Please chance me(Exeter, Andover, Deerfield, Choate…)

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
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What are my chances?(10th grader, applying for 11th)

I’m a Georgian(country) student aiming for the last two years of boarding school abroad.

• Since grade 2, I’ve participated in tons of local Olympiads — math, English, and Georgian — and have done pretty well

• Won the Financial Education Olympiad in Georgia (top scores across grades 7–12 in the whole country, organized by Bank of Georgia & USAID)

• Got into and Completed STEM school(2 modules) organized Komarovi School( the most prestigious math and physics school in my country) and Bank of Georgia

• I have had 10/10 scores(10 is the highest grade = A+” in every subject since i started school

• Active in student government in grades 7, 8, and 10

• I’m part of my school’s STEAM club, doing projects

• I’m really passionate about climate change and have participated in “Save the Children” projects and advocated on climate issues

• Used to dance national dances for 4 years(idk if this matters) and also have few art competition diplomas, but from years ago

• I’m finalist of the national Agricultural Olympiad(the final will be soon, probably in December and I could get solid scores there as well)

• Have participated in essay writing competition and got 8th place in th country

• 123/126 in Junior standartalized Toefl test first round, and 120/126 in second round

• Preparing for TOEFL iBT and SSAT for international school applications and i think i have quite good chance of getting solid scores. I’ll take them in December.

Realistically, what are my chances of getting into schools like: Phillips Exeter Academy,
Phillips Academy Andover, Deerfield Academy, Lawrenceville School, Choate Rosemary Hall, Hotchkiss School, Groton School, Taft School,
St. Paul’s School, Rivers School.

Also I need full financial aid, my family income is absolutely eligible for it.

Realistically, do I have good chances and what recommendations would you give me?

Also I can’t take TOEFL and SSAT before December, and can I start my application now and send the scores later?

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To be a Debbie Downer, at many of these schools, needing full FA is going to reduce your odds significantly - maybe to 0 - in spite of the fact that you have a terrific resume. Read each website carefully and confirm at your interview that this level of support is available to a foreign student.

Take a look at ASSIST and United World College. ASSIST is for 1 year (maybe there are e exceptions) but can be used at many of the schools you are considering. They acceptstudents from Georgia! UWC is 2 years but it’s own institution.

Rivers is a day school, btw, and while your list includes some schools with good FA, it includes most of the extremely selective schools. This list would be a challenge for a domestic full-pay student. You might want to expand it a bit.

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Love Rivers, but, as mentioned, it’s a day school.

Totally fine to send scores after the submission, but I suspect the scores will be in before Jan 15th (which I assume is the admissions submittal deadline for all but Phillips Academy).

You have a strong and differentiated profile. Unless you have a terrible test experience, I think you have a shot at any of those schools. As I say ad nauseum, your chances are correlated with your ability to demonstrate your understanding of the schools unique culture, why that’s compelling to you, and what you can add to the community.
I think you have a lot to add.

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I just looked at Andover and Exeter’s sites and there’s nothing that would indicate there would be a problem getting financial aid if one was international. Haven’t looked at all of the others, but I would imagine the big endowment per student places would be similar.

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Understand that these elite boarding schools are reaches for pretty much any applicant. I do not know if being an international transfer student needing full financial aid will impact admissions decisions. You do have an interesting profile. IMO all anyone can say is take your shot and see what happens.

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Just noting that if your username is your real name, you should change it for anonymity’s sake.

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It’s often not just about endowment, but about the obligations the school assumes in supporting an international student visa. PEA and PAA tend to be most open in this regard (although PAA and PEA work directly with ASSIST, and it’s not clear how the numbers reflect that.)

Deerfield (also ASSIST) says it will offer 100% to international students. It also says that 30% of the 38% who receive any aid get 100% FA (so 11.4% of the total student body, domestic and international), that 14% of currently funded students are international so 5% of student body, but we don’t know if they are among the fully funded), but it doesn’t link the two. And it says under “will asking for FA impact my admission decision - Possibly. Deerfield has a very generous financial aid budget. However, it is limited, and therefore we cannot always accept all admissible financial aid applicants.” All of this is nuanced, and having seen impressive international applicants with need over the years get shut out, my sense is that the schools are happy to get a crack at these applicants but often are unable to admit them in the end.

Just pointing out that as Deerfield, PEA, and PAA all participate in ASSIST, it is possible that the international students getting FA get it from that or similar programs.

Groton says they will do full FA for foreign students. They have been actively pursuing middle income families, and only 14% of their student body is international.

I am not discouraging the OP from applying, but trying to point out that they are aiming for a very few spots and that they can increase their odds by also applying to programs that aim to place students in these schools.

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Understood, and I’m not claiming any expertise on the topic. Just pointing out the two I looked at first separated the admissions process from the financial aid part, which would imply that OP’s need wouldn’t factor into the admissions decision (unlike Deerfield, apparently).

But I have no idea about how the mechanics might work. As said earlier, do your homework on this, OP.

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Thanks for the response. Do you think it would affect my chances to end my full application(like all the teacher recommendations, test scores…) in December? Since it’s close to deadline(15 Jan.) Would it affect my chances of getting in or getting financial aid?

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I don’t think it would impact your candidacy, but it would be nice for the file to be full and have it behind you earlier. Would be nice for the Admissions folks to have it full earlier as well, although I asked previously and I believe the answer was they don’t begin the evaluation process in earnest until after the due date. Don’t know if I believe that or not, but for what its worth.

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@IndySceptic has good advice. If something major happens - say, you win a big prize or award - after you submit, you’ll have a nice excuse to reach out to the AO with the update. Realistically, few students have anything earth-shattering happen between late December and mid-January.