<p>I also think that having a girls school forum would be a good idea. And Nakoa, your Chatham Hall information is really good, it helped me alot, and now its in the top part of my list.!</p>
<p>Also,
I have been staying away from these forums for a few days now, as suggested and i have developed a new thought about which schools i am interested in. I have realised that although SPS, Exeter, Andover,Deerfield, Hotchkiss etc. would be lovely, i could be just as happy in a not-so-prestigeous/hard-to-get-into school. Thus i have modified my list:
Hotchkiss (i really like the feel of the website and it seemed like a nice school)
Miss Porters ( this was the first girls school mi looked at, i love how it is seeped in traditions, similar to the other girls schools, it seems as if they place focus on growing as well as academics, in a more traditions focused way, which i like)
Chatham Hall (Nakoa’s helpful advice really put this one on the list, it also helped me realise what i want)
Dana Hall (excellent Equestrian program, which i really like and seems so lovely)
Deerfield (i love the grounds, it has a nice feel on the website etc.)
Exeter (I really like the look/sound of the Harkness method)
SPS ( this has a really great Humanities program, which i really like)
Middlesex (it is smaller and seems to have a great community feel)
Lawrence Academy (NOT lawrenceville)( i really warmed to this school through their website)</p>
<p>I know i am still aiming at top schools here, but i have realised that i dont need to have all the top schools on my list to get into a lovely school, one that i would feel at home in. No, i dont want to know which are safties etc. I just thought you all might like to know that i have realised what i want, not just what i “think” i want.</p>
<p>That is wonderful! Congratulations on looking beyond prestige and finding schools that seem right for you.</p>
<p>Thankyou burb parent. I really appreciate the kind words!
I think it may be best to let this thread die out now, as its topic is now redunudant. I look forward to a Girls Boarding School Thread from whomever decides to create it.</p>
<p>Nice! That’s a very diverse list, but well thought-out. I know it’s hard sometimes to take a deep breath and try to think about what is <em>really</em> important. I’ve had to talk myself down from trying to rank programs according to purely quantitative criteria in the past–like not letting a number in US News choose my graduate school or college for me. It can be hard, but it will be worth it in a few years when you can look back on your choice and know that YOU made it according to what was best for you.</p>
<p>I’m really glad my info was helpful! When you start applying to schools, you should make sure they give you the opportunity to talk to current students about what is special about their school. Hearing about people’s personal experiences can help you continue to figure out what you want out of a school, and also help you get past the fancy catalogs and website marketing to figure out which school community is most likely to give you what you want.</p>
<p>that is very thoughtful indeed. you should not be dazzled by the schools’ prestige; you ought to look at each school carefully and pick the ones that just “ding” with you. it’s the little things that matter. a “ding” doesnt include “i-am-definitely-applying-to-this-school-cuz-it-just-sent-nine-ppl-to-harvard-this-year!” who cares how many people they send to harvard, because does that guarantee that one of them will be you in the future? pick the ones that really click with you, even if there are fifty others schools “better”. you cant be too sure until you visit their campus and talk to them, though. my fav-school list changed dramatcally after i visited their campuses. bottom ones went up, top ones went down. </p>
<p>your list seems better. i was initially stunned at the fact that you would be applying to 12 schools, but 9 seems a better number. remember, you can ALWAYS take a school that you originally applied for off the list. even if you already took an interview or visited the school, dont hesitate to bump off one of them. </p>
<p>it will be stressful applying to 9 schools though, i’m warning you. i applied to six and it was pretty tiresome. essays, interviews, forms, “what-i’m-like-forms”, etc.</p>
<p>^ Yeah, im a bit wirried about how mnay i have, but i guess as time passes and interview etc start it will decrease…hopefully.!</p>
<p>Jonothan-- Don’t try to discourage her from applying just because you want it to be easier for yourself</p>
<p>Aaww, thankyou. It isnt a problem anyway, because im a year older, and would be going into grade 10 (sophmore), not 9.hehe.
I though this thread was sinking to the bottom, its amazing what happens!</p>
<p>I wasn’t really trying to discourage her, it’s just since she has “an excellent private day school” that she already attends, then why move thousands of miles and spend over $100,000 just because you want the “boarding school experience?”</p>
<p>Jonathan, i wasnt insulted by your words in the slightest in your first post, but i have to say, you kn0ow as well as i do that there is <em>something</em> that makes boarding shcool a mmuch better option. Yes, my schools great, but half the students do not dedicate themselves to their work, as i do and it is very hard to learn in class when half the class dont want to. Also, i love to travel so the didstance donest bother me, and the price? well ill just kreep my hope in financial aid, as well as my parents ability to support me, as they have done since i was born. They have already promised to pay for my university education, and since they are both educators themselves(not that that matters), i think they know that what i want will be really beneficial to me.
