Questions if I am a strong applicant to Phillips Exeter Academy

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
1

Hello,

I am Currently a 10th grader, and I wanted to know If you think that I have a good chance at getting accepted into Phillips Exeter academy by what I have on my academic resume. Also I have lots of questions.

Stats:

GPA: 3.9-4.1

Clubs: Founded and leads Korean language club, BTS FAN CLUB, Female alliance club, Pride and gender alliance club, Service for the community, Japanese language club, and I found a academic & artistic resource center for the entire school. I am also in cuisine club and book club.

I skipped a grade In math, I skipped pre-algebra and I am taking Algebra 2 right now. I am taking honors English, and 2 AP classes, I am taking 10 classes instead of the standard 8.

I am the founder of a non-profit that helps kids pursue a higher education and/or provide for them.

I won 2 times for the scholastic art and writing awards.

I write annually for multiple journals, papers, and articles: Elsevier, Springer Nature, Redhen,Sun Magazine, and a site called Royal Road.

I have a governor’s citation (Not Requested but gifted to me by recognition of the governor)

Won all of the character awards at my school.

Won the school science fair but not regionals.

Win lots of awards a year.

Questions:

What is Exeter like?

What do you do on the weekends"?

Do you have to go home for break?

What should you can and cannot wear?

What is the food like?

Do I have a better or worse chance if I am in virtual school vs physical?

last year, I ended the year with a 3.8 GPA, do I have a better or worse chance?

2

The best indicator of whether you have a strong applicant to Exeter is not the awards you’ve won or the non-profits you’ve started, but the strength of the argument you make for why you want to go to Exeter and what you can add to the community.

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3

Well my family is very poor and struggled a lot, the problem with that is I don’t think they even want to work hard. But and I want a better life for myself and my future family. I believe that I have a lot to contribute to the public as well, but this school in the middle of nowhere that I currently attend isn’t when Is going to help me. I am trying to go to Harvard, and my guidance counselor is very dead set on having me go to a community college like the rest of these students, or go to trade school, but I don’t want that.

4

So I will gently note there are a lot of other great colleges besides Harvard, and a lot of other great high schools besides Exeter.

Accordingly, I think Exeter will likely want to hear something much more specific to them, specific to you, and much more focused on your expected experience during your years at the school, as opposed to whatever college comes next. Of course being well-prepared for a variety of selective college experiences is part of the point, but I do think they tend to prefer to focus on the preparation part, not on the placement part.

I’d also encourage you to consider applying to other private schools.

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5

Oh I was planning on applying to more, and I don’t plan on putting that general overview as my essay, just so I’m not sitting here uploading 3 pages. And I am trying to be a lawyer, and Harvard is my dream job. I believe that I have a lot of self motivation that I need as well. Just not a good support system here is all.

6

In the US law school is something you go to after college, not directly from high school. And an undergraduate degree from Harvard doesn’t necessarily give you an edge when applying to Harvard Law. Some interesting data from Harvard Law itself:

So there’s that.

As for prep school… No one can tell, based on the information that you’ve given. For example:

  1. GPA: 3.9-4.1 may be impressive, or just so-so, depending on the school district. We have no idea of the rigor, etc.

  2. You are currently in 10th grade. PEA doesn’t do rolling admissions; applications for Fall’26 were due in January. It would be a very bad idea to apply for just 12th grade. So, consider applying for Fall’27 as an 11th grader OR skip looking at PEA altogether, and start looking at schools that do rolling admissions if you are set on boarding school in Fall’26.

Start thinking about what you want, educationally. Look through the “hidden gems” thread to get some ideas.

I get that you want more than what you’re ge

7

And just to be clear, I have no problem with you wanting to be ambitious. I just think these schools want to hear about your vision of a great high school experience, as opposed to college or career.

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8

Oh I know you don’t and I never thought you did, but my very specific goals and why I want to achieve them I want to remain private.

9

Ohhh, I see, thank you

10

Obviously it is entirely up to you what you want to share here!

I’d just keep in mind that you are going to have to interview with very selective boarding (or day) schools, and that is why I was suggesting you will want to have prepared an authentic and compelling answer about what you expect to get from the experience itself, independent of college or career placement.

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11

Yes, I believe I am prepared, the only thing I need to work on is relaying the words smoothly, I am not much of a public speaker.

12

The good news is that isn’t really an issue. As admissions people will almost always say, when interviewing they are looking for a conversation, not polished speeches. And it is OK to be nervous! They get it.

I think the really tricky bit is authenticity. Obviously you want to help yourself, but they want to feel like they are hearing from the real person. That in fact is what they mean by a conversation, and they typically have techniques they like to use to at least try to get past prepared answers. In a way that can be even scarier, but I also think if you do a lot of reflection on the sorts of things that really matter to them, that is all the preparation you really need.

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