CHANCE ME PLEASE !~~~(10 schools Loomis, Concord, Middlesex, Blair etc.)

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
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Hi guys!!! I’m a 13 year old, 7th going to 8th (this is during summer break) grader from an international school in chengdu, china and I’m applying to boarding schools, I’d really appreciate a lot of honest feedback on my profile and what I should improve on :smiley:

School applications

-Loomis Chaffee

  • Middlesex

  • Concord Academy

  • Blair Academy

  • Peddie

  • The Governor’s Academy

  • Williston Northampton

  • Brooks

  • Western Reserve Academy

  • Westminster

Background

  • Female international applicant

  • Applying for 9th grade

  • All A/A+ grades, I have around 97-100 grades, one is 93

  • principal’s honor roll x4 (6th grade S1, S2, 7th grade S1, S2) (basically all the ones you can earn), aiming for both principal’s HR in both S1 and 2 in the next school year which is 8th grade

  • Outstanding achievement from Geography (Social Studies)

  • Strongest subjects- English, humanities, geography, writing

  • I was taking the higher level math in our school in 7th grade which is the highest one i can take (Pre-AP Algebra), going to Geometry when I start 8th grade

  • MAP scores (not really a big impact factor tho but still)

  • Math: 256 Reading: 243 Language: around 251

  • SSAT practice mock score, i didn’t take the official SSAT yet, I still have 2-3mo to prep

    • Math: 770

    • verbal: 769

    • Reading: 690

    • Total: 2229

    • If someone knows the SSAT well, would really appreciate advice on that and see what percentile I’m on

  • Duolingo practice tests: around 140–150, I’m taking the test after a week or so, I’m practicing

ECs
I would say debate is my strongest activity, i have attended some tournaments

  • 2025 NHSDLC Nationals JWSD Champion

  • 2025 TOC Online Regionals JWSD Champion

  • 2025 TOC Shenzhen Regionals JWSD Semifinalist

  • 2025 BJISDC WSD Semifinalist

  • Multiple TOC/NHSDLC/SSDI elimination rounds (quarter, semi finalists)

  • Multiple speaker awards, including:

    • TOC Shenzhen Regionals JWSD Best Speaker

    • NHSDLC Nationals Outstanding Speaker

    • TOC National Individual Ranking Top 3 Speaker

Leadership/Activities:

  • Student Council:

    • Grade Representative (lost secretary to a 7th grader by one vote) (6th)

    • Secretary (7th)

    • Planning to run for President (8th)

  • Robotics

    • VEX Robotics team member

    • Co-leader and notebooker lead

    • Selected from my school to compete in Wuhan; team placed top 3 in overall scoring

  • Planning to start/run a middle school debate club with teacher support, also a few people alr interested in joining, hopeful abt it

  • Drama and Band electives with strong grades

  • acted in MS drama play as an important role with most lines

  • we didn’t have a chair system in 6th grade band, but in MS band I’m 2nd chair

Other ECs

Music

-clarinet for 2 years, continuing in school band, 2nd chair

Athletics

-fitness, going to the gym daily/4-7x a week, running, personal pilates class consistent, no awards except for elementary

-volleyball , I’m in a club, but not an ‘elite’ , just a hobby level

-we have a school team for volleyball but I did not have time to join , maybe joining in the next school year 8th grade

Interview

i haven’t done any yet because as said there’s still some time, and thinking about questions and reflections (journal everyday)

Essays

haven’t started yet, but I have some practice prompts written, i do three prompts a day, improving and planning to start on it this week

Tours

I’m going on group tours in a week

General ECs

-cooking/baking for two yrs, consistently/daily for 1/2 year

  • Debate

  • Writing

  • Philosophy

  • Entrepreneurship

  • Leadership

  • Humanities

recommendations

i haven’t started doing that yet for my school since i’m still in 7-8grade, but

-I’m definitely sure that there is nothing negative

-great reco from EC (writing) teacher

Strengths

  • Strong communication skills

  • Leadership and teamwork

  • Independence

  • Love of learning and improvement

I would really appreciate any advice, especially from people familiar with boarding school admissions. Thank you sm !!~~~ PLEASE DO give any advice or thoughts you want to share!

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The conversion of scaled score to percentiles varies by specific test, which is why there is no easy lookup table. But I wouldn’t worry about that right now. Your SSAT scores are already quite competitive, and your exact percentile is unlikely to be very important.

Your overall profile also looks competitive to me. And I think for applicants in your position, the really important thing is a good fit between you and the individual school community, and they are going to assess that from interviews and essays (along with recommendations).

But you shouldn’t view this as a test you are trying to pass by whatever means necessary. If a particular school would not be a good fit for you, that isn’t a good school for you to choose. So you really should try to be your authentic self in your interviews and essays, such that when you both agree it would be a good fit for you, then you are looking at a potentially great experience.

That said, your self-description of your strengths all sound promising for boarding in general. So you might well be seen as a good fit many places. Your only real challenge is then just persuading interviewers they are in fact meeting the real you, which circles back to the same point–really focus on being authentic.

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Thanks for replying!!! I really appreciate your advice on that :grinning_face: thanks for the specific things

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Will you need financial aid?

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I don’t think so

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anyone who views, parent, student, or others, please give any advice or comment you have~~~ ty

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I note I sort of think this is a no news is good news situation. You are on a competitive path and you have a nice list of schools you are considering. I suspect if people thought you were missing something important or needed to reconsider something, more would be commenting. But since they don’t see any issues, they may not see a need to post anything.

Of course you are over a year away from applying as well. So that also probably limits how much advice people think you really need right now.

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Primary concerns are academic ability and performance as well as maturity of the student. Academic ability is reflected in one’s grades and standardized test scores; maturity is often revealed in teacher recommendations and in student application essays.

Applying as a full pay student is a positive factor that often results in more favorable odds for an offer of admission to need-aware schools.

To state the obvious, you need an actual SSAT score in order to better assess your chance for admission to the various schools.

Good luck !

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That’s true, although I do think I will be doing interviews soon.Thank you sm!

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Thank you!

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If you like, you can search here for some prior discussions of interviews, which I found helpful when in turn helping my daughter prepare for her interviews (which went very well, so I think it was good advice).

But the advice really isn’t that complicated. Basically, these interviewers know kids are often nervous, so that is fine. But ultimately they want to have a conversation where they feel like they really get to know the kid, such that they can evaluate if they are a good fit for their community.

So really, you just want to be open to having that sort of authentic conversation. Like, you can have some concerns and uncertainties, that is actually mature for someone in your position. Ideally, though, there are some things you are also really proud of, enthusiastic about, and so on.

Again, bottom line is how you already described yourself above sounds great. Assuming that is the real you, trust the process, trust being you, and I am confident your interviews will go well.

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I like your profile! At George School (not on your list), the one I am most familiar with, your many interests - debate, robotics, volleyball, – even cooking! – would give you a lot of ways to connect to the community and contribute. That is important.

Being FP is always an advantage.

Interviews are just conversations. The person you’re talking with wants to get to know you better. Why you want to go to BS, what you are hoping for from your next 4 years, what kind of friend, classmate, teammate you’ll be.

Keep notes (even voice memos on your phone) of your impressions of each visit. It’ll help you with decisions, applications, and just discerning what exactly appeals to you (and not!)

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Sounds good, I’m just working on learning how to convey and express who I am in the best way. Thanks again!

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I’m having group tours in a few days, so thank you! I will try to keep track of everything.

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