<p>Today I spent the day with a "Greenhills Buddy" and I loved it! My buddy had a super hard schedule for a freshman (geometry honors, french II, latin I, etc.) I really liked everyone at the school and the teachers are amazing. The kids are really interested in what they're learning. I hope I get in; I'd love to go there.</p>
<p>There's a lot of kids from that school that are applying to boarding school. I talked to someone who is applying to Lawrenceville, where the director of admissions went. My buddy applied to Andover for tenth grade which was pretty cool.</p>
<p>So yeah I just thought I'd let you guys know.</p>
<p>Excellent! I am very happy for you, and I am glad that you like Greenhills. It seems like the perfect school for you. Good luck; I really hope everything will go well for you! :)</p>
<p>I'm glad you had fun! lol
but im confused..
you said your buddy applied for andover, and somone 4 lawrenceville. but did you mean in teh past or they are planning to leave? just wondering.</p>
<p>Jonathan, I'm glad you liked the school. I would ask the school what percentage leave or apply to for 10th grade. That's not a great sign at schools that don't end after 9th grade as several on the E. Coast do. It tends to mean the parents are looking for a better high school education. </p>
<p>So if you're serious about wanting a boarding school for 10th, you may want to wait out one more year at your public rather than competing with that crowd, if it is one, next year.</p>
<p>kirmum <I agree with her. If you are going to take another shot at boarding school for 10th grade, I suggest staying at public school. That is what I am going to do if I do not get accepted into Andover this year.</p>
<p>If there are a significant number who leave Greenhills after 9th grade to go to higher profile eastern boarding schools and not to go elsewhere locally, you could conclude that Greenhills is a feeder and that those eastern boarding schools recognize that Greenhills produces solid applicants.</p>
<p>Now if the turnover is mostly to go to other local schools, either Greenhills is not thoroughly weeding out students who shouldn't be there or these students may well have issues with Greenhills. I would bet on the former, as many day school students are put in these places by their parents rather than wanting to be at these places. And their unhappiness with the situation quickly becomes a problem. Since you see Greenhills as a positive, as long as you don't listen to the unhappy kids and let them sour your attitude, you will be fine.</p>
<p>I would also guess that Greenhills probably doesn't turn away too many full-pay well-qualified students whether it is their parents idea or not.</p>
<p>I would say that if you are happier there and have better academic opportunities than at your public school, you will probably work harder and get better results. You may not be the all-star at that school, which may (or may not) affect your chances at 10th grade elsewhere, but in the long haul, immediate happiness with your school and improved academic opportunities (and accompanying learning) outweigh the potential lower class rank for 10th grade applications.</p>
<p>Plus given what we've been told about your mother, I think she is using Greenhills as a test to see how serious you are about boarding school. If you return to your public school next year, I think you will be in the same situation that you started this year in - that is your mother will be set against boarding school. At least if you achieve highly (you do need to be near the top of your class to have any real shot at 10th grade at a top eastern boarding school), you can say that you are outgrowing Greenhills and you need a better school only found back east. I'm not sure if kirmum factored in your mother's reluctance to send you east this year.</p>
<p>For other posters, I might recommend differently, but in your case where you need to demonstrate that you are truly ahead of all of the local educational options to get your mother's backing, Greenhills is probably a must conquer thing.</p>
<p>
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If there are a significant number who leave Greenhills after 9th grade to go to higher profile eastern boarding schools and not to go elsewhere locally, you could conclude that Greenhills is a feeder and that those eastern boarding schools recognize that Greenhills produces solid applicants.
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</p>
<p>This is what I was thinking as well. Greenhills is one of the best prep schools in the state, so no one really applies to other local schools. </p>
<p>One of the reasons why I think they accept so many ninth graders is because a lot of eighth graders apply to boarding school and eventually choose to leave. They'd probably be happy to stay at Greenhills as well. Academically it seems top notch. The average SAT score is around 1360 so test score-wise it's on par with some of the top boarding schools.</p>
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What did you have for breakfast this morning?
What color are the walls in your school?
