<p>okay, from what i know so far, some really good private boarding high schools require like 90 to 95 national percentile on ssats. (yeah, ssat, not sat)
so how much IS that? do i have to get like a perfect score or something?</p>
<p>oh yeah, what do they ask you for interviews? i'm really running late- i didn't get my recommendations, school report, short essay things, and other stuff yet....far, far, from scheduling an interview. i'm thinking of applying for about 6 schools, and is going to take the test next month. please help me- any advice? :)</p>
<p>I don't think they'll kill you if you get a 94 or slightly below...there's no real "requirement" for SSATs. Remember- it's only one part of the application. And even if a bunch of stuff is late...some schools are good about it, others, not so much. What schools are you applying to?</p>
<p>Top schools are like top colleges in looking for special situations and talents. The average is close to 95 at the very top few, but athletes, first generation urms from low income backgrounds, legacies and the very well connected often don't have quite those scores.</p>
<p>A few schools are need blind but most are not.
Bottom line is that if you need a scholarship you need to bring something the school really wants. That could be being from a country not well represented at the school, an amazing talent and of course lots of the scholarships go to top athletes. A huge number also go to formal programs schools have a committment to like Seeds and Prep for prep which take very disadvantaged kids and prepare them for prep school life.</p>
<p>We have junior olympians, kids from small
African villages, prodigies withn talents all over the map. </p>
<p>All that said, if you are none of the above but just a solid student with straight As and a 95 on the SSAT, prepare to pay full freight if you get in.</p>
<p>aww mannn...well, although i'm far from good, i have <em>tried</em> a bunch of things...for now i'm working on golf and art. i'm aslo interested in computer graphics design- i designed newsletters and name cards and such. </p>
<p>SeasonsofLuv, i'm thinking of applying to these schools:
1. andover
2. exeter
3. hotchkiss
4. deerfield
5. choate
6. middlesex
7. peddie</p>
<p>deerfield is AWESOME! :) the other schools are good too, but y'know, i heart deerfield. :D</p>
<p>and yeah, it's really competitive to get in, but once you've taken the ssat and done the best you could, then all you need to do is show the admissions folks what it is that you can bring to the school that nobody else can. you need to think of a way to show them the real you - not the polished, 27 extra-curriculars all of which demonstrate leadership ability, version of yourself. show them who you really are, what you really love, why you're going to fit in at the school. if you love art, talk about art! explain why you love the fine arts program at the school, if you like sport, talk about that! </p>
<p>hope this helps you, and good luck with your apps!</p>
<p>Don't stress yourself out on your SSAT scores. Yes, they are an important part of your application, but boarding school's look at so much more than an applicant's score. I'm currently in boarding school( Miss Porter's School), and I scored okay/almost great on my SSAT. However, I got into some of the most competitive schools( Exeter, Deerfield, St. Paul's), even though I didn't score in the 95th percentile. As long as you are strong all around with your grades, essay, interview, recs, you shouldn't have to worry so much about you score.</p>
<p>I would love for my D to get into Deerfield or SPS. We visited both schools, and both were terrific, especially Deerfield. The new science building which will open at Deerfield soon is quite impressive!</p>
<p>I have a son at Deerfield now and another son who graduated from St. Paul's a few years ago. They're both great schools. Some days I think I like Deerfield more and other days I would encourage you to give more consideration to SPS. You can't go wrong with either one. Good luck to your daughter.</p>
<p>want<em>a</em>scholarship My recommendation is to schedule your interview soon, you can put the appointment into the future but times do fill up. I'd call and get the appointment scheduled.</p>
<p>thanks...i don't think i'll be able to visit the schools, so i'll probably schedule one with alumni. but would the schools hold that agaisnt me or something?? thanx</p>
<p>catg-
I chose MPS over the other schools I applied to for a number of reasons, but the main reason was because I was granted a full, four year scholarship. The scholarship is financed by Oprah Winfrey( her neice attended MPS and Oprah started a scholarship for financially disadvantaged girls). The scholarship covers everything( laptop, allowance, prom dress, you name it) so I felt coming to MPS where I had such a generous scholarship would make my boarding school experience financially easier for my family, given that we have no worries over tuitiona and being able to take advantage of all the things offered at the school.</p>
<p>Looking back, even if I hadn't been granted my scholarship, I think I still would have chosen MPS over some of the other great schools I applied to because the school, as a whole, caters to all the things that make a student, and girls in particular,strong. The teachers are so dedicated and committed to helping the students, the all-girls environment gives you confidence and leadership opportunities unlike a coed setting, the resources that are availible to students are great. The student body is so diverse,the campus is beautiful, the history of people who have attended such as Jackie O make students feel like they are living a great history. I guess I felt like schools like DA and SPS, although great, wouldn't cater to ALL the aspects of me. I felt like those schools would focus on me just as a student, and MPS would focus on me as a student, plus much more. </p>
<p>I encourage you to think really carefully about the school you choose. Boarding school is a big deal and you want to make sure you LOVE the school you attend, because it will make a difference with how well you succeed and flourish in your environment. Don't shoot for just the brand name. Rather, reach for the school that will make you into the best you can be. Boarding school is not college, so it's not so important to go to the most prestigious school. You want a prep school that will give you the foundation that will get you into an a prestigious college, and make you into a better scholar, and a better person.</p>