I’m very much a cheerleader for my school but Berkshire is definitely a “happy” school. The overall campus vibe is very friendly and welcoming. The student body is approximately 400 kids, making the school community very tight and close knit. One of the things my parents were concerned about when I was applying to schools was that I would end up choosing a school that was a “sink or swim” enviroment. They didn’t want me to be at a school where there was a chance I could skip through the cracks. All the students know one another (I can probably name 85% of the school and recognize everybody) and teachers know every student as well, whether they have a connection to them or not. Every quarter, the faculty sits down and gives a brief report on every student. If a student is having trouble, they try to identify what the problem might be with the help of faculty members and teachers close to him. All students are also paired with advisors in small groups of 2-6 kids per advisor. New students are placed with advisors when they enter Berkshire and can change advisors if they feel they connect more with another faculty member. Advisory groups meet 2x a week and the advisor/advisee relationship is very special. My advisor is always accessible to me and I go to her when I’m upset or need advice. She is more than just somebody who gives us school updates and logistics info. She is like a close friend/mother figure who bakes me cookies when I’m sick:) If you want to know more about Berkshire, feel free to on me with any questions.