<p>tany
I don't think Exeter nor Andover look at FA when they accept. They accept and then give whatever FA that person needs per the FA application. Even if one comes off the waitlist - they can still get full FA. That is one of the great things about them.
I tool would have looked more at places my Dad would let me go (ie out west).</p>
<p>
[quote]
spend more time with my recommendations. Talk with my teachers and let them know how and why I consider about BS.
[/quote]
That's a good point March10. I wonder how many kids actually spent any time talking to their teachers about their reasons for applying to BS and what they hope to get out of it. I know my daughter didn't....</p>
<p>i had two of my interviews AFTER the actual deadlines, and had my application hand-delievered the day of- so i don't think that makes any difference. (i got in) if i had done anything differently, i would have done more research on other schools ahead of time and started the process earlier, instead of cramming everything into, like, one month!</p>
<p>I would NOT have applied through ABC. Mostly because it eliminated my on-campus visits and interviews. I belive that if I got a chance to meet them, and talk to them, I would have made a bigger, better impression on them.</p>
<p>I thought my best essay would get me accepted. I was wrong. </p>
<p>I thought my worst essay would get me rejected. I was wrong. </p>
<p>DO NOT ASSUME YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO GET IN. YOU WILL BE PROVED WRONG.<br>
Honestly, I was confused with my results. Ecstatic but confused. </p>
<p>Start earlier. </p>
<p>Surround yourself with people who you can vent to. Most kids in my school can't even pronounce the school's names. I can't talk to them about my concerns so i come to this site to voice my nerves, concerns, happiness, etc. </p>
<p>Don't be afraid to big. If your stats are good and apply to 6 AESD schools you "should" be accepted to 2 schools. You will have no idea which ones. If your town has a good public school system don't apply safeties (unless you want to). Safeties, if you have a good public school, are a waste of time. </p>
<p>Overall, when you're biting your nails and peeing your pants on March 9th just hope for the best, expect the worst.</p>
<p>I have thought about what I will do differently next time.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Stick to the original plan. We talked about what my son wanted in a school. I went off track for a short period of time because I kept reading about the "best" schools. Once we went back to our original lists, everything fell into place.</p></li>
<li><p>Start early. We didn't start until October. There were several schools that I wish we had visited, but we couldn't take any more time.</p></li>
<li><p>I knew this about the interview process but it is easy to get sucked in by the person who is interviewing you. Especially when they tell you that your child walks on water. You have to remember that they have a job to do: to get you to apply to their school. (This was excellent advice that we received from d'yer maker) </p></li>
</ol>
<p>4.This is not a criticsm of top schools, but a recent thought I had that is important when looking at college matric. when considering schools. I have taught math for several years. My top class comes in, does all their work, gets a's with minimum assistance from me. Then I have a range of other students. I feel the most sense of accomplishment when these "other" students that don't come in as "shiny stars"l work hard with my assistance to be successful. </p>
<p>To me this is similiar to college matriculation. I would expect that at a school that takes all those "top" students that they would continue to succeed and I would be shocked if they didn't have good college admits.</p>
<p>What impresses me is the school that takes the "raw" talent and nurtures those students so that they can also get into the "good" schools. So dig deeper and see where students began, where they ended and how the school helped them get there.</p>
<p>Hope this helps a future applicant. Nothing I've said here is to imply that any school isn't great.</p>
<p>McskittlZ10 - I'm totally agree with you !
We got rejected from safety school and accepted by top schools.
Got HUGE and ZERO FA from different schools all of them claim they are needed blind !</p>
<p>Every steps are important ! Start early and think about every possibilities !</p>
<p>SSAT is only part of admission decision. I only took one SSAT with 99% overall but still rejected from schools (even safety school!)</p>
<p>Put more 'CREATIVE IDEAS' in my essay !</p>
<p>Do something different or focus more at my strongest EC.</p>
<p>arling, need blind only means that the school makes acceptances without considering financial need. Then....your acceptance is shipped over for the financial aid people to look at. They then decide whether or not to fund the accepted applicants. Even the best-endowed school work within a budget.
Also, many so-called "safety" schools don't have lower admission standards than the so-called "tier 1" schools, that is why you should not be surprised to be rejected by them. They may have fewer applicants, but they still have the same high standards and expectations.</p>
<p>keylyme,
Exeter and Andover - both need blind schools - state that if your formula states you need FA, you WILL get it if you get accepted - they do not work within a so-called budget.</p>
<p>I would have applied to Exeter and Andover. I only applied to NMH and Putney (got into both), because I was more focused on getting a progressive education. Despite this, I'm really excited to attend NMH.</p>
<p>I would definitely call Putney progressive, not really NMH, though. But....it is a fine school.
BiggestFoot...I am certain that even Exeter still works within some sort of a budget. Dyer had an excellent post about this. I imagine we will not see Exeter's percentage of students receiving aid increase all that much, although they may fund more full grants because of the 75,000 income cap for fa.</p>
<p>bump!
hope this helps?
:D</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I would have started the research soon, and I wouldn't have mass-applied to schools I know nothing about except for their matriculation list and SAT avg. Last year as I initiated my research on schools too late (around late Nov), I didn't get much time to really "feel" the schools thus I just went ahead applying to 5 Ten Schools and trust me, that was a terrible experience!</p></li>
<li><p>I would have applied to some match/safety schools. The lesson I learned from last year process is that NEVER OVERESTIMATE YOURSELF. Because I'm international and I need a lot of FA, that puts me in a very difficult situation compares to you guys, as I am not a music/athelete star or a genius...</p></li>
<li><p>Not apply to too many schools in the same category for me, like 5 schools for "dreams"... That's the most ridiculous idea I've ever had, because you know, the result turned out usually the same at all the schools in one category.</p></li>
<li><p>I would stick myself to the FA deadlines. Last year I got accepted at one school but couldn't go because I was waitlisted on FA, as they received my FA application in March or sth...</p></li>
<li><p>Spend more time for my essays. I can't stress how important the essays are, and last year I regretted using an idea that doesn't feel "right" for me at all...</p></li>
<li><p>Not retake the SSAT! Because as I took it again, I spent more time revised for it, thus lowered down the number of hours I spent for my application and it did not make a big increase in my result. If the next year I have to take it again, I'll make sure I'll revise the whole thing during the summer and unless my scores are too bad, I won't retake it.</p></li>
<li><p>Maintain my GPA at school...</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I would have made my decision more on my own and ignored the influence of my family....
Maybe looked at a few more school's and applied
but i'm happy so, it's all good.</p>
<p>I would have made my decision more on my own and ignored the influence of my family....
Maybe looked at a few more school's and applied
but i'm happy so, it's all good.
OH and worked harder on essays...that was important.</p>