My daughter was rejected at Andover and Choate…WL @SPS…What do these schools look for in a student? I have a feeling it’s a lot about how much of a check one can write out…My daughter…3.84 unweighted with 2 AP classes(both high A’s) would be a top 5 runner on either of these teams X-country teams…And lots of curricular activities…But I’m poor…Not even a call, so sad
What did she apply for.Can you be more specific about ec and how interviews went?I feel for you,hope your daughter still has a good high school either way.
What grade did she apply for? If she has taken APs, I assume she is in high school already. How was her essay quality, test scores, teacher recs? All pieces of the application are important and frankly they have more qualified applicants than spots to offer.
Thanks for your quick replies…First off, much appreciated! Junior year, but willing to reclassify if it would improve her chances. Interviews I was told were excellent, I believe the “ssat’s” not good, had a bad day…Around 70%, she currently attends a Catholic high school, teacher recs looked great to me. Currently # 3 in her class, class officer…So crazy…I thought for sure she’d get in?! Either way I’m proud of her along with my 3 younger kids that I raise alone as a single dad…She’ll be fine, either way…Just so dissapointing for the both of us.
Also I spoke to head x-c coach several times and she was VERY receptive, spoke to her often and she was very aggressively at getting my daughter in. Still, nada
Without seeing the whole application, this immediately jumps off the page. Most of the accepted applicants had SSAT scores in the 90’s. However, as said before, the reality is that these schools all had more qualified applicants than openings. Still, as you said, she’ll be fine.
Those schools are incredibly competitive and only accept a very small number of applicants. No doubt many highly qualified students did not get in. It’s the same way with the low acceptance rate colleges. The average accepted SSAT’s at these schools are 90% or greater, I believe. But it’s difficult when you felt she had a good chance of getting in…perhaps the coaches didn’t pull as much weight as you’d hoped. Just understand that it’s probably nothing specific to her, but if the acceptance rate is only 13% and the other applicants are extremely qualified, there are going to be many disappointments.
It might make you feel better to think that it’s because you’re not wealthy, and therefore it’s something you can’t control, but in all honesty, since many of these students are on scholarship, don’t you think it’s more likely just because it’s far too many applicants for too few spots? And would there be even far fewer spots open in the Junior year?
I’m sorry she didn’t get in, but there will be so many other exciting milestones along the way in her life. I hope she gets over the disappointment quickly.
I responded on another thread but didn’t know she was applying for junior year. That’s a tricky year to apply and her SSAT scores probably held her back as the schools likely felt that her high GPA didn’t match her SSAT score. Likely many of the students that applied her age were reporting SAT or PSAT scores as well. Hindsight is always 50/50 but I would have suggested that she apply to a variety of schools including some whose scores match her performance in addition to the reach or really “lottery” schools. Requiring financial aid seems to require that you cast an even wider net and include schools where you child will shine academically. I would have suggested including Suffield and NMH.
11th grade is the very hardest year to get accepted IMO. For SPS, they usually only take around 10 new students for that year, maybe 12-13, and a good chunk of those are guys. I do think the test score could have been a bit of a stumbling block. It’s just super, super competitive for 11th.
SSAT score is important, and when it’s out of range, as in your daughter’s case, it’s best to take the test again. Tests scores that are consistently low may be indicative of grade inflation at the current school. If standardized testing skills are the problem, they could be addressed too.
When there are so few openings and so many qualified candidates, it’s hard to get a consideration with these SSAT scores. Even candidates with truly perfect credentials get rejected, so it’s unreasonable to take for granted an acceptance in the schools you listed.
As for “being poor,” in our experience this seldom is the reason an applicant is not admitted. Andover is need-blind. SPS guarantees free tuition to all with income less than $125,000, and caps tuition to 10% of income in the $125,000 to $250,000 income bracket. In all these schools, about half of students are on FA, and packages are way more generous than in college.
I understand your disappointment. I hope this helps put things in perspective.
I know some schools say that they are need-blind. I, personally, have never believed that fully. My gut says although it might not play as big as a role as a school that have a limited endowment, the notion that they are truly blind is a little hard for me to believe. I would suspect that schools are more like need-near-sighted. Again – this is just my cynical nature
It does, I understand better…She"LL be fine, it’s just been a tough pill to swallow…So thank you!
straight A grades plus 70% SSAT = grade inflation. It calls into question her entire transcript, and she is certainly not the perfect candidate you have painted her to be in other threads. The 70% is significantly below the average at the schools she applied to. At least 1/3 of the kids at the schools you named are receiving financial aid. Admission decisions have very little to do money and everything to do with the quality of the candidate. Rather than blaming money, choose schools at which your daughter will be academically competitive.
“I thought for sure she’d get in.”
