The difference between Choate and Deerfield, every one got into Choate.
That’s nice and oh so very helpful @Optimyst
@Penguins75 Do you get into Walingford or just stay on campus? Do the people who live there like the students or is there a sense of resentment?
@prepschoolhopes What do you like and dislike about it? How is your workload? Is there a strong sense of school community?
@penguins75 @prepschoolhopes what is your perspective on Choate compared to Hotchkiss?
@neuroticmama The school tells us that Wallingford is a a part of campus, so we are free to go into Wallingford if would like to. My friends and I go and further into Wallingford than a lot of people simply because we like to explore. It just depends on what the student likes to do. There is always a group of people who prefers to stay on campus and then another group who decides to go into wallingford.
@neuroticmama I can’t answer your question on Choate compared to Hotchkiss because I did not look at Hotchkiss when I was applying to schools.
@prepschoolhopes I was waitlisted at Choate as a new sophomore…Do you think there is hope of getting off the waitlist? Or does Choate simply waitlist everyone as a soft rejection?
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Once again, please do not put the students in an awkward position by asking a question to which they cannot possibly know the answer. That is not the purpose of this thread.
Sorry I did not see that reply before…
I was also wondering if you know anything about the dance program at Choate. A Choate student told me that Choate is more of a sports school than an arts school, and that contradicts what I know about the school (arts concentration program) and what some others on this forum have said. If any other Choate have some insight on this I would love to hear your point of view! Thanks!
Hi! At Choate there is a lot that you can do when it comes to the dance programs. they have dance company,hip hop club, step club, they have zumba lessons after school, and there are also some classes regarding the history of dance, as well as the arts concentrate program which you can choose dance as your art(this is something that you have to apply for). There are a lot of dancers at Choate, and although I would have to say that Choate does focus a lot more on sports such as football and hockey, they definitely have many options form dancers.
@bobtheunicorn ^^^ sorry I forgot to tag you in it.
@Penguins75 Thanks for the reply!! Is it hard to get into girls hockey? I’m a pretty good competitive figure skater, but I have no experience with hockey. I have a solid foundation due to figure skating.
Girls hockey there is EXTREMELY competitive at Choate,especially varsity because the coach recruits. There is intramural and Jv hockey though. intramural is not competitive, and JV is a little competitive but not by much.
Thanks for offering to answer questions. My daughter was accepted as a 9th grade day student, and will likely attend in the fall. She is pretty social but also likes her private, down time which is why for (at least) her first year being a day student might be just right. My question is how easy/difficult is it for day students to meet other kids and acclimate into the environment? Does the school do anything to introduce day students to other day students at the start of the year (a day student orientation)? Do kids meet/make friends in classes? She’ll likely join a club but what else would you suggest in terms of meeting other students?
I am a boarder, but I have quite a few day student friends. I do think that it is a good thing that she is social, as there is a bit of a divide freshman year between boarders and days students simply because boarders are with each other 24/7 whereas day students go home each night. Day students each get a locker in a place called the 3rd form DSL
(9th grade only day student lounge) During the school week, this is where day students a spend most of their free time. So, just as boarders grow to be really close in the dorms, day students grow to be really close here. I do not know if the school does any special introduction thing for day students. My biggest suggestion to your daughter would be to talk to people. Just walk up to any 9th grader within the first few days and talk to them because they are all on the same boat,they do not know very many people. People also definitely make friends in their classes. I think the day students are able to acclimate well simply because they are not alone and that their are more than one day student,so they can go through the “day student struggle” together. I would also suggest for her not to isolate herself from boarders simply because they are a really big part of the student body and to talk to them. Day students can get permission and sleep over in the dorms, so that might be something to keep in mind. She’ll also be forced to meet people in sports as well, so she’ll definitely have many opportunities to meet people.I assure you that the school will also inform day student parents of these things either on revisit day or in letters. Don’t worry, she’ll do great! @bookwormsmom
Hi there @neuroticmama I’ll try to answer some of your questions to the best of my ability.
In terms of workload, Choate can be pretty intense, but they work their students up to it. As a sophomore, I can look back and see how the much lighter freshman year workload was a steppingstone to the one I have this year. It is likely that I will say this again next year and senior year. In addition to that, the amount of work you have is largely up to the student. You can opt to take the five required classes at the regular level and focus your energy in other places like arts or athletics. You can also decide to take a sixth course and opt for honors and APs. It’s really up to you. Don’t worry about the workload. If Choate accepted your child, it means they strongly believe your child is capable of handling the demanding Choate workload, and they are rarely wrong.
Our school has a very strong sense of community. School spirit is not something we lack. We even have a club called Boar Pen that is specifically dedicated to supporting students in non-academic endeavors such as athletics or the arts. I feel that the inter-grade bond is also very strong (usually after freshman year when people start to branch out more). The common Choate identity is one of pride and camaraderie.
I like the Choate atmosphere, and the core values that Choate students share. We are a school of activism, equality, and awareness. Choate has truly opened my eyes to some of the injustices of the world and developed me into a much stronger person. There isn’t much I dislike about Choate, and there definitely isn’t anything that I believe would play a large enough factor and your decision to go here (for example, I hate that we don’t have peach yogurt). Obviously, it isn’t perfect (as no school is), but it is the best possible school for me.
As someone who applied to and was accepted to both Choate and Hotchkiss, I can answer that question for you as well. To be completely honest, they are both fantastic schools that will give you a tremendous education. It just comes down to what you are looking for in a school. For example, both schools have great science programs and opportunities (which I really wanted), but I felt that Hotchkiss focused much more on environmental sciences while the Choate program left room to branch out into more fields (human sciences for me). I also really wanted to be in a suburban area where I could easily walk to Walmart if I needed something or have constant wifi and cellular service. That was kind of a deal-breaker for me, but someone who is more accustomed to living in a rural area may not care about that as much. I recommend going over what your child wants in a school and attending both revisit days, if you’re stuck between both schools.
Hope that helped. Feel free to ask me any more questions. 
Thanks @Penguins75. I will pass on your good advice.
@prepschoolhopes this was extremely helpful. Thank you. Do you feel Wallingford is safe and the residents have no issues with the students? Also if my daughter plays a sport, do parents ever come watch their kids? Glad you can run to Walmart- hoping they have peach yogurt! 