Can I get into any of the HADES schools ?

MidnightSunLife · 08-01-2012, 09:07 AM

Hi I'm from singapore. I go to a top independent school here and I was wondering if I could get into any of those schools with these qualifications. I'm currently in grade 8.

I'm a straight A student

Volunteer work: gone to cambodia twice to help orphans,volunteered as a pharmecitical technicians assistant and as a nurses assistant,help raise funds for riding for the disabled association, helped poverty stricken students in hong kong.

Awards: 2 awards in improvements in academics and topped my class each term last year, top 10 in my level for history last year

Others: specially picked by vice principal for hong kong exchange programme and I learned Chinese for 6 years , I did a school based public service announcemt on homophobia

EC: animation

I will be sitting for my ssats at the end of this year.do you think if I do well for my ssats at the end of this year I will be able to qualify ?

I have asked this question a few times but haven't gotten an answer from different points of view so I was wondering what my chances would seem like

sulzbachbaby · 08-02-2012, 11:11 AM

Hello MidnightSunLife! I am currently a senior at Exeter. You have a lot of great qualifications and you seem to have a pretty good idea of what you are passionate about. I think you have a great chance at getting into the HADES schools. But remember, the most important thing is showing the admissions officers WHY you do these things, WHY you are so passionate about the things you do. They are looking for people who can represent the school community. Statistics are great, sure, but the reasons behind them are the most important. If you can really bring that out to the admissions office, instead of just throwing them all these qualifications, I'm sure you have a great chance of getting in.

Bubblegum321 · 08-04-2012, 07:09 PM

Sounds really good, but don't take my opinion too seriously!!

Good luck!! B) and check out my application, too, please, if you have a chance!!

ptyalejandro · 08-05-2012, 10:44 AM

As far as academics and volunteer work goes, you are very strong, however your EC's are a bit lacking, but if you are talented in animation, you can send some of your work to schools.

MidnightSunLife · 08-07-2012, 06:54 AM

But my school works in a way that we have the same EC for 4 years and we can only have 1 EC

InternationalDad · 08-07-2012, 10:35 AM

Dear MSL

The good news: HADES admit internationals. Now, here's the not so good news.

Since you are after HADES, let's use "S" 2012 admission data:
- 1,533 applicants did the admission interviews
- 1,430 applied (358 scored 95% or better on their SSATs)
- 246 admitted, yes, that's right - 1,184 candidates were denied!
- 165 enrolled, ah yes, 81 chose to go elsewhere! Their yield 67%
- 84 boys and 81 girls
- 104 third formers, 50 fourth formers and 11 fifth formers
- 20 out of the 165 were internationals (from 17 countries)

My guestimate:
- 12 new third formers are internationals (6 boys 6 girls)
- and 20 international third formers were admitted (10 boys 10 girls)

So if you are a future international 3rd former candidate from Singapore, you will not compete for 104 spots, you will compete for 10 (TEN) international 3rd former boy/girl spots. And chances are you will compete for 1 (ONE) Singaporean spot in the admission cycle (for all there forms). But, hey, who knows if that one spot is meant for you!

So, I encourage you to give it a go. I am positive that you (and your family) will benefit from the exercise.

Meanwhile, you will find a repeated advice in this forum. If you are keen to attend a BS, you may want to consider casting your net wider.

Good luck!

MidnightSunLife · 08-10-2012, 08:37 AM

What other schools could you suggest for an international student?

GMTplus7 · 08-11-2012, 12:24 AM

You need to ask yourself what your objective is for attending BS in the U.S. Because the answer to that question will steer you to different groups of schools.

Is it to attend an elite school? If so, then for what reason? For prestige? For a good education? You already mention that you are attending a top independent school in Singapore. The elite U.S. schools limit the number of international students from the same country, so they are extremely difficult to gain admission, as per the discussion by InternationalDad.

Is it to live in the U.S.? If so, then for what reason: to simply be in the U.S. or to experience American culture? You need to be wary of less prestigious BS exploiting international students. This article is about students from China being exploited, but the caution can apply to any nationality:
Chinese Students Lose as U.S. Schools Exploit Need - Bloomberg

Albion · 08-11-2012, 01:57 PM

I think GMT7 brings up very good questions. I just wanted to gently point out that there are a lot of truly excellent American boarding schools that are not prestigious internationally, nor which can live up to the veneration of the mighty ACRONYM schools, but which are in no way exploiting overseas students. I teach at one such institution now, and taught at another in a different state many years ago. I worry that this board draws a clubby little line around a ridiculously small number of schools, and lumps everything else as undesirable, and now, potentially unscrupulous as well. I doubt that was GMT7s goal, but I want to be clear to all the future international applicants who read this board.

Look, if prestige matters to you, then it matters.
I would argue that there is a wonderful education and cultural experience to be gained at any one of the top 4O or so schools.

GMTplus7 · 08-12-2012, 10:09 AM

@Albion,
Yes, most definitely there are great schools beyond the tiny handful of names that make up a catchy ACRONYM. That is why I often urge prospective applicants to look beyond just those schools.

@Midnight,
I am not trying to discourage you from applying, but just trying to help you understand that your choice of prospective schools should be guided by what your objective is for attending a boarding school in the U.S.

MidnightSunLife · 08-13-2012, 04:53 AM

Thank you for your advice. Basically I'm looking for a school that knows how to have fun and is pretty liberal but at the same time the students also know when to get down to serious work. Do you have any suggestions school ?

sulzbachbaby · 08-16-2012, 08:41 PM

^ If you want fun, Exeter isn't the place for you.

2kidsnoanswers · 11-13-2012, 05:24 PM

Yes, just to chime in to concur that there are plenty of great boarding schools beyond the tiny few most mentioned on CC that in no way exploit international students. I've seen international students thrive at many excellent schools and go on to very fine colleges.

I would also mention that there are excellent junior boarding schools attract a good number of international students and these kids usually go on to fine boarding schools. I think they have an advantage in already having proven their ability to adapt to a boarding school environment and live in a new country. Definitely no exploitation involved.

I can imagine how difficult it must be for an international parent to allow their child to attend school in another country. While I am not aware of schools which exploit such students, it doesn't mean they don't exist. I would advise any parent to investigate any school carefully and do their own due diligence.