Hi,
I was waitlisted to my top choice schools: Loomis, Hotchkiss, Deerfield. Does anyone know any statistics? Or transferred/applied out again and would be willing to share their experience with that, it would be super helpful! Anything is helpful!
Thanks
@traderjoeseltzer - Hi! I don’t want to put your hopes down (especially with covid-19, as there may be more waitlist movement) but both Hotchkiss and Deerfield are fully enrolled as of now. Not sure about Loomis.
About transferring out, this could be quite difficult because you will have only had one term at your new school, making your activities and recs less than ideal. However, it is possible; in another thread, someone mentioned a student who moved from SPS to Groton.
From what I can gather, you are attending Westminster in CT, which is still a great, top 100 boarding school. At that level, they are all elite and offer endless opportunities. Even if you don’t get off a waitlist and don’t reapply, you will have a place to thrive and make the most of… plus, everyone, no matter which boarding school, gets the reset button in 4 years time for college.
@ecowell - Thank you. I know that Hotchkiss and Deefield are full, but also haven’t heard about Loomis. I guess I’m just trying not to lose hope because you never know. I have gotten very excited about Westminster, but I guess it’s just sad since I’ve been loving those other schools for years. Do you think that if I were to apply out, the admissions officers would understand the whole activities and recs thing? And is that the only challenge? Also, do you have any idea why most people come to boarding schools as a sophomore? Is it mainly because they are applying again or some other reason. I know schools can end in 9th grade. Thanks.
@traderjoeseltzer - I like your attitude! Don’t give up, because it’s still possible, but try to focus on Westminster since that is overwhelmingly likely to be where you attend. I wouldn’t apply out but I would assume admission officers understand. That doesn’t mean it gives a boost to your application though, it just means they sort of get it.
The main reason I wouldn’t apply out, actually, is because think about how that might be seen. Wanting to leave after one term? And, with school commitments, I would prefer to just focus on that instead of putting another task (applications) on myself. So it’s less about getting in, I don’t think your chances will be any different than this year, and more about challenges at Westminster. You shouldn’t give up on your dreams, but if you don’t get off the wait list this year, maybe it’s time to fold (just my opinion though, some people have done it!)
I agree with you, I think most new sophomores are applying for the second time or because their school ends in 9th grade.
In the meantime, don’t give up, contact AOs at Loomis, and try to get hyped up about Westminster! Good luck!
Most JBS end at 9, and these are huge feeders to bs. Also, many foreign systems have an easier break at 10th. That’s where many of the sophomore applicants come from.
There are always kids who start at their lps and realize bs would be a better option. And there is also that subset of kids whose families are relocating and who feel that bs is preferable to the school where they are going.
Transfers between bs are quite rare. Not saying it doesn’t happen, but it’s probably the smallest group of incoming students.
I know I’m a bit late to this, but the last post was correct in saying that inter BS transfers are not too common. The majority of the students that know who have transferred into the place I will be graduating from did it for athletic reasons (thus, had support from the coach in the AO). I only know one that I know who wasn’t an athlete; they were coming from a smaller yet quite selective BS to a larger setting with more opportunities, and they did it going from 10th to 11th.
This was also the case for the student I know who transferred from SPS to Groton. She was an athlete, and I believe she transferred her junior year (but I could be wrong about that).
I know someone who transferred into Groton because they liked the smaller size of it compared to where they were at, but they had actually gotten in as a freshman in her first time around so that probably helped for sure. From what it seems sophomore year is much harder to transfer into than junior year regardless of whether or not you are already at a BS, and I doubt they would let someone repeat if they were already coming from another BS.
Another option I know a FEW kids did to get in after they got WL or rejected by their top choices was to go to a Junior BS –Eaglebrook, Rectory, Cardigan Mountain, etc– and then re-apply. Of course, this would only be an option if you were applying for 9th grade this year, but if you are, you could try to go there by repeating 8th or applying for 9th there, and then re-apply to you top schools for 10th grade after you finish up there. I am not sure how effective this really would be and I am not too familiar with the admissions process of JBS at this point in their cycle, but it might be worth a shot to explore this!