Accepted: Andover, Cate, Choate, Exeter, Hill, Hotchkiss, Milton, Thacher
Rejected: Loomis
Wait listed: Deerfield, Groton, SPS
Likely Attending: Andover
Stats:
• SSAT/ISEE/TOEFL/PSAT: 97% (2301, 99R 96V 81Q)
• GPA Unweighted/Weighted: My school has never told us except on the first progress report, it was 4.08
• Rank: N/A
• Other stats:
Subjective:
• Interviews:
Andover: 10/10, really connected with my interviewer in so many ways, lasted way longer than expected.
Cate: 10/10, connected with interviewer well, he knew a family friend I had there.
Choate: 11/10, by far the best one, we talked about so many things offered at the school and I actually had lots of similar interests with my interviewer.
Exeter: 9/10, I kind of think I rambled a bit, but we still connected and talked about lots of things at Exeter, she could definitely tell I did my research. I have a cousin who goes there but she didn’t know him so that was kind of awkward.
Hill: 8/10, It was okay, interviewer asked me standard questions and didn’t really seem all that interested until she asked me a more unique question which I think I answered really well and that changed things.
Hotchkiss: 9/10, didn’t connect with interviewer that much, but I had attended a couple webinars before my interview, so I knew some things that I don’t think were on the website which impressed them.
Milton: 10/10, interviewer was so kind and made me feel at ease, she knew my cousin who graduated in 2021 (interviewer was actually the head of her dorm) so that pretty much broke all ice between us. I did a lot of research on things at Milton so I think that impressed her too.
Thacher: 7.5/10, pretty good up until I had a brain fart and forgot the names of my cousins who went there, so yeah…
Loomis: 6/10, answered all the questions easily but I didn’t really connect with interviewer that much, seemed eager to get it over with.
Deerfield: 8/10, my first interview so I was considerably nervous, I think interviewer noticed this so she made an effort to connect with me and break the ice. Standard questions however so nothing too memorable.
Groton: 5/10, by far my worst interview, it was back to back with another school interview (I liked the other school better so I did more research on that one) so I was kind of bombarded. Standard questions and lots of awkward silence.
SPS: 7.5/10, I connected with interviewer pretty well but she got on with my mom even more which was funny. Standard questions, not very memorable.
• Essays: Pretty good overall but my worst ones were probably Deerfield and Groton.
• Math Rec: Blind; 8/10 I’m new to the school I’m at for 8th grade but my teacher likes me, she asked me to compete for the school in number sense so I think she knows me a little.
• English Rec: Blind; 10/10, I really like my English teacher and even though I’m new I relate to him pretty well.
• Personal/Extracurricular Rec: One from violin teacher, 8.5/10. I hadn’t been practicing as much lately due to apps so I’ve was slacking in violin and I think it could’ve affected how good it was. I think he really likes me though.
Second one was from swimming coach, 10/10. We’re really good friends and I’ve known him for a couple years. He also knows a couple of kids at some schools like Choate and Exeter so I think he did a really good job.
• Principal/Counselor Rec: 8/10, we had to remind principal on 1/13 because she still hadn’t submitted it so I think she was just getting it over with. I think she kind of likes me though.
• Sports (if any): Swimming, I think I’m pretty good. I’m like 1.5 seconds off for qualifying for state meets in 2 events but I’m 13 and only 14+ can compete. I also play basketball but I’m not that extraordinary. I’m 5’11 though so I mean…
• Instruments (if any): Violin, got 3rd chair in all region orchestra in 6th grade and usually only 8th graders get in. Didn’t do all region last year due to covid but I also got into all region this year. I also did youth symphony orchestra for a bit so yeah.
Piano, I’m not the best but I submitted a couple videos of me playing more basic pieces from 3 years ago and then more complex ones now to show my growth.
• Other ECs (if any): Geography, I’ve qualified for state competitions since like 4th grade. I also wrote about it in my essays, and I think I sounded pretty passionate. I also did math team in 6th grade and qualified for state in number sense and general math, but it got canceled because of covid.
• Hook: Maybe violin and swimming. I’m also from a not too represented city in a semi-represented state so maybe that helped. I’m also pretty into history and gave a couple of obscure facts which I think impressed them a bit.
Location/Person:
• State or Country: Texas
• Current School Type: Private
• Ethnicity: African American/Nigerian
• Gender: Male
• Grade Applying For: 9
• Age: 13
• Financial Aid/Full Pay: FA
Strengths: My music definitely. I reached out to some of the music directors at a couple schools with additional and they all said they really liked my videos and that I should add them to my profile. Swimming too, I went back and forth with a couple coaches.
Weaknesses: Probably my math score on SSAT. I thought it was way too low but I just didn’t have time to take it again.
Why do you think you were accepted/rejected/waitlisted?
I think I got into a lot of the schools because I’m a good candidate overall but I think my essays really helped for some. I poured my heart out into the ones for Andover, Exeter, and Choate so I think that helped a ton.
I think my WL from Groton was because my essays were meh and my main sport is swimming which they don’t have. Same with SPS. Deerfield I think I got WL mainly because of my essays. Didn’t sound passionate at all.
I think the rejection from Loomis is because of how late we applied, it was very last minute. I think my interview was on 1/14 and I wasn’t too interested anyways. My Cate interview was also kind of late though so who knows.
