Tips on improving for next year's round of admission?

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>Hey guys! This year has been a whirlwind, and despite my tremendous tremendous efforts, I was waitlisted at just about all my schools, and I would like a couple of tips regarding how to improve my application. Here are my stats (for next year):</p>

<p>Grade 9
Grades: (for 8th grade) Straight A's the whole year
(for 9th) Don't know, but I'll be in honors algebra 2, honors French 3 (I'm one year ahead), honors Biology, and honors US history.</p>

<p>ECs: Dance 9 hours/week, ballet, jazz, and modern
Acting 6 hours/week, on speech team, won 2nd and 4th for acting categories, played numerous roles in numerous plays and musicals, taking classes
Rowing 6 hours/week
Piano 6 hours/week, placed in top talent circle at guild auditions (best category)
Student Government 2-3 hours/week, vice president of middle school in 8th grade, got student discounts, organized a bunch of drives, etc.
Volunteer Work 4 hours/week, nursing home and homeless shelter</p>

<p>Summer plans '09: Design a Chinese website (long story, but that's basically it)
Serve as a TA for an English learning camp in China
Volunteer and teach English at a local orphanage
Dance ballet 3 hours/week
~ I will be in China most of the time</p>

<p>As for my essays I wrote this year, I liked them a lot. My SSATs were 99%, and I think that the worst part in my app this year was the teacher recs. I guess I will make sure to impress my new teachers in 9th grade, haha. I'll probably have my ballet teacher or crew coach write my EC recs. They like me enough to write a pretty strong one. My interviews I felt were pretty good, and they flowed nicely. My interviewers were impressed with my work on the student council and my experiences.</p>

<p>These were basically my stats this year, aside from rowing (started in the spring), and the summer stuff. I was waitlisted at just about all my schools, so there's definitely something bad about my app somewhere. I would greatly greatly appreciate any kind of advice regarding what I can do to improve my profile for next year. Thanks so much!</p>

2

<p>My advice: Maybe do less stuff and be less good. I did like half as many things as you and scored an 82% on my SSAT’s not a 99% and I was pleased with my results. It may look like you’re padding your app. </p>

<p>You say that there was something bad about your app. I would guess that you did poorly on your interviews, got bad teacher recs, or they thought that you were too geeky.</p>

<p>I don’t actually know you, so who knows?</p>

3

<p>How on earth do you manage to do all that stuff every week??? It seems impossible.</p>

4

<p>I felt that I had solid stuff for my app though: dance, acting, piano, student government, and volunteer work, and I wasn’t padding anything…</p>

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<p>Wow, that is scary, I agree, maybe too much as it almost seems frantic. Pick a couple things you are really good at and become great at them.</p>

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<p>Thanks so much! It’s not really that much stuff… I just go with the flow and everything :)</p>

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<p>Did you apply as FP or FA? Boarder or day student? Trying to analyze schools’ decisions without FP/FA information is rather difficult, I think.</p>

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<p>lollipopluvr, which schools did you get waitlisted at? You may wanna take a look at some other schools apart from those of this year! The schools selection process does play a role though! :)</p>

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<p>wow… that’s like, 5x better than all of my ec’s put together. haha…
just work really hard on your essays and do well at your interviews.
i felt that they were incredibly important.</p>

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<p>Good_Life: There was some confusion regarding my FA stuff. Initially I thought I was and FA applicant, but my parents said that I was FP later. I’m pretty sure I notified my schools, although, I might have forgotten Exeter… ughh :-)</p>

<p>binhnguyeun: I was waitlisted at Andover, CA, Groton, SPS, and Deerfield. I’m pretty sure next year I’ll apply to Andover, SPS, Deerfield, Exeter, and Middlesex. Any other suggestions?</p>

<p>herseykiss: Thanks so much! I’ll work really really hard on my essays. :-)</p>

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<p>Ace the interview. Your app looks AMAZING on paper, but paper stats won’t get you in. Looks like you might have blown the interview.</p>

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<p>Holyyyy bajebus yeah…how in the world did you manage to do all that??? Ahaha you’re like a goddess. Plus schoolwork? Unless your school barely gives any homework…</p>

<p>And I agree with benevolent4them, maybe your interview wasn’t so great.
Make sure you let your true personality shine through, and don’t be afraid of the interviewer. They won’t eat you x]</p>

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<p>Yeah, I’d pick to specialize in a few ECs and really succeed in them.</p>

<p>Other than that, on paper your app. looks beyond amazing to me!! (Maybe a little too amazing for the admissions officers to believe? :\ )</p>

<p>Where are you volunteering at an orphanage in China? (I wanna help! And I’m going to China this summer, too!)</p>

<p>Good luck with you application!</p>

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<p>talk to your teachers from this year that you felt gave you less than stellar recommendations and ask them how you can improve. Then tell you teachers at the start of next year what you have done to improve your attitude/work ethic whatever it is…</p>

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<p>lollipop, as for schools selection - do NOT hesitate to apply to second-tier schools and some safety schools as well. It’s good to dream big, but just in case… Do look at other schools such as Lawrenceville, Hotchkiss, Choate, Taft, Loomis Chaffee, Peddie, Westminster, NMH, Mercersburg, Kent, Berkshire etc. Is location a factor to you? Do you want the schools only to be in the New England area? (will not apply to Lville or Mercersburg or Peddie in this case) Do you want a strong debate team? (Hotchkiss) Or can you live without a swimming pool? (a varsity swimmer can’t, so it’s obvious why s/he doesn’t apply to Taft coz it doesn’t even have a swimming pool :)). Just ask yourself similar questions, what do you want in a school specifically? I hope things will work out for you!</p>

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<p>Work on communicating your qualities as an applicant. The schools have to believe that you are as good as you say you are.</p>

<p>Appear to be deeply interested in something, and not slightly interested in everything. Very broad interests makes the admission committee feel as if you were trying to kill time, a single interest that you spend hours on each day/week may have a direct relation to your future occupation/activities.</p>

<p>Have good teacher recommendations! A good, honest teacher recommendation can really do much. Schools are looking for students who can contribute to the learning environment; no matter how smart you are, if you never speak up in class, you’ll never make it.</p>

<p>Interviews are important, since it’s the only ‘hands on’ interaction with the applicant any school will get. Essays, recommendations, etc can be superficial at times.</p>

<p>(I don’t know if you are Chinese, but since you speak Chinese/design Chinese website/etc, I will assume you are) <<< in that case, you must compete with students of your ethnicity. Everyone knows Asian applicants are among the strongest (my own cultural and ethnic bias here), but it would create a serious diversity issue if only Asian applicants were accepted. </p>

<p>Piano, dance, etc etc sound all so stereotypical. So many people do them. Either demonstrate extreme dedication/skill/passion for it, or might as well drop it all together. I mean, how will you ever pursue so many interests at one of these schools, should you ever get in one?</p>

<p>So show dedication/passion in a few activities, keep up good grades, get a good recommendation, and I think you’re good to go. </p>

<p>It sounds like you don’t really have a strong love for any activity among the ones you listed, nor do you come across as an outstanding student.</p>

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<p>Well of course (to your last sentence)!! It’s just a record of everything. Does it really tell you anything else besides my stats? I have been dancing (specifically ballet) for like, 9 years, now at an advanced level. THAT is my major passion.</p>

<p>But thanks so much for all your advice and taking the time to write it. I really appreciate it. :)</p>

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<p>By the way, will having experience in crew give me an edge? Should I contact the coach or something? How should I do it?</p>

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<p>Sorry about bumping this thread, I’m wondering if anyone could answer my question above… Thanks!</p>

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<p>Anyone…?</p>