The Mountain School of Milton Academy

Prep School Admissions
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<p>Hey guys. I am currently a high school sophomore, and my interests are highly centered in environmental science and ecology. I have done volunteer work, internships, study abroad programs, summer programs, and Intel-level science research all related to environmental science/ ecology (more specifically conservation biology, but that still falls under the umbrella of environmental science).</p>

<p>Recently, I found out about an opportunity called The Mountain School of Milton Academy. It’s a semester boarding school where high school juniors spend four months in Vermont living and working on an organic farm. Students take five classes, take care of the gardens and livestock, and live in small houses with their friends and teachers. If I go, it would probably be the fall semester of my junior year because I would want to take the SAT in the Spring at home.</p>

<p>I come from a competitive public school in NYC. In junior year, I’ll probably be taking the following APs: AP Chem, AP English lang, AP U.S. History, AP Psych, and AP Calculus BC. This is their curriculum listing: <a href=“http://www.mountainschool.org/podium/default.aspx?t=104862[/url]”>http://www.mountainschool.org/podium/default.aspx?t=104862&lt;/a&gt; . The classes I would be missing out on are AP Chem and AP Psych as they don’t offer it. I would also be missing out on a year’s worth of language study, as I learn a very obscure language at school (Russian). </p>

<p>Money isn’t that big of an issue-- the only thing is the limited curriculum and course offerings. But environmental science is truly my passion.</p>

<p>I plan on applying to a large variety of schools… state universities (mostly as safeties) and selective liberal arts schools and also the Ivys. </p>

<p>So I guess I’m in a bit of a pickle here. Is it worth it to give up two APs during junior year for the Mountain School? I am more concerned about AP Chem because it’s one of the “hard sciences” that impresses admission officers (i can always self-study AP Psych).</p>

<p>Thanks. Really appreciate the advice.</p>

<p>Kev</p>

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<p>Take a look at this article for additional options:</p>

<p><a href=“Prep Schools Encourage Students to Learn to Farm - The New York Times”>Prep Schools Encourage Students to Learn to Farm - The New York Times;

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<p>Thanks. However I should also add… I will be doing a research project at a university that will be entered into NYCSEF (NYC regional science fair) next year and Intel the year after that. Participating in the Mountain School will not affect the research experiment itself (as the entire experiment and analysis will be done over the summer) but it will be an impediment when it comes to contacting my research adviser and mentors. Also some of the deadlines for the competitions are in the time when I would be in The Mountain School. So this is something else to consider… doing this program will probably affect the quality of my research project for NYCSEF and Intel.</p>

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<p>Do you think one semester of boarding school is worth giving up the AP classes and science fair deadlines? </p>

<p>It’s really a personal question that boils down to the question above. I am also applying to the Mountain School, I think.</p>

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<p>This question comes up all the time, and I wonder where students got the idea that staying home to load up on AP courses trumps exploring an interesting experience? I know that I got a lot of push back when my daughter spent Junior year abroad because she was delaying taking an AP science, and several other chances to do AP. Our opinion was - colleges don’t really care about that. </p>

<p>What they care about is that you’re challenging yourself. For most students that means staying home and taking AP and honors courses in absence of other opportunities. It does try to show you’re ready for college level work.</p>

<p>But in the end, if the admissions pile is full of students with the same plain-vanilla set of classroom experiences, how do you stand out? What makes your application unique enough for an Adcom to say “I want student A” versus “student B” when all other factors are equivalent?</p>

<p>You should do the semester at the Mountain School IF:

  1. it appeals to you
  2. you’ll work hard
  3. gain things you won’t get by staying home.</p>

<p>Sometimes the latter involves living away from home (which means you’ll arrive at college already acclimated to a dorm experience), meet people of all cultures, learned to be self managing in absence of your parents.</p>

<p>One semester away isn’t going to hurt your college chances unless you spend that semester coasting and goofing off. What it “might” show is that you’re willing to take a risk and that you’re not a cookie cutter applicant. And frankly - yes there are a lot of deadlines and tests and competitions - but think of the kids like mine who spent an entire junior year abroad and still managed to get those things submitted.</p>

<p>I would say - if this is presents a wonderful experience, will give you more stories to talk about, and will challenge you - then do it. Colleges want interesting, well-rounded students. If they only wanted AP loaded students they’d tell everyone else not to apply.</p>

<p>It’s often the latter students who find they aren’t getting all their choices because there are other students with more interesting experiences who stood out.</p>

<p>But as with everything - this answer is a “it depends”…on the student, the school, and the circumstances. When all else fails, trust your gut, make a decision, and then don’t look back to second-guess it.</p>

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