<p>Hi everyone (I know I've been posting too much and I promise I will stop for a while after this :). Anyways, I really wanna play in the ivies someday. Is it true, that prep school is the way to go to do this. I go to a great public school, but they rarely send grads to ivies (and the sports are awful). So, would it be smart for me to try to go to prep school so I can get noticed by an ivy coach? And advice would be great!</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>xAxBxC</p>
<p>I assume that you are talking about going to prep school now, rather than finishing high school and doing a PG year. Two points:</p>
<p>First, do you know anything about boarding school? It is NOTHING like living at home and having a lot of freedom. Don’t get me wrong–I think that the educational model is great. But it is an entirely different animal.</p>
<p>Second, unless you are on scholarship, it is VERY expensive–as expensive as the most expensive private colleges.</p>
<p>EMMI,</p>
<p>Yes, I would be applying as a repeat 10th grader for the 2011-2012 school year. And I wouldn’t be able to go unless I had full / almost full financial aid or a scholarship. I am aware that you have less freedom, and yes I do know lots about boarding schools (applied this year but decided not to attend). I just want the best education and the best basketball.</p>
<p>We do have scholar athletes from a public high school in our area going to Ivies. They are in the IB (International Baccalaureate) program that one of our local public high schools provides. If you have a public high school you can reach that offers IB, you might check with them on their success with Ivies and what you would need to do to catch up if you transferred.</p>
<p>If you are that great at sports and have stellar academics your high school’s status as public or private will not be holding you back.</p>
<p>I shoudl think that re-doing a soph yr just to transfer might do more damage than just getting stellar grades and being top of the class where you are…
and then excell at your sport…play club off season stuff, do summer camps, etc</p>
<p>and wanting to play the ivies is missing the point–</p>
<p>which sport do you want to play–AND will redoing a yr jeopardize eligibility–check with NCAA on that as I seem to recall someone mentioning 4 yrs through hs etc for eligible athletes…sliding gpa scale corresponding with SAT scale…
and the GPA is based on academic core courses…</p>
<p>SoccerTrack,</p>
<p>I am in the IB program now, and I’m ranked top 5% in the class. However, I think maybe 1, 2 at the mot go to Ivies each year. Most go to UVA.</p>
<p>But, will not playing at a high level (such as prep school), jeopardize my credentials because I haven’t been playing the “best” competition?</p>
<p>OP
Check your sport at the NCAA web site for the rules
then also consider how you can be a great athlete without tranferiing–meanning–summer camps, national comp etc…</p>
<p>in my kiddos case–its at the national level and PRs that make kiddo stand out—not just who is the in the area. Many folks here have found out the hard way that being all-state or such is not much unless there are real teeth behind the stat.</p>
<p>Dont know your sport–can you share more that other parents might be able to give you better direction…</p>
<p>If you are a freshman–I still have to ask why “IVIES” is the goal–do you mean D1?</p>
<p>FogFog,</p>
<p>Yes, I am a freshman, and I want to play for an ivy because the superior academics (the best of the best), and a competitive, but not too competitive athletic program to go along 9I’m no superstar looking to play for a D1 powerhouse). Anyways, my sport is basketball, and I am currently a JV starter (as a freshman), and I’m hoping to play varsity next year (as a sophomore). Academically, I have a 4.28 in the hardest courseload (IB) and ranked in top 5% in the class. </p>
<p>Does this help?</p>
<p>I transferred and re-did my sophomore yr at a top prep. Best move Ive made academic and athletic wise. Improved academically from first yr of sophomore yr. And Im a beast of a sophomore, tri varsity and starting to get looks for a couple sports.</p>
<p>Its not for everyone though.</p>
<p>^ are you a basketball player? and where did you go?</p>
<p>xAxBxC - Why don’t you look at the basketball rosters of the schools you are interested in, and see where their players are coming from? As I recall, your dream school is Princeton - check out their online roster. I think it will give you the hometowns and high schools of the current players. Some colleges will also list the height of their players which gives you even more specific information regarding your build, etc. Anyway, you will get a good idea of the geographical and academic diversity of where they have been recruiting from…</p>
<p>Are you good enough at basketball to play at one of the preps? Most of their varsity players are recruited and are mostly pg’s with a few talented juniors/seniors. (But they were also recruited…there is not “working your way up from jv to v” at a prep). All the players on the team at my son’s prep school (Northfield Mount Hermon) play AAU ball as well and attend all the big camps. The shortest guy on the team is 6’2, the two tallest are 7’. And yes, it is certainly a route to the Ivies. They already have two commits to Harvard, and a third who is considering this year. They have a junior who verbaled to Brown in October. Another to Pepperdine. Last year they sent two to Harvard, one to MIT, and one very good hoop player to Louisville. They have more kids playing in the Ivies than any other school in the country, prep or public. Other prep schools which have amazing basketball are Brewster, New Hampton, Winchendon, Worcester Academy. Check out the school’s websites; give the coaches a call. Yes, bs is expensive, but if they really want you there (i.e. you are a decent student and amazing at basketball), you will be given the fa you need. My son is not a basketball player but he and his brother both attended NMH (older son has graduated, younger is still there) and absolutely love/d it. Best experience ever!</p>
<p>Check out NMH here: <a href=“http://www.nmhschool.org/boys-basketball[/url]”>http://www.nmhschool.org/boys-basketball</a></p>
<p>“Most of their varsity players are recruited and are mostly pg’s with a few talented juniors/seniors.”</p>
<p>The part about PGs is true only in the New England A League where NMH plays (probably the best high school basketball league in the country). Most New England boarding schools play in the B league, where only 2-4 PGs are allowed, or lower divisions, where no PGs are allowed. Similarly, in the MAPL league in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, only 2 PGs are allowed. Moreover, at the A schools, they often (perhaps invariably; I’m not sure) have B teams that play in the B league.</p>
<p>Some of the B and C schools also have traditionally have excellent basketball, (Loomis Chaffee and Marianapolis come to mind), as do most of the MAPL schools, particularly Blair and Lawrenceville. The trick is to match the basketball and the academics, which can be tricky.</p>
<p>Honestly, I’m no where close to being god enough to play for NMH, nor while I ever be good enough (well, I shouldn’t say that). I am looking at the HADES schools in particular. How do their programs stack up? Deerfield and Hotchkiss are my number 1 choices.</p>
<p>Deerfields garbage, theyve got some size without a point guard. Hotchkiss has got a senior going to Gtech and a junior being recruited to many places (I think hes overrated)…but thats about it.</p>
<p>so they’re not to good. I was thinking deerfield or hotchkiss. Would it be good if I went there and stood out?</p>
<p>Well thats compared to big schools. They arent horrible, it wouldn’t be easy to just go there as a sophomore and standout. </p>
<p>Getting to play in the Ivy league isn’t hard if your talented. Go to any school, be the star (if its a smaller sized school), and hit up some camps over the summer. Along iwth grades…</p>
<p>Thanks everyone.Anyone else have some thoughts?</p>