What do top schools like St. Paul’s, Andover, Exeter, Choate, etc, look for in an applicant’s extracurriculars, awards, essays, and interviews?
How can an applicant set themselves apart from other applicants?
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If you have to wonder, chances are they are not the right schools for you, or you have a lot of soul searching to do. You should know why you want to go and what about you can get you in.
Apply to more schools. Chances are not in your favor. These schools turn down many qualified kids and every year.
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This is a bit of a lazy post, as you are really asking others to do the research for you. I suggest you spend some time on this Forum searching the many posts relevant to your questions, visit the admissions pages of these and other schools, and then you can ask more specific questions.
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Ask yourself - “In what ways will I contribute to this school?”
Here are some of the qualities AO’s will look for…
- Maturity
- Verbal abilities
- Confidence
- Independence
- Positive Attitude
*.Passions/Interests - Sports Involvement/Athletes
- Academic Strengths
- Accomplishments/Honors/Awards
- Performing Arts
BTW, there are some schools that like a triple-threat: Sports, Music, & Strong academic history - one AO at Deerfield told me they want to know HOW that student will contribute to the school - if you are a 2 Varsity sport athlete and a high test score kid, you have a better chance.
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Or maybe all I hear about is obvious information about high SSAT scores, high GPA, and never hear about someone talking about their extracurriculars other than playing sports/music for a very long time?
Or maybe most applicants are from the United States, and although I’m an American citizen, I am applying from abroad so I’m not like most applicants?
You don’t have to discourage people. Not necessarily the schools “aren’t for me” (you don’t have to discourage anyone), but rather, the person asking is not in a similar position to other applicants. Maybe they’re good at academics, community service, etc.
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No, UltimaCroix, this is not a lazy post in any shape or form. I have been in contact with schools for weeks (months for some). I just don’t want to ask, and come across as someone that does something for the sake of admissions, when in reality I have extracurriculars that are outstanding, but unusual.
I did spend a lot of time on this forum and other than saying “Oh, I got in because I got X score on the SSAT, and I had a Y GPA, and I played the piano/a certain sport for 10 years”, I pretty much never see someone talking about leadership at community service.
I am a very organized person and I did visit (not only the admissions pages of these and other schools), but also all of their website pages. I made a list of questions to ask during the interview, and by e-mail, and it came up to a total of 17 questions for a certain school.
I’m not asking anyone to do research for me. If you don’t have an answer, you don’t have to answer. Be nice. The world needs more empathic people.
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Thank you so much.
I really appreciate the detailed response.
All the best!
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You’re right.
“I have been playing the piano for 10 years, got to play it at multiple concerts, won many awards in music”
Or should I mention “Ever since I was a toddler I have been constantly playing football, won the state championships 3 times?”
Or maybe, wait for it! “I am an accomplished artist. I like to express my feelings through art and I have been doing so for over 10 years! I have entered and won about 8 competitions in the arts”.
It’s kind of ironic because you’ve recently asked an Andover admissions officer “What are the things that you typically look for in an Andover applicant?” and your name indicates you have artistic extracurriculars?
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To start with, you are acting like these are the only things people talk about, when the reality is that all kinds of people apply with all kinds of achievements, community service being one of them. The reason i asked the AO that question was because it’s not that often to be able to hear the answer from a person who is actually involved in the admissions process. That being said, however, I will admit it wasn’t a good question.
These are the things that people most talk about. Pretty much all schools pride themselves on having great athletes, artists, or even scientists as their students. Sometimes people are just leaders at community service.
The reason I made this post is that there is not much information on students that excel at community service, but we often hear about students in the arts, athletics, and science! Usually, students start doing community service projects in the middle of their high school careers, rather than doing them before applying to boarding schools. That doesn’t mean I don’t do research!
Wish you all the best, though!
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If you go to the annual M10 Stats threads, you will be guaranteed to find at least half a dozen people every year with community service listed as an EC.
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I’m not trying to discourage you. It’s the simple truth.
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exactly. That was my big selling point.
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You obviously have not done enough research on this forum or on boarding school in general. I’m not trying to be rude. I’m trying to be helpful. Research more schools. But more so, do some more maturing. These schools do not accept people who are going to make fun of and deny corrective criticism. You asked for advice. Here is your advice. I was exactly like you when I first joined CC. I was young and a little immature. Do a little soul searching. After my soul searching and maturing, I finally found that the schools you are applying to were not for me. But the BS I’m going to is: because I matured and found out what BS really is and why “top schools” were not for me(and I’m still going to a great school!)
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What you want is to present is how you contribute and fit in their environment. If their environment contains those star athletes, musicians, of course they’re going to take pride in it. Any school would. You don’t necessarily need outshining achievements, but if definitely helps. Try to refrain from bashing other interests tho, and worry about how to present the best in you. Best of luck in your admissions journey.
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People do NOT usually or always start community service in HS. I started in 2nd grade. Completed awards and achieved goals on a county level by 3rd. Currently working on my gold award which is the highest award a girl scout can achieve. There are many youth community service programs all around the world. For boys, girls, and other genders. Out of my old 8-12 high school, most people in my grade have been doing community service since younger ages than I.
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@artgag06 mentioned it before. He doesn’t do art as an EC. It’s a version of his name.
Also, please do not bash others for asking about admissions. That’s what this community is for, and these questions are asked very commonly
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Don’t be passive-aggressive, it’s noticeable.
It’s blatant that your “criticism” is not constructive from the point you started to assume. I go to a top private (national) school in my country and I have friends that went to top international schools (in my country) and went on to go to top boarding schools in the US and in the UK. I know how things work.
Other than that, I have had my goals set since I was 4, and I have NOT changed them. I know exactly what I want to do with my life, and for more than 10 years. I am often complimented for having a high ability of self-knowledge.
I organized my school list based on my future goals, so your assumption is extremely incorrect. I have researched ALL schools I want to go to, and those are not the only ones I’m applying to, I’m not ignorant nor oblivious.
“After my soul searching and maturing, I finally found that the schools you are applying to were not for me”. Just because certain schools are not for you, it doesn’t mean the schools are not for other people.
Top schools aren’t for you, but they are for me! Maybe I’m good for some, or not good enough for others, but yes, they ARE for me. People in my social circle go to top schools, and that is exactly what I want to do. Unfortunately, again, most of them apply from international schools and with athletic backgrounds, so their situation is not the same as mine.
I’m older than you, and I’m not applying as a freshman, but here’s some advice: If you don’t have anything nice to say, you don’t have to say it! In this day and age, we need more EMPATHIC, LOVING, CARING people. The world NEEDS better people.