<p>You sound like a strong candidate, SSAT aside. Good luck again!</p>
<p>@stargirl3 Thank you so much for your encouragement. I was going to retake the test, but now that I think about it I’m not so sure. There’s really no guarantee that my SSAT score will improve. It’s not like I didn’t try, I studied for 4 months. I’m just a kid that wants to get out of this bad school district. The teachers here could care less if you were confused, and I attend a “5 star” school. This whole application process has really been stressful, due to the fact that my school’s staff is very unreliable. I have to constantly remind them of my requests, and it’s almost like I’m the one that annoys them. How are they encouraging students to reach for academic excellence with their attitude? Often times, I feel like I’m teaching myself. While my peers are talking about the weekend and the teacher is on the computer, I’m the one with my head stuck in the textbook. The most annoying part of it all is that people run to me when a paper is due and actually expect me to help them. I don’t want to be stuck in a society filled with procrastinators. I want to be stuck where I will be academically challenged and befriend people of higher intellect than me.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry. I hope next year, wherever it may be, is better than what you describe.</p>
<p>Your choices are not limited to Exeter or staying in your present public school. Test score aside, you are such a great candidate. Other schools would absolutely kill to have you if you would only shift your love-struck gaze from exeter. I think you would be surprised at what other great schools are out. </p>
<p>Case in point: my younger son is participating in this admissions round. Two schools we hadn’t thought much about initially have now risen to his top 2. And the school he raved constantly about from the start, he nixed completely after visiting.</p>
<p>I am afraid that sending your average CRT scores to Exeter will only seal the outcome.</p>
<p>Do not limit yourself to exeter.</p>
<p>also look at Idyllwild Arts Academy</p>
<p>Aspirexeter- The weight of your SSATs is right up there with your transcript, interviews, etc.</p>
<p>However, I personally do not feel that anything on your application is less important than something else. Everything is very important, and if you do not do well on part of the application, your chances may drop considerably unless you have a strong hook to pull it up.</p>
<p>I’d personally retake the test. Try to take a few practice tests and see what your weaknesses are, and work on those. Take the January test if possible; the December test is coming up pretty quick.</p>
<p>The higher the school’s avg SSAT, the greater the weight the school will put on scores.</p>
<p>Exeter & Andover have the very highest scores of all the schools.</p>
<p>GMTplus7- Thank you! I know about the Art schools, but when I go there…how will I still be unique? Applying to a college like Juilliard I want to be known not only for my talent, but continuous academic excellence. I’m sure Idyllwild would love to have me, but then I’ll just be like everybody else. I’m looking for a co-ed boarding school that has an SYA program and offers Theater. If you don’t mind me asking, what schools is your son applying too?</p>
<p>The January test is much too risky. It’s close to the deadline. My friend that attends Exeter has strongly advised me to take the December SSAT and send the better score. Since she has experience in this area, I’m going to take the SSAT and work on the parts that I missed a good amount of questions.</p>
<p>I can assure u that the Jan test date is perfectly acceptable; my older son took only the Jan test and was accepted to several schools. It is possible for u to raise your SSAT score more than 50 percentile points higher in one month’s time, but it is improbable.</p>
<p>Why are u so enamored of exeter? Have u visited the school? Is it bcs your friend goes there? Have u even looked at the websites of other schools? 99++% of the kids who go to BS in America go to other BSs and do have a fullfilling and transformational school experience.</p>
<p>If your goal is to go to Julliard, go to a performance academy like Interlochen. They do not even require the SSAT. </p>
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Julliard won’t care about your continuous academic excellence, only your continued artistic excellence. </p>
<p>As GMT stated, an average state math score coupled with your SSAT score will likely seal it for Exeter. I would never, in a million years, consider sending a kid with average math skills to Exeter…EVER. At either Exeter or Andover, you would spend 99% of your free time just trying to keep up and would have no time to pursue your passion in the arts.</p>
<p>Please look at Interlochen. It is just the perfect place for someone passionate about the arts. (I don’t have any experience with the others.) Focus on finding a place where your talents and passions will be nurtured to their fullest and where your goal of entry into a conservatory will be a normal thing for the college counselors.</p>
<p>Applying to a performing arts school will be playing to your strengths. Applying to Exeter, Andover or a myriad of other top prep schools will be playing to your weaknesses. You may not think of your academics as being a weakness but at schools like Exeter and Andover (and MANY others), they will be. </p>
<p>Play to your strengths.</p>
<p>PS: You don’t have to be at a boarding school to apply to SYA.</p>
<p>GMTplus7- When your son took the January test date, how long did it take before he received his scores?</p>
