Getting accepted to Holton-Arms

[Anonymous]

OP here... I am applying for 3rd grade for my daughter. She currently takes ballet and is actually in a class with 12 and 13 year olds and she is 7 so I guess you could say she is talented. We are AA but we are coming from a public school that Holton has never accepted kids from. I actually only work part time so I am able to volunteer time at the school and indicated that in my interview. My DD has good grades and is currently in accelerated math at her school so I believe she got pretty good references. She loves to read and she makes math books for fun. The one problem is that her WISC scores weren't that great. She tested in the above average range but not the gifted range.

[Anonymous]

Well pp -- it sounds like she has a very good chance. And, as I wrote on an earlier post -- some kids don't get in on the first try and keep trying...it usually works out. No guarantees, of course. But, you sound very nice and your daughter sounds solid. I have to say Holton has a fantastic track record of where its AA girls go to college -- truly impressive. I would put it up vs. any school private or public in that regard. Last year's AA grads went to NW, UChic., GWU, City College of London, Williams...the year earlier has several at Cornell, G'town, Wash. U in St. Louis...you name it. The year before that has 2 at Princeton. The AA girls at Holton are second to none...I hope it works out for you. Holton doesn't say it -- but they really do the best job of preparing female leaders from all of the many cultures, economic scales, etc. it draws from. They should brag a little...they don't...never do.

[Anonymous]

what's the gifted range?

[Anonymous]

Holton doesn't have 'gifted classes' -- there are honor and AP classes for h.s. -- not for lower school or middle school

[Anonymous]

They are good at accelerating for math and science. Most classes have 3-4 girls in math classes at least a year above their grade level. For a prior question, biggest entry years at 3, 7, and 9.

[Anonymous]

The gifted range is a 130 or above full scale. I know that they don't have gifted classes but they are usually looking for extremely bright kids. It is my understanding that most of the independent schools want at least a 130 IQ in order to be admitted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The gifted range is a 130 or above full scale. I know that they don't have gifted classes but they are usually looking for extremely bright kids. It is my understanding that most of the independent schools want at least a 130 IQ in order to be admitted.

Around a 120 is acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well pp -- it sounds like she has a very good chance. And, as I wrote on an earlier post -- some kids don't get in on the first try and keep trying...it usually works out. No guarantees, of course. But, you sound very nice and your daughter sounds solid. I have to say Holton has a fantastic track record of where its AA girls go to college -- truly impressive. I would put it up vs. any school private or public in that regard. Last year's AA grads went to NW, UChic., GWU, City College of London, Williams...the year earlier has several at Cornell, G'town, Wash. U in St. Louis...you name it. The year before that has 2 at Princeton. The AA girls at Holton are second to none...I hope it works out for you. Holton doesn't say it -- but they really do the best job of preparing female leaders from all of the many cultures, economic scales, etc. it draws from. They should brag a little...they don't...never do.

So Holton's AA girls are not accepted at top-tier ivies or liberal arts colleges at the same rate as "other" girls?

[Anonymous]

PP... I was thinking the same thing. I know people whose kids got accepted to those schools from a PUBLIC magnet program. I was hoping to see some ivies on that list.

[Anonymous]

So does this mean I should pack it in if my kid scores 115?

[Anonymous]

Ugh...those were examples of where AA girls went to college. Truly, overall, they have better stats than any other groups of girls at Holton. No, above, Holton doesn't hold to a specific IQ # -- whoever wrote that knows nothing about Holton admissions.

[Anonymous]

PP, you have no idea what you're talking about. Holton's ivy rates, class-wide, are comparable to any school in this area, if not better. The year I graduated every single AA girl in my class went ivy except one, out of maybe 9 or 10. And these are not all rich embassy kids, either, several were riding the bus in from SE each day. Please keep in mind that this dynamic means girls not only have to get in, but also get a full ride - much harder.

[Anonymous]

Just my two cents, but I think Holton values girls' achievements, perhaps more than scores. At least that's what we heard from Holton Admissions.

[Anonymous]

That is true. Holton seems to have a sixth sense about picking girls who have yet to truly reach their peak...of course, they help them do that.

[Anonymous]

No - my DD scored 115 and she was accepted and she is thriving at Holton and performing competitively with her peers. I agree with the PP who says Holton values girls' achievements more than their scores, then they work (and I mean work) what they've got. The girls work hard and play hard and I can honestly say my daughter has never been happier.