<p>“And even if you manage to make one or two friends amongst the haut monde, that can be its own curse” ??? that sounds so mysterious, can you elaborate? if glanton is a real alum (it’s the internet, anyone can pretend to be anyone) and (s)he speaks negatively about choate, that’s kind of a rare commodity on CC, so i’m curious as to what s(he) has to say…</p>
<p>I knew many a good student who made a few of the “right” (in retrospect wrong) friends and subsequently switched his focus from grades and schoolwork to parties, drugs, drinking and girls. Totally counter-productive. This is why it’s important to make the right friends and to do so early. It starts on Day 1.</p>
<p>Partying can help you make friends and relax you from academic stress.</p>
<p>There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. </p>
<p>There is no sin except stupidity.</p>
<p>The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. </p>
<p>I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best. </p>
<p>I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying. </p>
<p>A man who does not think for himself does not think at all.</p>
<p>An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all. </p>
<p>Everything popular is wrong. </p>
<p>Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. </p>
<p>The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything, the young know everything. </p>
<p>Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. </p>
<p>I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself. </p>
<p>Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people whom we personally dislike.</p>
<p>A man’s face is his autobiography. A woman’s face is her work of fiction. </p>
<p>Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everyone in good society holds exactly the same opinion. </p>
<p>As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular. </p>
<p>Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. </p>
<p>Yupp. My order of favorite Oscar Wilde quotes. Of course, I love all Oscar Wilde quotes…</p>
<p>OSCAR WILDE IS MY FAVORITE. right @yellow22?</p>
<p>pinksunset, I think you’re at least a rising junior, so you must have heard this speech in person:</p>
<p>[Luke</a> Matarazzo: To Go or Not to Go?](<a href=“http://thenews.choate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=439:luke-matarazzo&catid=21:speeches&Itemid=45]Luke”>http://thenews.choate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=439:luke-matarazzo&catid=21:speeches&Itemid=45)</p>
<p>A few questions:</p>
<p>1) How do you think it reflects on Choate that they accept students like Luke Matarazzo?
2) How do you think it reflects on the judgment of the Choate faculty that they (the 6th-form dean anyways) chose Luke Matarazzo to give a senior speech?
3) How do you think it reflects on the academic and social education provided by Choate that, after three years of it, Luke Matarazzo wrote a speech like that?</p>
<p>@Glandon, You have a point. I’m sorry that you have bitter memories. Our family was aware of this letter before DC decided to apply to Choate. In all honesty, it was a concern. We investigated the school with a sharp eye for more flags, there were none. The newest group of students entering Choate come from an extremely competitive pool of applicants. I only found kids who were really grateful to be there. The only kids I met who had this question of should I go or not were the ones who had multiple offers from other HADES schools and most of them decided on Choate.
If you feel so strongly about warning others about your experience perhaps it would be helpful to send a letter to Choate’s new headmaster.
I do hope Choate served you well enough to send you on to a fine college and that your experiences there were better.</p>
<p>@Glanton, the majority of Choate students on this particular thread were new sophomores so we would not have been at Choate for that speech.
With that being said, there are senior speeches like that every year that show an alternate perspective on Choate life. That’s how it’s been, that’s how it is. there are very few people at Choate like that but regardless of which school you are at you will find students like that. Don’t judge all Choate students on one speech.</p>
<p>Okay. I think I have a question. I play an instrument, and I want to be in a music ensemble at Choate. But all the ensembles require an audition, (which, BTW, scare the crap out of me), so does anyone know how competitive/intense/difficult it is to get in?</p>
<p>@ Glanton, I completely understand the perspective from which you are coming from. To address your questions:
- How do you think it reflects on Choate that they accept students like Luke Matarazzo?
