<p>I'm an 8th grader from china and will be applying to Exeter, Andover, Deerfield and some other schools for 9th grade this coming year. I go to one of the best schools in our city and also i'm in the best class. I took a SSAT Diagonostic Test and got 2068 overall (737 for maths, 694 for verbal and 637 for reading). I have registered for the SSAT exam in October and hopefully i will be able to improve at least 100? not sure about that. I have played the violin for 10 years and won an international award in Vienna. I'm also in the school orchestra, the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and also a member of the instrumental group at church. I participated in a Model United Nations workshop and also got into the debate team (highly competitive, everyone wants to get in) but sadly had to quit due to the clashing of time slots with the orchestra (and yes i'm pretty passionate about music). For the interview, some people say I can be interviewed by the alumni of the school or i can do it through skype, but I asked a consultant and he said that I should visit that campus and schedule a meeting with the music teacher so i can play for him. (will that increase my chances of getting in?) The thing I'm most concerned about is my school report and the recs. I'm not a straight A student and since school hasn't started I'm not sure if I actually know the teachers very well. My 7th grade report card wasn't that great, and some of the comments were pretty bad :/, but i'll try to improve that next year.
So yeah. Can anyone tell me my chances of being accepted into these schools? Thank you:)</p>
<p>No one can really chance you, since they calculus for admission is complicated and depends, in part, on what the school is looking for in a specific year and what other applicants look like-- and coming from China is particularly competitive. Still, clearly some people get I every year, so of course you should apply. Your grades and recommendations from this year WILL matter, so do the best you can-- and, absolutely, playing for the music director (or, more specifically, the orchestra and chamber music director) will matter, especially at schools that value their music program. (For example, Deerfield is currently putting a lot of money and effort into building it’s music program).</p>
<p>Well, for Phillips Exeter in particular, you really need some type of hook. For some, its academics, with a 2400 on ssats, all A’s, and being a mathlete. For others, it is sports. Exeter’s music program I don’t think makes much of a difference in admissions, but you could still try using that as your hook if you are AMAZING, otherwise, I would try to stand out another way. The teacher recs, interviews, and essays also make a huge difference in admissions. It is not really worth visiting the schools because it would be a waste of money if you didn’t get in, and I know a lot of people who visit and still don’t get in. Personally, I didn’t see the campus in person until the very first day of school. I interviewed with an alumni in my area, but I think skype would suffice. Try to get those grades up and those teachers happy!</p>
<p>Saying that it’s not worth to visit the campus is misleading, I’m glad I visited the schools that I didn’t get into or turned down their offer of admission, on top of visiting some schools that I wound up not even applying to, because making a final decision without having been on campus is making an already difficult choice even harder. What happens, for example, if you visit a campus and are not impressed with the way it is? Then it’s better not to apply to it at all. </p>
<p>It might not have to be visits, it can be revisits too, but I do recommend you look at the campus yourself before choosing, if you’re able to. </p>
<p>
I agree with mrnephew on this. If you have the opportunity to see the schools before you apply, it would better help you see the differences of the programs first-hand. The cost involved is basically the flight from China to the US; the incremental cost of visiting Deerfield after SPS is minimal. Personally, I could not imagine arriving at my school 3 years ago as a 14-yo without ever having visited the school.</p>
<p>I realize that you are applying from China, so the logistics can be a challenge. Plus, you are working with a consultant that presumably is providing a great deal of insight based upon your qualifications. However, for those of us that did not use a consultant, seeing the campus helped me decide what would be a fit and what would not. As I begin my senior year, that expedition was time and money well spent.</p>
<p>I’d look at safeties as well. China is incredibly difficult for any boarding school but even more so for the top, name brand schools. Coming from China with only decent test scores and okay grades against the thousands of applicants with perfect scores and straight As will be difficult. </p>
<p>Give it a try, but stay grounded and make sure you have another option or two.</p>
<p>i did get a chance to tour around exeter and andover last summer. that was actually the reason i started thinking about applying to these schools. i am also applying for other schools like hotchkiss or loomis chaffee, not sure if these schools are safe enough haha but my parents want me to get into the top ten – they think it would be a waste of money and time if i got into a not-as-selective school since my current school is already good enough:( i think i might go interview on campus because (dont know if im amazing) if i really have a hook it has to be violin. and also i sure want to go check the schools out:) thanks though</p>
<p>
SMH. 8-| What, pray tell, do your parents consider the top 10, and what do they think differentiates them from the hypothetical 11-20?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>… 
I think this is the first time that Hotchkiss has been referred to as “safe”. </p>
<p>@mrnephew Can u reply to my thread</p>
<p><a href=“Could I get into Lawrenceville, Kent, Salisbury, or Avon old farms - Prep School Chances - College Confidential Forums”>Could I get into Lawrenceville, Kent, Salisbury, or Avon old farms - Prep School Chances - College Confidential Forums;
<p>@skieurope well, i live in china and my parents are pretty typical uh chinese parents sooo they want famous “brands” if you get what i mean
i think they mean top ten by the few most famous schools such as exeter, andover, deerfield, hotchkiss, choate etc
@mrnephew well as i said im not sure if it’s safe enough but now i guess it isnt . any suggestions?:)</p>