Top Tier Boarding Schools - How amazing?

Prep School Admissions
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<p>It seems like everyone here that is applying to a top tier school is amazing. Is that because the people here compose a small percentage of the applicants that are obssessed or is it because these boarding schools generally only accept people this amazing? </p>

<p>So how amazing are the people that get into top tiers (not counting the famous and those that donate money)?</p>

<h1>of ECs + years of experience + number of awards</h1>

<p>SSAT percentile: importance (rate 1 to 10), how high would be HIGH at these schools
Teacher Recs: importance (rate 1 to 10)
Essays on application vs. essay on SSAT
Race, gender, origin and current residence (rate 1 to 10)
Grades (Both 4.0: 96 vs. 99)
Current classes: importance (rate 1 to 10)</p>

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<p>I've been on this site since October, I think, and I came because I've been looking for a great education in high school for a while and I've been looking at top-tier boarding schools. I'm obsessed with researching them, etc., and I found out that your assumption was basically right: people come here becaues they have great grades and are obsessed with going to boarding school, along with other CCers. I'm not saying this like it's bad, because that's why I'm here, too. :) </p>

<p>People here usually have a lot of awards and extracurriculars. I think ECs are less important at boarding schools than they are in college, so kids in sixth grade aren't going to be concentrating on ECs so they can get into a "good" boarding school like they would applying to college. </p>

<p>At Andover, a high SSAT score would be around 96-99, since their average is 93. Anything above 80 is good-great, above 90 is great, above 95 is excellent, higher is amazing. The averages differ for the top-tier schools but are anywhere from 85-95. </p>

<p>Most people here have great Teacher Recs. The only way you're going to get an amazing rec is if you know the teacher on a personal basis, but kids on CC are usually bright, motivated, and ambitious and teachers recognize that. </p>

<p>The essay on the SSAT, according to my 50-year veteran teacher (grammar?), weighs more than any of the other essays because there is no outside help. But I believe that admissions offices know that kids are under extreme stress and that the topics are really like fortune cookies.</p>

<p>Being a URM holds great weight with the admissions office, as they want to increase their ethnicity percentage and are generally very partial to people of different races, origins, or who live farther away or in bad parts of the world. Most people who live in bad areas or grow up living in a bad neighborhood are viewed highly, as they have overcome social boundaries to get where they are.</p>

<p>I'm not sure about the GPA, but I think they take into account how hard the school is (i.e. people who have 95 average at a public school, or at a place where the curriculum is not so heavy might not get the same grade in boarding school).</p>

<p>I don't think any top-tier boarding school wants people in the bottom class at their school if they also have A, B, and C classes (honors, good, average). </p>

<p>Is that good? I didn't really understand what the scale 1-10 was for.</p>

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<p>Olivia, whats URM? i have so much trouble with abbreviations haha.</p>

<p>hmm, well I hope only CC kids are amazing. I was getting very nervous because I was beginning to think ALL applicants are like kids on here.</p>

<p>ECs/Awards are important, but its more important that you have one strong point in one specific area.</p>

<p>SSAT score is like an entrance exam. its to see what level you're on and if you're capable, but its not of utmost importance. People have gotten in with low eighties. It's just helps if your score is higher.
High is above their average by a few points, I guess.</p>

<p>Teacher recs are very important. They can find out your strengths/weaknesses/personality/etc.</p>

<p>Race/origin. eh, they do tend to find kids to fill in the spots they're missing so their school is a lot more diverse. I know, unfair, but that's how most top tier schools are.</p>

<p>i dont know what the 96 vs. 99 means, but I agree with what Olivia said about it.</p>

4

<p>
[quote]
I was getting very nervous because I was beginning to think ALL applicants are like kids on here.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Same here! I was like, oh, crap. =) </p>

<p>URM is minority, I think. I heard it on a college discussions forum. :)</p>

<p>She meant about a 96 and 99 as averages, that they were both considered a 4.0 GPA. I think that either score would be considered amazing.</p>

