<p>Hi,
If starting a new language at SPS, any opinions about Latin vs Chinese?? Thanks!</p>
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<p>Absolutely, and a very strong opinion: LATIN!</p>
<p>I’ve nothing against Mandarin, and I’ve no doubt it might be a very useful language to know, depending on what field you eventually go into. But if you want to write English effectively, and perhaps also eventually study other languages, what you will learn by studying Latin will be invaluable to you. Studying Latin will not only help you learn English vocabulary (as well as the vocabulary of any romance language you might one day study), it will also give you an essential foundation in grammar. Start with Latin!</p>
<p>And lucky you, luckyxx, that you get the choice! :)</p>
<p>Could someone please give a description of an average night’s workload and how you manage it?</p>
<p>nycj97 You asked me the following: </p>
<p>do they waitlist all these ppl just to keep their yield high? No. Absolutely not. The problem is that the school simply does not have the room if students over-accept. The maximum size for the school is about 535. I suspect the blend between acceptances and waitlisted is based on last year’s record yield of 73%. Look at the math this way: they offered acceptances to 185 students. If this year’s yield is the same as last year’s, that would result in 135 students (.73*185=135). The graduating 6th form this year is 134 students. IF HOWEVER, the number of students accepting offers is more like the prior year’s yield of 59%, then people will clear the waitlist. Look at the 3 most recent years:</p>
<p>-------------2008—2009—2010 P
Applicants—1182—1226—1305
Accepted-----250----233----185
%admitted----21%—19%----14%</p>
<p>You will see that the number of applicants went way up. But the number of accepted applicants went down every year. In 2008, the school reported
Remember you were not rejected, because they want you. Whether they have room will be a function of what other teens decide to do. It is frustrating. I know. </p>
<p>Do they really expect movement? I cannot tell you what will happen. I have not asked. But in truth they do not know either. Predicting teen behavior is not a very sound science . I can however look at the past 3 years and see with a high likelihood just what the problem is. They want about 134 students (plus a few more for withdrawals etc., maybe), but not more than 536 total.</p>
<p>They would not have put you on the waitlist if they did not want you and feel that you could flourish at SPS and contribute to the community. And realize that they have offered places to 48 fewer students this year! If this year had been last year you would probably have an acceptance letter right now. And if it looks like the year before or somewhere in between, you may still be admitted. </p>
<p>My best advice, if you really want SPS, is you just have to be patient. There is no downside. I believe most schools have the same decision date. So the logjam will break before the 10th of April. The school is not trying to make it difficult for you. To a large degree what happens is beyond their control. </p>
<p>are the wait lists ranked? I am not aware of any ranking at SPS.</p>
<p>can I do anything now to help my chances of getting in? As I said before, tell them they are your first choice and provide them with any updates or ‘news’. </p>
<p>i applied to sps, hotchkiss, and groton… im on the waitlist for all of them. </p>
<p>wud it help if i sent any more recent info in? like results from a national test or a report card or even a letter pleading to get in? It will not hurt, but for your own sake, don’t grovel. You have some other good choices. If you want SPS, then do the above and sit tight. </p>
<p>@luckyxx
I say take MANDARIN! I take it and I love it like I never thought I could love a language. But honestly if you plan to go into the business world then I would suggest taking it. However, I think you should go for whichever language you have the most passion for because you won’t make it far if you take a language that you’re not that interested in. In addition, a lot of people tend to drop out of chinese in the first few classes because it takes some getting used to since you have to memorize characters instead of words, but it gets easier. If you can’t make up your mind though you can always double-up on languages!</p>
<p>@HopefulAtHill
it’s really difficult to give you an “average” night’s workload because it really differs from night to night, and from person to person. But the workload is not that bad as long as you do some work during free periods. Keep in mind that you may have evening commitments like band/choir/debate/orchestra/piano or guitar class. Majority of people don’t finish their homework before check in, often because they take time to socialize, and finish it in their rooms. And if they’ve got a free block before class they finish it then. But it really depends and personally on good nights i go to bed at 10:30 and on bad nights (like right before a paper is due) i find myself up at 1 in the morning.</p>
<p>thanks everyone! love the great advice!</p>
<p>I had a couple of questions.
What time does the gym open, b/c in the early morning some times I like to shoot and work out. Sometimes I jog too. Are there really any rules regarding to when you wake up or go to sleep?</p>
<p>O and bikes. Does the school give you a bike to borrow? Or should I bring one? Can you ride them into C,oncord?</p>
<p>@ KCcansps15,
There aren’t rules as to when you are allowed to wake up or go to sleep, however there are rules as to when you can be outside the dorm…
For third formers, check on a regular weekday is 9 PM, fourth & fifth formers have 9:30 check, and sixth formers have 10 o’clock check. You must be in the dorm by these respected times, and if you are a little late, you will most likely (it sort of depends on the dorm and which advisor is on duty) be given early check the following night. The gym opens at 5 AM, however students are not allowed out of the dorms until 6. If you leave the dorm without permission between your designated check in time and 6, it is considered “cruising” and is a DC-able offense. (DC is the disciplinary committee and they gather to decide a punishment for a student when a major school rule is broken. My advice: never get DC-ed, it seems like it would be very embarrassing and difficult to go through, because when you get DC-ed, the rector announces it in chapel, so everyone knows.)
