Will repeating TWO grades be a big red flag to Prep Schools?

Hey everyone,

Current tenth grader here who is applying to GLADCHEMMS. I know I will be definitely applying as a repeat 10th, but how unusual is repeating two grades? I’m very young for my current grade (I skipped a grade in the past) and I have my reasons for doing so (too long to explain here), I’ve talked to my parents about this and they are with me here, but will AOs immediately reject my application if they see that I am trying to repeat two grades?

And does applying as a sophomore significantly decrease my chances compared to as a freshman? I’ve seen this: Search for Private Schools - School Detail for PHILLIPS ACADEMY

(I’ve done this for many other Prep Schools as well)

It’s clear that most prep schools admit 1/2 to 1/4th as many kids as they did freshman year, but the real question is how much less applicants are they dealing with?

Where’s the second grade being repeated?

A current 10 th grader applying for 10th is pretty typical. If you are asking if you can apply for 9th, I doubt it

Yes, there are fewer acceptances for 10th, but there are also fewer applicants.

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I’m currently in 10th grade, and ideally, I’d want to enter 9th grade next fall. It’s not just for acceptance rates, I also have many other reasons (e.g. spend more time at Juilliard Pre-College, make USAJMO up to three times instead of just once, more time to grind USNCO/USABO/F=ma, more years at ISEF, and these are just a few).

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I have heard of lots of kids applying to repeat the grade they’re in currently. Never any going back a grade.

My guess is that this would be considered only in the most unusual of circumstances – the kid who is coming from a refugee camp and is just learning English.

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How old will you be on September 1, 2024? I think if you will be 14 or 15, you could make the case that you should never have been accelerated in the first place. It will be a hard case to make if you have already been thriving academically and socially, but you could try. I just imagine that you need a more compelling reason than wanting extra years at Juilliard or to “grind.”

I think if you will be 16.5+, most boarding schools will be reluctant to have you join their ninth grade. In that instance, you would be 20 (or nearly so) when you graduate, which is unusual expect for schools that do a PG year. Also, they will have a few freshmen as young as 13 in the fall of 2024 (though most will be 14 or 15), which can present a tricky social dynamic when ninth graders who are 13.5 are socializing with ninth graders who are 16.5. Maturity levels are so different and barring some extenuating circumstances, it makes more sense for you to be with your age peers.

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Yeah, “I want more years to compete with high schoolers” isn’t going to be a compelling case to go back a grade. Repeating one grade because you’re young and skipped is common for top prep schools (some might recommend/require it), but two is under only extraordinary circumstances (I can’t think of any offhand - I think the refugee example is a good one). I wouldn’t expect that to be an option, and pushing for it is asking them to make an exception they don’t need to make to fill their class.

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I’ve never heard of anyone going backwards, but if you are really really young, maybe it’s something to be discussed with admissions for social/emotional reasons - as in, you’d like to be the same age as peers.

As far as admissions - there are fewer spots but also far fewer applicants for 10th grade. I don’t think it makes an appreciable difference to be applying for 9th vs 10th, with the caveat that at the smallest schools, you may have the vagaries that occur w a small sample size (disproportionate number of one sex or one type of student relative to pool) that could impact outcome.

Yeah, I’d say that this would be problematic. Just repeat 10th. BTW, do you realize that Juilliard pre is an incredible boost, in college applications? If your desire to go to a prep school (and I assume you’re looking at ones that are within reasonable driving distance of NYC) is to give you a boost for college admissions while continuing with Juilliard pre, high achievement in a decent public school plus Juilliard pre is probably enough already. OTOH, going to a prestigious prep school would give you a social boost, if you wind up at a tippy top. I realized that the prestigious frats/clubs are filled with prep school grads, who then tap the next gen coming in from the prep schools, because that’s who they know, from their prep school days.

Yes, I am aware of JPC’s incredible boost. I currently go to a very competitive public HS (20% attend T20) and every single JPC kid our school has had for at least the past five years went to HYPSM. I don’t know the exact numbers, but based on my research, I believe 50+% of JPC graduates attend HYPSM, and the others go on to attend comparable schools or go on to professional music conservatories, the likes of Juilliard or Curtis, far more impressive than even the most prestigious private schools.

The issue is… I’m not there yet. I’m auditioning this year for piano major

What I should have said was that IF I do get in, I would like to spend as many years as possible. I am aware that first-year JPC students (excluding first-year seniors) are not allowed to participate in JPC competitions or give recitals, which would be quite a limiting factor. Of course, I need to get in first – which is VERY difficult, considering they accept about six people a year out of hundreds of applicants.

Regarding your OTOH, I totally agree. I’m not going to prep school just for the college admissions boost, but mainly for the lifetime of connections it will bring me. I want to get into business and politics when I grow up, and I understand that being able to go to the same school as, say, the Bush family, will give me an invaluable, priceless advantage, that many of my future competitors will not have access to.

To quote JFK himself, “To be an [insert prep school here] man is an enviable distinction and one that I sincerely hope I shall attain.”

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@Alqbamine32 I understand, thank you for pointing that out. It will certainly be a very hard case to sell.

