Thank you! Ever since I received the news yesterday I have been doing research on DA, and I noticed that it’s located in western Massachusetts, about a 2 hr drive from Boston and it doesn’t look like it’s next to any major cities. Does the location affect your kid’s experience, and do you know whether they still go to Boston or other closer cities?
It definitely affects it, in a good way, for the most part. It is one key ingredient in the recipe to create a very social, tight community. The student life office does an amazing job of creating on campus opportunities, and students stay on campus over the weekend, despite not having Saturday classes. Friday nights, in particular, are fun.
We live urban, and my kid loves to lean into that when he’s home, including eating all of his favorite international foods and taking in a game at the stadium. Hanging out with friends in town. Top up on that energy, and then head back to school where the campus life is the source of fun. It’s an adjustment, but was actually a criterion in our search. We wanted an all-in group of kids who didn’t head home at the weekends, since we live too far away for that.
If you continue with your sports (teams are a key social connector), your weekends will be booked, in a good way.
Things like haircuts and medical we schedule when home or at a relative’s house. It’s a trade off being far from a city, but the balance is in DA’s favor, I believe.
At long weekends and breaks, there is a bus that can get you to Manhattan, and your family can meet you there, then you can get to NJ. It is good that you are considering this all in advance.
Feel free to message me if you’d like anything more specific.
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Thank you for the insight. I currently live in a very urban city in northern NJ so I was unsure about whether Deerfield’s unique rural environment was good or not, but it appears to be. Do you mind if I pm you about some other questions I have about DA?
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I don’t mind at all. Hope I can help.
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First off, huge congrats on the full ride to DA. What a wonderful gift (pun intended)!!
I would not worry too much about the bucolic setting, as my kids went through the same process. They only became more appreciative of the urban life when they come home for the holidays.
The school does a good job keeping kids occupied with various activities, sit-down dinners, etc. You might get homesick for a few weeks, but your folks will be able to visit during Parents Weekend, then Thanksgiving will arrive not long after.
I am also fairly certain that you can find other students from your area. It is common for them to share a ride or a car service on extended holidays, to save time and money. Alternatively, the school will have holiday buses that go to JFK and Newark, which might be closer to you.
Congrats again, and enjoy DA.
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Thank you! The transportation between breaks was one of the main questions I had but if it could go to those locations that would be great
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