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<p>I don't quite understand the relevancy to this this thread but I'll answer them anyway.</p>
<p>I had cereal for breakfast. I don't really know what color the walls are. I never really noticed. I think the first half of the wall is like.. light brown brick and the top half is white.</p>
<p>Jonathan, my fear is there doesn't seem to be an adult helping you through this process. Some of the things you say don't add up. How can a school with a 70% acceptance rate have a 1360 SAT average? How do they end up with that average when only a 25% on the SSAT would disqualify you? It just makes no sense.</p>
<p>Goliedad, my take on Jonathan's mother is that she's in favor of the public school. I don't know how a day school will push her towards BS. In fact, if a parent is feeling the financial pinch of a day school, a BS might be quickly ruled out.</p>
<p>In addition, I have not seen many kids leave strong day schools for BS. Most parents will choose to keep a child home if they have good options there. BS folks, other than those with family traditions, tend to be seeking what they can't get at home.</p>
<p>I do think Jonathan needs to think through his strategy.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Jonathan, my fear is there doesn't seem to be an adult helping you through this process. Some of the things you say don't add up. How can a school with a 70% acceptance rate have a 1360 SAT average? How do they end up with that average when only a 25% on the SSAT would disqualify you? It just makes no sense.
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<p>According to Peterson's, the acceptance rate is 70%. The majority of the students come in sixth grade, which would explain this high acceptance rate. I asked the admissions officer how many ninth graders are applying, and she said 20. I don't know how many new ninth graders they accept, but I'm thinking it's around 10-15, because some kids go off to boarding school and the ninth grade class increases as well.</p>
<p>I emailed the admissions officer about my SSAT score. He said the only way the SSAT score would keep you out is if you got below a 25%. Perhaps Greenhills really prepares new students for the SAT? </p>
<p>I'm sorry, the average SAT score is not 1360, it is about 1310. (Around 650 M, 650 V)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Goliedad, my take on Jonathan's mother is that she's in favor of the public school. I don't know how a day school will push her towards BS. In fact, if a parent is feeling the financial pinch of a day school, a BS might be quickly ruled out.
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<p>I agree with you kirmum that Jonathan's mother would rather have him home (and probably at the local public school), but seems to be going along (with Jonathan doing a lot of the footwork - not a bad thing in my mind) with the Greenhills thing so far. We'll see how the finances work out (or maybe not). In any event, knowing the general area where Jonathan lives (having lived about 50 miles from there for 14 years), I can say that the local public schools in that area are not nearly as good of an educational option as Greenhills.</p>
<p>So even if the eastern boarding school doesn't work out for 10th grade, he is ahead educationally at Greenhills.</p>
<p>I understand your concern that not many kids leave good day schools for boarding schools. It wouldn't be as much of an educational upgrade as coming from a public school, but it would seem less than optimal to deprive yourself educationally to play a game of chicken (boarding school or public) again next year considering how it worked this year.</p>
<p>I kinda look at Greenhills as Jonathan's academic safety school if things work out financially (of course, public school is the financial safety). And it seems like he likes that, which is the advice given to most college applicants regarding their safety school.</p>
<p>But in the end, I think it will come down to finances. And I'm guessing that Jonathan's mother is probably willing to spend some money if it means keeping Jonathan near home and happy. I'm betting the home thing is probably a bigger factor than the money. But that can change with time as kids grow up.</p>
<p>OK goaliedad, just glad that there's an adult who has looked at this school. Having raised my kids in big cities, I have never before heard of a good private school with a 70% acceptance rate!</p>
<p>Greenhills lies close to Ann Arbor and draws from that immediate area primarily. Jonathan would be a longer distance commuter as he doesn't live near that school district (I guess they have some type of cooperative transportation available). </p>
<p>Ann Arbor schools are excellent public schools in a highly educated community, so there isn't as great need for the locals to go to a private school, so I would think that the people opting out are looking for something even better yet and have much more talent. I believe there are many children of UM faculty there as well.</p>
<p>I can think of a couple of other day schools in Grosse Point that have a fairly high acceptance rate and high SATs. But they don't offer FA, have very high tuitions to keep out the riff-raff (when I lived there), and sit in the best public schools in the state.</p>
<p>I now very little about Greenhills, but Golaiedad, I do know towns with great public schools where kids go to private schools for LESS competition, sports, etc.</p>