<p>IM SO EXCITED ALSO!!!</p>
<p>I’m looking at Exeter, Andover, Hotchkiss, Tabor, Choate, and Deerfield</p>
<p>Does it help that someone related to me went to one of these schools?</p>
<p>yeah. if it’s legacy, then definitely, but if it’s like, sibling, i’m not sure if any of these schools have sibling priority/preference.</p>
<p>i don’t think cousins count for anything though.</p>
<p>I am very excited to apply next year!! (I’ll be a freshman in HS) I went through the process last year not knowing too much about boarding schools and starting really late (mostly waitlists), but I’ve learned and (luckily), discovered CC, haha. 
I’ll be applying to Andover, Deerfield, SPS, Exeter, Middlesex and Kent (not a finalized list). My question: If you do a sport (10+ hours/week in my case) and plan on continuing in boarding school, should you contact the coaches of the schools to learn more, visit, etc.? Thanks!</p>
<p>you should definitely contact the coach. if they’re responsive, then you should send a video of you, playing your sport of choice.</p>
<p>“Boarding school is not a paradise. Boarding school is not a right. Boarding school is not for partying. Boarding school is not solely for college.
Boarding school IS an opportunity. Boarding school IS a privilege. Boarding school IS for working (and playing) hard. Boarding school IS for preparation for the rest of your lives.”</p>
<p>Thankyou for mentioning this Saer! GREAT advice here, as is the rest of your post.</p>
<p>Thank you, Ruby 
That is the mantra (its sooo long and hard to memorize) my mom made me repeat on the way to my interview. Haha!</p>
<p>I’m applying to only Exeter and Im going to get in
I have already sent my inquiry</p>
<p>how can you be so sure that you’ll get in? @_@; i’ve already sent in my inquiry as well, but to like 15 schools… hahahaa. (my coffee table is stacked high with yearbooks right now…)</p>
<p>Bump!!! I am bumping this because alot of people have joined since this started. 
</p>
<p>for narrowing your choices: apply to at least 6 schools, and have a good mix of reaches, matches, and safeties. I knew nothing when i applied and ended up applying to 4 reaches and by some miracle I got into one, but I could just as easily have been quadruple-rejected. Make sure That your schools are also varied types of schools, (i.e. don’t apply to Groton and Middlesex as your only reaches, they’re too similar). And make sure Middlesex is on your list, because i’m going there and it’s the s***. :)</p>
<p>Izzy Busy Bee: I’d argue against that last piece of advice. I think that an applicant should know what they want in a school before applying. Not uberspecifics, but they should know what’s important to them (perhaps a sport, a location, a class, a mentality, etc.). This may very well yield similar schools.</p>
<p>I’m applying for repeat sophomore!! SO EXCITED!!! :D</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone, for the advice so far!</p>
<p>I’m looking into: Andover, Exeter, SPS, Deerfield, Hotchkiss, Choate, and maybe Loomis and Taft. It kind of bothers me that almost all these are name-brand schools, but I already go to a nationally ranked high school (not trying to brag, it’s just part of my point). If I don’t get into a really good boarding school, is it worth it to pay $40,000 to attend a lower-tier boarding school (in your opinion)?</p>
<p>What factors do the schools look at for financial aid? Is income it? Do they look at whether you have a sibling in college, paying off a house, etc.? I’m middle class (border of upper-middle), but my brother is going to college the same year I’m applying to for boarding school, we still have a house to pay off, and my parents are idiots (to put it nicely) and didn’t save a penny for me or my brother’s boarding school OR college. Basically, I’m pretty much screwed if I don’t get financial aid. But I’m not sure if they’ll grant it, considering it’s need based and our income is higher than average. And we could have afforded boarding school had my parents decided to save a penny every once in a while (sorry for ruining the economy, haha). Opinions? And sorry for kind of ranting.</p>
<p>THANKS! :D</p>
<p>well maybe that last piece of advice is more for me. I had no idea what I wanted in a school, and I think, looking back, that I should have applied to more diverse schools.</p>
<p>Start early! You can be making appointments for interviews now for the fall. If you really want to go to a boarding school, don’t just apply to 5 schools with a 20% acceptance rate to each. In this case, 5 x 20 does NOT = 100%. As another poster said, try to find several that you like, not just falling in love with one. And again, start early. Doing lots of essays over your Christmas/New Year’s holiday break is not fun.</p>
<p>Izzy Busy Bee: Fair enough. Whatever works for the applicant.</p>
<p>lemons.can.fly: I have the exact same philosophy. I too only applied to reach schools. I wasn’t going to have my parents pay a ton of money unless the education and opportunities were significantly better than what I could get at home. To your financial aid question, most take into account everything under the sun. They’ll look at the fact that your parents are also paying tuition for your brother and that they’re still paying off the house. Many, especially the ones you’re looking at, are extremely generous. For now, just worry about getting in, FA probably won’t be much of a problem. And if it is, there are always appeals.</p>
<p>@BrooklynGuy - I kind of had that mentality of 5 x 20 = 100% but I kind of changed it up.</p>
<p>This is what I figured 8 x 20 = 100% chance of acceptance into at least one</p>
<p>Oh, I have advice!</p>
<p>It’s not much… but they are things I shoulda done!</p>
<p>When your in the midst of all your applications, remember why your applying to the school your applying to. And let it show through in your application and interview. A couple, small, super specific detailed compliments are better than many broad ones!</p>
<p>Once March 10th starts to roll around, keep your chin up! You may be surprised to find that some of the schools you expected to be turned away from really want you, and vice versa. And even if you get waitlisted, yes, there is still a chance!</p>
<p>Do the essay prompts change from year to year?
Is there any way I could find a recording of their orchestras/bands/music programs?</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the advice so far!</p>
<p>Hey!</p>
<p>I’m applying for '10-'11 as a ninth grader.
I’m currently looking into like a bajillion schools. So far I’ve got info packets from Exeter, Goveror’s, Taft, St. Pauls, Emma Willard, and Middlesex. But I’m also looking into NMH, Andover, Williston, and Groton. Oh, yes and Loomis. and etc… lol</p>
<p>My top choices so far would be NMH and Taft.
Could you give me some advice and/or your opinion or something.</p>
<p>I know Middlesex has recordings on their website, not sure about other schools ( i was listening to the jazz band, since i plan to be in it).</p>