :slight_smile:

67

Thanks, guys!!

68

Don’t be afraid to take risks with your essays! I think one of the reasons why I was accepted into Milton was because I went out there and took a risk, letting my personality really shine through through some (perhaps terrible) jokes and anecdotes. It’s one thing to look like the classic good applicant, another to boldly showcase something that makes you stand out, so if you get the chance, go for it!

With interviews, it’s the same. You want to keep in mind these AO’s probably interview numerous applicants, and the thing you want to do most is to stick in their minds. You want to be the applicant that they think of throughout the whole process! Make! Them! Remember! You! (in a good way, of course :smiley: )

The SSAT’s for me weren’t that much of a problem, but I accredit that with having experience with similar tests in the past. SSAT maths, for competition maths kids, is a breeze, and there’s a reason for that! Try out UKMT’s Junior, Intermediate and Senior maths challenges, they’re free to find online and replicate the test almost perfectly! With reading, one of the things I found most helpful was the fact that I could write on the paper! I circled key words, mapped out character relations and tried to grasp ahold of the concept BEFORE looking at the questions. When you read the question, make sure to think of answer before looking at the actual options. You don’t want to fall into a trap! The verbal section was my weakest, though I wouldn’t say I did bad. One thing I regretted the most was skipping questions. You get one mark for a correct question, and lose a quarter if you get it wrong. Statistically, if you can eliminate one of the options (which most of the time you can), it’s in your best interest to guess. If you skip it, you have0% chance of getting it right!

Overall, this has been a VERY stressful application season for me, but was worth it in the end :slight_smile:

69

@altablue Where did you get in/ where are you going?
A matter of personal preference, but the opposite strategy for the reading SSAT also works: read the questions before the passage so you can be on the lookout for answers and know what to pay attention to while reading.
Another general SSAT tip: you’re not looking for an answer that’s right so much as an answer that’s demonstrably not wrong. Most of the time in reading and math, you can find one to four answers that are definitely wrong right away, and this narrows your choices a lot.

70

@Ravenclaw3 Milton :slight_smile:

71

Consider taking the ISEE instead of the SSAT. Similar to the ACT vs. SAT, the ISEE and SSAT are different tests and some kids will do better on one than the other. Most schools (even those that “prefer” the SSAT) will accept either test.

72

Yes, someone once told me that the maths was harder on the ISEE than the SSAT, and the verbal easier. Unfortunately it was too late then for me to take the ISEE, or I would’ve. Choose the one tailored best to your abilites, or in doubt, take both!

73

Can confirm @altablue points about SSAT and ISEE. My 8th grade son just came through the high school application process. He took the SSAT, ISEE and HSPT. His math percentile was a little lower on the ISEE than the SSAT. When you review the ISEE problems, you can see why. Some topics were more advanced.

His Reading score was better on the ISEE than the SSAT. Why? ISEE uses non-fiction informational passages, SSAT uses those plus literary texts. He did better with more literal reading, which is all the ISEE has. This was confirmed via the HSPT. HSPT reports out results on both informational and literary reading comprehension. His performance was better on the informational reading section of the HSPT.

74

Just popping in to thank everyone for their contributions. You’re awesome!! I know many families will appreciate reading about your experiences when they gear up to apply next fall!

If anyone else would like to share before they head off to their new school next fall- please do and thanks again!!

To Parents/Students applying next fall- Here is a really wonderful thread for you to read in addition to this one. It’s a real tribute to former Chance Me Peeps :

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-chances/1602354-here-is-your-chance-p1.html

All the best and good luck!!

75

Could someone pin this thread?

76

I am not a big fan of testing kids (SAT, etc), but had I known about the CDB, I would have asked DC to take the SAT. IT seems to be as close to an academic hook as you can get. And I recently read on CC about an AO saying that their school loves CDB kids.

77

@winter2018 which school is that AO from?

78

@Heading2HS that was Andover. Search for “Graber CDB” in the forums and you will find it.

79

Giving somethings back and sharing the CC good cheer for those commencing the application journey…

Agree with the advice to start drafting your application essays very early. You can start thinking about topics over the summer. There are basic questions and/or prompts from Gateway and SAO - for commentary on essay prompts you can search the CC threads. The point is this: You do not want to be rushed at the end of Fall term and over Holiday vacation writing your essays. You may want to draft some essays and let them sit, return to the essays, and make changes or edits. Plus - you may find time during that Fall term is limited due to sports, academics, and SSAT prep - so use your summer wisely. During this summer vacation, you may have valuable life experiences, challenges, conflicts and beyond-your-comfort zone growing pains that will serve as inspiration for essays.

The other advice - for OP and other students - take this opportunity to search through the CC threads - even go back several years if you can because there is so much good advice.

80

A few months ago, I met a Private local middle school parent whose child will be attending PA. I mentioned I thought my DC had been wait listed because of FA. This parent said they had been told at Private middle school NOT to apply for FA if their child really wanted to go to PA. So they did not apply for FA, and their DC was accepted. Now this school sends 16 or so kids to PA as day students every year, so they must know of what they speak? I do think this advice applies only to DAY students.

Another friend of mine had applied for FA as they did not know if they qualified or not. On the PFS, they said they were willing to contribute the entire cost. Their son got in, but they are footing the entire bill.

Hope this helps someone who is wondering whether or not to apply for FA. Regardless of the result, you will learn a lot from the process.