I think it’s important to speak to this point. For applicants to the most selective schools, there are so few cases in which this is true — that the kid is a lock on getting in — that thinking this way is generally discouraged among applicants/parents. I can think of a few cases, usually involving legacy status overlaid with other criteria, but I’d think that people in these situations are well aware of their chances.
While I can understand the sting you and your daughter may be feeling right now, know that there are dozens/hundreds of families just like yours that are feeling the same way. And there have been thousands before you.
As some posters above have mentioned, being “poor” is unlikely (I’d say 100% unlikely) to be the reason that your daughter was WL/Rejected. If anything, schools like to have diversity in Social Economic Status (as well as geography, race, etc.) so IMO, that would not count against her.
I do think there are some schools where being FP (full pay) makes more of a difference. But I also think the only time $ is the single determining factor is in cases where the family is wealthy enough to put their name on a building (or already has their name on a building)…a situation that is going to be extremely rare.
While I have no doubt that your daughter is talented/smart/etc., it bears mentioning that she applied (solely?) to three of the most popular/most selective prep schools in the country. Applying as a junior to these schools lowers her chances even more since they have fewer openings. If you had asked my advice at the start, I would have advised on “casting a wider net”.
I hope I’m not sounding overly harsh. I’ve been through the process with two kids. And each of them was rejected from at least one school that they applied to. My first girl (99% SSAT and eventual National Merit Finalist) was an admit at SPS and a flat out REJECTION from Choate. My second girl, who could have started on the Lawrenceville fencing team as a freshman and probably been in the mix for a state individual championship all four years of HS: REJECTED. It happens.
Here’s the first post in a thread I started a few years ago:
I have not been that active on the forum for a few months, either in reading or contributing to it…but I did a quick scan of the front page today and see that the latest wave of eager, optimistic, and relatively uninformed applicants seems to be rolling in.
I have seen this year after year. And every year dole out advice similar to this:
- There is no "magic bullet" to getting into one of the more selective boarding schools in the US
- With admit rates in the teens, your chances of getting into schools like Phillips Andover are not good
- Starting many random new posts that indicate you have done little to no research about specific schools will yield little
- Searching, finding, and reading the volumes that have been written here on CC about the most popular schools is smart...writing directly to the key contributors to those sorts of threads (assuming they are still active on the forum) is even smarter
- Considering schools other than PA and PEA is wise
- Applying only to PA and PEA is not that wise — if your goal is to attend boarding school (and not just PA/PEA)
Looking back we would have applied to more schools, and maybe not all the what seems to be most popular, thanks for your input
That is a completely ignorant statement about grade inflation. There are some students that just don’t perform well on standardized tests. Saying it is grade inflation is completely disrespectful to the work she has done to get the top grades she receives. I think it is simply a matter of not enough slots at the upper grades for even top candidates. And needing financial aid makes the chances even slimmer.
We are a supportive & helpful bunch here-- the honest insights from the above posters can help going forward for next year if you re-apply. This may a blessing actually, as you can address areas of test-prep and begin gearing up for college admissions . My DD actually had higher percentages (90’s) on her ACT than the SSAT. I do believe you need 90’s to get into the schools you mentioned-- there may be a few people who post good news of acceptance with lower scores. Diversify & expand the list should you apply next year. Look beyond NE also if you can. You can PM me on this-- there are schools with FA and seeking geographic diversity. We have one at a BS outside the NE & we are the other URM (under-represented middle class) that needs merit $$ for college .
Our experience is that some kids also take many practice tests and really prepare for months. There are even boarding programs over the summer for test prep ($$) and some (affordable) summer programs at local high schools. Yes, there are online courses but some kids may need to be in a group or in a class setting to get in gear for the tests. When my DD saw 300 kids lined up at the high school for the ACT course, reality sunk in and she realized we weren’t the only parents making their student study for it ;)!!
I would move forward & think about SAT/ACT prep since your student is half way through high school. There are very supportive parents on CC whose kids had relatively lower SSAT scores and got in to BS. There are threads. But, now that you have a rising Junior, think about a new game-plan. There are all-girls schools that have repeat Juniors - you should check that out. Look at schools that accept the PSAT or SAT score for upper-grade admissions.
@Fmap66 if she still wants to get in as a junior, definitely look into rolling admissions schools…there are many out there who have great academics but are not in the popular BS locations, thus are not looked at by the masses. If this is really her dream that she wants to continue to pursue, although a door has slammed, there may still be some windows open! If you have your heart set on the three schools you applied to…well, next year may be even harder.
If you still have the energy/appetite for it this year, here’s a list of schools with rolling admissions:
http://www.boardingschools.com/find-a-school/quick-lists/rolling-date-application-deadline