Some advice for next year's applicants

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>Recently I was reflecting on my DC's (dear child's) private school application process and I thought I'd pass on some thoughts for those who are just getting started...</p>

<p>Get to know the schools. Take every opportunity to learn about what is good, bad and unique about each. Talk to current students, parents, teacher, coaches, AO's. If possible, go to a sports match or school play and observe students. Walk around campus and get a feel for the place. It will help you to focus on what is important to you in schools.</p>

<p>Start early. Begin brainstorming essay topics in the late summer/early fall, as soon as the new applications come out. Call in July or August to make appointments to visit schools before Thanksgiving, (in the summer if visiting during the school year will be hard). That way you'll get the dates that work best for you and will be able to write in detail about the schools in your short answers/essays. Get a solid draft of your application done by Christmas so you can put it away for a few weeks and look at it with fresh eyes before you do a final rewrite in January.</p>

<p>Make the process easy for your recommenders. Make up stamped and addressed envelopes and get the forms to your teachers early so they'll have time to be thoughtful about your letters. If your teachers or GC don't know you well give them a resume of your accomplishments. It's always more effective to have someone else brag about you than to do it yourself.</p>

<p>Look at a range of schools and keep an open mind. No matter how brilliant you are, if you only apply to top-10 schools there's a real possibility you'll walk away empty handed. Make sure you have a school or two where you'll be among the stronger candidates. </p>

<p>Finish strong. Your fall semester is the final stretch, so it's not the time to slack off. Don't be satisfied with the easy A. Show those teachers who are going to be writing your recommendations why they should rave about you. When you feel like you've hit your limit take a deep breath and remind yourself you just have to grind through these last couple of weeks.</p>

<p>Visit if at all possible. It will allow your AO to learn much more about you, helping them to make a stronger case for your admission. It will also allow you to learn a lot more about the school, helping you to make a more compelling case for why you and the school are a good match. You may be surprised by what you learn on your visit and it may help you shorten or define your list. Finally, it sends a message to the school that you're serious about attending. Of course schools will understand that some students are limited by geography or finances, but if it's at all practical get on campus.</p>

<p>Do some deep thinking. What is it you really want out of a school? What features will help you optimize your potential? Don't apply to school just because everyone thinks you should. Find the schools that will be right for YOU, not for you cousin, your best friend or your piano teacher's daughter. </p>

<p>Have an adult read your essay but don't let them write it for you. In most cases (check the school's policy carefully) it's fine to have someone take a look at the essay and give brief feedback ("Check your use of commas", "It's a little gloomy"). It is NOT okay to have someone rewrite your essay, nor is it productive. AO's want to hear your voice, not the voice of your 45 year old attorney father.</p>

<p>Don't flood your application with garbage. If you list shallow involvement in a million clubs and activities AO's will have a hard time forming a picture of who you are and what's important to you. Instead of joining every extracurricular under the sun deepen your involvement in the ones in which you're already active. </p>

<p>Show schools who you are, what makes you special and unique. In the words of one DOA, "Tell us who you are, not who you think we want you to be." Let them see the wonderful, quirky parts of your personality. Be honest. AOs read thousands of applications and they have very finely tuned BS detectors.</p>

<p>Give as clear as possible a picture of who you are. Make a list of the things you want the admissions committee to remember about you. Keep it to 2, 3 or at most 4 features. "I'm a leader. I'm international. I love poetry." then check to see that these shine through in your application. This does not mean that you should be repetitive. It does mean that you shouldn't clutter your essays with a lot of extraneous flotsam.</p>

<p>Be nice. Seriously. Teachers write better letters of recommendation for kids they like. Guidance counselors will push harder for kids they want to succeed. Niceness will shine through in your interviews. Niceness will even help your resume. My own DC, a tri-sport captain, is a good, but not exceptional athlete. In one sport DC was ranked 4th or 5th yet got the votes of all the 7th graders. When I asked why, DC said, "I think it's because I was nice to them last year when they were just starting in [the sport]. I helped them learn to play." Be nice. Seriously. And not just to help you get into schools.</p>

<p>Be good to your parents. This process is hard on them too. If you can stay calm and help them to see why you can see yourself at certain schools they can write better, more convincing parent letters. If you want to board and they're against it make a rational case for why it's a good idea. If you want to apply to more schools and your parents think it's too expensive offer to earn the money for the extra application fees.</p>