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<p>do you guys know what most applicants are like then? if they're not like the CC ones.. do you think the kids on here are like, the top 25%?</p>

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<p>I guess I'm pretty screwed for teacher recs now since i go to a new school this year, and it has to be public. I get like no attention at all, unlike my old private school were all the teachers knew me well.</p>

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<p>Most kids on here have SSAT scores of the average or above in their prospective schools. Most have SSATs above 90, many above 93. </p>

<p>Do you mean OTHER kids? The kids who AREN'T on CC? <em>gasp</em> Not THEM.</p>

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<p>URM = under-represented minority</p>

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<p>ChunkyT, I understand. Public school teachers don't really care because there are just too many kids, even though My school only has about 600 kids. My teacher recs. aren't going to be great either. especially from my math teacher (even though i have a 103 in the class) because he has no emotions, literally.</p>

<p>I really don't know how other kids are blairT. I'm really hoping CC kids are just amazing and that's all especially for us junior applicants.</p>

10

<p>Wow, no emotions? That's strange.</p>

<p>You have 103? That's really great. :D I don't think the teachers at our school will let us get above a 100 average, because last year I had 100 average in French and in History, but I averaged my grades and because I had loads of extra credit, I thought it would come out to at least 101 or 102 each, which was annoying. But technically, I know that would be impossible (over 100 average), and they only give extra credit to kids who want to improve their grade. I could do a whole debate on it ... should we give everyone extra credit or just the ones who need a better grade after the tests, etc.? =)</p>

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<p>haha he has now stopped giving the class extra credit because of me.
so my grade is going to drop.. to 100.
I'm the only one who actually listens in the class, stupid public school kids! (no offense to anyone here)</p>

<p>.. they should have a new grading system. A++ = beyond 100. ugh, i wish.</p>

12

<p>ChunkyT, what you say about the teachers recs makes a little sense, but I can't really agree with you because last year I came from a huge public school with classes of 30 or more, but still managed to get amazing, personalized recs from my teachers. Basically, what I did was talk to the teachers personally about class work/questions to make them understand that I really cared about the class. And besides, your probably shining in the classes anyways so the teachers must like you...right?</p>

13

<p>Well, only my music teacher really pays attention to me. As for everything else, not so much. I talk to my math teacher a lot after school, but I think she knows that I'm trying to improve, but after all, being in a Pre-IB class doesn't always make me the star. I'm like getting an 87% in math while there are 10+ people who are getting 90s.</p>

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<p>by the way, my school has 1500 kids...</p>

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<p>well, you dont have to be a star in the class in order to get an amazing rec.
Teachers recognize students who are eager to improve and they like that.
and plus, the rec. form isn't asking how good you are at math/english/whatever else, its asking how good you are and your qualities as a student.
Don't worry, I'm kinda hoping my teachers would give me a good rec. too, but they dont get bombarded with these everyday, so its not like you have competing with everyone in your school. It will be a semi-personal rec. and your teachers will feel kind of obliged to give you a good rec. if you ask them personally and kind of hint its very important to you... unless they're unbelievably mean..</p>

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<p>yeah ok, thanks for the advice msu =)</p>

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<p>I hope they like improvement, because I got an 84 last quarter in Math, which was terrible ... but I brought it up to about a 90 mid-quarter this quarter, and I want to bring it up a little higher. I'm trying SO hard to improve.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
the topics are really like fortune cookies.

[/quote]

haha, this is so so true. i got lucky; my essay was pretty easy (although i forget what it was now), but i remember a few friends of mine had essays that were a LOT harder. :(</p>

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<p>Same here! My essay was SO much easier than my friends' were.</p>

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<p>I liked my essay topic because I happened to be able to use a quote as an example.
Olivia, I bet they will notice that you're working harder. Did you miss some school, or was it just a hard part in the book?</p>