@movingtothebeach I agree with you, it won’t be compelling. I’m just some random high schooler out of many competing to get into these schools, and I understand these elite schools certainly have many other qualified applicants.

@NYMom139 “Fewer spots but also far fewer applicants for 10th grade” – that’s basically what I’ve been hearing too. That makes sense.

Why do you want to be 20 yo when you graduate high school? I think repeating 10th is fine and no red flags for schools. Good luck!

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Thank you all for your replies. I appreciate all of your responses, and I appreciate all of your words of wisdom.

I guess moving forward, my plan is this:

Apply 10 → 10 (what I’m currently doing), considering 9th grade entry isn’t that different from 10th grade entry in terms of acceptance rates.

If I get in to prep school, I may consider emailing their head of admissions and asking them to re-class (I’ve heard of others doing this successfully). They probably won’t accept, but if they do, I will certainly take it.

Graduating HS at 19 (if I repeat two grades) is late, but it’s not exceptionally unusual. Again, if possible, I would love the full 4-year BS experience + as many years of JPC as possible.

I have heard that it is harder to get officer positions and leadership positions in BS as a lower-year entry than as a junior-year entry . When college admissions do come, I would prefer to send four years of BS transcripts, rather than two years of current HS transcripts + three years of BS transcripts.

Thanks everyone! Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I’m not a prep school expert…but if you really want an extra year of HS, couldn’t you do a PG year after 12th grade? If you did that, you would be entering college with same age classmates.

And I will add…if you are going to a top public HS in NYC, you might want to think twice about transferring.

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Yes, all my kid’s classmates from Juilliard pre went to tippy-tops, unless they went straight to conservatories. I was lucky - the pandemic’s murder of group ensembles dissuaded my kid from conservatory.

But you are right - you are not there yet, and although I wish you luck, you’re being very sensible to realize that your chances of it are small. And yes, the connections you will make at a top prep school, if you get in, will lead to connections at a tippy top, if you do well, that you would never have had otherwise. The old boy network for newcomers starts in prep school, for those who aren’t coming from generational wealth, in which case it starts in diapers on the beach on Nantucket.

As for Jeb… HE was the one people thought would become president, because George’s behavior was so much worse.

I’m almost positive, that ALL years of HS transcripts will be submitted to colleges.

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You are correct

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You don’t know if you’re going to get into JPC. Have you had any indication of your chances? My kid did a trial lesson with the grand old master teacher for their instrument at Juilliard, and the man said, “If you play at your audition as well as you played today, I think you have a good chance of getting in.” Maybe you could take a lesson with a piano teacher there, and get some predictive feedback?

Also, do you realize how inappropriate it would be to be a 16.5 year old 9th grader, among 14/15 year olds? I mean, if I were an admissions officer, just your mentioning that you wanted to go back to 9th grade would be a bit off-putting, kind of creepy. I really think that you should let go of this idea.

All your high school transcripts will have to be submitted for college applications, for every high school you’ve attended. While it’s common for people to repeat a year in the transition to prep school, it’s almost unheard of for them to go back two years. This could draw a college’s attention, and not in a good way.

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Wait, I’m kinda confused on this topic. Are you currently in Juilliard?

Also as a Juilliard Pre College student I’ve never seen anyone get into Juilliard PC after the age of 13 who goes to public/private high school. Most people I met who do get into Juilliard PC after the age of 13 are homeschooled students who are trying to get into conservatories for college. Not discouraging you but its just a observation I’ve seen. Out of my 3ish years I’ve only met one person who got in after the age of 13 but she homeschooled that year and went back to public after getting in.

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Could you age out of any of those programs, even if you are still in high school? Would you be eligible for Julliard if you took a grad year in a prep school (you may have to ask them).

As a current 14 or 15 year old you might not think it is a big deal to be a year or two older than the other kids, but as a 19 year old taking some classes with 13 year olds? It’s a big difference.

My daughter was always one of the youngest in her grade, and when she was a 13 year old high school student, I wasn’t thrilled with her hanging out with 18 year olds (on her sports team and a few multi-level classes like band or theater). A 19 year old would have had me in a panic.

To be clear, if I were to repeat two grades, I would be 15 at the time of entry, and 16 at the end of the year (I skipped a grade). However, you raise a fair point, and I see what you mean. 10 → 10 it is then.

I have had a trial lesson with a Juilliard professor, and they told me that I have a good chance of getting in, but told me that JPC is a reach for everyone – the talent pool every year varies WILDLY, and they only take a few kids. I’m not a total amateur – I have won a few thousand dollars from various piano competitions. Of course, I am aware that the talent pool at JPC far exceeds that. I’ve asked a lot of older adults/friends for advice, and the general consensus is that I can get into MSM pre-college, but JPC is a reach for me.

Supposedly, JPC admissions was easier during the COVID lockdown because only people from NYC metropolitan area applied, and JPC also happened to hire new teachers during that period, so there were a lot more openings in studios. However, acceptance rates have resumed back to where they were before COVID – which is to say, very very low. A big regret of mine is not applying during COVID. That was a big mistake.

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