<p>Okay - that’s fair. The “Chance” board drives me crazy too. </p>
<p>Issuing you an apology for my snarky reply. Proud you are a future alum!</p>
<p>" A lot of admissions is left to chance."</p>
<p>Couldn’t agree more.</p>
<p>If kids want to find out more about these schools, they should contact the schools, not just ask an audience of mainly people that have the same problem.</p>
<p>I agree about the Chances thread–should come with a big disclaimer that “All opinions here are completely unsubstantiated and lighter than air; go put the time you would have spent here into revising your application essay!” Other discussions, however, are full of information and support.</p>
<p>I have to agree with vk77’s basic theory that this website doesn’t help that much. When I applied to these schools, I only read the boards. I never posted. (It’s only now that I got a user name, but that’s so I can start looking at the college boards.) And for me, this website actually caused a bit more stress that necessary.</p>
<p>I agree this website can become habit forming, comments are often based on speculation and the chances forum is about as helpful in predicting your true chance of admission as reading your horoscope.</p>
<p>However, I have received some amazing help from other BS parents during our journey last year especially. I was looking for information on the SSAT since we were late to the party to qualify for CTY. CC came up on the SSAT google search and that’s where I learned about BSs. The support from other parents/kids esp for those of us who are new to BS is very useful. Esp. if you come from a family/town where boarding school is unusual. When DS finally decided to attend BS and we told family/friends, I experienced some backlash from people who were not familiar with BS. It was helpful to have people to pm about the discouraging comments and to keep me going when I thought I could not let DS go!</p>
<p>That said- I agree that we should be careful not to develop unrealistic expectations. At times during the app process I think I envisioned BS life as one long scene from a musical with the protagonist singing and dancing through an ivy clad campus while juggling clubs, sports, academics and friends. 
While some rare kids do seem to be able to do it all- others find their niche slowly and that’s ok too.</p>
<p>I’ve met and talked to too many really smart, funny people through this website to say that it’s a waste of time. I’d say that it has helped me in my son’s search and to learn about schools, but it didn’t help him “get in.”</p>
<p>I don’t think anything that brings people together in conversations and affords us the opportunity to help one another is a waste of time.</p>
<p>That said, in a way I agree with vk22 about the way much information is presented as fact when it’s actually conjecture or opinion. But I’m an adult. My BS (and I don’t mean boarding school) detectors are more refined than those of the students who post here. </p>
<p>Let me ask you a sincere question, vk22… can you be more specific about something on this site last year that led you to believe something that wasn’t true? Feel free to PM me if you are more comfortable. My son is headed to Exeter in September as a new prep.</p>
<p>I use this website mainly because it is entertaining, and I feel like I’ve “gotten to know” some of the long-time posters. In fact, I have met some of them in “real-life”. I do agree with VK’s premise that much of what is written should not be taken to heart as a lot of it is opinion and can be misleading. But, there is also a large body of knowledge from posters who have direct experience with a particular school.</p>
<p>agree with vk77, chances board is not very reliable. Contacting the schools is a more realistic action. btw, vk77, you should be careful of wat you say on this website because administrators at BS look at this website.</p>
<p>When I first started researching prep schools, Alum and parents on this site were VERY helpful. Like everything in life though, you need to do your own research as well and find what is true for you. Do not make the word of a poster the gospel. Look deeper, elsewhere…
The only good thing about chances is being able to tell kids who think they have no chance that maybe they do because on this site you would think you had to have 99% on the SSAT, A+ student, extras from here to forever…to have a chance, but reality shows differently.</p>