Is Andover just too competitive??

2prepMom
Mon, 24 Mar 2014 23:21:07 +0000

Obviously OP is a strong candidate to be admitted to A, D and G. The best chance for ivy is to stay home and be the valedictorian, move to Montana, take up the bassoon, and do a helmet sport.

If, however, the goal is to grow as a person at a boarding school, these three are all great choices and it comes down to fit. Pick the place you feel most comfortable - it will matter. The “competitiveness” will sort itself out; either you will be competitive grade wise (top 10%) or not; athletic, or not. It’s up to you, not the school. These three schools have very similar students.

At any of these schools (or with staying home and taking many advanced classes, being the valedictorian and doing a sport) you should expect to face the limit of your effort and ability. 50 minutes a day of homework per class plus studying for exams and writing papers/projects. Athletic practice. Learning to take care of yourself. Sorting through adolescent issues. Students uniformly report being blown away by the time commitments. Time management and organization will be the determining factor in your success from now on.