One-year senior: good idea or bad?

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>I'm a junior in a public high school and am looking into options for senior year. This is a many-faceted problem. I am pretty set on applying to Choate Rosemary Hall and Andover as a one-year senior for a few reasons: I'll have almost exhausted my school's curriculum, I really crave the live-at-school atmosphere that I had at Harvard SSP and missed upon returning to public school, and I'd love to meet motivated new people and have more opportunities to take interesting and challenging classes. (Sounds like a schmooze, right?) </p>

<p>So I have a few questions. One: is this a good or bad idea, college admissions-wise? I know that the beginning of senior year is always messed up with dealing with college apps and such, and I'm afraid that switching schools for senior year would make the process a lot more hassle. Also, I wonder how colleges would view the late switch. Two: do I have a shot at getting in? I know that one-year seniors are pretty rare. And three: is it a good move socially/emotionally/whateverly? What are your experiences with one-year seniors? Do they have a good time?</p>

<p>Here are some of my stats for background:</p>

<p>Asian-American
Twin Cities, Minnesota
(I know for a fact that Andover has no students from MN)
Public High School</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.96, Weighted GPA: 4.02
(both GPAs will rise after this year, at least a 3.97 and 4.24)
Unweighted rank: 22/407, Weighted rank: 17/407</p>

<p>Taken sophomore year:</p>

<p>SAT I: 2100 (M 600, CR 760, W 740 Essay 12)
(am retaking this November, shooting for ~2200)
SAT II: French 720, Literature 730, U.S. History 740
AP: U.S. History 5, English Lang/Comp 5
(took Lang/Comp exam without prior study/class)</p>

<p>Classes, sophomore year on:</p>

<p>SOPHOMORE</p>

<p>French III: A/A
AP U.S. History: A/A
Health: A (required)
Honors British Literature: A
College English: A
Honors English 10: A
Honors Precalculus: A-/A-
Honors Chemistry: A/A</p>

<p>JUNIOR</p>

<p>AP Government & Politics
CIS Composition (a college course for those who have finished AP English)
AP World History
AP Calculus AB
AP Biology
AP Microeconomics & Macroeconomics
French 1004 at the University of Minnesota (exhausted French at school)</p>

<p>Harvard Summer School 2006</p>

<p>Beginning Fiction: A-
Twentieth-Century American Poetry: A-</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULARS & OTHER</p>

<p>-Co-president of the French Club
-Co-president and founder of the HEEK Club, a student group that promotes diversity and community
-Soccer (11 years)
-Piano (12 years), 2nd place MMTA competition, finalist in Northwestern College competition, passed "Superior" level of Northwestern College jury examination, passed level 8 of MacPhail Crescendo Program
-Teach Piano (2 years), have taught seven students, arranged recitals, arranged for students to play at nursing homes
-Work 10hrs/week+ at restaurant
-Senior leadership in Youth Group (member 5 years)
-Volunteered at Feed My Starving Children
-A Honor Roll since Freshman year
-Member of Earth Corps</p>

<p>Other information:</p>

<p>-Began French Freshman year but advanced to the highest level after less than two years
-Will have taken at least 14 AP tests by end of Senior year
-Was the first junior in the state of Minnesota to be allowed into CIS Comp, a strictly senior course; accelerated through French and English
-Have killer recommendations from Harvard professor, English teacher, and APUSH/AP World teacher
-Am compiling a collection of poetry/short prose for publication this year</p>

<p>Thanks! Any feedback would be appreciated, as this is a huge decision for me.</p>

2

<p>I don't think any boarding school accepts students for their senior year. I guess you can apply as a junior if you're willing to repeat the year.
Why even think of it anyway, you'll be in college soon and you'll have what you're looking for soon enough. IMO, it may not matter, I really believe no bs school will admit seniors. I hope someone will either refute or verify this for you.</p>

3

<p>Yes, I know for a fact that Choate, Andover, Exeter, and Lawrenceville are a few schools that offer placement to one-year seniors and postgrad students. Exeter says they welcome 15% of their senior class as newcomers every year, and I have the applications for all of them. All of them know that I am applying for senior year for fall 2007.</p>

4

<p>If the reason you are taking it is for the "other stuff" that comes with a boarding school education, I'd guess I'd say you are doing it for the right reason. </p>

<p>Quite frankly, you probably don't need it from a resume perspective. Not much more that you can't do from where you are at right now. In fact, if you are looking to build your resume, I'd talk to your school district and seeing if they can hook you up with one of the better LACs in your area to do a special studies program for next year (basically attend college for high school with nominal HS oversight). </p>

<p>Now you must realize that since you will be applying during the first semester of your Senior year, that your experience at Andover/Choate won't have much bearing on your college admissions. </p>

<p>Now Andover/Choate don't take too many Junior/Senior/PGs except for scholarship athletes (you didn't say how good of a soccer player you are). However, you may just be the exception to that rule in that you are highly likely to improve their matric statistics. And if you are taking their top classes, there usually is plenty of room, so that won't be an issue. I'm also assuming you are full pay. So there are not a whole lot of reasons not to take you (unless you really flub the interview).</p>

<p>I think in your case, I would definitely talk to an admissions officer directly before getting too far into the application to see what their options are for you. Or better yet, if you have good support at your school (it should be a matter of pride for them) get your guidance counselor to do the initial contact and tell them that they have a student that they just don't know what to do with. A fairly subtle way of getting you noticed. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

