what are my chances? help!

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>I am a 10th grader applying for the 11th grade.</p>

<p>Caucasian
SSAT scores - the actual scores I received and my predicted SAT scores are good, but the percentiles are not very high. Apparently my scores are similar to a 98 percentile on the SAT (because everyone takes it, not only those applying to boarding schools)</p>

<p>Average - 86%
Verbal - 740 - 83%
Math - 740 - 71%
Reading - 725 - 87%</p>

<p>My score sheet reads : "If you are concerned that your percentiles are lower than you have earned on other tests. please remember that SSAT test takers are members of a small and highly competitive group of students who plan to attend some of the world's best independent schools. You should not be discouraged by what seems to be a lower score than you usually attain on standardized testing." It did concern me...but should I be concerned? The score was good, but the percentile was mediocre. </p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-Piano lessons (with university professor, although this was not written on my actual extracurricular section of my application, she is writing a recommendation for me - and maybe it will be mentioned)
-Volunteer for Chet Edwards for Congress
-Badminton twice a week for two hours each time
-National Junior Honor Society member (and probably will be inducted to National Honor Society)
-Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Society member (advanced math courses)
-Environmental Club
-Chemical Society
-Member of the Debate team (National Forensic League), and have placed in Lincoln Douglas, Student Congress, Prose, and Impromptu
-Member of the Drama Club and participant in school productions
-Spanish Club</p>

<p>I also mentioned that I took dance, which I stopped two years ago, but I added that I would like to continue it again if I attended the school. </p>

<p>My grades -
Last year i received all A's and A+'s and was on the A Honor Roll every quarter</p>

<p>This year my grades from the last grading period were
English II- 96
Chemistry I- 97
Algebra II (advanced math course for my grade) - 92
U.S. History- 96
Spanish II- 100
Drama- 101</p>

<p>I attend a private Day school.
I will be applying for financial aid. Does this affect my chances? I am nervous that it will make my acceptance less likely.</p>

<p>I think my essays were interesting. I tried to make them different, and I hope I succeeded. </p>

<p>I am applying for Exeter, and I took the initiative in this, which my parents wrote in their optional recommendation. I am trying to convince my parents to allow me to apply elsewhere as well as Exeter. Does anyone know if there is a way to request that Exeter send my teacher recommendations, essays etc., to other schools, so that I don't have to ask my teachers to write me five different recommendations? I think they would get a bit testy! Thank you for your help if you reply!</p>

2

<p>Instead of asking Exeter to send out your recs, fill out the common application form which might be useful. The only problem is that most of the top 10 schools do not accept the common form.
Its difficult to predict your chances at Exeter. In most opinions, its top 5 in the nation school-wise. Its what the school officials see in you, not us. It gets murky when it comes to AESD schools.</p>

<p>If your looking into Exeter, may I suggest Andover, Deerfield, and Choate?</p>

<p>Are you applying for FA?</p>

3

<p>Thank you so much for the suggestions!
This is so important to me, I live in a place where education is quite limited, and I am looking for something more stimulating. </p>

<p>If FA means financial aid, then yes, I am. Where can I find the “common application form”? I am sorry, I am completely new to all of this…</p>

4

<p>Are there any other thoughts or suggestions?</p>

5

<p>[TABS:</a> How to Apply](<a href=“http://www.schools.com/apply/forms.html]TABS:”>http://www.schools.com/apply/forms.html)</p>

6

<p>Are you international? Which part of the U.S. if your a citizen?</p>

7

<p>No, I live in Texas. I need to get out of here. I feel like I would really belong at Exeter.</p>

8

<p>Have you visited??
I will talk tomarrow. Its 12:10 on the east coast.</p>

9

<p>No, I haven’t. A friend of mine has been there, and I have read and learned so much about it. Just the fact that it is in the north-east makes me feel like I would belong. I love the methods of learning and the diversity. I feel like it would just be an incredible experience. Ok thank you, goodnight.</p>

