Thacher vs East Coast Boarding Schools

ThacherParent
Fri, 05 Feb 2021 17:46:58 +0000

@buuzn03 No, that’s the point. It doesn’t have a lot of the sharp elbowed attitudes (or kids) of the East coast schools. For an East coast kid like mine, Thacher had a wonderful, gentling influence. Also, no, the kids are not “trying to shy” away from anything. It’s more like the atmosphere of the school encourages leaning into honor, fairness, kindness and truth. Those values, expressed by peers, teachers and everyone else on campus, become instinct for the kids. We loved that.

I think my son’s freshman year, he probably had between 2.5 - 3 hours of homework a day. The load increases as the years wear on, but so does the ability to time manage. Junior year is probably the most intense. There is a ton of support along the way.

The time spent in the classroom and outdoors is unusually well balanced. And because it’s SoCal, the kids spend lots of time outdoors with friends (or by themselves) looking over the mountain range, walking or riding a trail, laying on the grass and letting the sun beat down - whatever is needed to balance the classroom. Balance is probably the best word to describe the School.

@CateCAParent said “Thacher is a great, unique school. If it calls to you, listen.” And @Publisher’s view that Thacher would be completely wrong for his/her child together make the correct point that the School is not for everyone. My twin goddaughters who are in 8th grade today on the East Coast are applying to Cate and not Thacher while I am very much hoping that my granddaughter will apply to Thacher when she’s old enough. I have put three children through prep schools and college. The best education dollars that I have ever spent were on Thacher.

So many habits get settled between 14-18 year’s old. I wanted my kid to end up extremely well educated, but also happy, well-adjusted, looking out for others, and reverent of the natural world. I thought @Kthor626 said it perfectly.