I am an Asian parent of three kids. My kids writing skills are very superior and they became even better writer by going to prep schools. Please forgive my language as I am writing from heart to thank prep school for the opportunities.
Sorry trying to hide my identity as do not want to reveal myself and my kids. Kids only applied to top prep schools. All three kids chose different high school to fit their personality. My kids have done very well in STEM and received many awards and summer internships, but they became more interested in humanities as they evolved in their journey.
Kids 1 got admitted to all HADES with 100% aid. End up in Harvard 100% aid except summer work contribution, earned more than what kid needed while in College. SSAT/SAT above 99% in Junior High. Grades/SAT /SATII, APs everything above 99% or 5 in HS; US level awards in Junior High; many national level awards in High school. Working!
Kid 2 got admitted to a NYC day school with 100% aid. End up in Harvard 100% aid except summer work contribution SSAT/Grades/SAT /SATII, APs everything above 99% or 5. With state level awards in junior high and in many more in High School. Start working !!!
Kid 3 got admitted to only one HADES and was wait listed with rest of the HADES school as rest of the school ask us what was our kid’s top choice. We did not want to lie. Therefore the School that we told is our top choice gave kid a chance. Kid admitted with 90% aid as our income has gone up since first kid got into prep school. SSAT/Grades/SAT everything above 99% with state level awards in junior high. Still in High School
Message: Do not go to prep school for education, one can get a very good education in a decent public school. Education and opportunities are unbelievable. Go to prep school for connections; risk taking, opportunities, learning from mistakes, and most important teachers and administrative folks who put so many hours to teach these students, polish them, guide them and more importantly give them lifelong mentorships.
Harvard opens the doors but prep school widens them far wide open. Maturity comes faster as one has to think while as only 14/15 years old. Most important one learns how to take risks and find out what they want from life. Get lifelong friendships which are very valuable. Summer internships
Thank you prep school admission staff in believing in my kids. Thank you donors whose contribution has made all this possible and their generosity have really made it possible for my kids dream come true possible.
Good luck to everyone for M10. I know few years back, we were in your shoes.
Have a positive attitude and always trust in your kids to make their lifelong decisions. Learning from mistakes make them better person. Ups and downs are part of life but love your kids without any expectations! Education without morals is not worth it. Teach them to be humble and respect others. Good luck to all!
No brag just thank to USA for providing us opportunities that would have not been possible with our little means. I found this site and want to thank many posters here for helping us when we did not know what was a prep school, let alone spend $50000 on HS education each year.
I hope that many ORMs like scupltordad get success as their kid is applying for FA. The point of my post is not to brag as I am trying to hide my identity. Purpose is that many of asian people who can not afford these schools, must apply as you never know.Their are many poor White/Asian/Afro american kids who are very intellegent but just do not know about these schools. I hope they get to know about these schools and get opportunities that my kids got.
The purpose of this post is to show that ORM with full finacial need can get admission too, prep school policy do not discrementae against poor ORMs, it is hard but it is possible.
Well I feel the same way about the school my kids attended. They’d been in other school districts when younger but all were enrolled in a top notch school by 7th grade. My son had to catch up because he’d been in the failing district a long time. But after an initial adjustment it was phenomenal for him too. Kids were collaborative and not competitive. The school was central to the community. Parents and kids were totally into the school and most were “rah rah” (had loads of school spirit). There was little conspicuous consumption or keeping up with the jones. In contrast to the school discussed by the OP, this one was free to all who attended and it was public. There are some out there. They are hard to find but they do exist. And different districts are ideal for different kids-some schools ideal for one may be terrible for another. But even in NYC there are some great public schools. You know their names. But that is true in other areas too.
@asianparentaid Can you elaborate on the connections your kids gained in their prep schools and Harvard and how those connections helped them?
Congrats on the great achievements your kids have made in education! What do the ones who have joined the work force do? Did their prep school experience help in their career? In what ways?
I think that asianparentaid is saying that boarding schools provide so much more than academics. What happens in the classroom is just one part of a potentially invaluable package, the full benefits of which may not be realized for many years. I think he is right to emphasize this, as it would seem that some parents don’t see much beyond grades, test scores, and college admissions.
Thanks for sharing your story. It is very difficult for an ORM to get aid, 100% no less. This is truly a remarkable feat. Congratulations on raising 3 such bright and wonderful children.
As you know, it is very difficult for non-URMs to get aid at these top schools. So it is nice to hear your story.
Lostaccount: Stuyvesant (and similar TJ etc.) are indeed extremely good schools.
DonFefe has succinctly said what I was trying to imply. Thanks
ChoatieMom: I apologize if I came as a arrogant. I was trying to tell people that ORM kids can get 100% financial aid, we know many kids who are in similar situations like us who are ORM and attending prep schools and college on substantial aids
panpacific: I will not try to disclose much. During job/internship interviews, they were asked about their experience in prep schools, less focus was on Harvard. Many folks in these firms assumed that how my kids are very well connected to get these jobs, however my kids during interview told about their financial status.
They both have start contributing very small token money back to prep school as they owe everything to the Prep Schools. Hope they provide similar opportunities by financial contributions to other kids as it has been provided to them.
My kids experience is not alone; there are few more poor ORMs who are attending these schools on substantial aid. Prep school admission people are most fair people I know. They do everything possible to accommodate poor ORMs the best they can.
