BobTheCow

I am an Asian who recently moved to Georgia from Canada a year ago. I heard about private BS's a few months ago and will apply for Exeter, Deerfield, Choate, and Taft. I am currently in 8th grade and am applying for 9th (obviously). Here are some of my stats.

School: Unknown Middle School in very small Georgia town

Academics:
This year so far all A's above 96
Last year all A's above 90

Extracurricular:
Band: 1/4 year (Currently playing clarinet; Learned pretty fast based on previous knowledge of piano.)
Piano: 6 years
Swimming: 6 years
Basketball: 2 years
Beta Club (Community service program): 1 year (Continuing this year)
Odyssey of the Mind (program that teaches a team of students how to develop creative problem-solving methods. For example, building a working vehicle): 1 year, 5th place in state last year for our team's problem (continuing this year
Kumon (afterschool academic enhancement): 2 years- 2nd level honor roll in math

Volunteer work:
Marathon helper
Safety patrol (traffic person for school area)
Beta Club

Job's:
Paperboy- 2 years

Awards:
Principal honor roll
2nd place school math contest
2nd place school spelling bee
3rd place spelling contest (different from bee)
5th place state Odyssey competition

I've heard that some Georgia school systems aren't that qualified (which is pretty true for my school). Does this lower my chances of getting accepted?
Also, I've heard that it's typically only people in high school that get accepted into these types of schools so does that mean I have a very low chance of getting accepted?
I'd appreciate any information that can be given.
Thank you!

Obviously

Hello there!

Okay, so since you're Asian, know that you're in a very touh pool. Tons of other AMAZING Asians will apply to these schools, so you'll really need to make yourself stand out. The fact that Georgia schools systems may or may not be qualified won't really affect you much, seeing as it's not in your control, and grades don't have that much of a weight. (Don't get me wrong, if you have straight Fs it will matter, but if it's easy to get your grade, eh..) To show that you are up to par with some of these other top notch kids, try and get a good score on the SSAT! Study your butt off. Now, looking at ECs, I always try and look for passion, or some link between the ECs. You seem to maybe be into sports and music? If you are, really empathsize that at your interviews and talk to someone from the music department or a coach for swimming or basketball. Send in a piece of you playing. Do you think you could possibly be recruited for _______ sport? If so, great! Not only people in HS are accepted, lol. Tons of 8th graders are accepted. >.> <.<
Sorry if any of the above is inaccurate, my bad.
You have a chance, good luck!

BobTheCow

Thanks for the info. I really need an idea of where I'm at right now and how to increase my chance of getting accepted because the school I'm in right now really doesn't give me anything challenging (Can you believe we still have coloring books?!) so I really don't want to spend another four years in these schools wasting everyday of my life. Again, thank you!

neatoburrito

My eighth graders had anagrams for science homework tonight. No, "unscramble the letter to find the word that describes XYZ," just things like "nygree = energy"

And the kicker is......it's actually graded. Does everyone see now why schools require the SSAT?

BobTheCow

That is so true!