Reply to Getting accepted to Holton-Arms

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[quote=Anonymous]Whether it's Holton or any other private, from my experience, how well the parent, coaches, tutors, current teachers and others advocate for the applicant matters, too.  What gets lost in a lot of these discussions is that the independent school application process is highly competitive for other reasons than test scores.  Personally, I believe school reps are looking for something more--something that stands out about each applicant.  Sometimes, students have mid-level scores, but they are star athletes or talented musicians or inspiring school leaders.  Sometimes, what students do for community service over a long period of time will strike the committee as "profound" or "moving".

Even if a big deal is not made of the class visits, they matter, too.  What the teacher says about how your child interacts with others, how much initiative and interest the child exhibits can help or even hurt his or her chances, I'm certain.  What about personality?  Goals?  Thoughtfulness?  If you think those things don't matter,esp when considering older applicants who will reveal a lot about themselves when they interview, then I'm sorry, but I think you're not fully aware of how admissions' committees read students' application files.

I've worked with families for many years (on a strictly voluntary basis) and helped with getting their children into the best private schools, and what I've seen that matters is how committed the parents are, what special talents/interests the children have, how well they interview/do in the classroom on a visit, and how much others have to say about the candidates.  Take the time to get quality letters of recommendation from teachers and others who interact and work with your child, make sure that your older child is prepared for the interview, and instill good values from the beginning.  Having a positive outlook, kind spirit, and good personality can child a part from a large pool of others and in a positive way.

I'm not too sure how much "connections" matter at Holton, but I do think it's one of the schools that looks at the entire application package.

Good luck!  Your dd will do well; it's obvious that you care, and that's going to make a huge difference now and down the road.[/quote]

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