<p>toombs,</p>
<p>Of all of the the information sessions I attended with d, Hotchkiss was the only one where the head of school made a point of letting you know that approx 35% of the students were legacies and that many of the teachers were former THS students. SPS is probably the only other elite prep school with a higher percentage of legacies but d didn’t apply there.</p>
<p>We had lunch at THS and d commented that it reminded her of a book she had read “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria”? THS was actually the only school we visited where d said she could not imagine spending 4 years with the people she met. </p>
<p>Like I previously mentioned, kids are looking for different experiences when they choose which boarding school offer to accept/decline. </p>
<p>Below is a quote from a post by lucktduckyme located at:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/880202-anyone-get-accepted-exeter-whos-not-going-3.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/880202-anyone-get-accepted-exeter-whos-not-going-3.html</a></p>
<p>"I chose Hotchkiss over Exeter for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the most significant of them all, however, is that when I revisited, I didn’t feel at ease. There were so many students everywhere that I felt like I was lost in the middle of New York. I felt just one out of a million, another brainiac that didn’t have any particular significance. Granted, the classes were small and challenging, and I liked the Harkness method of teaching that they implemented in every class, but despite all that, I knew I could never feel comfortable at Exeter, and so I knew it wasn’t the right place for me.</p>
<p>When I revisited Hotchkiss though, I was warmly received and felt very relaxed from the moment I stepped through the doors. I felt like I would have significance if I attended, and not just be another kid".</p>
<p>D’s reasons to attend Exeter over Hotchkiss are certainly just as valid as your son’s and luckyduckyme’s decision to attend THS. </p>
<p>Just curious…since we seem to agree that the Harkness Table creates a dynamic classroom, did you son apply to Exeter? If so, was he accepted/declined?</p>
<p>JP,
Sorry your original post/question got hijacked!</p>