<p>Be realistic. Talk with your parents about any financial aid concerns so there are no nasty surprises on March 10th. Your family may have to make some very real sacrifices to send you to a private school. Don't demand more than they can give.</p>

<p>If you're not happy with your SSAT scores (and if you can afford to) take the test again. Scores tend to improve the second time around. Some schools will even allow you to "superscore" by submitting the best subscores from different tests.</p>

<p>Find something to love at every school. Focus on the positive. Even if a school is not your first choice find something great about it. Remember, the school you think is your backup may end up being your only choice. You should be able to hoot and holler at opening any acceptance letter from a school to which you apply. If you can't find something to love about a school don't bother applying.</p>

<p>Be good to your friends. If your friends know you're applying to private schools focus on the reasons a private school is a good match for you. Don't trash your current school. Remember, after you're gone they'll still be there, and you'll want to keep those friends at home. Understand that they may take your intention to apply out as a rejection of them and their school. Conversely, some of your friends may also be applying to schools. Operate under the old adage, "If you can't say nice, don't say anything at all." You never know whose dream school is the school you're thinking of as a super-backup.</p>

<p>Don't fall apart after Christmas. If you end up on a waiting list you'll want your school to be able to give a good report of your Jan-March activities and grades.</p>

<p>After you submit your applications stay busy doing the things you love. Don't let the application process define you.</p>

<p>Lastly, don't freak out. If it doesn't work it's not the end of the world. Fabulous, successful people come from all kinds of schools. Go forward with your head held high and rock your local high school!</p>

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<p>thank you for posting this :D</p>

3

<p>Good advice. I’d like to add that one should utilize the school’s websites for information. Also, look for Admission’s on the road where members of the admission teams travel around to parts of the country to meet prospective applicants. You can contact Admission Offices towards the end of the Summer for further information on when they may be in your area.</p>

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<p>If you’re planning on visiting, do so before completing the essays. There is nothing wrong with dropping a school from your list after visiting/interviewing. Keeping the number of applications manageable will allow you to do you very best on each one. If staying at your current school is a better option than one of the BS you visit, then you should not apply.</p>

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<p>Sue22- Thanks so much for this great and practical advice!!</p>

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<p>Great contributions from both ops and kraordrawoh. One other piece I forgot…</p>

<p>When preparing for interviews have a canned question or two on tap to fill out the conversation. Make it something that isn’t answered directly on the school’s website and, if possible, can lead to further discussion. My DC’s two canned questions were “Can you tell me more about your advisor system?” and “Do freshmen ever make varsity in [my primary sport]?” DC would try to come up with a good question or two specific to each school, and in most cases questions arose naturally in the course of the interview, but if nerves took hold DC could always come up with the above two.</p>

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<p>Definitely going to favorite this.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

8

<p>I recommend you contact schools now to schedule your fall visit. Most schools have their calendars available now. If they don’t, you’ll be at the top of the list and have first choice of times. This is especially important if you’re vying for a coveted Saturday or holiday time slot.</p>

<p>Having said that, try to avoid holidays because admissions will be very busy. Generally, admissions will be do a great job, but from a student/parent perspective the experience is much better when you visit on a less busy day.</p>

<p>I also recommend a mock interview with someone at school or a parent before your “real” interviews. The practice helps in organizing your points and can make you feel less nervous.</p>

<p>We always scheduled the least favorite school for the first interview and the favorite last.</p>

<p>Don’t forget eye contact and a firm handshake with your interviewer. Smile.</p>

<p>Finally, and most importantly, ALWAYS know why the school is a good fit for you, what it offers that is important to you, and what you will bring to the school and its community.</p>

9

<p>This thread has a ton of great advice here. Especially interviewing at the least favorite school first. This was a huge mistake I made.</p>

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<p>This is great advice. I would add that students should study for the SSAT and take some practice tests, even if they have done very well on other standardized testing. A very strong score can be a huge asset, especially if the student is coming from a middle school that admissions officers are not very familiar with.</p>

11

<p>Advice to parents…</p>

<p>Take a step back. You’ll be judged as much as your child. As much as you want to be a part of the process, make it clear by actions and words that you’re a partner but not the driving force. The schools are quietly evaluating which students are capable of flying on their own with minimal support. They’re not there to clean something up - but to polish what is already a treasure. </p>

