I am new to the boards. Just wondering what makes a school a “safety” school? As an 11th grade applicant, is there really any school out there that would be considered safety? (I am in NJ/NY area looking at schools)
Some people would say there are no safety schools, and it pays to be humble.
But, for example if your SSAT is say, 20+ points above the school’s median, and your GPA is line, and you are full pay, that is probably a safe bet. Note that the most elite schools are 90+ or at least 85 SSAT (ie all of the Gladchemms), so I think it is fair to say no Gladchemms are anyone’s safety.
would day schools be considered a safety compared to boarding?
Maybe. Depends. …we need more info
day schools looking at - Rutgers Prep - PDS and Pingry appear long shots for 11th grade entry also looking at Hun, Pennington, Solebury, George
Create a little spread sheet. Rank them on acceptance rate, median SSATs or ISEE (if avail), and you should start to get a sense of which are reaches, which are safety, and which are Goldilox (just right).
Have you taken the SAT? What is your GPA? Do you have an attractive extra curricular?
avg SSAT - gpa 3.7 - major athletic hook
I think you have an excellent shot at all of those schools.
You have an excellent shot. I assume you are being recruited or have communicated with the coaches?
That’s a broad triangle there with those day schools . . . but if you can get into Pingry, you might also be able to look at Lawrenceville, Blair and Peddie, especially if the major athletic hook is attractive to them as well.
@rathgar, Some of the schools that you are considering may be easier to get into as a boarder than as a day student so if you have your heart set on one of them and have the flexibility to board, it’s worth asking admissions directly if that would help your case. (Or it could be the other way around.) I would also say, though, that they are very different in terms of their communities, and it would be valuable to you to figure out how they stack up on what matters most to you. You could use the spreadsheet approach mentioned above to help you through that process.