Hello. I am an 8th grader applying to boarding school and I would like feedback on how to strengthen my application.
Demographics
American citizen, live in MD, attend top private school in the DMV according to Niche.
I am a legacy at Deerfield, lawrenceville, Exeter, St.Marks, and St. Paul’s. Some of my family were heads of school, others were not.
Awards
I was a 2026 Caroline D. Bradley semi-finalist, and have won many local writing competitions. (I need help here).
Extracurriculars Service hours (100+), swim for NCAP and have raced in PMSL all star and divisional meets. My time for the 1500m freestyle is 14:58. I have been swimming since age 6. I do pottery, watercolor, and creative writing intensives through the CTY advanced honors program. I have played the violin since age three, and participate in the state philharmonic as a third chair. I also have been learning sign language for a friend, and have become fluent. I am also the head of the school newspaper for the MS and on student council.
Schools Applying to Exeter, Lawrenceville, Choate, Deerfield, Andover, Hotchkiss, etc. Am working on narrowing down list. I also have been to lots of conventions and fairs, and some admission officers have loved me. I was asked from Cate’s head of admission to interview and he said he would come from California to interview me, but I am not sure.
Please chance me and find ways I can make my application stronger!
The easiest way for you to torch your candidacy is to gin up inauthentic performative AO-bait. It comes off insencere, which is exactly what these places screen for. More importantly, you don’t need it. Your application stands by itself based on what you’ve outlined, assuming it’s all legit.
The second easiest way to get cut is to not have a clearly articulated answer for why you want to go boarding school at all, school XYZ specifically and how you can contribute to the community. Can’t just give them a list showing how awesome you are. You have to say why the things you do are meaningful to you and how that might benefit them. You haven’t done that here yet. I don’t know why you want to go to Exeter.
Relax. You’ve got everything going for you. Be yourself.
Exeter likes to see kids with passion. Spend some time thinking about what lights you up, how that fits in with the school. Maybe write it down and organize your thoughts. It isn’t hard but does take some deliberate thinking. Then just be yourself. Talk about bringing that passion to the community. Ask not what the school can do for you but what you can do for the school.
Is there any way I can make my extracurriculars better? My school offers the AMC8 and the MATHCOUNTS programs, although I am not mathematically inclined. I am also planning to apply to the Scholastic art and writing awards and many of the NYT writing competitions.
Oh and I frogot- I have been in the play/musical for the last 2 years playing a lead/supporting lead. My swim team is nationally ranked at #6 in the country and #1 in the PMS league for the last 7 years.