<p>
[quote]
I was wondering if anyone had any information on from a students/parents point of view also information on the atmosphere boaridng there and the academics etc.:
Phillip Exeter Academy
Lawrence Academy
The Hill school
Hotchkiss school
Deerfield Academy
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You're probably thinking the Lawrenceville School rather than Lawrence Academy - (L'ville is the more appropriate peer school for that list)</p>
<p>the_prestige- No i did mean Lawrence Academy, its more of a saftey for me i think? I didnt like the look of Lawrenceville, it just didnt shout out to me.</p>
<p>nymom2sons- Thanks for the concern, i do think i would miss my parents, and i have a really great relationship with both of them, but at the moment my dad is in a differnt city, for work. So i am used to long distance communication. No, i am not America, im kind of a mixture of Australian, british, french and dutch! </p>
<p>Paleozoic- I didnt think it would help, i was just wondering.</p>
<p>I'm not sure whether I'm repeating. I'll be entering 10th grade as a 15 year old but will be turning 16 later on this year. </p>
<p>I'm not sure how that equates with the American system but I originally applied for 11th grade because I used to go to an international school and all my friends are going to be juniors this year. I was somewhat young for my year group but nothing that significant.</p>
<p>Anyway when I was talking to an alumni rep during an interview for one of the schools I applied to he suggested I apply for 10th grade because his son is now in the 10th grade at the boarding school and is a 16 year old. The Alumni rep said 16 is normal for tenth grade and having one more year at boarding school will be extremely beneficial. </p>
<p>Well I agreed so yeah, it wouldn't matter too much if you repeat. It will probably be better if you want to get more out of the boarding school experience.</p>
<p>When I'm a HS senior in the fall, I still won't be able to buy R movie tickets for a month and change.</p>
<p>wooo revised kindergarten cut-off ages!</p>
<p>there's always a range.</p>
<p>qxcvz and beefcakeman- thansk for the advice, once i strart appying i think ill ask the schools what they suggest...
I have a question....
When you list prepschools/colleges how do you work out which are reaches, matcxhes and safeties?..i think it might help me out in figuring out stuff.
thanks to everyone who has posted so far, its really nice to know there are people to help!
claudia</p>
<p>If you search College Confidential, you will find many discussions on safeties, matches & reaches. The discussions are on college admissions, but many of the same principles apply to boarding schools. I think you are on the right track by including some schools on your list with higher acceptance rates. Schools with low acceptance rates have far more qualified students than they have spots for them. You also seem to be selecting schools that you like, not just because of their reputation. I think it is very important to like the schools to which you apply. If you cannot come to the US to tour the schools, please try to come for the revisit days for accepted students. These are generally held the first week of April.</p>
<p>Claudia,</p>
<p>I think your chances of acceptance to any of the schools you have listed are excellent.</p>
<p>You appear to be self-motivated. Many non-US applicants at boarding schools are coming because their parents are relocating to the US, and the parents are suspicious of the local public education where they will be living. So this is a leg up.</p>
<p>You have a clear vision of what you want from the schools you are applying to. </p>
<p>You have no trepidation about the distance from home.</p>
<p>As a non-US applicant (for a certain pool of slots for international students) you have an advantage in being a native English speaker, which reduces the odds of a washout for being unable to adapt.</p>
<p>You bring a variety of talents, besides being bright.</p>
<p>Now with the academic year being different, your placement (level of classes) will be a bit different, but this should not be to your detriment in the application process.</p>
<p>While on the subject of your different academic calendar, given that your school year ends in December, a visit during January, might be a good thing. You can visit the schools while they are running to get a good feel for the place (does it seem as it did in the catalog?). You can get a full day on campus (I highly recommend shadowing a student for a day) when other (US) applicants are not present, and the undivided attention you get from the admissions staff will also be a benefit. It also gives you the opportunity to experience the New England winter (These schools may not look as nice when the skies are gray and the ground is barren. If you can tolerate the worst, spring and fall are wonderful.)</p>
<p>About your age and grade level, you are just fine. Education is not a race against the clock. I know of a young lady who started Andover a couple years back after completing 11th grade with excellent grades and AP test scores, but repeated 11th grade and will be entering Yale this fall as a freshman.</p>
<p>Good Luck to you!</p>
<p>You asked for advice on essays, so here is what was useful for me.</p>
<p>Don't try to be funny or sarcastic in your essays. I know I thought it would make me seem like I had more personality and maybe help me stand out from the rest, but in an essay, they're not typically looking for your personality (they get that from teacher recs. and interviews). They just want to know how good of a writer you are.</p>
<p>Also, I know this may see very common sense-ish, but make sure you so back and proof-read your essays as many times as necessary (it took me about 7 times for it to be just how i wanted it). Don't get too lazy not to bother...this is potentially your future.</p>
<p>I wouldn't stress too much about the essay if you're a strong writer. The thing I was most nervous about was the interview...but I did well on that also.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you would like more essay/interview/application process advice.</p>
<p>Good Luck! :)</p>
<p>goalie dad- Thankyou so much for the kind words!
