Okay, Let's See How Well You All Can Predict March 10 results...

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

DS has applied to Andover, Exeter, Choate, Concord Academy and Thacher.

8th Grade at a unique inquiry-based very small private school in SF Bay Area for “gifted” kids.

SSAT: 800V/770Q/698R

All A’s, but no set GPA or rank.

Developing, but not amazing at piano.
Aikido practitioner.
Frisbee (Not really an athlete.)

Very strong interviews.
Recommendations should be quite good.
We think the essays are pretty good too.

We think he made a real connection at Choate. Meet with one AO on visit and then another one twice locally.

Applying as full pay student (Yikes!)

Thoughts?

2

I’m applying to Andover, Choate, Hotchkiss, NMH, Berkshire, Taft, Milton, and Middlesex this year, so I am happy to help! Grades are definitely fine; everyone I know has either all A’s and some B’s, or all A’s. Remember; they ask for grades as far back as 6th. SSAT would be outstanding if you got rid of that reading score. I took the twice because I got a 77% in math, and now my “super scored” score is 2253.

EC’s are definitely not as great as they could be. Community service is a really big deal at this schools, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to talk about or even get involved in that, even this late. Usually, if a student isn’t an athlete, they should have a musical talent and vise versa.

If you don’t mind me asking, what ideas did you talk about in your essays? I chose to focus on topics that I care about and that I think provide a good representation of me; I talked a lot about community service, my love for learning, my passion for diversity…

Who was your Choate interviewer? I’m asking because I’m from Colorado and my interviewer had just come from California when I met with him. He was super great!

The fact that you are full pay definitely makes it a little more competitive, because you are competing with other students asking for full pay. (Obviously there are still some schools with need-blind admissions).

What was your Andover interview like? I’m asking because I had a really strange experience where the guy asked me like one question and sent me on my way.

It also makes it a little more difficult because you are from california, a state with a very large population, where I imagine there are a lot of applicants.

Good luck to your son! I’m an eighth grade boy too and this whole thing has been a heck of a stress-ridden adventure for me. If you or your son have any questions, feel free to PM me.

3

I am from California and I can say that in my experiences there are not very many applicants. It’s surprising because it is such a big state! I am actually from the Bay Area as well and that probably why there was somebody out there recruiting because it is an underrepresented state. In many situations, being full pay can actually help you. For schools that are need blind, it doesn’t affect you, but when you need FA at a school that isn’t need blind, when they accept applicants they have to choose who they believe the most qualified candidates are because their budget will only go so far. Best of luck!

4

FP is a positive for admissions. CA is not an underrepresented state.

5

What, in your opinion, is his hook?

6

@cababe97 I think there may be more California candidates than you think. My child participated in a couple regional interview events, and they were both very full.

7

If he has a hook, it would be the school he currently attends. It is gaining awareness in the greater educational community. One east school that he visited (but is not applying to) was so intrigued, they sent a representative to visit it. I think he was engaging in his interviews and has the 800 Verbal score to back it up. (If I sound like I’m reaching for a hook, you may be right.)

8

@CaliPops The ammount of people applying to boarding schools from California increases every year. However, the amount of prospective families at an event in California compared to one in Boston or New York City is very vast. California is still a majorly under represented state, especially for smaller schools. At larger schools with a bigger student population, there will be more applicants and students from California. At a smaller school, there won’t be as many students from California if that makes sense. One of the schools he says he is applying to (Berkshire) is a school of 400 and there are only 5 kids from my area in California, 3 of them graduating seniors, so the school is making an effort to host events to draw in more prospective families.

9

@Wowthatspricey Just wanted to say that I like your username. LOL