<p>Wearing your heart on your sleeve is fine, as long as it’s quiet and reflective. Don’t brag about your child in interviews, or explain away weaknesses in the application.</p>

<p>Instead ask questions about the school, student life, etc. Consider asking how parents get involved in supporting the school’s mission and student life without being intrusive.</p>

<p>Have a specific reason why you chose the school. What makes it a match for your child and your family? Why them over another school?</p>

<p>Remember - schools take who they like and who “fits” the student body they are trying to build. So know the school personality and what skills might the student lend to the overall culture. Look for a wide range of schools and consider “fit” and personality above hype, status and hoopla. Be realistic. Not all smart kids thrive in pressure cookers. Most small and medium boarding schools are still very tough academically and may - in the end - offer more flexibility for extracurricular programs.</p>

<p>Above all, love the school that loves you. Sometimes not getting a first choice is a blessing in disguise for both the student and the parent.</p>

12

<p>Two pieces of advice from me. 1. Involve your parents in the application process. Seek help and advice from them. Ask them to read your essays. Show them what you have put together before you turn them in. Your parents have been in the professional world for a long time. They have interviewed for colleges/jobs themselves more than once and possibly interviewed others as well. They’ve done presentations and seen countless presetations - good or bad. Give them a chance to help you. It might be better help than what you’d get from a consultant, if you had a few thousand bucks to spare.
2. Dream big and shoot high. Do include schools that are easier to get in, but don’t think you are not good enough for the top schools. You’ve read on CC if nowhere else that applicants with less than stella stats do get in. If you want it, pursue it passionately and show them the best of you! And, don’t you think in terms of how you’d stand out in a less competitive school and how you’d have a better chance for a top college, etc. - not when you even haven’t started applying to high school. Don’t be that “realistic”.</p>

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<p>This is spectacular advice!!! Thank you so much!!</p>

14

<p>Great thread. Here’s my contribution: Be honest with yourself (and if you’re a parent, with yourself and with your child).</p>

<p>This applies to so many aspects of the BS application process, starting with “Is boarding school right for me/Am I right for boarding school?” and the related question “Does boarding school offer anything that my local public school or private day options can’t?”</p>

<p>I also urge applicants and their parents to be really honest about the student’s qualifications and suitability for certain schools. This will serve you well when it comes to selecting the final set of “apply to” schools, and hopefully lead to a higher “hit rate” in terms of admits.</p>

<p>I know that I’ve positioned myself in the “fit is important” camp over the past year, but I see so many kids here on CC focus on the HADES schools and know that for many (perhaps most), the odds are not favorable. I’m not against DA’s “dream big” advice, but I fear that many kids only “dream big” and in the end are faced with disappointments. </p>

<p>Best of luck to future applicants!</p>

15

<p>I recommend The Greenes’ Guide to Boarding Schools for families considering boarding schools. My edition dates from 2006. There may be a newer edition; if not, read the guide for advice about the process, and consult more recent published boarding school guides for up-to-date facts.</p>

<p>For what it’s worth, the Greenes espouse the theory of the “upper one-thirder.”

</p>

<p>The guide includes simple questionnaires for parents and students. The questions the Greenes ask the family to consider are important questions. You need to answer these questions before looking for a school.</p>

<p>I do not feel that the first interviews should be with less favored schools. Until you visit the schools, you really don’t know which school you love! Unfortunately, many families seem to use the early interviews for practice, so if you do visit and tour a school over the summer, or early in the season, be sure to emphasize why you put the school on your list.</p>

<p>Spend time on your essays. I recommend starting them at the end of November, at least, or at least after you’ve visited the campuses (if you’re not visiting the campus in January, of course.) Nevertheless, spend time on your essays. Write multiple drafts. </p>

<p>I would recommend against parents touching the essays. Admissions committees include teachers. They know student writing. They can tell when parents have “helped” too much.</p>

16

<p>

The point the author is trying to make is valid but the details are not quite. Being among 1/3 in different schools means a lot differently. Let’s not even talk about the PS. Even in BS, if you define college success as the few top colleges, except very few schools being in 1/3 wouldn’t get your there. On the other hand, if you say all the top 50 universities and top LACs (in US N&W) are great colleges, then aroudn 80% of some top school graduates would make that goal. A generalization such as “top 1/3 in any school/class would lead to quality colleges, therefore one should only choose a school where one can make to the top 1/3” is questionable at least.</p>