Day Schools in MA

siemom
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:15:37 +0000

Wow - quite a list of schools, and they are all very different which is why it is hard to answer each of your questions. Depends an enormous amount on the student (am assuming boy since Roxbury Latin & Belmont Hill on list) and what his strengths and interests are.
My take:
BUA & Commonwealth are both urban schools with very little in the way of athletics. They are also very small and highly intellectual.
Boston Latin - must be resident of the city to apply. A wonderful school - very intense and bigger than some of the others on this list.
Roxbury Latin - one of the finest schools for the right boy - and easier to get into (in terms of numbers) as a 7th grader than 9th grader. Very rigorous, wonderful character education.
BB&N - urban (Cambridge), intense as a high school, great new building that has built up their arts program a great deal
Nobles - excellent school - well rounded but strong athletic focus. Ditto Milton although Milton much larger and is 50% boarding.
Middlesex & Groton are primarily boarding and very different from one another w/ Groton being more traditional.
ALL of these are the superb schools and opportunities abound at them. Scores over 85% generally on the SSAT although always some flex depending on individual. Teacher/school recommendations play very big part in admissions process - the one area you did not mention.
I know happy students at ALL of these schools and more (how about Concord Academy?) - it really is all about the right fit for your son and your family.