<p>Is every one accepted by a good boarding school like Exeter or Groton a well-round person who is good at academics and has excellent extracurricular activities? Are extracurricular activities extremmmmely important?
Also, do schools tend to accept outgoing students instead of quiet ones?</p>
<p>To answer your question, no. Not everyone at Exeter/Groton is well-rounded. In fact, they’re probably quite the opposite. Schools don’t want well rounded kids, they want a well rounded school body. Meaning that most kids have something that they really love, and has expressed their interest for that on their application. You’re thinking WAY too hard on what they want. Just do what YOU really have a passion for, and make sure there are things to put on your application to show how much you love that particular thing. </p>
<p>Academics are important. A’s are what should be on your report card atm, and if your school offers extracurricular activities, then you should be in ones that interest YOU. Do not do community service for the school, don’t do AMC or USAMO for the school, do it for YOU. Schools will sniff right through fake extracurriculars, and will in fact hinder your application as they will not think you have a passion in something. Don’t worry, try your best, and as always Good Luck with this process, I wish you the best outcome!</p>
<p>@iamokok, I suggest you call up the admissions offices at schools that interest you and ask them your questions directly. I also suggest that you take @2020person’s emphatic statements with a healthy dollop of skepticism. According to another post, @2020person has no boarding school experience, has yet to go through the application process and is in 7th grade. </p>
<p>Usually, a boarding school admission office is looking for students whose academic records indicate that they can handle the intensity and work load the school requires. Those students that manage to surmount this bar would do well to demonstrate what else they can bring to the school - in ECs, athletics and/or service. The AO is also looking for students with sound character and whose personalities are positive and cooperative - everyone has to live together, after all, at close quarters, with mutual trust and respect.</p>
<p>These are tiny communities, most under 1000 students. They can’t put a class together with specialists, though they will take specialists here and there, who are at a very high level. </p>
<p>If you are applying for ninth grade (or like Groton possibly at eighth) you may not have all kinds of sports and hobbies yet. If this is the case, think about what on-going interests or experiences you have had outside the classroom (here @2020person and I agree). Include these in your applications. Chances are you aren’t the one trick pony that your post suggests and your non academic interests may be of real interest to the AOs.</p>
<p>I see your point. Thank you!!</p>