<p>i think you've got a pretty good chance. what are your SSAT scores? how did your inmterview go? what area do you live in?</p>
<p>I haven't taken my SSATs, but I took the PSATs, and I think I got around 180-190. I live in a rural area in the South. And I haven't had my interview yet, but I expect it to go well.</p>
<p>wow u got great grades and averages so whys ur PSAT so low...</p>
<p>I got my PSATs! I can't say the exact score on here but it was in the 190s.</p>
<p>This is from Groton's website. Groton has a very high endowment per student and yet it looks, from the percentages, like applying for FA is a slight disadvantage.</p>
<p>"Will applying for financial aid affect my child's chances for admission?
During the regular admission season, decisions regarding admission to the school and eligibility for financial aid are made independently by the Admission and Financial Aid Committees respectively. Since admission is a separate issue, all families who are interested in financial aid are encouraged to apply. For nearly half of our candidate families, applying for financial aid is a normal part of the admission process. We have been tracking our admission activity over the years and can relate that the admit rates for financial aid applicants run at about 20% year to year while admit rates for those not applying for aid have run between 25% and 30% year to year."</p>
<p>In regard to the post above, Groton's figures do not mean that applying for FA puts a particular student at a disadvantage. They do say that students applying for FA are less likely to be admitted, but that does not mean that their request for FA is what kept them out. On average, students applying for FA may be less able to demonstrate that they are qualified for admission, partially because they may not have had the same opportunities as kids with more money. SAT scores are higher among higher income groups, so SSAT scores probably are too. FA applicants are less likely to be legacies, potential big money donors, or have other connections to the school. An article I read about Exeter's new FA policy quoted someone from another school (St. Paul's?) who said that they found that many of the lowest income applicants just weren't qualified. I think it is very honest of Groton to put those numbers out. Nothing in the numbers says that a particular applicant's chances would be lowered by applying for FA.</p>
<p>But it does show that there's a statistically significant disadvantage to being in that pool. Whether there's a causal relationship or not is unclear. But if you're in the FA pool, your shot is diminished...if that factor is taken in isolation. And we don't know what factors may offset that, so there's little choice but to take that factor in isolation and say, you're at a slight disadvantage at Groton if you're in the FA pool.</p>
<p>And while that seems negative, those odds sure beat being at a considerable disadvantage that applies for many other schools...especially if you think you've got qualities that distinguish you from the rest of the FA pool.</p>
<p>I guess this thread turned into a financial aid discussion war.</p>
<p>Inquiring Mind's point reminds me of a point made by the author of "The Price of Admission," (I think), that a premium in college admissions given to certain sports acts to tilt the field towards the well-to-do. Riding, golf, tennis, squash, hockey, skiing, etc. require money and time for proficiency. </p>
<p>When I read the long lists of ECs which posters here claim, I know that some adult has been supporting each child's pursuits. Having a parent out of the workforce, or working part time, may make it easier, but that also represents a financial investment, in the form of the foregone wages.</p>
<p>Also, being able to hire tutors may improve standardized test scores and grades.</p>
<p>actually, exeter is needblind. with an endowment equal to that of Georgetown university, they also provide full financial aid including books (no parent contribution) with any family income under 75k.</p>