SAT and SSAT are going the way of the dodo bird. This makes it 100times more difficult for schools to “objectively” assess the candidates.
Having said that, a different skill set is now required in admissions.
My daughter was one of the generic smart kids with straight A’s and 99th percentile SSAT scores (perfect 800s on reading and verbal) who got waitlisted everywhere. Coming from a public school that was remote for half of 6th and all of 7th grade, she just didn’t have the opportunities to shine in other ways. This whole boarding school application process has been a valuable learning experience for all of us.
10 Likes
She shines and will be shining in any how; it is the loss to all the schools who missed her in the admission.
6 Likes
School reports and standardized test score reports play very small roles now, you never know what the boarding schools are looking for now.
2 Likes
Definitely! It was very difficult. With Covid, my child did not have any activities other than sports and even that was impacted . Ds got wait listed at a school he has sibling legacy with better grades and better SSAT score this year than the older child. It’s almost depressing what kids have to do to go to a good boarding school since straight A’s, close to perfect SSAT scores and great recommendations doesn’t equate to much.
4 Likes
You are not alone, your kiddo will do great wherever he lands on. We have slightly better options though the kid got waitlisted by his first choice school which actually was the only reason we applied private schools for him since the school has the best program he is really interested in, you never know what the schools are looking for, the kid has never stopped playing sport in the pandemic, even practiced in the backyard for 6 months every day and wore masks to play for one year after, plus we full pay, but that did not impress the school at all, the school expects a SSAT/ISEE 99% kid also can hit grand slam home runs today? even with that, you still can’t make a spot, no …
4 Likes
Mine also got waitlisted at his sibling’s BS. And it was the only one he applied to. Thankfully he is at a great public high school, made the tennis team, joined jazz band, got a part time job, and is joining JROTC next year, wants to go to the Naval Academy. I am kind of relieved, we get to keep him for 3 more years and I think his plan will get him where he wants to go, and maybe even better than the BS could. Hopefully all those waitlisted kiddos find a good option for next year!
9 Likes
I am sure he will do well any where. Sounds like he is taking opportunities he wouldn’t have at boarding school!
I tell my kids all the time they might be better off at a good public school. I personally thinks it’s easier to shine and find yourself.
3 Likes
I can certainly feel your pains. Our daughter has very similar stats (straight A with 99th percentile SSAT) and got waitlisted by all schools that she applied. She is from a private school and applying FP.
We are lucky that she got off the wait list from one of the schools on April 9th.
One lesson we learned is that we need to apply more schools to increase the chances. Admissions are so random these days.
6 Likes
Sounds like the college admission process today - and sounds like it all worked out in the end but yes the more schools the merrier and across the spectrum of selectivity bc you have no idea how many identical candidates apply to the top schools so for the AOs its like being in FAO Schwatz and being asked to pick out any toy they want! too many choices
3 Likes
Did anyone receive any wait list info for Mercesberg, Blair, and Hill? We haven’t receive any updates on the waitlisting so….
That is so hard. What are the schools looking for then? Gifted STEM kids? Musical protégé? Young entrepreneurs? Are they looking for kids who have built one specialty, to an exceptional level early on, or well rounded kids with a drive/potential? It would be helpful to understand how they think.
One thing I know they are really looking for: resilience.
There are a lot of tightly wound perfectionists out there, kids who have a melt down over a B. That’s not who the schools want.
6 Likes
It might help to understand how low a percentage of applicants get accepted to the schools most often discussed on CC. Last year, for example, about 13% of the applicants to Hotchkiss were accepted. This year, because of higher than expected yield from that 13% and an imminent temporary closure of a dorm for remodeling (or so I heard), the percentage was likely well south of 10%.
Most applicants are academically strong at all of the “tippy top” schools. The vast majority of academically strong applicants are rejected or waitlisted. There simply isn’t room at these schools to admit anywhere near the number of applicants who are qualified, even outstanding.
That being said, my child says he can usually tell why somebody was accepted. The vast majority of the time, the answer is that they can help the school in some way, sometimes multiple ways. One kid might be a good violinist who can play a sport or two at a varsity level. Another might be not just a gifted STEM kid, but so gifted that he or she has a good shot at a school like MIT, and he or she can play at least JV squash, too. Another might be plenty smart but also have such a wonderful personality that he or she just makes the school a better place for everybody. And so on.
9 Likes
Last year my daughter was accepted to Deerfield. She has trained at a pre-professional level in ballet for years with a large company affiliated regional ballet school. So, in addition to the expected grades and test scores, interviews and recs, she filled a need they had in their dance program. They have a beautiful facility and a very strong program that needs more kids.
My son on the other hand was waitlisted this year. Similar personality, grades recs etc. But has 2 main EC’s (1 sport and an instrument) where he is proficient but not a superstar. I fully believe that is why he didn’t get in.
You need all of the obvious qualifications and also one or two things that stand out and those things need to match a need at a school.
4 Likes
I believe that is a great point. Your child needs to show to the school that they bring something beyond one specific “ability”. They need to be an active member and contributor to the school community.
My son is in the process a second time (because they cut his sports program) for grade 12 having gone through the process for grade 11. The lesson he learned is how much schools are looking for the “renaissance” kid who is well-rounded. Let’s be honest, many schools got lazy or slack during the pandemic when it came to grading and lots of kids are running around with inflated marks.
My son is currently at a boarding school with a lot of academically gifted students (paying full load) who bring nothing to the table. It hurts the school’s environemnt. So kids seeking FA especially need that “intangible” because schools are searching for that.
1 Like
I agree with ameridad, my middle child, even though he was waitlisted at his brothers school, he had acceptances where he will be on varsity in his main sport. They definitely want a person that can make a impact some where or another.
Same case for my daughter. I echo your feeling, a valuable learning experience. We have to re-evaluate the role of academic performance in the process of admission.
3 Likes
I guess a young Albert Einstein would not be accepted by most of the BSs discussed here. He failed in language and history, caused trouble at school, and had no EC nor leadership.
Besides the idea that schools want kids who can contribute most to the community, I also think they care about college matriculation. They pick kids that will likely be successful in college application. So their admission criteria more or less go with the trend in college admission. When colleges deemphasize test scores, they will too. When colleges want kids with spikes, they will too.
3 Likes
A school would accept a young Albert Einstein iIF they thought he’d thrive there. Would he have friends? Be able to pursue his interests in a way that was consistent with the curriculum and requirements?
Eager learners are welcome. And kids who can handle the academics and work without parental guidance – that’s the bar.
But no, it’s not just about academics.
8 Likes