I heard that a lot of Connecticut schools like Taft and Choate have a distinct NYC sophisticated feel because lots of their students come from New York, as compared to other schools in Massachusetts that have a different vibe because of their location.
Are schools with a distinctive NYC culture usually very cliquey and segregated? Do these NYC kids generally stay in their own cliques or do they mix with others willingly (outside classrooms, on weekends etc.)? The term “NYC crowd” sounds mildly intimidating and I’m curious if I’ll fit in around them.
@revellodream that is definitely the case: Hotchkiss and Taft more so than Choate. Choate used to be much more NYC heavy but it has broken away from that more so than some others. I think there will always be cliques but all of those schools draw from all over and I doubt seriously it would be a negative factor at any school. You may find clumps of kids that know eachother from NYC and maybe travel in here and there–the ones I can think of are a pretty worldly crew. I think it is always money more than hometown that creates the biggest divides.
I always felt that the student body at Choate was more sophisticated (for lack of a better word) than I would expect of a high school crowd, but it’s one of the larger schools and, as @Center points out, draws from all over–as do most of the BS regardless of size. But know, too, that even if a school has a “NYC crowd,” it may also have a “math crowd,” a “theater crowd,” a “hacky-sack crowd,” an “anti-crowd crowd,” etc. Not to worry, everyone finds their peeps.
At the risk of stating the obvious, it would be more precise to say “Manhattan private school crowd” than NYC - while the five boroughs are well-represented at all of these schools, the kids from the outer boroughs/public schools aren’t much different than other public school kids from around the country (save, perhaps, for the ability to navigate public transportation like a pro).
You can search online - type name of school with Instagram or “ (name of school) students dance Instagram”…then see what is posted. Some of the students have recent postings from Spring Break in Mexico and the Bahamas…Maybe these are all Seniors or PG’s…?
Isn’t one of the reasons you are going to bs is to be exposed to a diverse group of people you might yet have had the opportunity to meet? Be yourself and you will fit in. Appreciate everyone’s distinct backgrounds and you will benefit from the experience. No reason to be intimated.
At the beginning of the year the kids from NYC stuck together @ Choate - now things are more level. It’s not just NYC: many kids from China stuck together, as did some California students. Yes, there are a fair amount of people from NYC but I wouldn’t say it has a NYC vibe (NYC is incredibly diverse and doesn’t have a vibe imo).
Deerfield definitely also belongs on that list. Hotchkiss has become even more popular with NYC private school kids because there are some parents who won’t let their kids go more than a couple of hours from home. So many of those kids weren’t even really considering Andover, Exeter, Groton and St Paul’s for example. We know several kids at Hotchkiss who didn’t apply to any other boarding schools. Agree with previous poster though, you will find your people. There are others
Of us from NYC who didn’t seriously consider Hotchkiss or Deerfield because it’s too many kids from NYC and Greenwich
Litchfield County kids , too… who are generally ( IMHO ) the most down to earth bunch of all… regardless of their sleeper wealth which in many cases can blow doors off most NYC- Fairfield County counterparts … and the beauty of it is… you’d never know.
This group of kids and their families actually save many schools ( not just Taft and Choate ) from feeling either too NYC or too Fairfield County. … which is a really good thing.
Arethusa Farms ice cream - the farm is in Litchfield but I -think the ice cream store & restaurants are in Bantam - there is a famous shoe sale up there in Litchfield every August to raise funds for UConn agricultural programs…the cows are treated special- the owners are also the guys who head up Monolo Blahnik :bz they serve their products at Taft and Forman…great for schools.
I resemble that remark (at least I’d like to think I did)! Well, not the “sleeper wealth” part … hopefully I did my part to balance things out back in my day
Hey! I’m going to be an incoming freshman at Lawrenceville and I pretty much fit what was described above (private school, Manhattan ect.) but while I know I can’t speak for everyone, I’d like to think that New Yorkers are pretty friendly and not intimidating in the least. Also, one of the reasons why people decide to go to boarding school is to gain access perspectives that are different from the usual ones dominating a more sheltered community. I know that I’m excited to meet everyone and I’m sure the feeling will be mutual for everyone at all of the mentioned schools. I wouldn’t sweat it too much.
