So was wondering if anyone can help me my son really wants to get into milton academy or Thayer academy for the 6 grade. Looking online it seems as though most information is out there for acceptance for 9th graders. i read somewhere that you need 8’s and 9’s for milton is this true for middle school too? His grades are good he has amazing letter of recommendation letters from his teachers, drum teacher and football coach. He did great in his interviews it seem as though he was in the interview wayyyy longer than his peers which would stay in for about 5-7 mins where for both interviews he had he was in for a min of 20 mins. I can’t seem to find a lot of information out there in regards to the isee and what score these school will accept. I want to know what the lowest grades he needs in order to get into these schools. We just received his score report back today and he was very discouraged and not at all content with his scores. I understand his frustrations because he did way better on the practice exams where he scored much higher. So he was hoping on the real deal it would be just as well to. I am super proud of him and his grades he is such a great little dude and i know he will succeed anywhere he goes. like most parents i just want him to be happy and that being said getting into one of these schools (mainly milton he is just in love with that school) it will make his lifee. Though he is very optimistic and says he will try again every year if he needs to. Back to the isee it seems as though everywhere we have looked no one has much to say about the isee and really keeps talking about the ssat. He did not take that one because his stronger point is math (or so at least we thought) and it is said that the ssat is better for readers and writers. Also there doesn’t seem to be to much information on middle school entry or scores most seem to focus on 9th grade entry point. I know that these exam are just a portion of the admission process but it seems as though it is a LARGE portion. and with finding out that just 13 applicants will be accepted into Milton our nerves are uneasy. Any help would be appreciated thanks!
P,s my son took the pencil exam. I looked everywhere to see how long it would take to receive scores for the isee because i refused to pay the additional 40 bucks. he tested on jan 7th schools received his report that following Wednesday and we received his report a week later from when the schools received them so in total about 11 days after he tested we saw the report.
My kids are also applying to New Jersey day schools for 6th grade and they took ISEE in December. My kids also did much better in the practice tests compared to the real thing. We are still in the process of applying so I can’t tell you if my kids’ scores or your son’s score are good enough for top prep schools. Maybe there is someone who can help both you and I on this matter.
FYI : We are an expat family and we don’t speak English at home.
My impression (and just that based on what I experienced and heard over the years) is that these scores are low for top schools. Doesn’t mean the kids can’t get in but these test scores are unlikely to help.
For the upper school at Milton, the average SSAT percentile is 90. Given that, I imagine it would be tough to get in with anything below a 7 on the ISEE. Agree with Center that Thayer is a more likely option.
My son is younger and applying for 4th grade but I was shocked by his scores. He received a 4 (Math) and 6 (Reading). His scores were much better on the practice test as well. I have older children who always had high stanines and took different admissions tests so I’m not prepared for how this may impact his application. Please continue to share you stories either here or inbox me. I’m trying to figure out how to handle rejection and our back up plan.
@bsalum GK2 took the lower level ISEE as a 5th grader last year. While he aced every practice test, his actual scores were in the 5-7 range (and he didn’t get admitted). We figured it must have something to do with test-taking skills rather than content. His school experience was similar - stellar knowledge before a school test, poor test score next day. We did an ADD test, which showed slow processing speed and problems with timed tasks. We enrolled him in a math team that does lots of local/regional competitions. They practice weekly (with timed tests) and compete once or twice a month. This has helped him tremendously. The kid even won individual awards, which was a huge confidence booster. His narrative has changed too, and he doesn’t see himself as a bad test-taker, which tends to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. I hope you get the admission results you want! If you don’t, try to see it as an opportunity to help your child grow. It’s not a failure, it’s just a temporary disappointment followed by a change of plans, and it may be for the best! There are lots of things you can make out of lemons, in addition to lemonade - lemon pie, lemon bars, lemon cake, lemon jam, lemon drops… Good luck!
"In the last few years, admission to Thayer has become increasingly competitive. Last year, we accepted 200 students from about 600 applications–or about 1 in 3. Our goal is to enroll hardworking students who will take full advantage of all the opportunities offered in the Thayer community, so we look for students who
Earn honor roll grades (As and Bs) in a strong academic program
Post above average scores on the ISEE and SSAT (60% and above on independent norms)
Actively participate in arts, sports, and/or community service
Show evidence of strong character."
I’m sorry for you (and me) too! Moving to Plan B…what’s your Plan B? 'm actually in panic mode but acting like I don’t care because our public school system is supposed to be excellent.
No panic here. We applied only 1 private school and asked for Full Financial Aid. It wasn’t a surprise to hear the rejection. We will send the twins to public Middle School and save some money for high school to be able to afford sending both to private high school without jeopardizing their college fund.
As parents of 5th graders, a few weeks ago we were invited by the Middle School for orientation. It was very informative and we got to see the school in detail. We really liked the school and we hope our kids will be happy there for the next 3 years.