Tips Digest: Class of 2023

Prep School Admissions
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For anyone applying to prep schools, especially 2023, I thought I would talk about my full experience with the admissions process.

Phase 1: Your First Decision-
Picking where to apply wasn’t hard for me. I knew I wanted to stay local, so searching for schools nearby wasn’t too difficult. There are tons, some well-known, some, not so much. I knew I wouldn’t be interested in a religious or an all-girls school. After I came up with a tentative list, I started weeding them out more as I dug through their websites. I came up with a list of 4 schools I was satisfied with.
Tips:
-Don’t look at rankings, it won’t matter in the long run. It’s only how you perceive the school that matters.
-Don’t classify schools as safeties, reaches, or matches. You can never tell with just SSAT averages. Your “reach” school may really need a lacrosse player and be willing to take anyone for that matter. Similarly, your “safety” school may think you aren’t a good fit, or they may have too many strong applicants that do the same things as you. I learned this the hard way.

Phase 2: Visiting/Interviews-
Visits can be nerve-wracking, especially since they are often followed by interviews. Try to really get an essence of the school. Because it’s up there in the ranks doesn’t mean it may have anything to offer you. Admissions officers are able to tell if you are going to be a good fit for a school. If you do research on classes that interest you at the school or certain clubs and there, it looks like you took the extra mile to do research because you love the school! All my officers appreciated it when I mentioned a couple classes I would want to take at that school.
Tips:
-Though this is generic, be comfortable in your own skin! Hopefully, it’ll turn into a conversation.
-Be honest with yourself… Is this really the right school for you?

Phase 3: Testing-
Oh, how I hate the SSAT. I personally felt as if I couldn’t study enough. I am a horrible test-taker and I don’t like to do 25 problems in 30 minutes, it’s just not enough time. Cracking the SSAT Princeton Review is a really good, but I never used it, despite the fact that I had it. I just felt overwhelmed when I opened it. This is my regret for testing.
Tips:
-Make these flashcards. I kid you not, these words were a lot of the test. I started studying these late because I put all my attention in memorizing Latin roots, which wasn’t the smartest in retrospect. Out of the 500 I memorized, so many were on the test. My verbal score improved by 20 percentiles just after I studied these on my last attempt.
https://quizlet.com/24589847/ssat-upper-level-vocabulary-words-flash-cards/
-Practice with a timer, simulate the test.

Phase 4: Applications-
I worked so hard on my essays. I don’t know how unique they were… but they were still true to who I am. I started in my winter break, and that was about 4 weeks before the application was due. I found this to be plenty of time, and I even submitted a little earlier than the due date. I think this was my favorite part. For me, it was the first time I had to write about 25 prompts about myself, and it was a period of self-discovery.
Tips:
-Sound as dumb as you are. Do not word-vomit your writing, most people can tell. Maybe have an older person edit it. I wrote all my essays and had him read over them and edit. He was able to help me sound more eloquent.
-Be yourself! If you are so focused on trying to make yourself look like someone the school would want, you’ll lose your own zest. Who knows, maybe the student they want is exactly you to the T!

Phase 5: Waiting, Waiting, and More Waiting:
This sucked. I spent hours on this forum, comparing and contrasting myself to strong applicants. I reread my essays numerous times, realizing what had gone wrong. Nothing could console my nervousness!

Tips:
-Do research on the school that you would go to if you got rejected from prep schools. Try to find things that still get you excited about going to your local public school!
-Focus on school and extracurriculars! It’s the best way to get your mind off of things.

Phase 6: Dooms Day (LOL)-
First, congratulate yourself for working your butt off. You must’ve learned so many things in the process. Rejected or not, this strenuous process is a valuable one. I have experienced all the outcomes so I’ll just talk about each individually.
Acceptances: Congratulations! Whether it’s your first choice or not, realize that there are people who would love to be in your spot. You probably deserve it and get excited. Every prep school is incredible and unique in their own way and I hope you have an amazing time wherever you go!
Waitlists: My biggest advice-- love the school that loves you back. Whether that be a school you were accepted into or your public school. You are destined to do great things no matter where you go. There are many reasons you could have been waitlisted, so do not take it too personally. You are not the second option. Definitely, hope for the best but expect the worse. Stay optimistic, but not expectant.
Rejections: I know it can suck. But it doesn’t define you. No one said that the admissions process is a fair one. Often, they are unable to offer eligible candidates admission because of whatever reason. There are many factors that could have caused this, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. For example, maybe your SSAT attempt date wasn’t your day. Maybe you choked during the interview. Maybe the school just made the wrong decision. It could also be a case of wrong place, wrong time. Just know your worth and realize you have so much to offer.

