Last minute application jitters

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>I feel like I'm turning into a complete obsessive/compulsive about boarding schools and essays, scores and grades and recommendations. While my husband's family has long history with boarding schools, I am new to this. I personally went to a great private girls school. However, after visiting boarding schools with my son, I find there's simply no comparison with my own frame of reference. The facilities at these places are outstanding, and the opportunities for academic, athletic and personal advancement are almost overwhelming. All of which is leading me to a severe case of the jitters about my son's chances. What I read on this site seems so impressive. I'd appreciate your thoughts on the following:</p>

<p>Academic Stats (currently in 8th grade and applying for 9th)
*SSAT: V 800 (99%), M 743 (78%), R 713 (90%) for an overall score of 2256 and 96%.
*Grades: Mostly As and a few Bs; he is taking two languages as well an advanced Geometry class, so he has a pretty tough schedule.
He has been at the same school (very good private) since the 5th grade, and is the recipient of an academic-based scholarship that pays for half of his tuition each year. I think that his recommendations will be good and he writes well (although as an English major in college, I've been hard-pressed not to edit some of his essays).</p>

<p>ECs
*Starting player on School soccer team (available to 7th and 8th graders); this is his second year on the team, although he has played the sport on other teams for almost 8 years (AYSO).
*Very good saxophone player. Plays in school band, and also selected to play at statewide Band Fest. Asked to participate in school's very prestigious Jazz Band. However, he could not participate because of transportation constraints (see below).
* Good Sailor (has taken month-long camp lessons in Maine for several years; can sail up to 15ft boat alone)</p>

<p>These are pretty weak, although I hope he has a decent excuse. We live almost 50 min away from his school, and participate in a car pool with two other families. My two younger sons also attend the school. Because we have to take everyone's schedules into account, after school clubs and sports are very difficult to fit in. We were able to work soccer in with a lot of juggling, but this often subjected my younger kids to more than 3 hours in the car per day. As I mentioned earlier, my son was invited to play in the school's Jazz Band, but he wouldn't have been home until 10pm at night, and since my husband travels a lot for business, my younger sons would have had to come along for the ride. Finally, our current school really doesn't offer much in the way of sports and activities, although it's a great school. Most sports don't begin until the 7th grade, and there are only one or two offerings per season. One of the reasons he looks forward to boarding school is that he can participate more fully in clubs, etc.</p>

<p>My son has taken on some things on his own, ie helping out at a soup kitchen, and training for and completing a 9 mile Thanksgiving Day race in our town. However, these are sporadic. He is also learning how to fence, which he really enjoys.</p>

<p>Schools:
He's applying to Hill, Lawrenceville, Kent, Hotchkiss, Deerfield and St. Paul's. My husband went to Hill, along with his brother; and his father, grandfather, and great-uncle went to St. Paul's. Interviews have all seemed to go really well, esp. at H, L, K and SP. When we went in for the parent's meeting at SP, the person greeted us by saying, "You're son is remarkable!" He has always been very verbally gifted, and is confident and persuasive around adults.</p>

<p>Again, I was feeling good about his chances at most of these until I started reading posts on this website. Any ideas? He will be a full-pay student.</p>

<p>Thanks for your help (and sorry for the novel!)</p>

2

<p>I think the fact that he will not be needing FA puts him in a very good position, as well as the legacy status at SPS. If I read your post correctly, he would be the third generation at SPS? </p>

<p>I’m the last person to tell anyone not to worry (as I am the biggest worrier of all!) but seriously, I think he’ll be fine and should gain admittance to at least one of those schools (and they’re all great). I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t.</p>

3

<p>I think he may have more than one offer on March 10, but will probably end up at SPS this coming fall. :)</p>

4

<p>Sounds like a shoo-in to me!</p>

<p>Remember that while many of these schools do offer incredible facilities and opportunities they are usually peopled by down-to-earth and realistic, as well as intelligent, administrators, who are well aware of their respective schools’ outstanding resources. They know full-well that one student would not be expected to shine or even take part in all that the school offers. Rather, they will expect that student to find his “niche”. But, yes, if only looking at the whole picture, it does seem daunting!</p>

5

<p>He would be a third generation at SPS, but not in a direct line. My father-in-law didn’t like the fact that the school had gone coed when my husband was looking at boarding schools. I really liked St. Paul’s when we went for my son’s interview. The campus is enormous, but people seemed very friendly. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, and thank you for your comments!</p>

