lovelytezza

Hi.
I noticed most of the applicants for boarding schools were geniuses.
But I am a normal girl.
I live in Alabama and I am 13.
Grade 8 applying for grade 9.
Academics-
2 Bs and all else As
I'm taking SSAT soon.
Taking accelerated math-A
french-A
english-B (89)
science-A
ss- B+
P.E.- A+
Computer.-A+
Extracurricular-
Tennis- not competitive, 5 years
Arts- 7 years, some competitions
Lacrosse- recreational, just started
book club, tutor, etc.
Debate
Personality-
Stubborn (both good and bad)
I like myself.
Outgoing
When stuck on something, I stick on it forever.
Puts lots of effort.
VERY confident......
Schools-
Westminster School
Kent School
Portsmouth Abbey
Mercersburg
Berkshire
Pomfret School
Northfield Mount Hermon
the Governors Academy
canterbury
middlesex
st marks
taft
hill
Volunteering-
Did one HUGE volunteering thing.
got 100 hours.
Used to be on Jr Beta last year (probably won't matter)
and I help out at church alot. (does that count?)

GMTplus7

Don't be discouraged by the kids who brag on this board.

I notice that a lot of middle schools have massive grade inflation. A lot of kids who had straight A's in their middle school are floored when they arrive at the competitive prep school environment and face REAL competition for the first time in their lives.

lovelytezza

Thanks.
My mom keeps telling me about all these smart kids that apply to BS so I got REALLY scared.

coconutcake

You have geographic diversity working in your favor. Your grades are good, even with the B. You'll have to wait and see how your SSAT shakes out.

Before you apply, take a look at special programs and courses on each school's website and find specific things that you would definitely want to participate in if you went to that school, and bring them up in the interview. Make sure that your essays paint you as an independent, self-motivated, and kind person with a good character who is open to trying new things.

I think you've got a decent chance for all so long as your SSATs, essays, and interviews go well. Just be yourself. And don't be afraid to reject a school if you visit and it feels all wrong. You're looking for a home for the next four years, so feeling comfortable is key. Good luck!

Sundlun

I would say you have a strong chance at all the schools you mentioned. Try to decrease the number of schools you are applying to considering the fact that you live far away, so it would be difficult to visit all of them and that it is less than three months till Jan. 15.

coconutcake

I don't know if I would encourage her to decrease the number of applications (assuming her family can afford the application fees). I say apply to your list and see what the results look like. The school list might narrow naturally and there are always opportunities for accepted students to visit later on.

lovelytezza

Oh my gosh. Thank you guys for responding.
These comments made my day and I feel less pressured.
I also know that I can't apply for all these schools but does anyone have a recommended school for me?
Thanks.

coconutcake

What are your best/favorite academic subjects? Do you play any sports or instruments? What do you want to spend most of your time at boarding school actually doing? Someone who is really focused on music and art might have really different preferences than someone who is very focused on math and tennis, for example. Is there a specific language you want to learn? Do you want a smaller campus or larger campus? Any geographical preferences?

Of course, you'll find new interests when you get there, but if you're really interested in learning an Asian language, for example, you don't want to apply to schools that only offer Spanish and French. Know what I mean? You can't go too wrong, but you want to make sure that all the schools that you apply to definitely offer all of your "must haves."

coconutcake

Also, I know you're trying to narrow rather than broaden your search, but don't forget to check out the Hidden Gems thread if you haven't already: Hidden Gems: Lesser-known Prep Schools

Obviously websites aren't a substitute for campus visits, but really read the course catalogs, athletic offerings, art/music offerings, school calendar (semester? trimester? quarter? winter term? Saturday classes?), dress code, rules and policies, residential life, and student organization / student life sections of each school you're interested in very thoroughly. Take some notes - maybe make yourself a little spreadsheet comparing different aspects that impact you - so you can compare them side by side easily.

Also look at off-campus programs offered exclusively for students of a particular school. Some schools have extremely cool alternative Spring Breaks or study abroad programs, although you can always find external programs for these as well.

Not sure if you've checked out Cate School in Southern California - they're right on the ocean and it looks like a nice place.

justcallmedeena

I go to Mercersburg and I love it! Hard work pays off! good luck with everything!

CSGolfer15

I would say that you stand a fairly good chance of getting in quite a few of those schools. However, you really need to pare your list down to no more than five schools. Writing the essays and interviewing for that many schools takes way too much time. Your extracurriculars are fairly weak, but that is not quite as important when applying for freshman year. Your SSAT scores don't have to be 99% by any means to go to BS. Honestly, the most important thing is the interview. If they think you can be a productive member of the school, they will WANT you. Your first impression will be remembered, so make sure it's positive.