Hope is, once they line it up here, they’ll use their own voice.
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Thanks for all the help like actually. If I have more questions I’ll ask, and I’ll update if I get in.
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And you did that without ChatGPT so @IndySceptic wont yell at me again for helping. Good job!
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Thx
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There are other schools that have Harkness, but most BS have highly engaged students and very participatory classrooms, so you can find that in LOTS of places. Some schools take experiential learning further than the table- as in classes with travel or with a maker space.
Most schools have clubs and volunteer opportunities to bring interests to life. Because PEA will not be a sure thing, you can ask folks here to help you build out your list. It’s more work to apply to more schools, but done strategically, it also greatly increases the odds that you’ll be at a school where you’re happy next fall.
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The Harkness method of teaching is also used at St.Paul’s School in New Hampshire facilitated by the small class sizes.
I would also encourage you to cast a wider net. While the Harness method is great, it’s not exclusive to Exeter and many other schools have engaged students and discussion based learning as well. Most of these schools have Finance Clubs and also offer independent study in a number of topics (if that’s what you’re seeking). Are you that far advanced beyond the HS curriculum in any subject? The reasons that you’ve outlined aren’t exclusive to Exeter.
Your 7th Grade grades are going to be an issue, especially since you don’t have a full term of 8th Grade grades yet. I think that you should proactively bring this up in your interview so that you can offer some context–not excuses. It should be clear how you’ve overcome this hurdle and changed. I agree with other posters that making excuses will make admission more difficult.
Exeter AOs value independence and a blip in 7th grade may indicate that you need a smaller school that’s more nurturing or that you should wait another year until you have a strong 8th Grade record to show how you’ve changed. This would help to dispel any concern from AOs that you’re a capable student (95% SSAT) who lacks motivation and won’t thrive at Exeter.
Publicity blurb about supplying Exeter with trademarked Harkness Tables and Chairs, and the Harkness teaching style at Andover, Hotchkiss and Lawrenceville.
Any old oval table will do, it need not be exclusively supplied by the company that holds the Harkness name trademark. Student-centered, discussion-based, Harkness-style learning is pervasive among boarding and prep schools.
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Not trying to hate, but people at some of the other schools would argue its just a branding gimmick. But it works.
My kid is at another school and her math class has 8 kids in it. Her experience of math is probably not dissimilar to what her math class would be at Exeter.
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is whether you can have the school guidance or secondary school counselors address your seventh grade hiccup. My sense is that they are pretty engaged over there. I also suspect you have good essay content.
Are you in the Vanguard Program?
Let us know what other schools you are considering.