So long story short, you may go to the gym starting at 6AM.
There is a bike share program that you must sign up for at the beginning of the school. It’s kind of a hassle because you need to call security, then wait for them to show up (which could take a while), find your name on the list, get the key from the security guard, unlock your bike (which can be tricky) and get a helmet. I guess it’s the best option if you live far away and can’t transport your bike. I have mine at school, and it’s just alotttt easier. One thing if you bring your own bike, you should bring a helmet. Students are required to wear helmets whenever they bike, scooter, rollerblade, etc because of the danger potential. If you are caught without a helmet, a security guard can take away your bike, or w.e away.
True story:
My friend was riding down a hill on her scooter, without a helmet, and a security guard jumped out of the bushes and confiscated her scooter…she’s had it confiscated many times, and whenever we see that security guard, she has to hide behind my friends and i because of her embarrassment…trust me, you do not want this happening to you hahaha.
Yes, many students ride bikes into concord during the fall and spring…it’s a beautiful ride on sunny days 
It’s also not that far away either.</p>
<p>What do you guys do in your free time? How much free time will you have on an average night (including wednesday)? BTW Chicky if you came in as a 3rd former, I heard something about graduating 6th formers selling posters and other things like couches? If this is true, are the item beaten and broken or fine, and how much money do they cost on average?</p>
<p>in our free time… if its a saturday or wednesday, we sometimes watch sports games and cheer on our fellow paulies. Sometimes if we have a lot of free time, (sundays, sometimes wednesdays and saturdays) we’ll go into town and do some errands and shop.
On a average night, it honestly really depends. we have classes until roughly around 2:30 on monday, tuesday, thursday, friday…and until 12 or 1230 on wednesdays…then you have sports…a little bit of free time, then dinner, then if you are in orchestra, band, or choir you will have that once or twice a week…And if you do the play third formers can be in, you will probably have play practice at least 3 times a week.
the time when third form students have the most free time is probably between 7-9…however it is sometimes used to make up quizzes, attend extra help sessions, getting together for group work, etc. Some are required to go to study hall in the library, and some go to the library on their own terms.
there honestly is no ‘average free time’…sps is a crazy world hahaah
seeing as i am a third former, i’m not really sure if graduating students sell their stuff…they probably sell couches, but i would bet they keep posters and decorations for their college dorm rooms. i would say the couches the upperformers have are all in pretty good shape.
if you are a new student, i would suggest not bringing any large furniture to school, because you might not have room…</p>
<p>Does anyone no how hard it is to make jv teams? With such a small community, is their really tryouts? Do you need a back-up plan for sports in case you dont make it?</p>
<p>“My friend was riding down a hill on her scooter, without a helmet, and a security guard jumped out of the bushes and confiscated her scooter…”
The security guards are not that bad. I’m a senior and I have rarely seen the guards confiscate items, they usually just take your name down, and tell you to walk your bike etc back. It has happened to me, and I’m friends with most of them and they usually just tell you not to do it again.
People do have free time if your sched. allows it. Underformers usually do and if you do have free time, people use it to moslt socialize. Esp. in spring term people just hang out on the chapel lawn or at the boat docks.
yes seniors do sell there stuff. and the longer you wait till graduation the cheaper it gets. I got my couch, lamps, table etc for basically nothing last year because you will most likely have senior friends who will just give it away towards the end of the year. if you are buying something it really depends on the person/how nice the couch/item is, items can range from free to like i dont know 50 bucks or so</p>
<p>Revisits: When is everyone here going for revisits? I have heard several people on the 6th. Anyone on the 1st or 9th?</p>
<p>My D and I are going on the 1st.</p>
<p>I am going on the 9th.</p>
<p>the 6th!!!</p>
<p>Miscellaneous: At Inside SPS this winter, parents were asked why they like St. Paul’s. Here is the video of their responses: <a href=“https://www.sps.edu/podium/tools/SlideShow.aspx?a=67407[/url]”>https://www.sps.edu/podium/tools/SlideShow.aspx?a=67407</a></p>
<p>In a truly AMAZING feat, Joe Holland, the Cross Country Ski coach entered the Equinox Ski Challenge in Yellowstone Park a week ago. He came in 1st!! It is a 24-hour race, (10am-10am) with the winner being the individual who skies the furthest. Coach Holland went an amazing 259 km (161 mi.). To put it in perspective that is more than 3x the distance from Concord NH to Boston, or more than from Concord NH to New Haven, Ct! A truly amazing feat! No wonder the Cross-country ski team was undefeated this year! <a href=“http://www.equinoxskichallenge.com/[/url]”>http://www.equinoxskichallenge.com/</a></p>
<p>And I have a hunch that a well known CC parent, alumnus, etc. plays a bit part there too!</p>
<p>Nah, those parents are all way too old!!:)</p>