Looking forward to the next application year, I was wondering if there is anything specific that I should focus on? (extracurricular activities, school activities, clubs, branching out, etc.)
Also, are there specific activities/things that BS’s like to see on applications, or does one’s passion within the activity matter significantly more?
The weaknesses from the first time. So really, there is no standard answer - it depends upon the individual applicant.
It all matters. There is no mathematical equation that top boarding schools use to determine who gets accepted.
Apply to more schools . . .
Also, really take some time to reflect on yourself and the school that best suits your needs. This will also help your interviews a ton!
Orangami beat me to it.
I think casting a wide and thoughtful net is the key to success most ignored by applicants on this forum. Exclusively targeting the usual suspects, even if you are high stat applicant, is a recipe for disappointment, IMO. Yes, there are stories of people who prevailed after a second, even a third attempt, but those are few and far between.
I’m more active on the college athletic recruiting side of the forum now, and there’s this great piece of advice over there, to the effect of “target programs one tier below where you think you can play, and two tiers below where your dad thinks you can play”. Admissions to the most selective BS are a lot like admissions to the selective colleges…lots of kids with perfect scores/amazing grades/strong ECs get rejected every year. As skieurope mentions above, there is no equation, no checklist of things you can mark off that guarantees you’ll be accepted anywhere.
I haven’t said this in a while, but I’m feeling blunt this AM: For people targeting “top tier” schools…what makes you think you are a “top tier” applicant? Chances are, you’re probably not. And that’s fine…but accepting that fact early on will help you select a smarter list of schools. If you were looking at BS as an alternative to what I’m guessing is a local public school you’re not thrilled with…pretty much all of the BS mentioned on this forum will do the trick.
Apply to a wider array of schools is probably the single most effective strategy for those reapplying to boarding schools.
Anything that shows greater maturity–usually reflected in new teacher recommendations–should help also.
I think @SevenDad made lots of great points. I would add that when you apply to a wider net of schools, be cognizant of the way you present yourself at schools that you may consider to be “lower tier.” The guidance counselor at my kids’ school drove it into the kids heads that “the only safety school is your local, public high school.” That is the truth! If applicants visit a school that they consider “lower tier” and act as if they are above such school, it’s going to show. And it will be reflected on March 10th. I’m not saying that you did any of these things or that you will act this way - it’s really just a general public service announcement for anyone going through the process.
If you are thoughtful about constructing your list of schools, you are more likely to have a good result. That means understanding the pros and cons of larger vs smaller schools, single sex vs co-ed, rural vs urban, and having a strong point-of-view about which kind of setting is best for you. It also means researching what makes each school unique, how their approach might differ from others, and whether and how that might suit you. If you are only applying to the usual, well-known suspects, you are probably going by prestige alone and will have a harder time convincing admissions officers that you really understand their particular school and that you are the kind of kid who would thrive there and really contribute to the community. They aren’t looking for the “best” kids. They are looking for the right ones. Bragging about your impressive achievements won’t necessarily get you admitted. You want to show them that you and their school are a great match and that you would contribute greatly to their community in the ways that matter most to their particular school.
Thank you all so much!!
My daughter successfully reapplied, and although her situation was atypical (in that her twin brother was already attending the school), I think she was also a very different candidate. Yes, of course she had good grades in middle school, but that was no particular achievement. In her freshman year of high school, she was able to show that she was an extraordinary student rather than just a good one. Also, she was able to pursue extracurricular activities at a much higher level. Most importantly, she knew by then how much she wanted to go to boarding school and that it truly would provide her a better experience than the public high school did, and she was able to communicate that. She did not cast a wide net the second time around, but if she had, I would not have been surprised if she had much better results than the first time. My takeaway from this is that you will best improve your chances by excelling in high school, and good luck!!