<p>I’m currently a junior right now in a private day school, and have applied to Exeter as a senior for next year. I know that 15% of Exeter’s senior class is new, which is comforting but I still am a bit uneasy about being a one-year student. I am not a post-grad student just to clarify, I am going to be a first year senior. Has anyone had any experience similar to this? Do new seniors make friends? I realize forming as strong of bonds as a four-year student is impossible, but I hope to make friends and feel part of the school by the end. I’d just like to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar situation, especially involving Exeter. Thanks!</p>
<p>I am not a new senior, but I am an Exeter senior. Most new seniors each year are PG’s, and naturally most of these are at Exeter for some sports related reason. The PG’s mostly hang out together and with other sports people. New seniors who are not sports stars don’t have the advantage of being immediately respected for their skills or making an instant friend group on their team, but there are other factors that can influence how integrated a new student will become.</p>
<p>Most new seniors/PG’s are placed in house dorms which house mainly new uppers and seniors. Therefore people in houses (like myself) are more likely to meet people their own age who are in a similar situation as them. Some new seniors/PG’s are placed in big dorms. (I don’t know how they determine who.) I personally think that it’s preferable to be in a big dorm because you can meet people from all grades, including 3-4 year seniors.</p>
<p>If you’re highly interested in any of the stronger communities on campus, like the music community or the math club, say, then you have a good chance of finding people who you will spend a lot of time with and who you will fit in with.</p>
<p>It also depends on the group of new seniors/PG’s each year. Last year, there were a fairly high number of “academic pg’s” in addition to sports pg’s. There were also a lot of girls, and I remember that a lot of them hung out together. I was friends with many of them, and they were nice people. This year, the class of new seniors leans more heavily toward the sporty side, and there are only four girls. I would much rather have been a new senior girl last year than this year.</p>
<p>I don’t want to discourage you, because there are definitely 3-4 year seniors who like making friends with the new seniors. I am just telling you what my observations have been.</p>
<p>Do you row? If so, I don’t think you’d have a problem finding a community as rowing is a fall club sport as well as a competitive spring sport. The rowers are a tight group and seem to spend a lot of time together. </p>
<p>You could request to be placed in a dorm rather than a house–musisat has outlined the differences nicely above.</p>
<p>Thank you, that is very helpful! Yes, I row. That’s technically my hook, I’m very good at rowing, but I realize that despite that I technically would be coming as an athlete I still am not part of that PG group that lax/football PGs tend to form. (my friend is a now four year senior at Andover and has said the same thing about there)
Hopefully next year is a year where more girls are admitted as new seniors! That’s my main concern, because I think bonding with other new senior girls will be the easiest, at least at first.
What are the people like at Exeter for the most part? Traditional ‘preppy’? Or a mixture of different kinds of people?</p>
<p>What are the differences between the house and dorms? Just size?</p>
<p>My sense is that students tend to develop friendships based on sports or other activities and from the dorm. Fall crew’s a nice way to get to know other girls (and boys, for that matter); it’s more relaxed than spring crew and less segregated by boat, so I think you’d find it easy to make a variety of friends. </p>
<p>Dorms have students of all ages, preps to pg’s; houses tend to be uppers and seniors, with lots of new students. Based on photos I’ve seen, I think the houses may have nicer rooms–the dorms (at least the one my kid is in) are pretty simple. On the other hand, I think it’s easier to get to know more students if you live in a dorm, simply because there are more people to study with, go to meals with, etc. There’s a lot of natural turnover in the dorms each year as seniors graduate and new students in all grades take their places, and the classes mix a lot in the dorms, so everyone’s making new friends in September. </p>
<p>The students at Exeter are a mix. When I walk around, I’m not struck by any particular type; the pictures you see on the website are pretty typical. The school really is very diverse, both economically and geographically, and I think that keeps it from being overly preppy. </p>
<p>Of course this is all just my limited observation as a parent…</p>
<p>@ xocrexxo</p>
<p>College apps will be due almost as soon as you arrive (early and state apps especially) …is switching schools at this point a good plan ? What about letters of recommendation, are you planning on asking teachers from your old school ?</p>