Newcomer to this part of the forum

<p>Hi Everyone, </p>

<p>I had no idea there was a prep-school section until today and am interested in learning a few things about the process.</p>

<p>I am currently a college student and am trying to help my brother get to a boarding school that would provide him with an exceptional education at a young age. He is an avid reader, an athlete and quite cultured as well - hence I am hoping he has an opportunity to really maximize his potential.</p>

<p>If someone could please give me a rundown of what these schools are really looking for in 8th graders (Schools such as Exeter, Andover, Deerfield, etc), I think that would be a good starting point here.</p>

<p>How important are grades? SSAT? Sports (and captain-ships)? How much weight is given to the interview? </p>

<p>I guess a "chances" type thing would hurt either.
My brother has done quite well as far as grades, with mostly A's a few B's. He is the captain of the football and basketball team at his school (a regular public middle school) and also runs track. He has not taken the SSAT yet, but his practices are looking good, as he is scoring around a 2250 and just began studying (800 quant, 750 verbal, 700 reading).</p>

<p>His other qualities are difficult to express and I am just looking to see whether the numbers make the cut here. I imagine admissions is a complicated game and goes much deeper than grades and scores.</p>

<p>Any insights and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Take some time to read through the site and older threads/posts. There is a ton of information that directly answers your questions. Very useful.</p>