Anyway…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Just half? At my school it’s like… 90%. lol</p>
<p>Don’t overidealize boarding school quite too much–there are still kids who aren’t perfectly enthusiastic about learning, sadly. It’s only a problem if by chance you end up with few too many of them in those very nice small classes, because it’s more student-driven…</p>
<p>Good point, Cozmo.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice cozmo and naoka.</p>
<p>i would also think you should apply to loomis chaffee
im not being bias
it would prob be a match maybe alittle stretch
its an amazing school</p>
<p>^thanks, i think i might look at it…</p>
<p>I was thinking about all the schools and i thought i might post up a document i have been doing since the start of my interest in Prep school. It basically is a place for me to note my thoughts on the schools, i wasnt sure if this is relevant but i thought others might find in interesting, becuase peopl have commented on how diverse my list is. If you notice, all these schools fit my intrests, in different ways.</p>
<p>EXETER
I like the look of this, it seems to me to be lovely
Very academic (interesting system)
Round table classes max 12 students
Largest secondary school library in the world</p>
<p>MISS PORTERS
Girls only
Nice traditions
Seems to get great reviews</p>
<p>CHOATE
Seems nice,
Very big arts centre
Fantastic Music program apparently, big strings thing
I don’t think this one will last on my list (the others seem to have more that attracted me to them)</p>
<p>HOTCHKISS
I really like the look of this one
The warmth, I guess
Really nice subjects (there is a Tudor England course which for me is a major plus)
Great music program
Macs accepted, and it is fine to have one
Dress code is not too strict
Smaller school, lovely grounds</p>
<p>ST PAULS
Reviews say it has a lovely atmosphere
Good music program
Integrated Humanities program
Lovely campus, I like the way religion is more based on morals than Christianity itself.
Gorgeous library</p>
<p>DEERFIELD
Gets very snowy in winter
Lots of clubs, actually all have good clubs
Big international students population, 500 or so students overall, so nice size
Average class size is 12! And student; teacher ratio is 5:1!
has crew ( plus for me since I row )</p>
<p>DANA HALL
Received view book really nice
Equestrian programslightl higer acceptance rate</p>
<p>EMMA WILLARD
Nice, lots of stuff to do,
Afer looking at it in more detail I have fallen in love with it, the grounds are like something out of a movie (The emperours club) and I really like the look of the academics and music programs and dorms
Beautiful Grounds</p>
<p>CHATHAM HALL
Doesn’t seem to offer double bass?
Library looks great
Big equestrian program
Nice grounds-secret passageways etc
Naoka’s review of it really cemented this on the list</p>
<p>LOOMIS CHAFFE (freshly added since loomislax’s suggestion)
Lovely website
seems to have a nice atmosphere and happy faculty and students
Big arts program (PLUS for me because I play Double bass and sing)
Amazing array of history and social science courses and well as music courses and english courses
Seems to have a good policy around computer/network use (i.e. only certain areas can be used for work, fun etc)
I am a little worried about the flooding of the playing fields but loomislax seems to think it just adds to the fun!</p>
<p>MIDDLESEX
I was convinced to look at this because of Prepparents recommendation
It seems lovely
Seems to have lovely grounds
Offers rowing (crew)
Yet again more amazing subjects in social sciences, music and English
LOTS of interesting clubs
Middlesex also seems to have a nice integration of “Chapel” into a secular environment, based around ethics and morals (correct me if I am wrong prepparent)</p>
<p>~i know, LONG list, but, once my parents start to get invlolved it will become much smaller, i promise, they are very into making sure it is just what they want (luckily normally what i want) especially my mum.
anyway, i hope it answers those questions of why my list is so very varied.
~claudia~</p>
<p>What about Andover?</p>
<p>^ i just dont like it as much as the others, the only reason it was on there earlier was because others had said that if i liked exeter i’d like Andover, but i have found that isnt the case. I guess im not looking for the “name” the school has, more how it will fit my intrests, so it doesnt matter to me where they are in regards to matrics, SAT scores, prestige. Hope that explains it.</p>