Please point me to where in the application there is thorough personality assessment as well as a prophet that tells the admissions office every decision that the applicant has made in the past and will make in the future? It is impossible to know every single thing about every single student that applies to anything. Unless someone has a tangible record, like a police report or something that reflects character. This speech is a snapshot in time of Luke’s development of character. As you can tell by reading it, his character evolved from acceptance into Choate up until his senior year. His character is even evolving now. That is because Choate is not a corporation it is a high school. Albeit the students that attend Choate are above average. We are above average when it comes to academics, athletics and all of these tangible characteristics. But we are still teenagers and we are still human. I’m not sure your intent in highlighting Luke’s speech, perhaps to indict Choate into letting in someone that outwardly shows he isn’t perfect? I am not sure. The reality is that for those who expect Choate kids to be superhuman and above the natural inner workings of the world is ridiculous. We are teenagers, the school knows this. This is why they have full time psychologists on campus, easily accessible to the students. Within Choate, adolescent development is still at play. I will admit, some experiences I had this year made me question the role of the school in the students’ lives. But this summer it seems as though I went through an epiphany. Choate is strict in what they expect from its students because they want to build good character in us. They understand that stumbles will emerge but they are willing to help us pick ourselves up. But they know that 9 times out of 10 we know better. So perhaps from your point of view, Luke’s speech shines Choate in a bad light. I disagree, I think it shines Choate in a light of reality. Luke’s speech is real, it doesn’t sugarcoat the thoughts that most teenagers have. If this wasn’t reality there wouldn’t be a myriad of books written about adolescent behavior and development. I missed the moment when Choate became a utopia. It is a real, living breathing institution whose sole purpose is to educate and build character in adolescents. </p>
<p>2) How do you think it reflects on the judgment of the Choate faculty that they (the 6th-form dean anyways) chose Luke Matarazzo to give a senior speech?</p>
<p>I think that the Choate faculty or 6th form dean wanted to offer a sense of reality to the students through Luke’s clear understanding of it. From my perspective, Luke’s speech offered a dose of reality. He wasn’t afraid to tell the truth. Quite refreshing if you ask me. In fact, pay close attention to the end of his speech. His advice has to do with accepting Choate for what it has to offer and taking advantage of these opportunities. The advice at the end of his speech, “Put on a complete front if you have to, because the more people you have on your side, and the more people you befriend over the years, the easier life will be, especially at Choate” refers to characteristics of adulthood. When you are being nice to someone that you don’t like or disagree with it’s not called “being fake” it’s called growing up. Can you see how Luke’s advice could help an adult in corporate America when dealing with their boss? Even if someone is smarter and possesses more ingenuity than their boss, they can’t “buck the system” and show their disdain for the person that writes their paycheck, they have to suck it up and put a smile on their face and work hard. In this, they can climb the ranks and find success. What do you think would happen if they told their boss to shove it? They would be fired and sure their point would have been made but at what cost? But this analogy doesn’t even fully apply to Choate, because Choate does not make and enforce the rules it does just for fun or because they just want to wield control over people, Choate has rules because it cares about us. The school wants us to grow into strong, smart, hard-working, rule-following individuals. Sure there is room for a little non-conformity, and they account for the stumbles that arise from our need to rebel. But to a point. Glanton you graduated but can you say that you didn’t learn from your time from Choate? Whether you view this as positive or negative you grew. Even in your ability to critically think about your time at Choate you grew and learned from your time there. You now walk with an awareness that you gained from Choate, whether positive or negative. So I respect the faculty that gave Luke a speech.</p>
<p>3) How do you think it reflects on the academic and social education provided by Choate that, after three years of it, Luke Matarazzo wrote a speech like that?</p>
<p>I think the above explains the academic and social education that Choate gave Luke. Luke now goes to a great liberal arts college and I think based on the very structure of his speech it is clear that he grew during his time at Choate. I could cite child psychology all day, the facts remain the same. Choate is not a perfect institution. Do they do a darn good job of educating people? Obviously. I could reference all of the famous alumni that came out of the school but most notably, I think that Choate produces critical thinkers. Case in point? You, Glanton. </p>
<p>P.S. I realize after rereading your original point you didn’t really show a bias in your questions so sorry if I come off as extremely argumentative. Choate has also taught me how to care about issues and debate.</p>
<p>@circlemidnight There are varying degrees of challenge within the ensembles of Choate. Some ensembles are harder to get into and require an audition like the Chamber Orchestra, but Choate has music opportunities for everyone–from the beginner who just wants to get their feet wet to the seasoned player who thrives in a challenging ensemble. Don’t worry, there is an ensemble you can join!</p>
<p>@pinksunset-This may sound like a noob-ish question, but I thought all of the ensembles (Chamber orchestra, orchestra, and Wind Ensmeble) that were offered at Choate required an audition? Or are there student run ensembles I don’t know about?</p>
<p>There is a Jazz Band, I’m not sure if an audition is required for each ensemble. I know for Chamber Orchestra, there definitely is an audition. But for example, the festival chorus does not require an “official” audition.</p>
<p>Oh. Okay. Thanks, pinksunset! About two more weeks!!!</p>
<p>Get excited!!!. It’s going to be a great year.</p>
<p>I’m excited!!! Is there some sort of surprise, or is it just a great year, every year?</p>
<p>Never mind! Does anyone know what Digg is?</p>
<p>There will be surprises waiting, knock on the main door of St. John Hall exactly at 12 midnight on Friday the 13th and say abracadabra.</p>
<p>It’s always a great year when you’re optimistic. And haha @ Invent.</p>
<p>That is pretty funny. Harhar!</p>