Best Prep-School for me?

AnnaMargaret · 10-09-2012, 11:16 PM

I will be applying as a new sophomore for 2013-2014 school year. I have been told by an admissions counselor that I will be able to get in to any of these schools with my GPA, extra-cirriculars, SSATs, etc. I am applying to Deerfield, Choate, L'ville, Williston Northampton, and Hotchkiss. However, my parents are only letting me visit two. I spent this summer at Choate (don't need to revisit Choate) and got the feel for boarding school, but am unsure if Choate is really for me. I need to choose those two schools (besides Choate) to visit. I am satisfied with all of their academics and athletics, so I want to focus on the student body. Please tell me all you know about the people at DA, CRH, L'ville, WNS, and Hotchkiss. I'm looking for where I will fit in best.

J24601J · 10-11-2012, 12:18 AM

What are your interests? What do you want out of a school? It's hard to answer that question without knowing that first. For example, if you want to do musical theater in high school, DA would be a bad choice because DA doesn't put on musicals. However, Choate would be a good choice because Choate puts on many excellent musicals.

AnnaMargaret · 10-11-2012, 08:32 PM

I'm not much in to the arts, but am a decent athlete. I row, and play volleyball and tennis. I love debate and foreign languages. I need a school with good Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish programs. (Yes, I take 3 languages). I plan to go into politics in the future. Middlebury and Dartmouth are my two main college choices, if that helps. I like a school with a campus that is walking/taxi distance from the nearest town, but wouldn't mind being in a more rural setting, as long as the landscape is pretty. I have chosen these schools because all of them have these things, so I really want to focus on the student body. I would like to know things like "Deerfield's students are generally extremely preppy." (That's just the DA stereotype I have heard many times).

preplovr22 · 10-13-2012, 12:52 PM

I think you should visit Deerfield or Hotchkiss (whichever you like better) and Lville. I am also applying for the 2013-2014 school year and for the 10th grade. I am applying to one of the schools you are (Deerfield) and I love the people, atmosphere, beauty of the place etc. Other schools I am applying to are Exeter, Andover, Milton and SPS. Deerfield and Hotchkiss are both great places but seem a bit similar. I would visit one of those and a school with a different feel. Lville is close to Philly (I used to live there!) and NYC, and it has a VERY different feel. Test the waters and visit two different schools!

J24601J · 10-14-2012, 11:20 PM

Check out Andover. I'm a new lower at Andover right now, and we literally have everything you've listed there. PM me if you have any questions about it!

GMTplus7 · 10-15-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

I have been told by an admissions counselor that I will be able to get into any of these schools

Do not underestimate the difficulty of getting into the top schools. DS had extremely high stats, extracurrics, etc, etc, and still did not get admitted into some of the top schools.

SevenDad · 10-15-2012, 03:10 PM

+1 on what GMTplus7 said.

Too many prospects have unrealistic ideas about their actual likelihood of admission to the most selective schools. To avoid disappointment, try to really think about your "apply to" list of schools based on your strengths and weaknesses and what you area looking for in/will bring to a boarding school.

Charger78 · 10-15-2012, 08:28 PM

You can only visit two, you say. I would spend a considerable amount of time browsing through the schools' websites to find links to picture galleries (sometimes at Flickr, etc.) and video (sometimes YouTube) clips that give you more of a visual feel for each campus and its kids, while you remain at home. Next to being there, these are invaluable. More time should also be given to finding the student newspaper editorials or news stories, which may have an axe to grind, but also give you the pulse of the community.