Hello everyone! I would like to know if would be selected to go to Phillip Exeter Academy. I really want to go so hopefully I’m good enough. Also any suggestions would be very helpful! I’m currently in 9th grade at an all-girls boarding school in Virginia.
Grades:
I am taking Algebra II and Trigonometry as a Freshman (I am 1.5 units ahead of the class since it is a self paced style) and I took a ninth grade curriculum as an eighth grader. I am very self directed (I took two math classes at the same time. One was online) In my schools placement testing I got 99th percentile in everything (English, reading and math). By the way this was against the scores of other people in my grade across the country. I took the ninth grade test even though I was in eighth. Sorry I don’t have my scores for state testing but once I do I will update this but it was pretty similar to the placement testing. I have a reading speed of 814 words per minute and so far I have 100s in every class. Last year I took all honors and got a 4.3 GPA against a 4.0 scale. And I was in Beta Club. Sorry that I don’t have much information on this year but I just started.
Sports:
I currently ride horses (I’m at a competitive 2’6 to 3’0 level) but I’ve taken soccer, basketball, cross country and ballet. Unfortunately, I am not that athletic but I am open to training for a sport.
Extracurriculars:
I am an avid reader and I like to write. I am taking Latin currently and would like to continue taking it on my own (I would probably study Greek in school). I skateboard and love taking care of plants (I am very interested in Botany). I am restarting the astronomy club at my school as it is one of my passions (I would like to be an astrophysicist).
Notes:
I would need financial aid. I am at my current school on financial aid as well. I would need a bit more flexibility and special treatment as I do have sensory issues (I wear earplugs to help) and I can get anxious or overwhelmed easily. I am also not the best at social interaction and group work but I enjoy debating and leading (I’m not sure how that works).
Sorry that this is long, I got kinda carried away. Also I would love any tips of what I should do to get in!
Oh and also I have clocked it many service hours at my old stable helping with kids birthday parties, therapeutic riding and summer riding camps. I also plan on adding more this year with the Humane Society and a Therapeutic Riding Center.
I want to attend Exeter for the pursuit of knowledge. I believe knowledge is a very import thing and I truly enjoy learning so I intend to go to a place where I can learn as much as I can and that is Exeter. I also would like to go for the community and to be around people who love learning as much as I do. I would benefit from good influences especially because I’m in my teen years which leave me to be very impressionable. The teachers are also as equally motivated as the students and that is something I’ve lacked in the past. Also for personal reasons I am very competitive and Exeter is one of the best school there is.
That doesn’t answer the question that @Publisher posed, and one that Exeter will ask the question was: Why Exeter? Your response describes most top schools.
That’s a good point. Reasons I would like to attend:
Academics - I don’t feel challenged at my current boarding school in terms of academics and Exeter has a very rigorous curriculum, one of the best in America.
Class Size - Exeter has a smaller class size with more one on one instruction which I thrive on rather then a large class.
Course Catalog - Exeter has a large course catalog which allows you to have the freedom to customize your high school experience which I really like.
Library - Exeter has one of the largest high school libraries and has a massive collection of books. I love reading and I burn through books very easily so this would keep me with a good supply of book for the (hopefully) three years I would attend.
Boarding - I love boarding schools as I enjoy being independent and unfortunately being with my parents a lot is not good for my mental health. I would thrive in such an environment which is proven as I am excelling at my current boarding school.
Math - Exeter has a focus on Mathematics which would help me greatly as I would like to pursue a physics degree. I am already advanced in my math classes and this would help keep me challenged since they have such advanced math classes there.
Endowment - Exeter has an endowment of 1.3 billion dollars last time I checked. Correct me if I’m wrong but this would mean that financial aid would be more readily available to students since they have the resources to provide more finical aid. Also on their website it says that financial aid is need based and that people under a certain income level have no tuition.
Opportunities - Exeter has many opportunities for students in leadership, travel, competing and academics. I’ve always been to schools with not as many opportunities (For instance, my old school did not do any academic competitions or have any leadership roles for students and my current school does not allow Freshman to take AP classes)
So here’s the thing. Your grades and test scores indicate that you would likely be qualified to attend Phillips Exeter. However, there are hundreds (thousands?) of other kids who are as well, and who will also apply for admission to Exeter. None of us here can tell you what YOUR chances are of being among the few who will be accepted, because none of us know what Exeter will be looking for in their next class. Are you planning to repeat 9th grade or are you applying as a 10th grader? That will affect your chances because there are less open spots for 10th graders as opposed to 9th.
You sound like a very qualified and motivated student. I think the reason everyone is pushing you is that there are lots of schools that meet your needs. Actually you will never have enough time to read the number of books available or take the number of classes offered at most of the top schools.
Schools are not the feeder schools they used to be - see other posts on this topic.
Yes, Exeter is need blind making an Exeter eduacation available for anyone they accept regardless of ability to pay. However, you first need to be accepted to a school with a very low acceptance rate. The majority of applicants are qualified meaning that tons of amazing, qualified students get waitlisted or rejected. This is important to consider as you look to apply to BS for next year.
Is it Exeter or nothing or are there other schools (of which there are a ton that meet most if not all of your list) that you might consider? Also, I caution picking a school only based on reputation because not enough can be said about fit. Being on a campus and feeling the energy, talking to the students and making comparisons really can help you find your true place. I imagine you can understand some of these points given that you are currently at another BS.
Your chances of getting into an Ivy are probably higher at a local public or private day school. Exeter students are qualified for ivies, but only the top 10-15% will get accepted since they can’t take everyone. It is also 100% easier to stand out at a public or day school rather than a BS, especially Exeter.
Going to boarding school should never have anything to do will college placement. It should be about the experience. The one you described will be achievable at ALL “top” schools (meaning all the ones mentioned here, which is probably like 50-100 schools).
Also thank you everyone for all the information! With your suggestions, I will look into other schools that would match me better. I will still probably apply to Exeter but I will add other schools to the roster.
Chance-me posts are inherently difficult, but I think you are generally well positioned. Of course, there are more well-positioned candidates than the # they can accept. Two quick notes for you:
Exeter has a great classics program, at both the academic and the extracurricular level. I think it is great that you are interested in it, and they will surely appreciate that.
You have a handful of activities you are involved in. In your application, attempt to narrow down the set of activities to just the ones you have a great interest in – construct a narrative of who you are so that you stand out.
Additionally, in terms of the reasons you want to intend, which you wrote in a comment – this could use some refinement, both for yourself but also in conversation with them. As is true with the narrative comment above, it is generally better to focus on 2-3 areas and develop a refined take on them. Generally, if you have a lot of reasons, it means you don’t have any really good reasons.
Plus I’m sure at least half of that 30% is recruits/legacy…but yes. It’s easier to be the big fish in a pond of average students than to be a big fish in the top 1%.
It’s high, but I don’t think it’s 30%. I’m happy to be corrected if there’s a source for this statistic (Wikipedia doesn’t count), but since PEA doesn’t provide this level of detail, I don’t think such a source exists.
Re percentage at Ivies: in recent years it has been about 20% across the so-called tippy tops if just include the Ivies, but more like 30% if one includes the Ivy equivalents, which are generally considered to be Duke, MIT, Stanford and U. Chicago.