Reverse Chance me for prep schools

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

I am a 9th grader and as much as I’d like to have had months to spend researching the perfect prep school for myself these past couple of years have been very unkind to my family, between my father dying, brother and brother-in-law going to prison, my mom’s heart attack, and us attempting to bring my aunt and cousins to America from Panama, I’ve been completely strung out and stressed. I am told that I feel the way I do because I am new to my public high school, but I know deep down that it is not for me, I’ve always had a deep passion for STEM and MHS simply does not care much about it, refusing to fund anything that isn’t artistic. Also, if I’m being honest, I want to get away from it all. This stress has ruined me and I’ve been underperforming because of it. So please, if you can recommend a nearby school that could fit my stats, no matter how elite or low tier or in-between it is, please do, it would help me out. I am not sure even when I will apply, I just hope to keep this as a list for when I decide to.

And so here it goes:

STATS:

Ethnicity: Multiracial (Black-latino-native American)
Location: Orange County NY
Income: ~30,000/yr, maybe even $20,0000 since my mother is the one solely paying for my relative’s lawyers and has been paying priests (she’s very religious) to pray for them. I’ve tried to get her to stop. No dice.
Connections/Legacies:

GRADES:

I’m going to be frank, I don’t believe I have a chance at CHEMS or whatever the acronym may be. The kids attending there have straight 4.0s throughout the entirety of their middle school years and since one of my very, very close relatives died during that time my grade dropped, and even when I picked it back up it was certainly not perfect. So I won’t be releasing my 7th-8th grades. This year, due to my school placing me in the wrong classes for a majority of the first marking period, another person close to me passing away, my mom’s health crisis(es) and the various other stuff I mentioned above occurring within the same span of weeks, my grade mp1 was terrible which will more than likely lead to me ending this year out with a 91. Fun.

sigh

EXTRACURRICULARS:

Not confident about this either. I’ve decided to split them into three categories.

-MEDICINE/SCIENCE-

  1. Founded and led HOSA Chapter at H.S
  2. Founder and Chief Editor of Neuroscience blog
  3. Quiz Bowl member, honestly just a fun thing I did because I love jeopardy
  4. (Hopefully) doing research with a professor at a college on Neuroscience, if that doesn’t work I’ll do some independent research or look for a program I can afford.
  5. Hoping to do the Brain Bee this year
  6. Research at a pharmaceutical lab, didn’t publish anything but still can.
  7. CURRENT PROJECT: Singlehandedly designing and coding an app that help those with degenerative diseases.

-WRITING/JOURNALISM-

  1. Founder and Chief Editor of H.S Newspaper
  2. Creative writing, a very big passion of mine only overshadowed by my passion for medicine, I’ve published a little over 100 short stories across various platforms such as reddit, instagram and tiktok and have gained a pretty large following of over 35000 followers in a few months. Not the best EC out there.
  3. Developed a website that analyzes, recaps, and showcases myths and legends from across the world.

-ADVOCACY/VOLUNTEERING/HELPING IN GENERAL-

  1. PRISM LGBTQ+ really isn’t a prestigious EC, we just do stuff for the LGBTQ community and spread awareness. Nothing groundbreaking, certainly not curing cancer.
  2. Student Council.
  3. Key Club (70? Hours volunteering? I’m not sure.)
  4. Family responsibilities

I wanted to add a varsity sport to this list but being completely honest with you, the amount of stress I’ve been under has impacted my health and although I’m not obese by any means, I’ve definitely gained some weight that has made it hard for me to actually be successful in any sports, so if anything I’d have to start at the other school and train over the summer.

AWARDS:

Sojourner Truth award.
Honor roll award

I’m mostly looking for schools that have a big focus on STEM, partially science with good programs around biomedical things. Alongside that I’d like it if the school had a work-hard play-hard attitude, just coming off of multiple losses I don’t think a toxic classroom would do much for me. Also, FA is extremely important to me as it will quite literally define whether or not I attend. Anything can help.

