I wasn’t on our radar when we were looking simply because we live in an area with a lot of options but it does tick all the boxes of what I think makes a great school on paper. Had we had limited options, or had I known what S23 was ultimately going to become passionate about, I think we would have given this school some serious thought.
One thing I will tell you is that S23 ended up at Colorado State and Colorado is just a magical place for kids that age. There is so much to experience and I think it has changed his life in meaningful ways.
If you end up visiting I think you will “feel” if the place is right for you. Do your due diligence, but I think comparing a school in CO to the typical NE Boarding school is comparing apples to oranges.
Please report back if you end up visiting and add any insight onto the hidden gems thread.
@gardenstategal I’m always a good guess given my big family and lots of BS applications! :). and yes we did consider FVS for my 3rd daughter. We actually never visited (in part, actually, because the days we tried to visit with our flight schedule were “too full” of revisiting kids apparently – struck us as a little bit inflexible given we offered several dates and were flying in from California) , but anyway we attended several virtual sessions. Our impression is that FVS was very far away from the high stress pressure cooker vibe, which my daughter loved. Also, Colorado offered so many great elements – outdoorsy vibe, access to mountain life and snowboarding. We loved the traditions that involved going away to their mountain lodge.
My daughter applied for their competitive full scholarship program and for a couple months it was her first choice. She made the final round of interviews but ultimately didn’t get the full scholarship – some other smaller award though. Had she gotten the award, we would have just flown out and confirmed her attendance – she was pretty sure she loved what she saw online. She ended up receiving some great merit offers at some other schools, so we decided to do a bunch of revisit days. Well, she ended up falling in love with another school and not going to FVS. But, it was top of our list for a month or two!
I’ve spent time on the campus and can attest to its physical beauty. It’s a gorgeous campus and if you like the Colorado lifestyle you couldn’t ask for anything more. Can’t speak to academics, though.
If you’re looking for some more direct answers, the Office of Admission at Fountain Valley School does connect prospective families with current parents upon request. Your best bet would be to first fill out an inquiry form at fvs.edu/admission/stories, where you can also read alumni testimonials about the school and its impact on their lives.