Middlesex vs. Suffield vs. NMH

Prep School Admissions
1

I was recently accepted into these schools and I was wondering what are the differences of these schools? Anyone who attends one of these schools currently or is familiar with these schools please give feedback.

2

NMH is the largest school of the three > 650 students vs Suffield/Middlesex ~ 400 students.
Middlesex is in Boston area. Suffield is north of Hartford in CT. NMH most rural of the three in Western MA.
The academics and college matriculation record is strongest in Middlesex.
http://web.archive.org/web/20140520072322/http://matriculationstats.org/boarding-school-stats

3

You have some good choices. I am a current MX student, so hopefully I can help you out. I am not very familiar with Suffield and I only vaguely know NMH, so I can’t really comment on either of those schools, but feel free to ask me anything about MX.

4

@coll4ge what are the academics like at MX?

How much free time would you get a day?

Is there a sense of competition their?

In what classes do you use the Harkness Method (the round table)?

Sorry for all those questions. Just in general what are the academics like, and how competitive is the school.

I want to go to a school thats interested in learning but don’t make everything a competition.

Thanks.

5

@coll4ge I have a question too. Are all students required to take foreign languages in 9th grade? Are there any beginning level courses there in MX for beginner level students? Tks

6

@coll4ge How many courses did you take during the freshman year? Do the courses meet daily? Thanks.

7

@payn4ward

  1. The academics at Middlesex are rigorous. Freshman year isn’t too bad, but of course it depends where you are coming from (how hard your middle school was). However, sophomore year is significantly more difficult than freshman year in terms of workload. Once you are a junior or senior, you are really able to “tailor” your workload to yourself. For instance, based on your grades in previous classes and your own preference, you will get placed in certain classes, which vary in difficulty (think regular physics vs honors physics vs AP physics). Freshman year, I had 2 hrs or less hw a night. This year (senior), I take 5 classes (4 AP), so I have 3-4 hrs of hw a night.
  1. The amount of free time you have is up to you. Most students have roughly two forty minute free blocks during the school day. Practices usually happen from 3-5 (depends on your sport, sub varsity=shorter practices), so from 5 to 7 30 you are free and after 9 30 (end of study hall) you are free again. Without any extracurriculars, I would say that there is plenty of free time, but most MX students fill up their time with clubs etc.
  2. I would not say Middlesex is competitive. Everyone at MX values academics; however, the school does not rank, so there is no incentive for students to compete with others.
  3. The Harkness Method is used for all history and english classes.
  4. I think that MX definitely fits your description of a school that is interested in learning but is not very competitive. Academics are a focus at MX, but students don't compete with each other; rather, they just push each other on. During study hours on a school night, there will be several people working together on hw in a dorm or in the library.

@Trekko10‌

  1. I don't think students are required to take a language starting in 9th grade, but I think it is strongly encouraged. Every language will offer a beginner level, so many students who studied one language in middle school will start a new language at MX.

@deltabot‌

  1. I took six courses my freshman year. We have 6 days of classes and core classes usually meet 5 times a week. My freshman year courseload:

English: 5 times a week
French: 5 times a week
Math: 5 times a week
History: 5 times a week
Biology: 5 times a week
Music: 3 times a week

8

A school is much more than numbers. It’s a home.

FWIW, here is a tool to compare the schools’ numbers side-by-side, to compare stats, demographics.http://www.boardingschoolreview.com/compare_schools.php#cmp

Some distinctions:

NMH

  • block scheduling
  • large campus in rural location
  • nearly twice the number of students as MX
  • highest % intl of the 3 schools
  • highest % boarders of the 3 schools
  • over an hr to BDL, nearly 2 hrs to BOS, over 3 hrs to JFK

Middlesex

  • part of the “StGrottlesex” grouping which includes St Marks, St Pauls, St Georges, Groton, Middlesex
  • a huge $215 million endowment
  • the most difficult to get into of the 3 schools
  • the most academically rigorous of the 3
  • about 40 min to BOS Airport

Suffield

  • the oldest of the 3 schools
  • formal dress code
  • pretty campus (I haven’t seen MX or NMH)
  • 10 min to BDL Airport
9

@OneExcitedDude See above

10

Haven’t seen NMH? It’s spectacular!
MX is very pretty. We stopped by in the evening to see a student and felt a fairy tale princess might appear.
I think Suffield has the least pretty campus of the three.