Number of applications for 7+ prep/Junior

[lidlcanbefun]

Namechanged as I've mentioned current Prep on here, my DC attends.

We plan to try out at few other private schools at 7+ and wondered how many schools did you apply for at 7+.

We were thinking 3 is the max to prepare for?

My ds just did the 7+. We were advised by our very academic prep that we needed to do 5. although we did get our top 2 choices, there were many that had to settle for their back up schools. The number of applicants increased as much as 30% this year. I would suggest you do 5. Friends whose kids at other very academic preps were also advised 5.

Thanks @FourFour , DC is at a good Prep, but usual story of thinking of avoiding 11+ and trying for very academic school, in London, usual suspects.

Thanks, its good food for thought.

(Great result BTW! Well done your DS!)

I would agree - we were advised to do 5 too. Competition was fierce this year and all the usual schools mentioned they had the most applicants ever this year. We got 3 of our top choices too but many others weren’t as lucky.

Well done @bstrong0805 I think we'd be happy with one!

I guess it’s obvious as I write it, but it depends whether you really want to leave the Prep (assuming it goes to 11/13). We only tried for one last year for my DD and the one for my son this year as they were local but popular SW options but many families move and apply to multiple places and work (sorry their children work 😉) for several years to get in….

Thanks @Swansong124 Its not desperation to move, more putting ones head above water to see what's around. There are a few schools I would drop current school in a heartbeat.

I look at the offer day threads for 11+ and think, very scary!

DS sat for 4 schools - I chose two good local selective schools and two 'aspirational' ones, just as you would when choosing unis. As we went through the process it became very clear that it's a complete gamble. A record number of children from DS's prep school sat the 7+ this year and the outcomes were surprising in a number of cases. Some of our strong candidates didn't get offers from the less competitive local schools yet managed to secure offers from the 'aspirational' ones, others got nothing at all. The local selective schools appear to have become quite tight this year with offers.

5

Thanks @ItsRainingTacos79 and @elij

Looks like five is a good number, there's certainly five we could go for, and it seems we really have to play it cool with DC in case we get no offers!