Question about PG Year

trynagetthere · December 2017

I'm wondering--how would Andover, Choate, Exeter, Hotchkiss look at a senior who is an academic PG looking at doing a PG to grow personally and getting boarding school experience before college? I do a variety of EC's and have been admitted early to a HYPS school--does that matter?

skieurope · December 2017

They will probably wish you all the best at your HYPS school, since the purpose of any BS is to prepare students for college, and you've already accomplished this.

While there are exceptions, most PGs are athletic recruits.

sgopal2 · December 2017

I've met a few non-athlete PGs. However they are very rare. If a HYPS caliber school has accepted you, this means they believe you can handle the work load. Doing a PG year is probably not necessary.

Are you worried about not being able to perform academically? Is is the social aspect? What aspect of going to a boarding school for a year help you? Keep in mind that PGs are somewhat isolated because they are there only for a year.

trynagetthere · December 2017

@skieurope @sgopal2 Thanks for your responses. I not worried about performing academically, but I think that I would benefit from having boarding school experience socially. I also would benefit from developing my extracurricular experiences/skills before going to college. Thus, while I am prepared for college now, having that extra year would make me even more prepared, not just academically but all-around.

sgopal2 · December 2017

I'm not sure that a PG year will help you socially. Keep in mind that most of the kids in any given boarding school have been together for a long time (3-4 years). So their social circles are already established. Breaking into an established friend group will be difficult. But its possible: you'll have to join clubs, sports, etc. Almost all of the leadership positions will have gone to students who have been there already for a few years.

If you're going to do PG to make friends, I don't think it will work out well. You'll be much better off starting as a new freshman in college, where everybody is in the same boat.

sunnyschool · December 2017

Will your HYP school allow a deferral for a PG year?

trynagetthere · December 2017

@sunnyschool I'm assuming so, it's like a gap year (i know it's not the same) but for the purposes of deferring one year I'm assuming they would treat it the same

Center · December 2017

@trynagetthere I have to be honest-this is the strangest inquiry I have yet to see re PG-ing. Most PGs we know are trying to get college attention for their sport or to get attention from a higher level school for their sport. That your goal is socialization is somewhat suspect unless you are a genius that graduated at 14. PG year is notoriously easy, you have no friends except those on your sport team (assuming you play a sport) and you wont be making friends with 14, 15 or 16 year old kids furiously working to get to the place you are already at.

sunnyschool · January 2018

Does anyone know if PG year is almost always full pay, or is there FA $ available for PG years?
I ask because I know someone that may need this, but not sure they can fork out $50K+ tuition for one year. Thanks!

sgopal2 · January 2018

Yes I have heard of PGs who get financial aid. In fact some of them have scholarships exclusively for PGs.

Here is an which explains that two players on the squash team spent PG years at Lawrenceville before starting at Princeton:

http://www.goprincetontigers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=223

trynagetthere · March 2018

This is just for future applicants' reference but I ended up accepted at Kent, Hotchkiss, Exeter, Hill, Lawrenceville

HMom16 · March 2018

@trynagetthere I'm curious - why would you do a PG year if you've already been accepted to an HYPS school? Is it something you're still considering?

trynagetthere · March 2018

It’s sort of a middle step to college where I can live on own, have greater resources of day school, and explore my interests in a more structured environment than college

Center · March 2018

sorry-there is certainly more to this story.

austinmshauri · March 2018

I wouldn't assume any college will let you enroll next year if you defer your acceptance so you can attend a boarding school. Have you asked Stanford admissions if they'll hold your REA spot?

How will attending boarding school with 14- to 17-year-olds for a year help you more, socially, than a year spent in college with 18- to 22-year-olds? Teens are great people, but I don't think you'll develop as many social skills hanging around them as you would by interacting with other adults every day.

Colleges provide many resources that boarding schools can't. What ECs do the boarding schools have that you can't get at Stanford? How will developing extracurricular experiences and skills help prepare you for college? I think those are important questions that you should know the answer to before you ask Stanford for a deferral. Getting accepted to boarding school is only half the battle. You have to convince your college to hold your spot while you attend.

SatchelSF · March 2018

Is this a "Z-list situation"? That would be my guess. All of the HYPS schools have a select group of admits who are not ready for the school (they are let in for other reasons). Some pretty famous people. Anyone who has been at one of these schools is aware of the phenomenon.

Center · March 2018

I googled z list and found this. Otherwise had not heard of it. (But this situation is the only way this scenario makes sense.)

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/4/3/the-legend-of-the-z-list/

gardenstategal · March 2018

Z list is not only for famous people at least at some schools. Chicago, for example, seems to use this quite a bit as an enrollment management tool. Go to theIR page on this forum and you'll read of kids getting this offer during the RD season. Seems to be a way to hang on to certain candidates even when all the beds are filled...

AppleNotFar · March 2018

Always something new to learn on CC!

trynagetthere · March 2018

FYI I'm not a Z-list. First of all Z-list offers are made for those on the waitlist. I was admitted early. Second the school did not force me to take a gap year, it was my own choosing. I'm top 75% percentile for testing at the HYPS school and in cum laude. Please don't make assumptions

skieurope · March 2018

Is this a "Z-list situation"?

Z-list offers are not made before RD decisions have been made, and generally are not made until summer.

ETA: Oops, I just realized OP answered that this is not a z-list situation.

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