<p>Im 14, in 9th grade and I'm applying to boarding school for 10th grade. I really want to go to taft school because I really love it and because its the only school my mom will let me apply to :). What do I need to do to get in? How high should my ssat scores be in order for me to get a scholarship? How likely am i I to get financial aid? A lot of questions I know but I really need to get in so I'd be really greatful if someone could help me!</p>
<p>Taft has had record enrollment, so I would think scores and grades need to be in top percentile, but I am not certain of exact numbers. Taft is a great school, so it is a good one for you to aim for,</p>
<p>We just returned from a long weekend to “look under the hood.” Have strong grades and test scores. If there’s a discrepancy, or you had an “off” year make sure your principal and teachers explain it in your recs. </p>
<p>The school is very well rounded but many students have a passion about something. If you do, make sure that shows.</p>
<p>However - applying to a single school is a risk. They are full, full, full and there are no guarantees. </p>
<p>Still, my husband and I are totally in love with the faculty, the school approach to students, and the academics. Good luck if you apply!</p>
<p>I am currently am enrolled at Taft as a second year sophmore and honestly I don’t think the SSAT scores means that much. As a matter of fact I did poorly on the SSATs and believed I would not get in as a result and almost didn’t go to my interview. I believe the most important thing is to APPEAR to be a well rounded student and person because I can tell you that not everyone at Taft is. You should know that if you did or did get in going to Taft is going to be one of the biggest decisions in your life and is not to be taken lightly. Just because your parents want you to go and you got in doesn’t necessarily mean you should. As I type this response I’m studying for exams, and I can tell you- YOU WILL WORK. I hope this has helped- just remember Taft is not a prize for being a kind and intelligent person- its a test.</p>
<p>Would you mind sharing your overall percentile? My daughter made a mess of the ssat recently and I want to know how much damage she did.</p>
<p>"
whatd she get?</p>
<p>I agree with bigred. I’m not sure how much the SSAT really matters in terms of admission because–not to sound cliche–the admissions officers look at the whole picture. I think the interview is pretty important though. That is your chance to show the admissions rep. who you really are. In one of my interviews, the interviewer told my parents that if they really like a prospective student, they’ll work really hard to get the student in.</p>
<p>45th percentile overall</p>
<p>Sorry to say that 45th is extremely low for an unhooked female. best of luck.</p>
<p>it`s not a rotten score, I know kids who got in with lower but had great report cards.</p>
<p>mehhh, not going anywhere with a 45 percentile, to be honest. 75 or higher for taft</p>
<p>Taft is a pressure cooker, anyone who wants to go there has not been, while you are there you despise the place, a decade later you are at peace. But 45th percentile if she does not have incredible skills in something other she has no business being there. I know top 1 tenth of a pecentile and second highest SAT in the school while playing three varisity sports, save your fiftey grand a year the place sucks.</p>
<p>also they lie, they say Patrick Kerney was the first “Taftie” to make it to the NFL, this is a lie Rob Monaco class of '80 played at Vandy then in the NFL Taft has selective memory just because Rob hated them as I do we are thrown aside it is not about the boy man or person it is about the endowment fund, save your money thety put 10 students into Yale over 5 years any ghetto public school could do that with out the 250 K bill think about it Taft sucks and so does Lance Odden</p>
<p>@Taftman: you’re kindof a rarity around here, a critical alum. It would be useful if you wanted to share more about why your experience leaves you with such negative reactions…was it what happened there, or afterward, or a combination of both? BTW, I have a similar lack of enthusiasm for my own alma mater, exactly because of what you say about yours–pressure cooker that scars. Didn’t even look there with my own child this past year…but did put in an application to Taft! 
(He’s going elsewhere, as my name suggests)</p>
<p>I’ve always wondered why it’s rare to see critical postings on cc. I just figured these were moderated (removed) or people feared legal or other reprisals.</p>
<p>After revisits, I was impressed by Taft’s writing program. In my opinion, a Taft graduate would be able to handle punctuation. ;)</p>
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<p>People who post on CC tend to have a great interest in or passion for education. I’d guess that people who get particularly interested or passionate about it probably get that way from having had really rewarding experiences in their educational settings.</p>
<p>No doubt about that. But passion runs both ways. Think of the BBC show Top Gear, one of the most popular shows in the world. The hosts are ultra passionate about cars. But, not all their reviews are positive.</p>
<p>The American version of the BBC’s Top Gear never has anything critical on ANY car. Yuk. Guess what, there are some clunkers out there.
Thus, my previous comment that in the near absence of negative remarks on the site, I had a feeling negative posts were edited or removed. Somewhat like the American version of Top Gear.</p>
<p>In general, I think people can’t tolerate conflict or criticism, so the remarks tend to be mostly positive in nature. I agree however, that it is helpful to have dialogue about both pros and cons of any particular school or BS experience at large.</p>
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<p>That had me lmao. My D came home for the summer and began editing my work with a red pen. She’s ruthless. It confirmed for me as a parent that nothing gets past the English teachers – at least on * that * campus. ;)</p>
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<p>The moderators generally don’t step in unless it gets personal (like the guy with the racist rant). My favorite negative post was the hilarious one from a student at my alma mater who warned students that it was Azakaban. :)</p>