<p>My love for Exeter is the connection that’s been installed in my heart. The moment I found out about Exeter I researched about it A LOT. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted to do in one school. Having a friend there was too my advantage, because she could give me information that technology couldn’t. Yes, I’ve looked at HUNDREDS of other BSs. I’m actually applying to one that’s brand new, and is much closer to where I live. It’s also a state that would be great for me when it comes to performing. My love for Exeter can never perish. Surely you should understand when a child feels connected to something? Since you have two sons.</p>
<p>neatoburrito- Like I said, I want to STAND OUT. I don’t want to be just another kid that sings or acts attending a school with 100+ students just like me or better. Trust me, I understand where you’re coming from and your point, but why should I hide from weaknesses? Shouldn’t I be able to take challenges head on, and improve myself so that I may be stronger? Juilliard is my number one goal, but I don’t mind going to another Performing Arts college in California or New York. The point all of you seem to be missing is that I DESIRE ACADEMIC CHALLENGE. I want to increase my mental endurance!!! No need to worry, I will be retaking the SSAT and my score will be much better :)</p>
<p>Have u actually visited exeter? My S2’s love for his top school evaporated completely after visiting the school. The school he nixxed is a very well-known, highly sought after school.</p>
<p>As neato has pointed out, exeter has a math/science bent. U will struggle to keep up academically at exeter w average math ability. It is not a good academic fit.</p>
<p>There’s a difference between not hiding from weakness and not hiding from something that is fatal.</p>
<p>GMTplus7-Not yet, but I do plan on visiting soon. The whole Exeter math/science and Andover humanities stereotype is not true. There are many students who’ve confessed to being more “Artsy” students. I’m going to leave everything to God. He knows what’s best for me. I just wanted to let you know that I have applied to another school that I believe is a good fit. I’m not losing hope in Exeter or Andover. Thank you everyone for your opinions.</p>
<p>I just want to say how important an actual visit is when it comes to your final school list and I have to say, as soon as we pulled up to Exeter, we immediately felt different about it. Nothing negative but just wasn’t the right fit for our kid. It almost reminded us of a small liberal arts college than a high school. We were not impressed with the facilities compared to others we had visited and my DK decided to take it completely off of the list (not only because of the facilities, it was just the overall feeling in general). Believe me, I totally understand once you have your heart set on a school it is almost impossible to change your mind. BUT–you will really know where your heart is when you step foot on the campus. I assure you!</p>
<p>The schools will accept the Jan test, period. While your portion of the application is due by the deadline, the reality is that schools will still receiving SSAT scores, teachers recs, & transcripts that are trickling in through thru the end of Jan. Just notify the school that u are taking the Jan test, and the school will be watching out for it.</p>
<p>You asked where S2 is applying. He has narrowed his list to 6 schools: 2 very likely admits, 2 reach schools, 2 far-reach schools. He has visited/interviewed at all his choices. But even though his SSAT score is above the avg of the far-reaches, after going thru the admissions process w S1, and reading the heart-breaking March 10 threads for 3 years now, we are pragmatic about the odds.</p>
<p>To the OP:
I rarely venture into the “Chances” threads, because I think they are a waste of everybody’s time. I would place little value on the assessment of some random strangers on a mostly anonymous internet forum.</p>
<p>I’m posting to make a point: It sounds like you are looking for people to tell you what you want to hear vs. what they actually think.</p>
<p>The schools you mention are among THE MOST SELECTIVE in the country. They will receive applications from kids like you (in terms of your accomplishments and ECs) who also have higher scores. If you were A/E, and given the choice of two similar kids but one who had scores that indicated they would have a higher chance of doing well academically in an ULTRA rigorous environment…who would you admit?</p>
<p>That said, i think your URM (under-represented minority) status combined with geographic diversity (you live in Nevada) and your overall applicant profile may keep you in the running. I’m not saying that you’ll be admitted to either A or E. And I second the advice to consider other, less selective but equally generous schools that have strong FA programs.</p>
<p>But really, do not think these schools are going to be a walk in the park academically. My daughter was a 99th percentile (across the board) SSAT scorer with minimal prep and busts her butt to get a B+ in math at a school that many HADES-centric folks consider “second tier”. Think about that.</p>
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<p>Same here.</p>
<p>@neato: Can I get an “Amen”?</p>
<p>This goes back to my familiar refrain of “I think newbs have a very unrealistic view of both their chances and the rigor of the most selective BS…not to mention the opportunities and rigor offered by non-ACRONYM schools.” </p>
<p>Which I know longtermers may be tired of, but something I think every new crop of applicants needs to hear.</p>