unhappy situation; admissions as junior?

Prep School Admissions
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<p>Hi! I’m a currently a freshman in a public high school. I am very unhappy at my current school, and the nearby private day schools are undesirable and relatively far away. Thus, I feel that boarding school is my only remaining option. HOWEVER, my parents refuse to pay for boarding school if I don’t attend a “prestigious” one. :confused: Unfortunately, I probably won’t be able to receive any financial aid because my parents are in a high income bracket. I have a couple of questions…</p>

<li> I’ve visited a few boarding schools and the ones that I’m most interested in are Exeter, St. Paul’s, and Culver. What is the general attitude towards GLBT students on those campuses? I’m gay, and I have read a lot of disparaging accounts of students targeting GLBT students at boarding schools.<br></li>
<li> What schools generally admit a lot of juniors? I’ve already missed the fall 2008 application deadline, so I will have to apply for fall 2009, when I’ll be a junior. Has anyone else entered b.s. as a junior? How was the transition?</li>
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<p>Background: I’m a pretty average student. My gpa is a 3.5 and my extracurriculars aren’t overly impressive. Honestly, I’m a little worried that few b.s. will accept me because it seems like few bs admit juniors.</p>

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<p>if culver is a jock school you probably wouldn’t want to go there</p>

<p>I don’t know if it means anything, but I think gays have it easier than lesbians</p>

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<p>You should not take heed of the post on Deerfield Gay Students Targeted. Unfortunately, anywhere you go, (you in a general term), will be discriminated. Exeter and SPS are both elite prestigious school so they fit the bill with your parents. That is if you get in next year. You’re going to have to go thourgh another year of public school and will probably have to bump up your GPA. </p>

<p>What does GLBT stand for? I know it’s the fancy term for gay/homosexual.</p>

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<p>it’s usually written as lgbt</p>

<p>lesbian
gay
bisexual
transvestite</p>

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<p>transgender I think</p>

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<p>sorry, linda’s right</p>

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<p>jejuney-
I think that Exeter would be a great pick for you. They have one of the largest student body populations, that also happens to be one of the most diverse (which is something that would be good in your case, seeing as how everyone is different, and therefore more accepting of others), and of course, also happens to be one of the most prestigious boarding schools out there. Having not actually been a student at Exeter yet, I can only offer you my viewpoint in saying that you would be better off at a school such as Exeter because everyone at the school will be so much more with it intellectually, maturely, etc. and will thus be able to accept one of your circumstance (or someone from any other circumstance) and you’ll be able to focus more on your studies in such a respecting environment.
As far as the applying for junior year thing goes- I would say, go for it! I mean, I know that it’s certainly not impossible, for I was accepted as a junior for next year!!
Now, I can offer you a few tips in regards to what to do to get in, but I will just say one thing first-in my opinion, the best thing that you could do to gain your acceptance would be to show the school why you’re special, how much you want to be a part of their community, and how much you could add to it.
That’s what they’re trying to figure out. So whether you lay it on the table during your interview, or in your personal essays, you just need to make sure that you get your message across. Whether it be that you want to stop global warming, work in the Peace Corps, or be the up-and-coming President of your country–they want want to know what you’ll do with your life. No, scratch that. They want to know that you know, what you’re going to do with your life. Then again, this is just what I (strongly) think, so I could be wrong!</p>

<p>But, basically, I agree with Mcskitt in that you should try to bump up your gpa this next year (it’s not too bad though, don’t get discouraged). Also, maybe add on a few ecs…just make sure that it doesn’t seem like you did it all for show. Only join the ecs that you enjoy and that define YOU. Relax during your interview-be yourself, and poor your heart out into the essays-make them good (I think that’s what tippped the scale on my behalf).
Anyway…I hope this helped. You can PM me if you have any questions.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Exeter is super-gay-friendly. At one point last year, an informal tally counted 40 out LGBT members (and yes, we do have transgendered students). Just last week, a gay filmmaker who made a documetary on gay marriage came to show his film, which was required viewing for many classes, including my filmmaking class (ah, senior spring doss subjects), and GSA sponsored a well-attended (by gay and straight alike, I was far from the only straight girl there) drag dance. That’s not to say there isn’t homophobia to some extent - there is everywhere - but it’s neither polite nor acceptable to express it. We have out GLBT couples making out in school buildings!</p>

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<p>Let’s see, going out of order, but:</p>

<ol>
<li>Right off the bat I’m going to say that SPS admits hardly any juniors. I applied there myself and was told pretty much from the start when I arrived at my interview (before I had sent anything in - so it wasn’t because of me) that I should apply to repeat 10th grade if I wanted to get in. They only have about 5 spots open for junior year (so 2 or 3 of your gender) and I’ve heard most of those go to local high school students. However, since I expected this of a lot of schools I wasn’t too dissapointed.</li>
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<p>I was pleasantly surprised to find out that some bigger (and equally, if not more “prestigious”) schools accepted more like 25 kids for junior year! I applied to both andover and exeter and was admitted to both for my junior year. (And I’m not some crazy super-genius either! I mean, I’m well rounded, but I don’t really know what I want to do with my life, and to be perfectly honest haven’t done anything insanely special with it so far – I’m hoping boarding school will give me the independence to start sorting those sorts of things out!) Andover, especially, seemed really geared towards welcoming new 11th graders, as the english course you take the first two terms consists solely of new 11th graders, allowing you to find a group of people all going through the same experience you are!</p>

<p>That being said, I still think the actual transition IS going to be hard. I mean, changing schools in general is difficult and junior year in general is difficult so the two of them together might be absolute insanity. However, right now it is an insanity I am strongly considering risking. I didn’t meet anyone at my visit of exeter who was a new 11th grader, but I’m hoping I will at andover, I really want to talk through the experience with them because I think they’re really the people who know best!</p>

<ol>
<li>Now as to your first question, I feel that in general prep schools are much more welcoming towards lgbt, but at the same time it is a small community so gossip spreads fast and nowhere’s perfect, so there will be some unwelcoming people. However, I feel that the majority of these prep schools have a GBSA club or something along those lines and are very welcoming of the lgbt community. I have heard that andover especially, is very involved in this front (perhaps even overly so). </li>
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<p>Anyways, don’t stress too much. Definitely go for it and apply, and if you don’t get in, nothing much lost because that’s the same result as if you didn’t apply! And if you do get in, that’s really exciting because then you have the choice of what you want to do! Anyways, best of luck to you!</p>

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<p>There are plenty of schools that will admit juniors. There aren’t a lot of spaces, but there are some. I would NOT recommend Exeter as a junior. There is too much competition for the recs/counselor attention for college applications and too many kids trying for the same schools. As a new junior, you will be at the bottom of the priority list.</p>

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<p>wow going as a junior is tough i suppose. i wouldn’t go to deerfield since they have been targeting gay kids.</p>

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<p>My son started his final school as a junior (repeat) and did fine. No problems adjusting, no problems with the college admission process, no problems at all making friends and fitting in.</p>

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<p>hotchkissjin - “THEY” have not been targeting anyone at Deerfield. If you read the entire thread you will see a reply by a current Deerfield student that tells of the administration’s response. It is a few studetns - which will, unfortunately, happen anywhere - likely less that 1% is the “they.” You make it sound like it is the school itself. </p>

<p>There are negative incidents at every school. Heck a few years ago there was a very bad racial incident at a school mentioned here all the time No one would tell someone not to go there because “they” target minorities at that school.</p>

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<p>In terms of exeter, in 2006 at graduation, there was note of a student in the graduating class who had changed his gender (his journey from male to female) during the commencement speech. This did not seem to be a big deal at all.</p>