UWC vs HADES

hsmomstef
Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:36:21 +0000

I have one son who graduated from a UWC this May (United World College of the Atlantic) and one son who just finished him freshman year at Northfield Mount Hermon.

Both the UWC’s and HADES schools offer excellent academics and fantastic opportunities – so it really depends on the individual.

The UWC schools are only 2 years – and you take the same classes (3 higher level and 3 lower level classes) for both years. Sports are nothing more than minor extracurriculars – so if you are a sports person, the UWC’s are not for you. Students selected from the US are given a full scholarship for room and board plus tuition, regardless of how much income/savings their family has. College counseling is minimal at the UWC’s – and not necessarily focused on top US schools; since the population of the UWC is international, the college counselor (there is usually one for all the 100+ kids) has to work with colleges in all countries. The ivies and many top LAC’s do recruit from the UWC’s – and they send many kids to top, top schools (in the US and abroad). Some of the teachers are great – others are so-so. All graduates of an UWC school are given a need-based scholarship to over 90 US colleges that can be used to offset unmet need, including loans and work-study. Fantastic experiences are the big plus – meeting and interacting with students from other countries and traveling to places around the globe.

US boarding schools, particularly HADES schools, are well-known for excellence in education. Sports are a major offering. Cost is a factor – even students with significant aid may struggle to pay their share. college counseling is excellent and focused on US schools.

You have to decide what you want – both will give you an excellent experience, one more focused on the cream of the crop educational system in the US, the other a fantastic opportunity to become part of an exclusive international community of students.