<p>One thing this board sometimes lacks is the “So, what happened down the road” entry. Everyone loves a happy ending, right? I just want to say, relative to the original (robust) FA discussion, that we continue to remain deeply grateful to Exeter for the FA it lent our child, who is now a thriving Upper and giving back on every imaginable front. Yep, s/he has held his/her end of the bargain, but we’ve never forgotten how lucky we are. When you see your child thrive in such an exceptional environment, how can you (and the child) not feel profound pride, gratitude, and, yes, a palpable desire/inclination to pay it back and forward? I, like others reporting here, had for much of my life been of the “haves” or community of “givers” - a nice, lofty place to be. Good for us. Having since chosen a life of public service, etc. etc., we have now, insofar as BS is concerned, been more on the receiving end, i.e., we were the “takers” of FA for our child three years ago. It wasn’t easy for us, truly, but it was the right call because this was the perfect “fit” for him/her and we simply couldn’t afford it. The moment our family is back on terra firma? That first big check we write will be to PEA’s annual fund. We want to acknowledge our deep appreciation and give something that will help other bright kids with insufficient funds a chance at this world-class education/experience. Our child feels the same and likely will for the rest of his/her life. We will never resent the full-pays because they (along with alumni/endowment, etc.) made this possible. Ultimately, isn’t this precisely how the FA system was designed to work? Have faith, people.</p>
<p>Oh my. Been reading through this thread, and it’s not been encouraging at all, as I will probably be needing a full scholarship. Nothing I can do about it, though. I’ll just have to suck it up and go submit more apps.</p>
<p>@CherryRose: I’m glad this thread got bumped…skimmed it and think that, had I read this last year, I would have been VERY pessimistic about my daughter’s chances. When you read the stats of some of the kids who were rejected, it makes you wonder why so many applicants focus exclusively on the most selective schools. If BS is a must, I think the applicant must cast as wide a net as they are able.</p>
<p>I read the whole thread and have gathered that a decent academic background coupled with the ability to pay trumps those with stellar academics, even at the elite “need-blind” schools. Is it fair? Is this tread truly representative of the challenges faced by those seeking financial assistance? Do the kids whose parents pay have a lower bar to clear?</p>
<p>The ■■■■■ was rather amusing to be charitable.</p>
<p>If what this thread says about need-blind schools is true, then I’m pretty much in big trouble. The reason why I applied to such selective schools is because 1. they say they’re need blind, 2. the entire income-threshold-full-scholarship thing.</p>
<p>I hope it’s not true. I’d lose much of my faith in the American meritocracy if it were.</p>
<p>@CherryRose: I think 2009 was a very tough year for FA applicants, as endowments were still hurting from the market downturn. That said, I still think that most parents and kids grossly overestimate their chances for the most selective schools…say you have a mid 90s SSAT, an A average, and are a starter on your school’s soccer team…so does a lot of the applicant pool, and they also play the viola.</p>
<p>Note that only two of the co-ed schools mentioned with any frequency here explicitly state that they are need blind: Andover and St. Andrew’s (DE). In practice, Exeter seems to have been able to match Andover’s FA contributions to candidates. </p>
<p>My gut is that, if a school really wants a kid, they’ll make it happen. You just have to be one of the kids they want. Also, don’t think that the “big name” schools are the only ones who can offer substantial FA.</p>
<p>My advice is don’t worry about things until March 10th…and on the flip side, don’t fall in love with any school until you know if they love you, too.</p>
<p>Ditto 7Dad. Does FA need affect your chances? Sure. But as 30-50% of the student body at many, many prep schools would tell you, it doesn’t mean you won’t get in. </p>
<p>And as 7dad also says, please don’t limit yourself to just highly selective schools. The meritocracy, in fact, may be more in effect there, because if your application is well above average in the pool, your chance of receiving aid substantially increases. I’d bet more money on that than on need-blind admissions to a super-selective school.</p>
<p>Cherry Rose, I just read this whole thing–a scary, angry mess.
