Hi everyone, I’m a 9th grader currently looking for some private boarding high schools in the US. I’m kind of lost looking at all the schools and would really appreciate any help.
I’m very interested in basically everything about music, especially music production, elec guitar, choir, piano. I also am very interested in humanities – say philosophy, polisci, econ, law, etc. Therefore, I hope to find a school that has strong programs in these areas, as well as opportunities for community service and clubs.
Since I am an international student, I do hope to find a school that is rather inclusive, without any racism. The school should preferably be somewhat academically rigorous (say top 50 or above) in the nation.
The schools I’m currently looking at are Choate Rosemary, Lake Forest Academy, and Mercersburg. I have a 150 on the Duolingo English Test, and my PSAT score (which comes out tomorrow) shouldn’t be that low. I’m not planning to take the SSAT because I don’t have sufficient time to prepare. Any suggestions about which schools I should look into, or comments about the schools I’ve listed, are appreciated!
You should also work through what you want academically. “Top 50 in the country” is not a category for rigor.
Are you looking for higher level/advanced classes in certain areas? Are you looking for a culture with a lot of homework? Schools have different academic schedules that create a different flow for the year.
Are there any deal-breakers for you? Does the school have to have a certain sport? It’s fine to be open, btw!
Mercersburg has very strong reviews from past and current families on this board. The healthy endowment also supports nice programs, facility upgrades, etc. The only issue is that is not close to any international airports.
Lake Forest also has a great community, and is small enough to offer a collegial/family-like atmosphere. O’Hare airport is only 40 minutes away which makes travel logistics easy for you and your family. The lake front, however, can be frigid between November and March.
Choate is the largest among your choices (860+ students) and has some of the newest and nicest facilities—Colony Hall is well equipped for performances and productions, etc. Current leadership is forward looking and has been building out for several years now. Academic departments strong, and given the size, the school offers a lot of breadth in both humanities and STEM. The school is also close to town, shops, etc.
Hotchkiss is another great choice for students leading towards music, especially classical. It is mid-sized at ~600 students and is known for its community. The setting is very rural yet beautiful. Some parents complain about the lack of cell phone signals, but some like it that way.
People might be able to give you more suggestions if you don’t mind sharing your PSAT score and list of activities.
I’m reminded that Choate and Milton don’t require SSATs, so good options.
Phillips Academy just opened its music building. It’s amazing and has all of the stuff you’re looking for. I imagine it’s not on your list for a reason, but their music program is exceptional.
If you’re willing to consider taking the SSAT, you should look into Peddie. Their best electric guitarist is graduating this year and my DD laments that there is no one close to his talent to take his place. Peddie has a guitar ensemble that is basically a rock band for school events/pep rallies and has a very strong music program in general. SSAT is mandatory, but Peddie looks at applications holistically. My DD’s SSAT score was nothing to brag about and she was accepted. I believe her acceptance had a lot to do with the fact that she offered something the community needed. Electric guitar might be that something in your case.
General suggestion would be to reach out to the music directors of whichever schools you end up applying to. Let them know what you bring to the table and ask them how your interests fit into their music departments. It’s a great way to show interest and if you have what they need, they may advocate for your acceptance.
Update: I got a full score 1440/1440 for my PSAT 8/9 (but idk if schools accept that score). I would like to take advanced classes, especially in the humanities area, yet would not like to be overloaded by assignments. I’m only a beginner guitarist, I used to play piano for like 9 years but don’t really have any achievements. I’ve been in choirs all my life and started making contemporary music about 2 years ago. Some deal-breakers for me are really strict dress codes (I love wearing jeans and dye my hair often), or an anti-foreign environment. I’m also not this stereotypical preppy kid and have weird uhh music tastes, personality, etc so I don’t want to join a place where I have to disguise myself. I’d certainly hope that the school’s close to a large city, yet if not its not a deal-breaker. Also I prefer contemporary music more than classical.
I do like Milton and George (however I’m not sure if individual music classes are offered at George, and whether they accept a DET score), and now am currently reconsidering lake forest academy and mercersburg due to their dress code. I’ve also heard that there are some occurrences of racism in choate but am not so sure about that
It seems you have a lot of deal breakers. That one will make it particularly difficult to develop a robust list.
I dug around and George has one music production class, as does Deerfield.
Phillips Academy has a Music Technology and Advanced Music Technology which are prereqs for the Advanced Music Production course (although it says you can get in with permission of the instructor). Phillips Exeter also has an Advanced Music Production course which requires that “Students have previous experience producing music in a digital audio workstation (DAW)” which you get with their Music Mixing and Recording course.
I don’t know what Production means to you, but this deal-breaker will limit your options, and likely drive you towards the super-competitive schools. I looked at Walnut Hill which may be the best school focusing on Music and Performance in the State and they don’t have Production.
yeah what I mean by production is music technology, they just call it “electronic music production” in my current school. Thanks for your advice, I’ll look into those schools.