I though i would visit in Jan if i did vist so im glad you think ti would be the best time! As much as i want to get into Exeter etc. i wouldnt mindas long as i could learn and experience.if that makes sense.</p>
<p>saolcecseer- ill PM you now</p>
<p>I just remembered.....i talked to my parents and they saidthey would take my proposition seriously and talk about it. If they say they will consider it i will go ahead and order all the view books etc, plus the ssat practice books etc.
thanks so much everyone!
claudia</p>
<p>A school I would urge you to check out in addition to the ones on your A list is Groton. Depending on whether you need financial aid you are playing very long odds but the surest way not to get in is not to apply. At Groton, Exeter, St. Paul's all of which have established classical honours programmes, a demonstrable interest in classics could be a significant admission factor. If you are interested in this and are willing to compete for a merit scholarship, consider classical honours at St. Paul's.</p>
<p>claudia, St. Mark's school also has a classical honors program you may want to look into</p>
<p>Paleo, Can you comment on st. paul's turn over of instructors/admins? It appears that a good number of staff have moved on this year. Middlesex has also had a few teachers lost to retirement this year. I understand why people leave due to retirement, but others move on to other things, such as med school, other teaching positions, on and on. Any comment?</p>
<p>In addition to what I said before, check out how financial aid is administered for international students for each school. Remember you are in any case eligible for merit scholarships that could significally ease the financial pain of your parents whether you qualify for financial aid or not. </p>
<p>A school which is academically in the same league as the schools on your "A" list and which has an excellent humanities/arts programme as well as a very strong financial aid programme is Peddie. Why not consider competing for an Annenberg Scholarship at Peddie?</p>
<p>Prep: I don't think the teacher turnover at St. Paul's is particularly different from that at peer schools. In the signature programmes--humanities, languages, arts the turnover is traditionally very low. In math and science it is somewhat higher although not troubling. I think what happened is that because of the integrated humanites programme an inspired humanities teacher will find at St. Paul's a milieu that by any standard would be among the best in the world. Hence the turnover is very low--if you're on the bus why run after it? Math and Physics at St. Paul's are very good, clearly light years ahead of the oftenvery good "advanced programmes" in the public system, but compared to the integrated humanities programme relatively conventional. Hence the teacher turnover is higher in this area. Again, this is my perception. Treat it as the subjective true belief of a parent whose daughter did extremely well in math and physics at St. Pauls.</p>
<p>I think i might look in to the classics programs, scholarships etc.
I didnt like the look fo Groton for some reason, although i may look at it again.
Thanks,
Claudia</p>
<p>i will also look at Peddie again, but from looking on this site, it seems as if the grounds arnt very nice, and that is also important to me......lol, on a superficial level.</p>
<p>from a superficial level, check out Emma Willard School. On a deeper level, they also have a very nice academic program. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Yeah, i think i might add Emma Willard, i have had a look on their site and it looks really nice. Once i have got a definite list i wills tart inquirying re. the viewbooks etc.
I suppose i should look at the schools based on how the grounds look, but i think it gives an overall feel to the place, nice, old stone buildings etc, landscaped lawns.etc</p>
<p>It probably bears repeating Claudia, "fall in love with your safety". The admit rate to SPS last year was 18% and as an international student you would be facing longer odds than that. The rules you have to play by are circumsribed by "fit" and affordability. I would not write off Groton or Peddie sight unseen. Peddie by the way in my opinion is a fantastic school.</p>