5

<p>goaliedad, when did prep schools begin admitting seniors? I understand PG, but senior year? This seems highly doubtful. If this is so, is it possible that some of the schools current students are "washing out"? NO!</p>

<p>People, thanks for the info.......... I really do learn something new on these threads everyday</p>

6

<p>Yes, many schools do take one-year seniors. However, they are usually athletes and since they are seniors, they don't count agaisnt the PG max. At some schools they are international and are just trying to get a start on the college admissions process in the US. There are some new seniors, but very few at most schools since there isn't tremendous benefit to either party.</p>

7

<p>I think sugerkim put it well. That is why I suggested she (or her counselor) contact the school admissions officer right up front. She may offer some benefit to the school (her resume would fit in with the upper quartile of Andover students, I believe). And with her maxing out her English, they may call her a senior but basically allow her to self design a program like a PG, not crowding out any senior from a required class.</p>

8

<p>I think one of your major problems would be recommendations from teachers for your college applications. They'd barely know you and the colleges would realize that.
And, you'd be a novelty at first, but I think it would also be hard to make good friends when most have been together for a few years and they're all getting ready to graduate and move on.
Maybe you could do an independent study your senior year to challenge you more - or perhaps an internship?
Good luck!</p>

9

<p>Thank you so much. Yes, I could do PSEO and take courses at college for free, but what I really want is the experience. I understand the problems of a senior switch, though... socially. Would I be able to include recommendations from my old school?</p>

10

<p>My son was strongly discouraged by an educational consultant from applying as a senior- ESPECIALLY to the larger, more elite schools such as Exeter and Andover. The main reason was that the college counselors don't know you and will, obviously, go to bat more strongly for the kids who have been there for several years and have a track record. If you are competing against 8 kids for a few spots at a certain school, guess who is going to get the better recs and stronger boost? I don't believe there were any first year seniors at my son's school- just PGs and repeat juniors.</p>

11

<p>I hadn't thought of it that way MoWC. Boija would be stuck with older recs, which could be a disadvantage in college admissions.</p>

<p>Boija seems to want to delay the college experience (hey there is no hurry to grow up), because her other options here are college based options.</p>

<p>Perhaps a 2-year Sr + PG would be the way to do this one. Then you could get legit Andover recs. It is dragging things out a bit long, perhaps even exhausting Andover's course offerings, although she could use the time to polish and add onto her math and science achievements. That 600 M SAT score does look a little troubling considering that you took honors pre-calc.</p>

<p>The first step I would take is getting your counseling staff to talk to Andover's admissions staff to see if they can agree this is a good idea. If you've got them on board, then you should be OK to pursue this idea. If they can't agree that this would be a good thing, it is time to move onto other ideas.</p>

<p>Your counseling staff should be supportive in your efforts as you have pretty much run out of their course catalog.</p>

12

<p>Thanks again. I understand that rec thing, it's probably one of my biggest concerns. And I think the problem is not that I want to delay the college experience, but that I want the feel of an elite, live-at-school environment sooner. I could take college courses my senior year here in Minnesota, but living on campus would be a bad idea. </p>

<p>I'm in the process of setting up interviews with both Andover and Choate alumni, and they both offered to answer any questions I had, so I guess that's where I should start. </p>

<p>So do you think that the balance is uneven? Between getting an academic year at a prep school, but receiving more facetious and, well, worse recommendations, or continuing in Minnesota. I suppose that, realistically, it might be unfeasible/not worth it to make a senior switch.</p>

13

<p>boijia, you seem so well positioned where you're currently at, consider staying. The college process should be friutful for you.</p>

14

<p>From a college acceptance standpoint, strangely enough with local college options available to you for this year (make sure you do a good job at a good college), I think you have more upside potential where you are at if you are only looking at a senior year at a prep school.</p>

<p>There is nothing that 1/2 a year at Andover/Choate can do for you positively for admissions (1/2 year because the decision is basically made after your first term. And 1/2 year is generous). </p>

<p>There is a risk that leaving your current environment will leave you with weaker recommendations (if you get them late this year, they will be a bit dated and if you get them next year, well you don't go there any more).</p>

<p>I still recommend that your current school counselors talk with the admissions staffs at these schools to see if this is a wise idea before you start interviewing with alumni. Those alumni (even though they may be local and be aware of your particular situation) will not be the best people to make the judgement as to whether this is a good idea. </p>

<p>I don't mean to be changing hats from yellow(optimistic) to black(looking for pitfalls), but this is a case that can be quickly sorted out with a couple of phone calls.</p>

15

<p>Most schools won't accept a PG student who has been in attendance already, so goaliedad's suggestion wouldn't work. You need to do a junior/senior year since you can't do Sr/PG at the same school. PGs are new students to the school.</p>

16

<p>My D's school does offer PG years to returning students, but usually that is for athletes and other people wishing to improve their academic standing. But many schools don't as MoWC pointed out. Andover does offer a repeat of 11 + 12 for athletes (I know one who did). </p>

<p>Whether they call it 12 + PG or repeat 11 + 12, a 2 year stint at a school would probably be enough to get good letters of rec. </p>

<p>But it doesn't sound like you want a 2 year tour of a prep school from your most recent posts.</p>