<p>Academics:
Currently an eighth grader from a mid-Atlantic state.
Straight A student
Participated in the Johns Hopkins Talent Search (awarded high honors) and took the Logic and Principles of Reasoning course this past summer.
Two and a half years of Latin, intrigued by the classical diploma
Avid Reader
Applied for the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship</p>
<p>Extracurricular:
Tae Kwon Do – Six years and a Black Belt
Odyssey of the Mind – Three years (4-6th grades, team disbanded), went to world competition twice and got special creativity award.
Foster Kittens – Two summers, 18 hours per week (I’m now nursing a runt around the clock, which can explain the late hour)
The Agents of Social Change (Student Government/Community service organization)- Currently Recording Clerk of the Stewardship Committee – Three years
Field Hockey – Two years
Lacrosse – Two years
Yearbook Committee – One Year
Debate Team – After experiencing a debate tournament in my CTY course, I decided to start a debate team within my school.</p>
<p>I am really interested in being part of a high school debate team.</p>
<p>Personality:
Outgoing/ Comfortable talking to adults
Competitive
Motivated Student
Confident, not afraid to take risks academically and socially
VERY independent
Analytical
Hyper-Aggressive (said my Logic teacher after the two day debate tournament. It worked)</p>
<p>I would really appreciate your honest opinion on my chances of being accepted into any one of these great schools.</p>
<p>Ranabona-</p>
<p>Were you a finalist or did you win the Caroline Bradley award? If neither of these, I wouldn’t mention it. </p>
<p>You sound like a strong candidate: Excellent test scores, great GPA, athletic, and lots of good EC experience. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for your opinion, I really appreciate the reply.</p>
<p>Sadly, I wasn’t a finalist, but one of the schools in which I am interested sent me a recruitment letter because of my participation in the CDB scholarship. Do you think I shouldn’t mention it to the other schools in which I am applying? Since I spent a significant amount of time working on it and the schools seem to have knowledge of it, I would think they would be interested.</p>
<p>It’s up to you, of course, but it seems to me that if you only say that you applied, it will not be impressive, and in fact, may detract from your very strong track record, as it may cast you as someone who was evaluated and found lacking. </p>
<p>You want to highlight your successes and avoid shining the spotlight on the things that didn’t work out. Being named a finalist might have been a point to highlight, but I’m not sure how many apps CDB gets each year or how competitive it is- that sort of stuff would be good to spell out if you’d made it to that level. </p>
<p>best wishes-</p>
<p>Hmmm…I see your point. Although, the recruitment letter I got from one of the schools stated that, because I applied for the scholarship (four essays plus two short essays), I was the kind of person that should consider their school. I don’t know what kind of connection they have with the scholarship to have gotten my name. </p>
<p>Any other thoughts out there? Anybody else have knowledge of or apply for the CDB scholarship?</p>
<p>Wow, I just read about the CDB program and am frustrated that I never knew it existed until today, when our daughter is in her first week of 8th grade. She met many of the baseline criteria. Oh well…</p>
<p>7-D, like all things, CDB is based on financial need. If you have two kids already in private day school and you are footing the bill, your daughter more than likely would not be a good candidate.</p>
<p>@RBGG: So I can stop beating myself up that I never knew about it in the first place? My wife will be relieved. ;-P</p>
<p>All kidding aside, I did feel pretty bad about it last night. Like I had let my daughter down by not being aware of the CDB program. </p>
<p>How do people find out about these things? I guess I feel like we’re JHU CTY’d up (which many people in our neck of the woods/social circles are not) and I really had no idea the CDB program was out there. Too much info, not enough time.</p>
<p>Or perhaps I simply discovered the CC Prep School Admissions Forum a bit too late…</p>
<p>yep, you can stop beating yourself up.
I know I learn about most of these things from CC.</p>
<p>Actually, they state that the CDB scholarship is merit based, but then say they target applicants who need assistance finding the optimal school environment or experience other challenges getting there. They never asked for any financial information. So RBBG is right. If you already have kids in a private school and are footing the bill, you are probably not the candidate they are looking for. </p>
<p>7D, don’t feel bad. My mom searched the internet far and wide for merit-based scholarships to find it. I know it started in the west coast and I don’t believe they have been offering it to states in the east coast for very long. I don’t think a lot of people on the east coast have even heard of it. </p>
<p>I was glad that I applied, mostly because of the essay portion. The six essays I had to write helped me prepare for the application process. Even though it didn’t go anywhere, I’m glad I took the time to apply.</p>
<p>So, 7D and RBGG, do I mention it or not? Do I only mention it to the school that sent me the recruitment packet?</p>
<p>@Ranabona: I would not mention it…except as you note, to the school that sent you the recruitment pack.</p>
<p>That said, here is one case in which I would mention it: As the basis for any essay that is supposed to be about some instance when you “failed” (I put this in quotes on purpose) at someting. As you noted above, if you found the essays to be a challenge and a good soul-searching experience, that seems to be good meat for an essay. Just my 2¢.</p>
<p>7Dad: Thanks for the advice. I’ts worth more than 2 cents.</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant “It’s”. My fingers got ahead of me.</p>