6

<p>For what it’s worth, here’s an old-school boarding story that points to how much things have changed. My husband’s grandfather brought a personal valet (!) to St. Paul’s when he attended in the early '20s. He went on to Princeton, because when it was time to make a decision about colleges, he simply signed up for the University in the Dean’s office. Supposedly, there were three sheets available with 20 spaces each…one sheet for Harvard, one for Princeton, and one for Yale. You simply picked one. Wouldn’t that be nice!</p>

7

<p>Your son has excellent stats, so try to chill out because March 10 is a long way off! He will very likely have more than one offer and will be able to pick the best-fit school.</p>

<p>Has his pre-prep sent students to any of your choices? That can really help as the BS will know what they are getting.</p>

<p>He will love residential life and never ever miss the commute.</p>

8

<p>Thanks for the input, MaterS. His current school actually has an upper school with boarders, although they are not a majority of the student population. I understand that a few 8th graders each year depart for a different boarding school, but most continue at the upper school as day students. This, however, would present some of the same problems he currently faces. Boarding one hour from home doesn’t seem as practical or exciting to him. Thanks again for the advice. I’ll try to chill out!</p>

9

<p>From my son’s Adventures in Applicationland last year, I learned, among other things, that being a legacy matters, especially at old line schools. Based upon the record and the family hooks of paobs12’s son, SPS looks like a winner and the Hill is a dead certain lock for the boy. Good luck, paobs12.</p>

10

<p>The people at Hill School are wonderful. Several of my husband’s former professors stopped by during my son’s interview, and all of us were made to feel very welcome. I get the sense that it is a school on the upswing after a few difficult years. Pottstown may hurt it somewhat, but the school’s new facilities are wonderful. Oddly enough, my husband’s second form roommate is now a math professor there, as is another member of his class.</p>

11

<p>paobs,</p>

<p>In rereading this thread I find myself somewhat confused as to why it was even started. What is there to worry about?! You present your son as a sterling candidate, both academically and as the scion of a rather long family tradition of boarding schools. He sounds to be a highly desirable on both counts. Did you just want to hear yourself speak as you were subtely bragging pedigree?</p>

12

<p>Lay off, Leanid. Why think the worst of people? I know the insecurity of people on this board (my own included) can become tedious. Though it may sound like the OP shouldn’t be worried, mothers can indeed be irrational when it comes to their children.</p>

13

<p>Of all of the admissions people my son and I met during our long march through the 10 or so BS’s to which he applied last year, we found the folks at the Hill School to be the best of a sterling lot. Hill’s Dean of Admissions Tom Eccleston is absolutely superb. Although we didn’t meet many teachers during our visit, those we meet were wonderful. </p>

<p>Too bad, however, this fine school is in Pottstown. When there, my son and I thought the school to be like a shining castle stuck in the middle of a benighted medieval village. Not good. A more attractive setting would, I think, make the Hill more attractice to more students. Still, it is a great school. (I just finished reading “Old School” by Tobias Wolff, who was a student at the Hill during the '60’s. This book, although fiction, seems to be about the Hill and Wolff’s days there. If so, he does a great job bring this school and those times alive.)</p>

14

<p>Thank you, neatoburrito… and I will add that fathers can be equally irrational about these same anxiety provoking matters!</p>

15

<p>Who says I “think the worst of people”?! I am merely pointing out a rather obvious attempt to “blow one’s trumpet”. Develop a thicker skin.</p>

16

<p>I sincerely apologize for seeming self-absorbed, or worse, condescending. I’m just a mom worried about sending her 13-year-old off into a environment that I have little or no experience with. When I was growing up, I thought that boarding school was for “problem” kids, or for kids whose parents couldn’t be bothered to raise them. My husband obviously has a different perspective, and it has taken a while to come to terms with the fact that boarding school just might be a very positive thing for my son. Like any mom, I want the best for my son, and my posts are nothing more than attempt to garner advice from people who seem to know a lot more about this process than I do.</p>

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<p>paobs12… not to worry. I suspect that all but Leanid understood (and empathized with) you perfectly.</p>

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<p>paobs,</p>

<p>I can understand you parental concern, it only seems misplaced when surrounded, as you are, by a family of a long-time boarding school tradition. </p>

<p>That none of their comfort with and reassurance of the boarding life has quelled your fears is rather puzzling – or are you implying by omission that THEY are an odd lot altogether and so would be the last ones to look to?</p>

<p>If my critical remarks were misplaced I apologize.</p>

19

<p>Why is OP’s intention this important? If the OP in some ways make others uncomfortable, they’d stop posting replies at some point, and then this thread would die. Wouldn’t it wise to save the energy in second-guess and let things take their natural course?</p>

20

<p>My husband has told me many times that I am overthinking the whole process, and that is sadly, part of my nature. As for the odd lot…better not to comment on that one! Best wishes.</p>