Safeties

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>Hi! :)</p>

<p>I've compiled a list of schools I'm interested in.</p>

<p>Here goes nothing (or something):</p>

<p>-Andover--I really like their cluster system, how the school can be small if you want it to, but big if you feel like you need to get out. It's also need-blind (I'd need full FA) and not too far from my house.</p>

<p>-St. Andrew's DE--Also need-blind, SAS showed up on my radar because of its large, beautiful campus, its 300-student body, and the fact that it's 100% boarding. It's a road trip, but hey, it might be worth it! Don't forget that they mentioned vegan food on their website! (St</a>. Andrew's School: School Life » Residential Life » Dining and Chores)</p>

<p>-Groton--Do I even need to explain? It's a small school with big opportunities! Gorgeous rural setting, close faculty relationships, and when I visited I clicked.</p>

<p>-Deerfield--As demonstrated in the admissions video, the medium-sized student body has lots of school spirit! I'm a school spirit junkie.</p>

<p>-Emma Willard--EWS doesn't seem quite as intense as the previously mentioned schools, but it's all-girls on a campus that looks like a castle. I really loved the feeling I got from pictures/videos on their site. (My English teacher, who grew up in NY, told me that Troy is sometimes called, "The Armpit of New York.")</p>

<p>-Winsor--A day school that would make me familiar with the train, Winsor seems like a tight-knit group of bright girls. </p>

<p>-Commonwealth--Another train ride! A boy a couple years older than I goes there and came to one of my classes to talk about it. He's really passionate about his school and it just rubbed off on me. Twice a year, students go on a camping trip they call Hancock, and they also have the tiniest student body! (150?)</p>

<p>The only one of these that seems even remotely close to a safety for me is Emma Willard (93 SSAT compared to BSR's listed average of 65), but even their acceptance rate is around 30%. Does anyone have suggestions?</p>

<p>Happy late Fourth of July!</p>

2

<p>Since you really like Groton, I think you should add Middlesex to your list and maybe St. Mark’s too. Neither school is a “safety” school, but they have slightly higher acceptance rates than some of the others on your list. I was very impressed with everything I saw at Middlesex!!!</p>

3

<p>Wouldn’t a safety be something like a Millbrook, a Westminster etc. Schools where the admit rate is between 30-40%?</p>

4

<p>Milton maybe? Great arts program, but I’ve heard about some tension between day and boarders. Probably not true, though.</p>

5

<p>Suffield, as a “safety”? A second for Millbrook, too.</p>

<p>Seriously, you are probably better off doing your own research, then asking for comments on particular schools. Still, what is your definition of a safety? The higher admit rate would seem necessary, so those three schools above, around Boston, need to be looked at carefully. St. Marks has the higher admit rate of them, I’d think.</p>

6

<p>Congratulations on your fine SSAT score. However, no SSAT score, not even 99% in all categories, will render schools “safeties,” especially if you need full FA. If you need full FA, no school is a safety. Safety is defined as a school you’re certain to be accepted to, your family can afford, and which you’d be happy to attend. Your safety would be your local public high school. </p>

<p>If you do not want to attend your local public high school, you should expand your school list to include good local day schools, including parochial schools, which might be in the position to offer you financial aid. </p>

<p>If you are considering Commonwealth and Winsor, you should also consider Boston University Academy. Add Exeter to your list, as they can offer full FA, should you fare well in the admissions process. If you really liked Groton, you may really like Exeter, too–they are both known for intense academics. </p>

<p>In 2007, Exeter announced it would be free to admitted students with income of $75,000 or less. During the crash of 2008, Exeter stepped back from need blind admissions, but the commitment to students who need FA is featured prominently on their website: [Phillips</a> Exeter Academy | Tuition and Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.exeter.edu/admissions/109_7844.aspx]Phillips”>Admissions & Financial Aid | Phillips Exeter Academy).</p>

<p>You should also consider applying to schools outside of the Northeast, at which you would add to “geographic diversity,” for example, Culver Academies in Indiana, which offer merit scholarships.</p>

<p>Good luck in the process!</p>

7

<p>I echo everything periwinkle said, especially the last bit. Look outside the northeast.
There are no safeties when you need FA.</p>