Applicants of 2013 Thread - Page 7

bballhopeful · 09-19-2012, 12:36 AM

My math teacher and english teacher from last year know me a lot better so would I be allowed to have my math and english teacher from grade 8 do my recs?

GMTplus7 · 09-19-2012, 01:39 AM

If the application instructions say CURRENT English teacher and CURRENT Math teacher, then only ask for recs from those CURRENT teachers.

It will not reflect well on you if you do not follow the instructions.

ballerina22 · 09-23-2012, 05:09 PM

I just visited Andover, and I loved it! The campus is beautiful, the town is great, and my interview was amazing. I looked at the essay prompts, and have come up with an idea that is really risky but, if I can pull it off, will be amazing

I am having the same problem with recommendations. My current English teacher loves me, but my geometry teacher doesn't know me at all, and neither does the Head of School because I've just started high school. However, I am going to be meeting with my geometry teacher a lot to go over homework, do problems, etc. because I want to make sure I stay on top of the advanced course. I am also going to schedule a meeting with the Head of School to tell her a bit about myself, my interests, my achievements, etc. and to ask her to do the recommendations.

How's everyone else doing so far? Any questions? Comments? Concerns?

Exeterlover · 09-24-2012, 08:03 AM

Why is it that EVERY CC students apply to Andover, Deerfield, and Exeter? I'm losing self confidence looking at all these spectacular people that I have to go against... Makes my self-esteem go down...

spaceneedlesevie · 09-24-2012, 10:35 AM

In other news, I was Looking through my Latin book and I saw the authors went to Choate and Andover. Day made.

ballerina22 · 09-24-2012, 07:12 PM

Exeterlover - The applicants on CC tend to be the better applicants - the ones that are more committed to the application process and more resourceful about the way they gather information. Thus, this amazing group of intelligent people are more likely to want to apply to the more selective, well-regarded schools. (I'm not saying that other schools aren't amazing, so please don't give me hate! I'm just saying as far as prestige goes, these 3 are the most selective.)

spaceneedlesevie - That happens to me all the time! Andover was mentioned in the Catcher in the Rye. It was something along the lines of "He thinks he's such a goddamn big-shot because he went to Andover" and I died.

SevenDad · 09-24-2012, 09:21 PM

"Why is it that EVERY CC student applies to Andover, Deerfield, and Exeter?"

I'll throw out another possible answer: it's because these schools are among the most well known/"prestigious" schools. The Harvard, Dartmouth, and Yale of the BS scene.

Sure, these three are great schools. But there are plenty of great schools out there. As I advised anyone who would listen last year...if going to BS is important to you, make sure you explore and apply to a wider range of schools than suggested by the "HADES" acronym. Without even knowing your stats or app profile, I can say that kids with better stats/hookier profiles than you get rejected every year.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone from applying to any school. I am trying to suggest that there is great sense in applying to more than just the most selective schools on the planet. Good luck!

ballerina22 · 10-21-2012, 11:57 AM

bumpbumpbump.... How's everybody doing?

girlgeekmom · 10-22-2012, 01:16 PM

I have been lurking CC since last fall, when we began our boarding school application process. As a parent of a boarding school freshman, I thought our experience might be helpful:

Our DD, a top scholar, accomplished musician, steeped in community service, 99th percentile SSAT (99th English/Verbal, 95th Math, 99th overall). Some quirky stats: Stellar 6th & 7th grade at small private middle school; homeschooled for 8th (and earlier, 3rd & 4th). Applied at age 12 (to be 13 in 9th grade, skipped 5th). Needed substantial FA (more than 50%).

Since we live in New England and were homeschooling, a great deal of our fall 2012 was dedicated to school visits. Having exhausted the very few options in our rural area, we were VERY CONCERNED WITH FIT. Did I mention that schools with A Good Fit were important? I did say FIT, I think.

Can I stress that enough? We knew our dd was a good candidate for HADES or GLADCHEMM or name-your-acronym. But she had very specific wants, not the least of which was either a stellar orchestral program AND/OR access to a well-regarded regional youth orchestra... AND the high-level academics she craved. SO... after visiting a baker's dozen schools, she applied to 8 in NE/NJ and, while everyone told us "oh, she'll get into everywhere, she's amazing, who wouldn't want her," we knew it just was not going to be.

That said, we were (and she was) very, very happy with the results. Here's the breakdown of visits, apps, acceptances, with my very general comments, which are purely a parent's POV.