10

<p>I would have visited, but we are not financially able to do that at the moment.</p>

11

<p>QUOTE–Just the fact that it is in the north-east makes me feel like I would belong. I love the methods of learning and the diversity.</p>

<p>That is wildly over-simplified. The fact that it is in the North-east isn’t an adequate reason to want to apply. And the methods of learning can be found throughout the nation, as well as much diversity. All the schools in New England are VERYY diffrent in their own ways.
Just something to keep in mind. I dont mean to be mean or to startle you!!</p>

<p>**Some food for thought. If your not financially able to simply visit, how will you afford to come home on holidays?</p>

12

<p>No, it’s good, I need input on this! What I meant by “the fact that it’s in the north east,” was just to imply that I would belong at least MORE than I do here. I know this for a fact, because the MAJORITY, and I’m not saying ALL of the people, have a lot of the same views as I do. I do know that there are a lot of other GREAT boarding schools out there that are very different, but one of the only reasons that my mother is letting me apply at all, is because a friend of mine went to an Exeter summer session, and we know for a fact that it is superb. It is really my only option, as my parents will not allow me to apply elsewhere. So it’s really the only possibility for me. </p>

<p>On to the holiday visits - we could afford to send me home when necessary i.e. holiday visits - these would be essential, and would pay for it. For our financial situation, though, it doesn’t make sense to spend the money on an unnecessary journey when we don’t have to.</p>

13

<p>I’m still nervous about my SSAT scores…ahhh.</p>

14

<p>Why won’t your parents let you apply elsewhere? If you want to go to a bs in the northeast, there are many wonderful choices, including several on the same tier as Exeter. Anyone on this board will tell you that admissions at Exeter is so tight, with such a large applicant pool, that it is a reach for even the most qualified. You really need to apply to more schools than one of the most difficult to get into.</p>

15

<p>Well that’s the thing…they won’t really tell me why. They “say” it’s because of the fifty dollar application fee, but with the money we’ve already spent (money on SSAT etc.) I don’t see why another fifty isn’t worth it? I have an inkling feeling that it’s because they actually don’t want me to go, and if I don’t get into Exeter, I won’t. They aren’t really interested in any of it, which is disappointing for me…because I am very interested.</p>

16

<p>

No, that percentile is better than 86% of the other students in your grade and gender that took it. That is not medicore, it’s really good. The score puts “in the game” so to speak at Exeter and at any of the schools as do your grades.
It is too bad that your family can’t visit. Did you have a telephone interview yet? Or is an admissions rep coming to your area? Are there any secondary school fairs you and your parents could attend? Having them talk with admissions reps might be a good way to show them the benefits and allow you to apply to more than one school.</p>

17

<p>I am going to have an interview with an Exeter graduate who lives in my area, however, I am most likely going to have to drive at least two hours to get wherever it is. It’s well worth it though. Thanks so much for the encouragement on on the SSAT score, it makes me feel much better. I think I can probably convince my parents to allow me to apply elsewhere, if we could just ask Exeter to send all my teacher recs etc. It would be a nightmare to ask my teachers to write more of them. They would probably be angry about that. Would it decrease my chances of being accepted to Exeter because they would know that I was applying elsewhere?</p>

18

<p>Or what I mean is, would it even be appropriate?</p>

19

<p>Personally, I don’t really think it’s appropriate to ask a school that you’re applying to send your recommendations to another school that you’re applying to…that’s your job, not theirs!</p>

20

<p>Oh, it’s not that I am too lazy to do it or anything of the sort. It is the fact that my teachers would be incredibly annoyed if I were to ask them to write 5 other recommendations, and they also wouldn’t understand it. When I asked my math teacher to write a recommendation for me, she laughed at me. I was only asking so that THEY wouldn’t have to do another. My parents are completely unsupportive anyway as I have just learned. I gave them reasons why I should apply to other schools but there are completely opposed to it.</p>