<p>Thanks for the info @Andover2016! From the beginning, your posts have always been informative. I encourage you to bump this thread about once every few weeks/ months possibly with new info sometimes. I would’ve found this thread absolute GOLD as a starry-eyed new applicant. So happy you’re having fun at Andover!
@wavyboy2017: Definitely for a few of the more “closed” questions this would apply. These are:
Do you know of any reason why your son or daughter would be unable to take advantage of this type of program?
Has your son or daughter either skipped or repeated a year of school? If so, which, when, and why?
Those would be answerable in a few words because they are really very specific questions that only for some people have to be answered in depth.
For the last two questions, 50 words or less is OK, but remember that if it’s concise it should also be very informative. You don’t want your parents to just pad it with words, though. Give as much information in these 50 words because they do matter; don’t let your parents’ gushing and parental instincts to enter. (I know, I had to force my parents not to go overboard. They love me too much.)
BONUS @beeba13: Just be yourself. You don’t want a mismatched answer to your interview persona.
Good luck with your applications, guys!</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you guys for the help. Lavender, i hope you son gets in to the school of his choice. Do you guy’s think what Andover2016 said about the time management question is true? I have been always told that the “right” answer is the one you feel will give the admissions office the best representation of yourself. I wrote both short answer questions, and i feel that my time management response shows the admissions office more about myself than my roomate response. If you give your honest response to the question in a way that tells the admission more about you and what you gone through, then i do not think you answer can ever be “wrong.”</p>
<p>I think the problem with the time management would definitely that often you would sound too formal or maybe pre rehearsed</p>
<p>@eeliu1234 - check MyAndover to verify (Andover should have sent you an email with a user id and password for this system - different from Gateway). Items that are mailed probably won’t be entered into Gateway.</p>
<p>thanks for all the help!</p>
<p>@MA2012 Thanks! I checked it, and it was in, in case others with the same issue are wondering.</p>
<p>Okay, i’ve seen a couple people post those three links on multiple profiles. Its obvious one person has created multiple accounts just for this purpose. Please stop spamming us.</p>
<p>I was wondering if you have a slightly mediocre recommendation – not terrible, but my math class is really hard – will that completely destroy my chances? </p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>Reading this thread, I am torn. I did pick the “good” question choice-but then proceeded to drench my roommate situation with a bucket of humor. I did not take it seriously at all! 
We’ll see how that works.</p>
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<p>So true. Kid had four interviews with Andover alums and an admissions director. On of the alums dinged him. He did not get in.</p>
<p>Also, if you go to Andover for an interview, the interviewer also interviews the parent(s). They can love your kid, but if you screw up the parent interview (like, for example, it looks like you could be a handful and overbearing), your kid will get rejected. Exeter also interviews the parents separately from the child. The same rule may apply there as well.</p>
<p>@andover2016 : I know the average SSAT scores for your school acceptance is 93%. Among the students around you, do you see most of them above 90’s? or it is a mixed group with high 90’s and 80’s ?
thank you so much for your time</p>
<p>mom8dad: As a current student at Andover, I would say SSAT scores vary a lot. I was fortunate enough to score a 99, but that is NOT a prerequisite for admissions. Obviously it would be ideal to get in the 90s, but PLENTY of people have scores in the low-to-mid 80s. Just a tip- if you are short on time, concentrate on the vocab! it helped me tons</p>
<p>I have a question. What did you do to show initiative and stand out, because I read that highly selective schools are looking for that.</p>
<p>HappyMuffin, I’m headed to Andover in the fall, so I might be able to help you out. There’s a lot of different ways to stand out. In my case, I focused on community service (I was president of my school’s community service club), as well as some of my stranger interests (cosplay, anime, cartooning). Just remember to be interesting! I’m sure you have something special or uncommon about you. Accentuate it! :)</p>
<p>I think my big “hook” was that I won first place in a national essay contest in sixth grade. However, after being at the school for two years, I realize that sometimes being exceptional is a hook in and of itself. There are plenty of people at Andover who haven’t taken steps to cure cancer, won major awards, or held major leadership positions at their old schools. Don’t try to make your resume to artificial.</p>
<p>Hi andover2016 , I’m trying out for tenth grade next year and I’m coming from the top boarding school of England and our marking system is very different from America, my average exam score is 85percent which is actually a very high a if you convert that in to American grades, do you think the administration office will know that? Sorry for the long message xx</p>
<p>Hmm… Now I am quite worried. I am involved in a lot of activities that I have been in since elementary school but I feel as if I do not have a “hook”. I haven’t really won any awards except Gold Honor Roll for every semester since 5th grade. </p>
<p>Do you think I should add on my application that I received High Honors for the SCAT test for John’s Hopkins Center for Talented Youth’s Talent Search? </p>
<p>I’m not sure if it even helps that much. But currently I am working towards my Girl Scout Silver Award. If I do not receive it before I send in applications but mention that I am currently working on it do you think it will help at all?</p>
<p>I don’t know if this is the right place to ask this question, but:</p>
<p>I’m an 8th grader applying for 9th grade at Andover. I’m on step four of this page:
[Phillips</a> Academy -](<a href=“http://www.andover.edu/admission/howtoapply/Pages/default.aspx]Phillips”>http://www.andover.edu/admission/howtoapply/Pages/default.aspx)</p>
<p>For the Candidate Profile, will not filling in any of the non-required areas hurt my application? Also, should I do steps two and three before four? (Because I haven’t)</p>
<p>What is the most important thing interviewers look at? For example, how important are your teacher recommendations, school reports, etc.?</p>
<p>Don’t over-think about the interview. This is probably the least stressing part of the process. Interviewers are looking for nice healthy kids who can hold a conversation. They are also trying to find reasons to believe the kid will get along with others, and be willing to get involved in the school community. It’s not a test, and the interviewer is not supposed to evaluate your qualification either. Your application will be reviewed later in the process.</p>
<p>Yes, your school report and teacher recommendations are very, very important.</p>