<p>I've only just recently realized my desire to attend a private college prep school, and I won't be able to apply until I'm a sophomore for junior year, but if I took the SSATs in five days, and submitted a late application where possible, would it help my chances for when I actually apply next year, by getting my name in the system at least?</p>
<p>I'll literally be walking into the test with less then a week's preparation, but I haven't taken an SSAT before and I will need at least one score to apply. I'll retake it with actual preparation so that my score will be more appropriate for next year, but is this a horrible decision? Do schools take into account the multiple scores?</p>
<p>I have excellent credentials besides the standardized testing, and I obviously don't expect to be accepted, I just want to get my name in the system and show my interest in the school.</p>
<p>If you are genuinely interested in the possibility of starting at prep school in the fall, then take the test, see how it goes, and submit some late applications.</p>
<p>If your objective is not to submit a serious application until next year, then take the test for practice, and file your applications next year. Don’t waste your time or the schools’ on late applications this spring that you have no intention of following through on.</p>
<p>If you are not applying for financial aid, there’s no reason why a late application (to the right school) wouldn’t be successful. If you need financial aid, then late applications are difficult. Most schools’ financial aid funds will already be depleted.</p>
<p>To prepare for the SSAT, all you really need to do is familiarize yourself with the test format. If you do that, you should be fine. Once you get your scores back, if you want to try applying for the fall, just choose schools with incoming student SSAT scores in that same general range.</p>
<p>So it would be better to just take it in five days, see the test, then take it again when I’m sufficiently ready and in time for applications next year?</p>
<p>Either way. The advantage to taking it ahead of time is that it will help you identify any weak spots you have so that you can brush up on those areas before taking it again in the fall. So now or June - doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>But “study all summer”? You shouldn’t have to. Get a prep book, do a few practice tests, don’t make yourself crazy.</p>
<p>I’m really worried about getting accepted into the prep schools I am applying to. Here’s what’s in my application. Please tell me if I have a chance of getting in to these schools. (Phillips Exeter, Phillips Andover, Governors, and Pingree) </p>
<p>I’m an all As student, only one A-
I’m on the math team
I was chosen by my principal to be the only one in my district to participate in project 351, (community service program, I met the governor of MA!!!)
I am very interested in community service and did a very successful bake sale to fund raise for malaria
I won second place in a regional championship Irish dance competition, and continue the sport, with several other awards
I am on four soccer teams two were undefeated and in the newspaper last year
I play the trumpet
I have had my art submitted in a high school Boston Globe competition, it received an honorable mention
I do swim team, varsity
I do lacrosse varsity
I am in all honors classes
I have an overall 80% on the SSATs</p>
<p>What do you think? Do I have any chance of getting into the schools mentioned above?
(my grandfather went to Exeter, I have several cousins at Andover, and my mom went to Governors and Pingree)</p>
<p>Top left of the page - click the sub-forum titled “Prep School Chances”</p>
<p>That will take you to the main page of that sub-forum. At the top of the section that lists all the current threads, there is a button “New Thread.” Click that and you’ll create a new thread.</p>