SSAT at Prep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP but getting back to the OPs original point. My DS got in the low 70s percentile on SSAT. Is that an automatic disqualifier at Prep? Should he retake?

Ask GO Admissions about retaking.

But if your DS doesn’t check a number of the boxes discussed above, it might not matter much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP but getting back to the OPs original point. My DS got in the low 70s percentile on SSAT. Is that an automatic disqualifier at Prep? Should he retake?

It depends. If your son has a "hook," then they're looking for a minimum of 60 percent. I know recruited athletes who have been asked to retake it if they received in the high 50s. Perhaps that number fluctuates depending on how much of a "hook" an applicant offers.

I would assume that the threshold is different if you are applying without a "hook" or if you are applying without a "hook" and do not come from a Catholic school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Prep take boys that aren't athletes? Do they value musicians or actors? I can't imagine they want an entire class of jocks?

Prep Mom here. Initially, we had not even considered applying to Prep because I had that misperception that it's a jock school and my son is anything but.
We were recommended Prep by an educational consultant we worked with after she interviewed my son and felt he would be a great fit. Prep was his #1 choice after he shadowed there for a day. It's honestly the best decision we have made for him. Our son is very academically strong, but is not much of an athlete and plays a musical instrument. He was shy, a bit socially awkward and a bit nerdy. He has thrived at Prep both academically and socially, and turned into a confident and outgoing young man. The school recruits athletes but there is definitely a lot of non athletes there like him and a lot of other venues to make friends.

[Anonymous]

For the moms of boys who are not athletes—what do they do for sports? Don’t they have to do something every season for four years? Everyone always says there are no cut sports but beyond some form of running, what does that look like? My DS has prep on his list for next year but he really not athletic and I honestly can’t imagine him hanging with the majority of boys who really do seem quite athletic.

[Anonymous]

You only have to do two seasons for entire hs career. This is so manageable. Good luck!! Prep is a wonderful school!

[Anonymous]

meaning two seasons total ie not two seasons a year. Just to clarify. Many kids do a season freshman and a season sophomore year and then are complete. There are no cut sports.

[Anonymous]

It's not always the case that sports at Prep are no cut. DS tried out for freshman soccer and was cut. He was told he was cut because of the very large number of boys trying out for freshman soccer. But it all worked out in its own way in that because he had tried out for a team, he was exempt from the sports requirement for that season. And later that year he made the team for another sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not always the case that sports at Prep are no cut. DS tried out for freshman soccer and was cut. He was told he was cut because of the very large number of boys trying out for freshman soccer. But it all worked out in its own way in that because he had tried out for a team, he was exempt from the sports requirement for that season. And later that year he made the team for another sport.

No one said all the sports were no-cut, just that there are no-cut options.

[Anonymous]

Only two seasons total? Wow I had that totally wrong! Thank you for clarifying PP!

[Anonymous]

No problem. It is nice because it encourages team activity and there is no pressure. Schools that force the sports cause anxiety for non sporty kids. Also at Prep most boys go to games even if they are not athletes esp for the big games and everyone cheers on the teams. The school just had a successful theatre production and it was well attended by everyone so that is nice as well. Hope this clarifies that false premise that you have to be a serious athlete at Prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Prep take boys that aren't athletes? Do they value musicians or actors? I can't imagine they want an entire class of jocks?

Prep has many smart boys who also don't happen to play a sport at a high level. Most of them come out of the Catholic school pipeline, or are legacy.

[Anonymous]

Just got scores back and DS got 75% overall. He's feeling pretty defeated because he thinks his chances at Prep are shot. Any personal experiences getting in with a similar score?

[Anonymous]

Yes, plenty of kids get in with that score and lower. But as someon else said, need other hooks. Coming from catholic school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, plenty of kids get in with that score and lower. But as someon else said, need other hooks. Coming from catholic school?

Not coming from a catholic school. Possible sports hook but I'm not sure he's wanted enough for it to matter. Coming from MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, plenty of kids get in with that score and lower. But as someon else said, need other hooks. Coming from catholic school?

Not coming from a catholic school. Possible sports hook but I'm not sure he's wanted enough for it to matter. Coming from MCPS.

The "hooks" others are talking about include;

Being a Legacy
Being Catholic
Coming from a Catholic school, especially if it is one of the traditional "feeder" schools
Being a potential "impact" player in an "important" sport (Such that the AD is willing to support your son's application)

The non-Catholics from public schools I have seen at Prep have been either superior students or superior athletes.