<p>hi im just wondering do any tier 1 or 2 schools have dorms where your in a house and you do things like compete against other dorm houses in sports and such, and do house outings and activities and have house traditions and such. i know schools in the UK have house systems in boarding schools im just wondering if any schools such as tier 1 or 2 do house type systems.</p>
<p>I am pretty sure Lawrenceville does (anyone correct if I am wrong)</p>
<p>Lawrenceville has an active house system. I suspect a formal house system works best at a larger school to establish a peer group.</p>
<p>Blair has a series of dorm (house) traditions. During the school year, there are BIG (Blair intramural games) of dorm vs. dorm. Each dorm has its own traditions, such as outdoor barbecues, community service projects, or an evening run at the first snowfall. </p>
<p>This is good question to ask when you visit.</p>
<p>Ridley College in Canada also has a house system. (it says college but its a high school)</p>
<p>Not sure if St. Paul’s system is considered a formal house system, but the dorms have outings and activities through out the year. They compete against other dorms in the Fiske Cup (dorm plays) and sports at the end of the year. Also the students are assigned to a club, Halcyon and Shattuck (and a third I don’t remember the name of) and they compete in crew at the end of the year. I was told that this year individuals will earn points for their respective clubs through out the year and at the end of the year the club that has the most points will have its banner decorate the upper, very Hogwarts like. Maybe a student can provide more details.</p>
<p>At Middlesex, All Boarders live in dorms, day students are organized into figurative “houses”…Throughout the year, there are a few competitions where dorms compete. We actually just had ours this weekend, its called Dorm Wars and all dorms/houses compete against each other in a variety of games varying from tugowar to dodgeball to scooter races etc. Its one of the major highlights of the year.</p>
<p>Yes - Lawrenceville has a very well defined house system. The best comparison I can give is to think Harry Potter. Usually, one finds their best friends in the house and the houses compete against each other in more than just sports. About 40 students are associated with each house.</p>
<p>Each house is physically a separate building too, meaning they really are houses, not just associations to split up a large dorm.</p>
<p>The house system is one of the many aspects that make Lawrenceville unique.</p>
<p>While Mercersburg does not have a house system, it does have a unique tradition called “Irving/Marshall Week”. The entire school is divided into two societies; Irving and Marshall. You get assigned to either one as a new student. Selection is random, except for those who have had family members attend M’burg. They are placed in the same society as those family members before them. Participation isn’t mandatory, but I would guess that almost 100% of the students choose to be a part of it.</p>
<p>The weeklong competition takes place during the Feb. duldrums. The competitions range from powderpuff football, to volleyball, swimming, ping pong,basketball…The main rules are you cannot compete on a team where you are a member of the school’s team in that sport. I think there are non sport competitions like chess also. Anyway, each team is awarded points for how it places in each event. At the end of the week, the culmination of the week takes places. It is declamation. Each society (the societies were formed in the 1800’s as debating teams) has 3 or 4 students who will each give a 10 minute long monologue. Could be from a book, play, movie, or self scripted. They deliver their speech in formal attire before a panel of judges and the entire school. It is an honor to be chosen as a participant in declamation. The student body attends the event in formal attire also because after the event, the overall winning team attends a dance while the losing team heads to the student union. Both have great evenings, regardless of the locale. The scoring for this event is worth something like 700 pts, so it can boost a hugely lagging second place team into first.
Team spirit is ferocious during the entire week. Actually, during the entire year. It is as close to Harry Potter as I have seen.
zp</p>
<p>are the dorms at deerfield or taft houses? or any other?</p>
<p>as aforementioned, dorms = a house at lville</p>
<p>can you tell me a little more information about the house system at LVille and what type of hosue activitys and thigns that they do together? and do you know how difficult it is to get into lville as a PG?</p>
<p>The core of the house system is during sophomore/junior year where you will remain in the same dorm during those two years. during these years, there are ~40 kids in the house. Each house is loaded with spirit that is displayed during interhouse competitions such as house olympics, house sports, and just random house events, really too many things to name. Many students wear house apparel on a daily basis just to show their pride. Each house is different too with its own set of traditions. Houses will also do activities just within the house such as sophomore vs junior events such as dodgeball, paintball, broomball, movies, food eating contests, etc.</p>
<p>freshmen are all in one big house. Seniors have multiple options - staying in their sophomore/junior dorm as a prefect, going into another ~40 person house (girls), going into a large dorm like freshmen year (boys) or going into a small house with 8-12 students (boys). </p>
<p>I do not know how difficult it is to get in as a PG, sorry. If you are interested in the school, I heavily encourage you to take a tour if you are able to. The campus cannot be described by photos or words and you will hear so much more information from your tour guide than I can fit in a post (unless I write a post about every single aspect about the school…)</p>
<p>You may also contact our admissions office, they are very helpful and friendly.</p>