I’m in a similar position to you. The advice about adding more schools is extremely helpful if you are dead set on attending a boarding school, but if your local school is very good, you’re in a slightly different position. The question you have to ask yourself is if you don’t get favorable M10 results, how okay are you with staying at your current school? If that prospect makes you uneasy, definitely consider applying for some higher admit schools. Personally, I strongly considered applying to Episcopal because it looks like a great school and I felt it would be a good ‘fit’, but ultimately I decided not to (it has around 35% acceptance - on par w my local school). Choosing to go away to boarding schools comes at the sacrifice of being with your family and friends in your hometown, and if your local school is a good option that you’re willing to attend, it doesn’t make much sense (at least personally) to apply to a school that you’re unlikely to attend even if you get in. It’s important to consider why you are applying, and what your goals ultimately are for high school. Only you can know what the right decision is, and with application deadlines creeping up, you also have to consider if adding another school would detriment your other applications. I’m not sure how far along you are with everything, and if you are nearly finished with your other apps, adding another school could be very manageable. However, if you have a lot of work left to do on your top choice schools, it may make a lot of sense not to add another. Adding more essays, and corralling teacher recs again could come at a disadvantage if it takes away from the time you can dedicate to making sure your essays for the schools on your current list are a good as possible. On the other hand, you may be able to recycle some other essays, and of your teachers have already filled out the rec form, having them upload it to another school is not a big challenge.
Ultimately, the only advice I can give is that only you know what your goals for BS are. Adding another school could be the right option, but if you don’t think it is and you believe you are making a well-informed decision, then you are probably making the right choice, and nobody will know for sure until M10. Either way, you seem like a strong applicant, and probably have a more than decent chance at the schools on your current list. That being said, the admit numbers are low, and as others have already stated, even extremely qualified candidates are turned away. Don’t be discouraged by this, all you can do if put your best foot forward and ideally you will do very well.
On a side note, be aware that I am also an applicant, and am truly clueless about this entire process, so please take everything I say with a grain of salt. Many of the parents and other uses who responded to your OP are much more knowledgable on this topic than me, I just figured I would respond because I think I can relate to your situation. Good luck w everything!
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