Schools we visited and interviewed at (because while we were touring, it was worth it not to make a second trip, even if dd didn't apply):

Andover - didn't like sprawling campus or remote music dept.; didn't apply
Blair - liked it very much, liked the vibe though not the remoteness; applied
Choate - found it intimidating, off-putting but applied because of music concentration
Concord - liked the vibe and arts offerings, proximity to music schools; applied
Emma Willard - the last school she looked at, very impressed; applied
Exeter - had a great friend there; loved the idea of PEA; applied
Groton - didn't care for the structure/perceived rigidity; didn't apply
Hotchkiss - liked music director, classics concentration; applied
Lawrenceville - underwhelmed in comparison to NE schools; didn't apply
Middlesex - loved English program, music would be outside and a stretch; applied anyway
Milton - liked it, especially proximity to Boston and its music offerings; applied
Northfield Mt. Hermon - liked it but didn't like block system; didn't apply
Peddie - liked it but music dept. not high-level enough; didn't apply

And of the schools she applied to, the breakdown follows. As a parent, I was unsurprised; the best FIT schools for HER were the ones she got into AND the ones that offered the most FA:

Blair - Accepted
Choate - Not Accepted
Concord - Accepted
Emma Willard - Accepted
Exeter - Accepted
Hotchkiss - Not Accepted
Middlesex - Waitlisted (she declined)
Milton - Waitlisted (she declined)

To narrow it down further, she decided to revisit two of the four schools she was accepted to: Emma Willard and Exeter. Two VERY different schools. And the winner was?

Emma Willard.

In addition to a FA package more generous than PEA's, Emma really had it all for our dd. She is now a freshman there and we all believe it is absolutely the best FIT for her: she is engaged academically in an environment where everyone wants to learn; she is in her school orchestra AND a regional youth orchestra; she loves her teachers, the new challenges and the school staff; and she has time to study, practice her music, and spend time with friends.

The moral of the story? HADES isn't everything. Even for the 'top of the top' student -- and many of you might find that broadening your search might not only improve your chances, but might provide you with options that would, in the end, be at least as good a fit.

Good luck to all. Feel free to ask questions; we spent a LOT of time considering schools.

BTW ballerina22, did you know that Emma Willard has a renowned dance company, in addition to its other arts, humanities, and one of the best STEM programs in the country?

Just sayin'.

flyoverdad2three · 10-22-2012, 02:29 PM

Very well said. A bit of wisdom to counter the "must be sour grapes" misinformation, or the "go big or go home" thinking that, somehow, an amazing BS experience can't be enjoyed at any one of dozens of schools, all "elite" in their own right by any reasonable definition of that word. Thanks for sharing, and congrats to you and your DD.

I'll add another factor to those already mentioned as possibly skewing the application numbers upward for Andover, Exeter and Deerfield: Financial aid. For students who require full aid to attend BS (like a good percentage of the BS CC community, it would seem), initial research will tell them that Andover, Exeter and Deerfield, along with Groton, have full-pay awards for families below certain income levels. If you have excellent meritocratic credentials, it makes perfect sense to add these schools to your list, on the off chance you'll beat the odds and get in. Add these wonderful schools to your list, and it's hard not to fall in love with one of them. Of course, hundreds of additional applications made at relatively small expense on the hope of great financial reward also has the effect of even further lowering the acceptance rates at these elite schools. It takes a lot more time and effort to realize that substantial packages, including "full rides" are also available at other schools. Definitely worth taking the time to explore.

Good luck to all the 2013ers. With our own DD safely tucked off to school this year, we'll return to the rounds beginning 2013-14 for our next in line.

girlgeekmom · 10-22-2012, 02:39 PM

Excellent points, Flyoverdad.

I'd also like to chime in that PEA's offer, though generous was NOT the MOST generous of those we received, even factoring in some of their benefits for FA students...and all schools had the same info from our PFS. PEA has many, many applications from families with great need, and if a high percentage of them are accepted (PEA has returned to need-blind admissions), middle-income families sometimes don't receive as much as they'd like.

HADES are not the only well-endowed schools out there, and many other schools have special scholarships for merit, or foreign students, or any number of initiatives.

GMTplus7 · 10-22-2012, 04:35 PM

@girlgeekmom,

WHAT AN INSANELY GREAT STORY!!!! I hope you will start a new thread about the importance of FIT and re-post your account (post #99 & 101).

I get depressed by how many posters who really don't know much about the prep school world get hung up on names and never look beyond the handful of ACRONYM schools, regardless of whether that school might actually be a good fit.

SevenDad · 10-22-2012, 04:53 PM

But if I don't go to Andover, I'll never get into Harvard!!!<----I kid.

@girlgeekmom: Thanks so much for sharing your family's story. We had a similar experience a few years ago, and my daughter chose St. Andrew's over a "HADES" school. She's loving SAS and so are we...headed down for parents weekend in a few days. BTW, Emma is on our shortlist for SevenDaughter2, so keep us posted on how year 1 goes.

BTW, what is up with Choate turning down both our extremely well-qualified kids? ;-)

girlgeekmom · 10-22-2012, 04:54 PM

Hmmm... good idea—Thanks, GMTplus7.

I also realized I forgot about our visit to Kent, another school to which we did not apply. I'll start a new thread about FIT!

girlgeekmom · 10-22-2012, 05:10 PM

SevenDad, LOVE that! Our friend who is now in 2nd year at PEA was, in prep year, worried about getting into Harvard! That after 3 months at Exie. OY!

Another friend, frosh at St. Andrews, is apparently loving it. Must connect with parents and find out more. As for Emma, we were just blown away by our parents' weekend visit. Possibly, the experience of scootering around campus with Geekdaughter added to the joy. With Emma's fairly compact campus, Razor (and their ilk) scooters seem to be the preferred mode of wheeled transport.

I will definitely keep you posted as the year progresses. Is SD2 applying for fall '13?