Hey ya’ll! I was going to apply to some boarding for this year but this thread made me realize I’d get a hard no from literally every school so I talked to my parents and they told me to go to our local gifted hs.
Ok so this is really embarrassing but my gpa is 3.6 yikes. I’m taking the SSA soon but my scores will probably be high because idk I just do good on standardized tests. I do ballet even though I’m not that talented at it, I also do theatre and have gotten cast in professional plays. I also went to private school before but tbh it wasn’t super good. Most of my teachers love me and think I’m really funny and outgoing or whatever. So how can I improve because I decided just not to embarrass myself from getting rejected from like PSE or something. Also I’m all advanced classes. Thanks ya’ll
Edit: forgot to add I also do a leadership club and a lot community service
Nothing is stopping you from applying next round, and no one can tell you how to “improve” when we don’t know you. You will simply need to put together the best application you can that showcases who you are, what you are interested in, why you want to attend boarding school, and that you can do the work at the schools to which you apply–meaning that your grades and test scores need to be at or above the average for those schools which is information you can find on each school’s website and boardingschoolreview.com. Go for it.
Improve your writing. No matter where you start there’s always room for improvement here.
Really commit to one or two ECs. You mentioned ballet and theatre, so do something pretty great in those two things and take video so you can make some cool films to send in with your applications.
Make a special connection with one community service organization that you want to commit extra time to.
Let go of the thought of being embarrassed when you don’t get into BS. Statistically it’s likely you will not get in somewhere and it happens to lots of really smart and talented kids.
Hope that’s somewhat helpful, as ChoatieMom mentioned, we don’t know you so it’s hard to tell you what you need to do.
Besides taking your various obligations seriously and demonstrating that you can be both responsible and indeprndent, think about what you want from BS and where you would fit well. Some schools have exceptional theater programs and student bodies that include kids with numerous professional credits under their belts. Others have great dance companies. And others still consider these ECs.
In what kind of environment are you most fulfilled?
There are a lot of excellent schools out there and your best odds will be at those who recognize that you know yourself and you know where you will thrive.
Also: Not sure what you mean by “TOP” boarding schools. Do you mean most famous? Largest? Richest?
Not sure the quality of teaching is that different from school to school, though some schools have invested more resources in marketing themselves than others.
I’m a newbie so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. All the same, I love dogmama’s advice about the fact that you can always improve your writing! I’m going to take her advice to heart for myself and for my DC’s, LOL. I felt like my kids were constantly being told to be able to show a “passion” for something- so dogsmama’s advice on narrowing down your EC’s, ramp up what you do in that or those fields, is in accord with what I’ve learned during this application period.
A while ago, someone asked if I wanted my kids to go to boarding school? Or did I want them to go to specific schools? Because if only an elite boarding school will do then I’m sure there are plenty of posts that will provide you advice on how to tailor your resume to give you the best shot at your goals. But if you know that what you really want is the boarding school experience, then it doesn’t have to be some set of schools other people call “elite.” It can just be the boarding school that is right for you. There is something freeing that comes from applying to boarding schools from this vantage point. So many of us get caught up in pining for schools with names that will be widely recognized. But if you realize that what you really want, at the end of the day, is to have the boarding school experience? Then you can relax a bit…apply to elite schools as well as others… and take comfort in knowing that there are places all over the country that can provide you with that experience AND a great education- and you don’t have to contort yourself into a pretzel to fit the needs of schools that couldn’t accommodate any more than 10% of their applicants, anyway. JMO. If my thinking is wrong on this matter, I’m sure someone will swoop right in and explain why, LOL.
I went to a great BS back in the 90s that is mentioned here, but not one of the acronym schools. I had a wonderful education and have only seen the school become better and better since my time there. I hope that my kids will attend also. I spent two years abroad with other students from the “top” schools and never felt that I was less prepared. I also knew many of them at my Ivy League University and never felt inferior. I had a wonderful experience. I agree with everyone who is encouraging those applying to look beyond the names!
Do what you love rather than what will get you into a “top” school. Find a school that is the right fit for you. Explore some of the threads about “hidden gems”. Visit schools that aren’t acronyms. You are a perfect fit just the way you are for plenty of schools out there. Just expand your horizons and you will find them.