2

I think you have a good chance anywhere. Interesting background, in-depth ECs.

I feel like you shouldn’t worry too much about the 91. As long as you are able to articulate yourself well in interviews you’ll be fine. Also I don’t think it would hurt mentioning the reason for your grades in MP1.

Since you are in 9th grade now, I recommend applying as a repeat Sophmore, as Junior year spots and FA are probably very limited at most boarding schools.

3

You’d stand a good chance at Millbrook and geography wise it should only be about an hour away from you.

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I love Millbrook, and it certainly should be on the OP’s radar, but I am not as certain of the OP’s chances. Plus, they do not have a huge financial aid budget.

A school I would give serious consideration to – one of the wealthiest in the world, and entirely free – is the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

You have been through a lot, OP, and this school is expert at dealing with bright kids who’ve had to overcome a lot to just survive. It would be good to be at a place that understands what you’ve been through.

You have a gift for writing as well, which jumps out. Good luck to you.

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5

Check out George School in PA. Strong in STEM, very diverse and welcoming, and as far from toxic as can be. Also generous with FA.

6

I love the ideas of Milton Hershey and George. You might also consider reclassifying a year. Just know that a lot of kids out there have come off of rough periods these last years so the story you tell can sound not less sympathetic, just less unique. Make sure you balance it with optimism and a way forward.

Also, I am sorry about the loss. I am not trying to minimize it any way.

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Observation 1: There are plenty of wonderful schools that aren’t TSAO schools. In addition to the previous suggestions, look up the Hidden Gems thread.

Observation 2: Yeah, there are a lot of people who have had a messy few years. If you can frame it right, though, you can stand out and make your experience an asset.

Observation 3: You might not have to go far to get away from it all. At least, that’s what my kid found out.

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A few more pieces of information about the Hershey School –

  • their endowment is $17 billion (not a typo)

  • their acceptance rate is only 14%

  • they will pay for any college (or trade school) after the student graduates.

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9

They accept 14% because you have to meet the criteria for entry to the school- based on how much your family makes. MHS is a school that helps students coming from poverty with a goal to break the cycle.

“To be eligible for admission, children must attain a score of 80 or higher on an I.Q. test . In addition, applicants must have demonstrated capacity to learn”

This is from their website. If you are looking for a high rigor school take into consideration that the school requires students to have an IQ of a min of 80. This means that some students will be working on a less academically tough level than those of the toppy top BS.

Their mission is awesome.

10

You may also look into Peddie. It has great STEM courses. They have a large endowment and regularly admit from NY with many full financial aid students.

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You think it’s 14% because there aren’t that many that fit the criteria?

I would guess there actually are millions of kids that fit; the low acceprance probably reflects the fact that acceptance is the equivalent of getting $500,000 (in education funding) for free.

Sure, not every kid would be able to handle a tough curriculum, but I believe the school has honors/AP type classes as well as dual enrollment ones. And the OP sounds to me like s/he meets the stated criteria. I wouldn’t lightly dismiss guaranteed free college (let alone boarding school).

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12

I know that there are many students that meet the criteria. Boarding school is not for everyone, therefore everyone living with a median income of $20,000 is not chomping at the bit to send their kids to BS. MHS has around 2,000 students in grades PreK to 12th grade. MHS does not remove students that can’t handle the curriculum.

I think MHS could be a great choice for some. However, I posted what I said to give a clear insight. When we are discussing schools like Deerfield/ Choate there does need to be a reference point with MHS.

That is all. Great school, there are other things to consider.

I think MHS gives everything you would possibly need on life, clothes/ shoes (both uniform and casual), medical, dental etc. sports, and driving lessons. Money toward college etc.

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Please know I am not lightly dismissing this school, it serves so many so well. I am putting another POV forward, that is all.

You are 100% right the OP could do well here.

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