I’ve heard that some schools have a high number of reclassed students, which is something to consider for social fit. I read a post on CC somewhere that Hotchkiss can be up to 40%!
Any thoughts or insights into what are the most common reasons a student might choose to apply while in 9th grade as an incoming 9th grader, rather than apply to 10th grade?
Are they often students who didn’t get accepted into BS schools they liked/could accept in 8th grade? Students who wanted to be stronger academically or athletically before applying because they didn’t think they’d get in or want to get in from 8th grade? Students from schools that end at 9th grade and wanted a full 4-year experience at boarding school? Only became aware of BS after 8th grade? Students who didn’t feel ready to apply in 8th grade for personal or developmental reasons?
I imagine there are many reasons… but maybe some more than others?? I get waiting until a bit older to apply to BS, but why the desire to reclass?
You have mentioned most of the reasons people do this. In some cases, they might also be coming from schools where the full four years of BS will allow them to complete a progression, in math perhaps, that is better for college applications.
Also, at a BS where this is common, the AO might suggest it to help a student adjust better. While a younger student might fit in fine at one school, it might make for an awkward social fit at another. AOs understand that a good “fit” can make a difference in whether a student thrives or not. If the bias is toward older students – just as it is in some zip codes for kindergarten-- it can help to reclass. Remember that many of the students who don’t reclass may already be old for the grade owing to kindergarten red-shirting or where their birthday fell in the kindergarten cycle.
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You’ve listed them all, really.
What I always say, and really believe, is that these places are a significant step up in speed and intensity which takes some getting used to in any case. Add a cup if they are boarding. Add another cup if they have athletic potential. It takes a while to adjust to these places and the further away what might be a bumpy first year is from the college application process, the less impactful it is. Reclassing just gives you a longer runway. There’s a big difference between starting the race as a less mature 14-year old and a more developed 15-year old, and that difference plays itself out socially as well as academically, impacting the kid’s overall experience.
Plus, larger entry class.
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Most schools will tell you how many reclassed students they have generally- it’s not a secret. I do know for Hotchkiss while it may be as high as 20% some years it’s definitely not anywhere near 40%.
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For some kids it will also mean more rigor when graduating, as they have an extra year of classes.
S23 has a late birthday and didn’t re-class. Between reclassing and redshirting kindergarten, many of his classmates were 2 years older than him. He started as a soon-to- be 14 year old freshman wearing a kids size 12/14 blazer. Let’s just say he never saw the football field his freshman year. Now he’s in college with lots of kids that also took a gap year so are 2-3 years older.
His boarding school was not highly rejective, but had it been, I’m pretty sure they would have rejected him for 9th and insisted he reclassed if he applied in 10th.
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