Prep School Safety?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Cafe
1

Hello, I was just wondering if anyone could help me with suggestions for some safe schools. Here is a little about me:

I am home-schooled

I have been playing soccer for 10 years and I played at the National Futsal I.D Camp

I have been playing cello for 5 years

I can solve the rubiks cube in 16.11 seconds

I take BIO, Geometry, Spanish at honors level

I help kids with understanding the bible as an act of community service

I do an entrepreneur class at Thermo-fisher Scientific

I took the SSAT last year and got: Reading: 86% Math: 89% Verbal: 84% National Percentage is 89% However have done a lot of studying and believe I can get it to a 93% minimum.

I am applying to Groton, Middlesex, Andover, Exeter, SPS, and Saint Mark’s.

CAN ANYONE GIVE SOME GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAFETY SCHOOLS IF I DON’T MAKE IT INTO ANY? BY THE WAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK MY CHANCES ARE?

2

Those are all very selective schools. Are you talking to the soccer coaches? You are wise to cast your net wider.

George School could be a good fit for all your interests from soccer to cello to community service, and it sounds like you would be a solid fit academically – but it is probably more liberal than what you have on your list so far, so depending on how you made your original list, it may or may not be an alternative.

Posters here like Mercersberg, Tabor, St. George’s, St. Andrews, Peddie, etc. That is generally because the school has been a great place for their kids. Fit is super important, and it is very much about how you feel in a particular place. You should feel comfortable and also feel like you will have room to grow.

3

I’d add Kent to the above list - good music and good sports and chapel plays a greater role at school than at many. That said Kent and many of the above schools don’t necessarily sound like sure things so applying to one or two might be riskier than one might assume especially if seeking financial aid.

4

Single sex schools are often easier to get into and provide a great education. Is that something you might consider?

5

The left coast has schools that are both competitive and forgiving with better weather year-round.

6

My kids’ safety was the local public high school. Is that an option for you?

7

Try smaller schools with a ~50% acceptance rate as safeties. If you really do get an SSAT score above the 93rd percentile, it will be almost guaranteed that you’ll be accepted into those.

8

Oh, and check out the following schools on their websites:

Blair Academy (fantasticcccccc, and they got great athletics.)
Tabor Academy (amazing marine biology program, and sailing. they have a schooner called the tabor boy)
The Gunnery (amazing, read the website)
Fountain Valley School of Colorado (also great, read the website)

9

My local public high school is my safety school. Some public schools are as good as some of these schools. It may be worth looking into yours.

10

I have a four-tiered system of backup and safety options for high school applications. My first tier was my top choice boarding school, then my second tier was some of the safer schools that I applied to which included Kimball Union Academy and Peddie as my main goal was to go to a boarding school, not just the best. My third tier was a magnet school, which was an engineering program, which I easily got into as they only looked at grades to determine placement. Then the last possible option for me was my local zoned high school.

All in all, I suggest that you find several smaller schools, especially ones with rolling admissions as the priority deadlines have passed for most of the fixed deadline schools. If none of those appeal to you or you are unable to apply to them, look into your local school district and find out if they have any interesting magnet programs. Also, you could look into your local private day schools for more options as they are much more lenient with admissions and would be able to admit you at a later date. Lastly, if all else fails, it’s not the end of the world, your local public high school will welcome you no matter what.

11

I don’t think St. George’s is a safety. Maybe Governor’s or Portsmouth Abbey.

12

Episcopal High School is 100% boarding & located very close to Washington D.C.

13

As for your chances, it may depend in significant part upon your athletic ability. How good are you in soccer, and did you convey your skill level to each school’s soccer coach ?

Groton, Andover, Exeter & St. Paul’s School are tough. Middlesex looks promising & I think that you are a strong candidate for St. Mark’s.

14

^ actually, I think you applied to same caliber schools, so it was good to ask about safety’s. You do, however, have a uniqueness about your stats & hopefully you did improve your SSAT scores. Pulling for you on M10! DS is making the SMS acceptance video, so I hope you get to see it!!!

15

@buuzn03 How fun is it that your son is making the video!

16

@CaliPops I know!!! It is so outside of his wheelhouse but he’s been loving it! I just hope I get to see it when it’s completed!!!

17

Thanks for the suggestions! I know a couple friends at Tabor! Also, the Blair Wrestling team is number 1 in the nation!

18

@buuzn03 Awesome! March 10th is slowly looming forwards and I hope I can make it into any of the schools

19

@Publisher Thanks for your input! I was wondering if you could explain why chances are higher for me at Middlesex and St. Marks? Is it just the acceptance rate?

20

Acceptance rate & your SSAT score is above both schools average SSAT score.