<p>Hello everyone,
I guess I just have a few questions. I'll start out by saying I'm a freshman, 14, a female and an A/B student.
1.) Andover-We are kind of high-middle class (please don't take this wrong). We are well off, and I'm sure wouldn't qualify for FA-and I wouldn't dream of taking that away from someone who really needs it-but my parents are the kind of people who wouldn't see why you fix something thats not broken, if that makes sense. They are conservative, and save money, and the tuition would give them a heart attack! (I attend the #1 southern-based school in my state.-Outside of the main city that has crazy smart schools, so they don't see why BS would help too much) They don't really get why I would like to attend a BS, and therefore i have a feeling $40,000 won't go well even though I've mentioned it before. Do you have any tips on approaching them? My dad has urged me to do a semester abroad which would cost the same, and he originally urged it because his friend's daughter is now very high in politics due to her semester. I think it would be smarter, and better for myself and my future to spend that money on a full year at a BS, right? </p>
<p>2.) What are some really good schools? I get the HADES and all of that- my # choice is andover no doubt. Then exeter, and after that I'm just lost on what would work for me.</p>
<p>3.) Grades-I have a 3.6 first semester and currently a 3.6 second semester ( on a 4.0 scale), I have all A's but two B's. Would it be smarter to wait until Junior year and get stellar grades this upcoming sophmore year? Or repeat sophomore year when my junior year should be happening? (this is not preferable to me.)</p>
<p>4.) Any parents- Could you offer advice to mine, or any thoughts you've had about your experiences? I'm the child of the family-and I'd be a fairly long plane ride away from home if i attended a BS. I guess they have the hesitation because I am an adolescent and their child, which i understand 100%. How did you let your kid go? Any reasoning you used? I think I will approach my dad first (look at #1) , while I've mentioned BS I've never indicated just how serious I was about it. How did you either, get convinced, or reason that BS was the right choice for them and your family? Maybe it is just because I'm young, but I think it shows maturity I'm pulling statistics and I'm doing a heck of a lot of research. :) ...prob. not impressive to adults but I'm proud! (haha)</p>
<p>Anything offered is appreciated. I'm also taking honors lit next year because I have a 99 and a 101 in it, and I'm VERY active in Key club. No sports though. I understand I'm kind of a "blah" candidate on paper but I'd really love to attend a BS since they offer so much more than I'm getting here and I'm actually one of those people who love to work hard. :)</p>
<ul>
<li>and another reason I’m sure my parents would be hesitant is because I have epilepsy and while they would never hold me back, I think they’d be too concerned to consider it properly.</li>
</ul>
<p>Financially wise, I couldn’t be in a more similar position. My Gpa doesn’t see any reason to send me away. I never thought of the quote “fix something that is not broken” yet it takes the words right out of my mouth. Thanks for this post!</p>
<p>thank you so much kraordrawoh. (: Your response was unbelievably helpful. Very, very, very much appreciated!</p>
<p>@lexie101816 For sure(: Its an odd feeling to be the in-between financially huh? I’m so gifted, I just hope my parents will see the potential BS will have on my life. I do feel kinda bad asking them to use their life savings on me though. and 4 years? $160,000+ thats a house!</p>
<p>$160k a house ? I don’t know where you live but that’s a cheap bedroom closet in NYC. Good Luck with the admissions process, though !</p>
<p>Fix something that isn’t broken? </p>
<p>I came up with something when my parents said that to me… I replied : But wouldn’t it be better to replace it with something more competent?</p>
<p>Students at all income levels are eligible for aid depending on their family circumstances. You won’t know the total price tag unless you ask.</p>
<p>However, having said that, requests for FA do seem to put students in a more competitive pool versus those who are full pay. Just so you are forewarned. Still - many schools have “calculators”. Use the one on Exeter’s site for a rough estimate of what a family with a specific income might be asked to pay).</p>
<p>[Phillips</a> Exeter Academy |](<a href=“http://www.exeter.edu/admissions/1286.aspx]Phillips”>http://www.exeter.edu/admissions/1286.aspx)</p>
<p>@swissbrit, I know(: Its more of an apartment/small-house where i live too. A little overstatement too now that I think about it, it’d only be 3 years for me at most. and thanks to @exitMITalum i saw i most likely would be paying about half tuition. So prob. around 60-80,000 which would be wayyyy better! Then again, there is always getting in to worry about. 