Phase 7- Your Next Decision:
I can’t tell you how to decide where you’ll thrive. But listen to your gut and take into account all things that matter to you. Consider and revisit all schools, because you’ll never really know until you can imagine yourself on campus! This phase is definitely a fun one!

Congratulations to everyone and know how far you’ve come. I wish you best of luck for this rough process. No matter where you’ll go, you’ll do great things.

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I applaud this wonderful tips and guide thread, if you don’t mind me asking, were you accepted anywhere, were you looking for financial aid, if you were accepted where was it? Thanks and good work on this, should be pinned.

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Thank you so much!! I was accepted to Hun! I did feel the wrath of a rejection and a waitlist. No, I was not looking for financial aid. Again thanks so much.

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Great list, I hope this will help the applicants next year!

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One key thing that all admissions officers told me when I called to find out why I got waitlisted at all schools besides one where I was accepted, they all said that I was a great candidate with amazing stats but I got a 64 on the reading percentile. I got a 95 overall and I was hoping they would look at it as a total, but they DONT. They care about reading the most since that is how they find out if you can do the work at their schools.

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@GrotonKid123 that really surprises me. Those must have been tier 1 schools. I was told not to go crazy about the ssat score as schools won’t just focus on that. Were you applying for 9th or 10th? Maybe it is less important for an 8th grade applicant. My son did terrible on the quantitative but he got into a great school.

As for as other advice: I think having an essay that sounds like it was written by a “kid” and not an adult is important. Use your own voice. Yes have someone review for minor edit but show the school who you are in these essays. Are you someone who enjoys learning, seeks challenges, write your essay to flesh that out. They are reading a ton of essays don’t be boring and stay within your word limit.

The interview…if you can’t sit down with an adult and have a conversation you need to practice. Practice as in, learn how to feel comfortable talking, don’t memorize and give answers you have practiced, be genuine. My child went in cold and had a great interview because he was just himself and that comes through. The AO didn’t get canned answers because we didn’t even discuss what to say in advance.

The worst part of the process is the test. Some study like crazy some don’t. Test taking strategy is key. Sit down with a tutor who is familiar with these tests if you can. Get confident with math to your abilities and know what to skip or how to guess. Vocab and practicing the tests is important I wish we had done more of that and yes time it. As a parent I felt like it was up to my child to do well or poorly based on the time he put into it. He learned the hard way after the first test that he could have studied more vocab but at the end of the day…I felt like the test was either you know it or you don’t. It is less a reflection of your aptitude as it is what you have been taught. It is a reflection of your schooling to date and schools take that into account. If you are coming from a middling public school vs a top rated public or private they will certainy expect that to show in the test results.

Lastly unless your earning millions of dollars a year always request financial aid. Even if they say no you may get a scholarship of some sort or a small amount. Families with incomes over $300k have been awarded FA from schools with large endowments. If you need full FA always look at schools with large endowments.

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Quite late to the party here, but this is a great post.
Essays- Be yourself! Also, don’t stress about finishing them ASAP. Look at the prompts when they come out, but you have until January, so there’s no need to be done in October. I tried to start writing in September and wrote several drafts that were completely terrible. I shelved the essays until late December, and then completely ditched my earlier drafts. I think that my final essays were quite good, and I’m glad I kept them on the back burner for a while rather than being 100% determined to crank them out at the beginning.
SSAT- Make sure to take practice tests rather than just doing practice problems. It’s really important to be familiar and comfortable with the format of the tests. Also, take the earliest SSAT you can. That way, if you have to you have the opportunity to retake; just knowing that you can do it again if you do badly will give you some confidence.
Interview- Just try to relax! Don’t prepare too much, as it will make you seem dull or “packaged”; if you prepare at all (besides researching the school a bit), think of a few things that make you stand out as an applicant and try to bring them up at some point in the interview.
March 9-10- Do something relaxing, and remind yourself that even if you don’t get in, you’re still a great kid. Congratulate yourself on all of your hard work. Remember that prep school is just one route and that not getting in doesn’t define you.

Overall, make sure that your application reflects who you really are, not who you think the AOs are looking for; schools want a diverse mix of interesting people and are happier to see a human applicant with some flaws than a robot. :slight_smile:

Good luck everybody! :slight_smile: