<p>Hi, everyone!
Decided to join the gang, after reading your postings for a while.</p>
<p>Twinzie planning to attend BS 2010.
I would sincerely appreciated if you could kindly show me some suggestions to improce their chances…</p>
<p>Student 1: K1 (female)
School: attedning public middle school in CA as 7th grader
GPA: All A so far
EC: played violin for the past 5 years, member of Honor Orchestra, member of competitive orchestra, got several awards from the competition; got 19 out of 25 in AMC 8 last year;
Test Score: took SAT (for CTY Camp this summer) :540 (CR) 610 (M) 590 (W)
Community: volunteer at the program for disabled stduents</p>
<p>STudent 2: K2 (Male)
School: same
GPA: all As so far
EC: Played violin for 3yrs, cello for 2 yrs, member of honor orchestra, and community orchestra as first cellist, got several awards from the music compeition
; score 24 out of 25 in AMC 8, 108 in AMC 10 (aiming for AIME next year); avid tennis player (rank 100 in SoCal); played soccer since K, used to be in club soccer team in 5th and 6th grade
Test Score: (from SAT for CTY Summer CAmp this year) 520 (CR) 710 (M) 540 (W)</p>
<p>I would sincerely appreciated any suggestions from your experiences.
We are aiming for HADES with FA.</p>
<p>Three quick suggestions – have both students take the SSAT now, to get a baseline on what their scores will be (and an idea of what needs some extra study). </p>
<p>Look at schools beyond HADES. Having some of the HADES schools on your list is fine – if they are a match for the student, but restricting the applications may cause you some serious heartache next March. There are many great schools out there – start looking.</p>
<p>Fill out and pay for the PFS used to calculate your Expected Family Contribution. Request a copy be sent to the parent. This will give you an idea of what you will be expected to pay – which will give you the information you need to make choices. Believe me, most people are floored by the amount they are expected to contribute. Having that information in hand at the beginning of the process rather than at the end can make a big difference in the direction you chose.</p>
<p>Twinzy were planning to take SSAT in june for a practice, but if they take it now, the test is for lower SSAT than upper level . SO we decide to wait until October 2009.</p>
<p>Of course, we will look at schools beyond HADES. We are thinking about Loomis, NMH, COncord, and St Andrew as well…</p>
<p>I did not aware of fillinf out for PFS now to have information ready. Thanks for that!
COuld you guide me a bit more detail? Should I visit [Philadelphia</a> Folksong Society](<a href=“http://www.pfs.org%5DPhiladelphia”>http://www.pfs.org), and apply?
Sorry about my ignorance…</p>
<p>They could actually take the SSAT at the upper level – since this is purely for your information, simply have them put down that they are currently in 8th grade. This can be very beneficial – many students (and parents) have assumed that their SSAT test scores will be very high (based on SAT scores and other standardized test scores), only to find out that they are lower than expected. This means that the student either has to set their sets lower or has to study like crazy during the school year, at the same time they are trying to maintain straight A’s, fill out applications and write great essays and visit different schools. Much better to know now what the SSAT score will be, study over the summer for areas of deficiencies and then take it once in October and ace it.</p>
<p>click on the link to the left that says “start a new PFS”. It will cost you a bit of money (something like $35) – but I think it will pay off in the long run. If your family is expected to contribute $20,000 and you are thinking you can afford $5,000, now is the time to figure out whether you want to pay that money for BS and how it can be done. Nothing is worse than a kid getting accepted to their first choice school after working hard all year on grades, sports, essays, interviews, ssat prep, etc – and being told that the parents just can’t pay for them to go.</p>
<p>Wow, I am so glad that I join CC for BS.
THanks soooo much hsmomstef!!!</p>
<p>So there will not be any disadvantage faking 7th graders as 8th graders when they take the SSAT in June, right? We definetely gonna go ahead and do it, then.</p>
<p>I will check the PFS link as well. You just read my mind when you mentioned about kids getting accepted while the parents cannot afford…</p>
<p>No disadvantage to taking the upper-level ssat, besides – in June they will officially be 8th graders (since 7th grade will be over).</p>
<p>I would also suggest reading older posts here on the prep school forum – and pay particular attention to the posts from parents.</p>
<p>Finally – my son started looking at schools at about this time (spring of 7th grade). He attended a visitor’s day at a local boarding school and ordered tons of viewbooks. After weeks of research and discussion, he had a list of about 25-30 schools he thought he might like. Then we started narrowing things down. I think it works best to have a long list that you can shorten, then a short list that you try and add a few schools to. </p>
<p>Also – I told my son again and again, don’t have a favorite. You should be happy and excited to attend any school on your list, if not – the school needs to be taken off the list.</p>
<p>I actually booked our spring break trip (4/12-4/16) to visit BS, absolutely not knowing that it would be the most terrible time for the admission people. They still are working with 2009 admission files, and really… I had no idea when I booked a trip in Jan.
I will visit again this fall, with a narrow-down list, for an official visit.
We are OK with self-guided tour of BS this time, and maybe twinzie would feel less nervous about the visit.</p>
<p>THanks so much for your insightful posting, hsmomstef!
Is it possible to get a personal contact? like an email with you?
I think we are going to keep you busy until next year :)</p>
<p>Applying to all of the TSAO, if you care and have the time, along with St. Grottlesex and Milton will offer a nice spectrum. It will be hard but you will DEF get accepted to a good place.</p>
<p>principalviola – I disagree. We have had students take that approach before: apply to all the “top” schools and still get rejected and waitlisted from all. First – you need to focus your energy when you interview/tour/complete essays/etc. you can’t do this when applying to 15+ schools. Your lack of interest and focus shows. The other issue is fit – a student that would thrive at SPS might not care for Exeter, so why bother to apply to both schools? Unless you are more concerned with prestige than wonderful 4 year experience.</p>
<p>I do suggest applying to 8-10 schools is you need FA, just make sure that you have a wide range of schools that are all good fits (in other words, schools that the student would be thrilled to attend). some can be top schools, but look at more schools to fill in the list.</p>
<p>I advise ur son to develop his hook more(which im presuming is tennis) top 100 in socals for 14s is not a BIG BIG achievement. Aim for those open tournaments and try to get his rank up in the 16s top 100s open.</p>
<p>Hmm You’re daughter’s hook will be the violin I’m guessing. It’d be great if she’d played some amazing pieces on her CD ( I played the Mendelssohn in E and Bach Sonata) a piece that normally stands out and tells the school that your daughter is an exceptional violinist. You should well round both of your children too because for me my hooks were in athletics, arts, and community service. (international club I started)</p>
<p>Yeah that can work out have her photographs displayed at city hall or something… don’t worry the kids’ passion will show in the interviews and the essay if they truly want to attend BS from the bottom of their hearts. If they don’t well that shows as well :x</p>