Even with a decrease in FA, I really want to believe this about BS admission–schools want to put together the best possible class that is interesting and diverse. And if they really want someone, they will make that happen whether the student has all the money, some of the money, or not much at all for tuition. Hang in there and wait for 3/10, practice your Telemann. Don’t get discouraged.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. We’ll see, come March 10th… que sera, sera.</p>
<p>My opinion is that it is impossible to tell why people were accepted and why not - even with FA requirements - from stats they post here. There is so much agonizing on this board over chances, listing achievement upon achievement, being in the 98th vs the 99th percentile. My feeling is that all things being equal (or within acceptable boundaries which I think are wider than most believe) the school is going to choose the kids they liked the most and think will fit with the zeitgeist of the school. I believe that interviews are the most important factor in the process. As a hiring manager, I can receive 10 or 20 resumes/applications that are very similar - some seem better on paper than others but all have the qualifications to work at my organization. When I interview them I usually know straight away that about 60/70% of those aren’t right for us. The remaining ones are not always those with the most stellar qualifications but there is something likeable about them and a feeling that they will be a good fit within the organization. None of that can be quantified on any of these posts listing stats.</p>
<p>@Momof7thgrader I agree with you. This fall I went to a panel discussion featuring admission officers of four boarding schools plus our placement director from my school, and they were all talking about how they decide on students, and how incredibly difficult it is for them because the numbers far exceed what they can take. They talked about “reluctant applicants” in interviews as a red flag. Financial aid was way less of a concern than finding the right fit, student to school. And absolutely, that would come across more than anyplace in the interview (and in recommendations but probably slightly less so), especially when so many applicants are so similar on paper.</p>
<p>Financial Aid Need: 80%
SSAT: 95%</p>
<p>Denied: The Taft School
Waitlisted: The Hotchkiss School, Phillips Academy Andover
Accepted: Choate Rosemary Hall</p>
<p>Yes, I’m that newbie who revives a century-old thread. 
However, I am still immensely grateful to all the schools that I applied to. To tell you the truth, I was not even expecting these results; I had paid attention to the laments of people like ExieMITAlum, GMTplus7 and SevenDad (among others). They clearly stated that getting into a school with single-digit acceptance rates was much more difficult than we, the prospective student, may assume it to be. Thus, it came as a pleasant shock when I had not received the rejected-to-all-the-schools result I was predicting. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is never give up on hopes and dreams, but try to be realistic as well. It sounds contradictory, but we all have to learn to master this delicate balance in our lives. And why not start now? It’s better sooner than later!</p>
<p>This application cycle was also a great experience on its own. It really taught me to look for opportunity, and seize it. When you’re at the bottom, there is truly no way to go but up. I had a safety net-my local high school. This made applying to private high schools less stressing. I knew that even if I didn’t get in, I would still have a place to call home. It’s not the end-it’s the beginning of something even more, a brilliant streak of color as the sun rises to kiss the sky.</p>
<p>Andover has a NEED BLIND admission policy. If you are selected to attend, your need will be met. We had a significant need and my son received more than we expected. I feel this information is confidential so I will not get into specifics . Close to 50% of the students attending Andover receive financial aid with the average grant for boarders being $36,000. Andover and Exeter have very large endowments which are used to keep the student body balanced. Andover goes out of their way to ensure that students are well taken care of to eliminate the “Haves and Have nots”. There are going to be wealthy student at any boarding school but the important goal should be for the school to blend the economic background of the student body. Aside from scores, extracurricular activities and talents, I believe that an important factor in the admission decision is " Is this applicant independent enough to survive away from home?" Most parents would answer in the affirmative which may not be the truth and these schools know what to look for and it weighs in their decisions. I also think the school and teacher reports are weighted heavily. I am very grateful to be able to say my son will be entering the class of 2017 at Andover this fall. My son will have a far more diverse class at Andover than he would have as a day student at a very prestigious boarding school close to our home. The composition of the Andover student body mirrors the real world and that is very appealing to our family.</p>
<p>I agree that recommendations are weighed heavily-I have had two friends who were waitlisted to Andover due to lackluster letters from their teachers.</p>
<p>@GoldenRatio, congratulations! So very happy for u!</p>
<p>@GMTplus7: Thanks! :D</p>