Hey CC! I’m currently in 10th grade and applying to Andover next year, but as I’m two years ahead, I’ve been considering repeating a year (ie applying for 10th). Based upon personal experience/general knowledge/my stats below, would this increase my chances of admission, and if so, would it be a somewhat significant increase?
Just some background info, I’m a pretty ho-hum applicant: decent grades (A/A+, 99th percentile), fairly well-rounded ECs (swim, singing, piano, art, Student Council, Math NHS, community volunteering ~4 hrs/week), BUT am an ORM (Asian female) without a hook (I was state/national level swimming + a club record breaker but due to injury I can hardly swim now) or a legacy so I’m not really sure if I have much of a chance to begin with, to be honest…
Thanks for any help! I’d really appreciate any feedback
@SeattleDreamer, I know you posted this a while ago, but if you’re still wondering or haven’t made up your mind, I would consider repeating 10th grade. I too was young for my grade (by one year) and applying to 10th grade as opposed to 11th at PA (and BS in general) was the best decision I ever made.
There are a few super beneficial things about entering as a lower (tenth grader). Firstly, PA accepts many more lowers than uppers (11th grade). There are anywhere from 60 to 80 lowers accepted each year vs. only about 10 to 20 new uppers. This means that you have a better chance of getting in as a tenth grader in most cases, because they are very selective with their new upper admits. Andover (and similar schools) are very rigorous and even more so in the eleventh grade year, so admissions officers want to make sure the new students can handle an extremely challenging environment from the get-go.
Personally, I was incredibly grateful to have my lower year to adjust to the boarding school environment and the challenging classes, so that I wasn’t completely overwhelmed when I reached 11th grade. I had had previous training on what to expect from teachers, class structure, workload etc.
In addition to better chances and a welcome adjustment period, there is one more (often overlooked!) reason to enter in a lower grade. Being older, is always a boon in my eyes, from a developmental/maturity standpoint. I only realized this after being on both sides of the experience (being one of the youngest and then one of the oldest). It is extremely useful to have that extra year, ESPECIALLY if you are already 2 years young for your grade. As I realized being one of the older kids, there is a big difference between being 15 vs. 16 or even 17 vs. 18, etc. And there is a HUGE difference between being 15 and 17. Not in terms of academics – I don’t doubt that much younger kids could handle the academic rigors upper year, but from a social and emotional development standpoint, it behooves you to have that extra year of experience and confidence. It will serve you greatly. It was honestly more beneficial for my personal growth than even my academic growth to have that extra year. Plus, if you wanna know what a lot of people say of the boarding school experience – or at least a lot of my friends said while there – a lot of new uppers felt like there time flew by and there almost wasn’t enough time. On the other had 4 years at a BS can be a lot; I felt that 3 years was the perfect amount of time, the “happy medium,” so to speak.
Best of luck to you on your journey and please let me know if you have other questions about PA.
@squishsquash97 wow, thank you for the advice, much appreciated! I’m leaning towards 10th but my parents think it would be a waste of time/money and that I’m “mature enough”. Any tips on convincing them? Also, if you don’t mind, do you think repeating a grade had a positive/negative effect on your college admission and/or college experience? Thanks again.
@SeattleDreamer, I can totally understand both sides. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Firstly, if you look at college admissions prospective students, colleges greatly value leadership. (If you’re looking for a book to further your understanding of the college process, The Gatekeepers by Jacques Steinberg is a great resource.) Leadership is something that requires socially maturity but also age. For example, in my experience, no team captain is likely to be two years younger than all their peers. Sorry to be blunt, but it’s the truth in most cases. As squishsquash’s wise Momma also pointed out in conversation, many classes are discussion based and your peers are much more likely to listen to and respect you if you aren’t a full two years younger than they are. I’ve found the kids in BS to generally be very smart and determined and another of school would be to you advantage, intellectually. Also, at PA, a huge percentage of my class repeated tenth grade.
While I think my parents would agree that I too was very mature for my age, there are some aspects of personal growth that just come with time. Also, you will have more likelihood and also a smoother transition to these leadership roles if you start in tenth grade and work your way up. I can tell you from experience, it’s a skill that takes practice and time. I know money is a big factor, and not one to be dismissed. But if your family can afford it, having an extra year could be a huge determiner of your overall experience.
Personally, having the extra year ABSOLUTELY 100% had a positive effect on my college experience, but also my college admissions for a number of reasons. Reason 1) As an athlete, one more year to develop my skills as a player helped me in the recruiting process. 2) I was more confident and socially mature and emotionally mature having had another year to grow. 3) I was able to take many more high-level classes that reflected well on my transcript and added depth to my academic resume.
If you don’t mind my asking, do you have a tiger parent urging you that you don’t need that extra year? Is it a matter of money? Or some other factor – where is their rationale coming from?
@squishsquash97 Very good points- I’m an athlete as well and an extra year (especially at this age) would be helpful. I’ve been 2 years younger than my peers since seventh grade (after switching school systems), so my parents don’t really see the point in repeating a grade now, because I’ve been fine this whole time (I really do think that another year would help me break into leadership positions though, something I’ve always struggled with). Same as last time, very helpful advice, thanks!
Being two years younger in middle school while living at home is very different than being three years younger than a good % of your classmates while living at boarding school. Did you ask about the possibility of repeating, or did your age come up at all in your interviews?
@GMC2918 unfortunately, I didn’t think of it at the time because I wasn’t even cognizant of the possibility of repeating. I’ve read that around 20%-40% of BS students have repeated, is that true?
It depends on the school, and typically boys repeat more frequently than girls. My son is applying now and is considering repeating 9th grade, so he asked about it in his interviews. Answers ranged from 30-50% (of the boys) repeated or were simply a year older - meaning they had repeated at some other earlier point, usually entering K. But you can absolutely call and ask when the schools get back from break. Ask about the %s, and also ask about how flexible they are in terms of applying for 10th instead of 11th. I’m sure that they will be happy to talk to you about it because this is a very common topic. Also, depending on what they say, maybe it will help clarify things for your parents as well. I forget, are you only applying to Andover?
@GMC2918 I’m only applying for Andover. I’ll be sure to delve further into that possibility, thanks! I’ve been alright with a two year difference in high school (currently 10th), but 3 years seems quite daunting…
@SeattleDreamer, glad to help! Yes, that percentage is roughly true for repeats. I might add that in my graduating class I was one of the older kids, but was by no means the oldest. I graduated at 18-and-a-half (have fall birthday) but there were a fair number of my peers who were older than me and had already turned 19 by graduation and one or two students in my grade who had even turned 20. While this was rare, I hope this illustrates that there is a wide range of ages per grade. But in my opinion, it still puts you at an advantage to be older (especially given your particular circumstances :).