@Craysian- thank you! I’ve been trying to figure out how to word my thoughts about all of this and that fits it perfectly!
Anyone who sees this or offers advice, I forgot to mention I’m very passionate about film and that’s one reason why I’ve been looking into the HADE BS although choate (spelling?) seems promising. My dream is to get into an Ivy for Creative Writing (screenplays) or attend Columbia film. Just another thought, would it look bad to repeat a year? As in, I’ve missed this year’s due date for app.s and even as advanced as my school is I think it might be best to finish my sophomore year, and poss. do another at BS. Would it be better to apply as a Junior or is it okay to do another year if its at that great of a school? I guess my question is how will it look to colleges?</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!</p>
<p>thats 2010 hopeful, I’ve seen those, just wanted a perspective. will search again.(:</p>
<p>HADES aren’t the only schools with strong film programs. </p>
<p>[Taft</a> Arts - Video](<a href=“http://www.taftschool.org/arts/film.aspx]Taft”>http://www.taftschool.org/arts/film.aspx)</p>
<p>take note of where the students go during the summer to shoot independent films, then take a look at the classroom (“the treehouse”):</p>
<p>[Flickr:</a> overview’s Photostream](<a href=“http://www.■■■■■■■■■■/photos/overview/page66/]Flickr:”>http://www.■■■■■■■■■■/photos/overview/page66/)</p>
<p>Pictures don’t do it justice. It’s full of cubbies and computer/video equipment. My daughter took classes there and she’s rethinking her law career. The teacher is intense (and fun).</p>
<p>You’d be surprised how many non-HADES schools not only have state of the art facilities, but have fewer students to compete with you for the coveted spots. Have to dig a bit to find them - they don’t advertise :)</p>
<p>@ExieMITAlum - oh my goodness. thank you so much…, at the risk of sounding like an utterly immature teenager, that program looks epic. (sorry had to!) 
I’m defiantly looking deeply into that program. I wouldn’t have heard of it if not for your post, thank you!</p>
<p>correction ^^ two post above, i said “thats 2010 hopeful” i meant thanks @2010hopeful. sorry!</p>
<p>Concord Academy has a film program as well. You can see some student work on CA’s YouTube channel: [YouTube</a> - ConcordAcademyma’s Channel](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/concordacademyma#g/c/FFC71DE2EC5FDAF7]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/concordacademyma#g/c/FFC71DE2EC5FDAF7).</p>
<p>I liked “A Hero’s Journey.”</p>
<p>CA offers four courses on filmmaking, a screenwriting course, and more: <a href=“http://www.concordacademy.org/academics/academicscoursecatalogue.pdf[/url]”>http://www.concordacademy.org/academics/academicscoursecatalogue.pdf</a>. Filmmaking is part of the Visual Arts department.</p>
<p>Check out [Milton</a> Academy : Homepage](<a href=“http://www.milton.edu%5DMilton”>http://www.milton.edu).</p>
<p>[Performing</a> Arts: Course Descriptions](<a href=“http://www.milton.edu/academics/Performing-Arts-Courses.cfm]Performing”>http://www.milton.edu/academics/Performing-Arts-Courses.cfm)</p>
<p>Tze Chun, Milton Academy Class of 2002, recently served as screenwriters for an ABC primetime drama and has won several nationwide film nominations (including Sundance).
Check out his work here [Hulu</a> - Children of Invention - Watch the full movie now.](<a href=“http://■■■■■■/if4XIi]Hulu”>http://■■■■■■/if4XIi).
[News:</a> Tze Chun ?98 is the Hong Kong Series Speaker](<a href=“http://www.milton.edu/news/10-03_chen.cfm]News:”>http://www.milton.edu/news/10-03_chen.cfm)
[Spring</a> 2008: Tze Chun](<a href=“http://www.milton.edu/news/Tze-Chun.cfm]Spring”>http://www.milton.edu/news/Tze-Chun.cfm)</p>
<p>Wow. Thank you both! I’m loving this site, thank you so much. (: Will most def. be checking those out!</p>
<p>I realize this is an old thread but my parents said I can most likely apply if I raise my grades up. Thank you everyone who helped out. :)</p>