Is it even worth it?

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

<p>First off I go to a public high school in Las Vegas, NV. </p>

<p>I’m in 10th grade now, so I’d be applying for 11th grade.
(The first of my concerns, since everyone says how hard it is to be accepted as an 11th grader) </p>

<p>I have a 3.6 GPA in all Honors and AP classes.
(which doesn’t seem anywhere close to everyone’s 4.9 GPA in college level classes as an 8th grader, but oh well)</p>

<p>I run varsity cross country and track and am in our schools top band, playing the french horn.
(Which leaves no time for other EC’s. I have no idea how you guys have like 15 dedicated EC’s, it just doesn’t seem possible.) </p>

<p>I also volunteered this summer at our local rec center teaching a summer camp for six-year-olds.</p>

<p>I still have to take the SSAT, and I’ll probably take it twice to get the best possible score. </p>

<p>Do you guys think it’s even worth it to apply to Hotchkiss, Deerfield, and Choate? Especially since they take very few 11th graders, and I don’t have a perfect GPA and a billion EC’s? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You’ll never know if you don’t try. I think a level of expertise and commitment in a few ECs is better than a gazillion anyway. These are all rigorous academic institutions, everyone has to make choices about how they spend their non-class time once they get there.</p>

<p>If you are REALLY interested, though, I think you should add at least 2 schools to your mix. A range of 5 is much more likely to land you an opportunity somewhere, especially for 11th grade. Offhand, reading what you’ve written, I’d suggest you check out Northfield Mount Hermon and consider adding it to your list.</p>