Anyone who got accepted to 11th grade at a boarding school?

Prep School Admissions
1

I heard that it’s really hard and nearly impossible to get into a boarding school applying for 11th grade.
I’m curious that do people even get accepted?? and if so what are their stats and activities

2

11th grade may be the toughest year at any high school, so a BS wants to see that you will be able to meet their academic expectations and adjust to living at a new school - as soon as you arrive.

Many successful 11th grade applicants are athletes who are likely to be recruited in college (so a bobble in academics can be overcome and integration into the community is almost guaranteed through their team) and who have coach support.

When my kid was ar George, there were a number of international students coming in to do the IBD - many from an academic track that was clearly IB compatible.

There is no hard a fast rule on this - it will depend on the school. But your ability to hit the ground running has to be evident in your application, so good grades, preferably backed up by good external validation (maybe some AP scores, etc), will be essential.

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3

And demonstration that you understand the culture of the school and are a fit for that community. Harder thing to get just right from afar, which you are, OP. Visits typically help inform that part of the application, which isn’t an option for you, I assume. Definitely find out the dates of the various Zoom meetings and study the websites as much as you can.

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4

how many students are accepted to 11th grade?

5

It varies by school. Some deliberately keep some spots open for athletes or international transfers and then also fill any vacancies from attrition. But overall, it is not a lot as most schools are set up to offer the most fulfilling experience with 3-4 years of attendance.

It’s not to say it can’t be done, but it’s not the usual path for most students.

6

@ashmaan As GS says suggests, there are few, if any, spots for FA internationals in 11th grade at most schools. The kids we normally see transfer into boarding school junior year are local day students, or athletes, or students of families that are already connected to the school, or the odd transfer from another boarding school.

Junior year is a challenging one, and the schools you list above are leery of having a student from abroad tackle the twin challenges of acclimating to boarding school and handling the rigors of junior year curriculum.

Hopefully UWC works out, but I implore you not to put too much stock in a favorable outcome from the schools you listed. It is challenging as an international, incoming junior requiring full financial aid.

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