Yes, gymnasts can transition to diving. We know one from our team who ended up diving at Cornell. I think DD2 was actually picked by Choate’s ADCOM thinking she would dive, but diving is high risk and preppedparent has seen too many diving accidents. My only point is that sure kids should do their sport and there may be some value to be proven to BS ADCOMS like commitment etc, but if you are aiming for Andover and Exeter, you are better off as stated above trying to give them something they need, not a gymnast.
Andover, in particular, has done a very good job of marketing themselves. We followed a number of these school’s Instagram, Twitter, etc. The Andover admissions office posts at least twice a week, no else even comes close.
I think Andover’s electronic (green) Christmas card with falling snow is also lovely. You’re right, their marketing does contribute to consumer driven frenzy over PA.
@HMom16 @prepparent I was just discussing this with some people the other day! Their instagram is, as one would say, on point. They use the right hashtags, post the right photos, use the right captions. That #sayyestoandover campaign helped a ton! Andover admissions has its own instagram! They posted a ton of photos of newly admitted students saying yes to Andover, too. The other day I was talking about the possibility of starting some type of student group to help amp up Choate’s social media game…
Andover has achieved a yield rate of whopping 86% this year! Very impressive, especially considering there are so many prestigious fine schools within a couple of hours of drive.
Does going to a summer camp really help?I’m considering going to one for a few days.
Don’t do it just for boarding school applications and, honestly, I don’t think a few days would be pertinent to what they are looking for which is an indication that the student has experience on successfully separating from family with some degree of independence. No school wants a bunch of new students with severe cases of homesickness.
It isn’t that going to camp helps… it is that AOs want to know you won’t be miserably homesick because you’ve been away before
As mentioned before, DD and her "parental units " (for anyone old enough to recall the SNL skit) were asked by one AO @ camp and/experiences living away from home . The AO explained that this experience can be beneficial for younger students transitioning to BS life. Our gang does both the camp and summer BS programs. Living away from home us a huge transition-- especially if you’re more than a few hours car drive away from home. It’s nice for AO’s to also know that your teen has some independence, works well in groups, can transition, can live with a group of diverse people, etc…
Regarding individual sports mentioned in above posts: There are many many girls-women’s collegiate golf scholarships that go unclaimed each year. Not sure if golf helps for BS admissions but it’s a nice ride in college 
Hmm, I wonder about exeter.
Having a skill certainly helps. I currently attend a top tier boarding school, and I definitely got in because I seriously impressed the head of the art department with my awards and skills. He was extremely psyched that I was applying, and he went out of his way to meet me pre-and-post admission. I’m positive that the teacher’s enthusiasm for another art kid is why I was accepted.
In regards to posts #37-39, funny you should mention that transition. Buuznkid2 absolutely REFUSES to try to dive (we have a pool with diving board in our back yard) because it is too scary…ok, but doing the full, full double Barani on a thin mat over concrete is less scary??? Lol
@buuzn03 I totally agree with Buuznkid2… Diving is scarier! For me I think its the height quotient (which is funny considering I love airplanes and rollercoasters :)) ) and water depth (I remember being scared out of my mind when they told me the diving end was 14 ft). So yes, a double B on a mat is less scary 
…
@Atria I never pushed the issue because (shhh-it’s a secret) I’m terrified of water…can’t even put my face in the bathtub. Only wash my face with a washcloth…it is a stupid fear, I know, but a very paralyzing one nonetheless. So…I get it, but I just think falling into water would probably be better than falling on ground…of course, I wouldn’t flip, either. :))
Lol @buuzn03 I have a fear of oceans… AtriaMum had to cancel a cruise bc I informed her that the trip was all fine and done… just don’t expect to find me out of the cabin… or away from the life rafts…
@skieurope not the Nansen ski jump. Google it! Talk about a flight.
I’ve always wondered if @skieurope truly does, well, ski Europe :-? . One of the many mysteries of CC.
What ski Europe does is a full time student in an Ivy League college, I believe. Which one has been one of the best kept secrets on CC! @“Nico.campbell”