<p>Yes that was it thanks urbanflop! Saer!!</p>
<p>I have met Saer in person! She is a great kid, talented student, very involved on campus.</p>
<p>
Is that a real problem? I think most parents of Exeter/Andover/Deerfield etc. are proud of their kids being admitted mostly because these schools are so selective and it’s just hard to get in the door. Do they make it sound like their kids are just “better quality” than kids that choose to attend other schools or are not selected by A/E/D? If so then they shouldn’t. Or, maybe sometimes some people are reading into their comments too much? The bottom line is that just like parents/students of other schools tend to have school pride and love the school that chose them and they chose, many A/E/D parents/students are proud of their schools too. </p>
<p>As for this thread, it wasn’t started by an Andover student or parent, and didn’t get much attention until an Exeter student started “fighting for” the “best” status. Most parents who commented are pretty ‘innocent’ don’t you agree?</p>
<p>Pac–my d selected Deerfield over Exeter…hands down. She would have gone to Exeter if she wasnt selected to DA and done fine, but she is surely happier that DA selected her.</p>
<p>I have to disagree with the blanket statement about Exeter parents. As an E parent, I have always been supportive of people exploring/accepting offers from other schools.</p>
<p>That’s true PA-C, you always have. I’ve read your many posts since you joined and watched you thoughtfully and without prejudice think through, along with your son, the many possible boarding school options. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, that’s not true of others, whose way of thinking has less to do about the ordinary pride and excitement inherent in an Exeter admission and far more about the belief that such admission proves their child’s superiority over the many other equally bright children who chose a different path. It is this second set of parents who argue endlessly about who’s number #1. It is these parents who crave statistics and rankings to reassure themselves that they and their child are the best of the best and author endless posts to that effect.</p>
<p>
Really? All others except PA-C? Haha… alright.’ It’s weekend. We’re allowed to have some fun!</p>
<p>If you look at past posts, I think you’ll see that it’s mostly parents who WANT their kids to go to Exeter/Andover who keep up the relentless comparisons. The rest of us were far too humbled by the admissions process 
to believe that any school is number one.</p>
<p>Deerfield is the rival of Choate, not Andover or Exeter. It’s not “A/E/D” as top 3.
There are at least 5 - 6 schools in the “first tier.” Not 3 and certainly not 2.</p>
<p>Parlabane, what A/E parents are you talking about? I can’t think of any Andover or Exeter parent poster here who puts down other schools. </p>
<p>Andover is an amazing school, and it’s great for my daughter, but believe me, seeing it up close, I (and other Andover parents) know better than most people that it’s not the best place for everyone.</p>
<p>Lemonade…parents of A/E students (NOT all) don’t say things like “St. Marks stinks” or “Cate is lousy.” What they do, repeatedly, is to tell other parents why the schools that their child chose don’t measure up, or aren’t “first tier,” or “don’t have the best faculty,” or don’t have the nicest facilities, or don’t send as many kids to the Ivies. They will, ad nauseam, point to SSAT’s, SAT’s and college matriculation stats as proof of their school’s superiority, and by extension their own. Or maybe they’ll point to the oval table as a badge of greatness (in whose absence a discursive learning style cannot occur - at least not at a lesser school). </p>
<p>And when another parent points with pride at one of their school’s attributes, many A/E parents (way more E than A) will be quick to remind that parent why their claim cannot be so, at least not in comparison to E/A. And here are 10 stats that prove the point.</p>
<p>Do you ever wonder why, aside from a few threads here and there about the St. Marks, Cates, Peddies, Grotons, Thachers, NMH’s of the world, the great bulk of the commentary and commentators are all HADES all the time? Tons of other parents and kids come to this site to learn about boarding schools, but quickly grow quiet or say nothing at all because they’re made to feel like second class citizens, which shouldn’t be the case. </p>
<p>There are lots of great schools out there, which any A/E parent will admit. But, wink-wink, there’s only a couple REALLY great ones.</p>
<p>Wow parlabane- we really have very different perspectives on this issue. I disagree with the “E parents way more than A parents” comment too. I often feel hesitant to post about Exeter because there seems to be so much negativity on this board related to Exeter all the time.</p>
<p>Andover seems to get the love- look at the title of this post- without as much backlash as Exeter. If I ever started a thread "for the love of Exeter " I believe it would be slaughtered with backlash within an hour or two. I know during my year as an Exeter parent I have held my tongue many a time while seeing people triumphantly post how their child chose XYZ school over Exeter and how Exeter is so cold ect ect ect… </p>
<p>It seems many of us feel hesitant to be proud of our child’s schools on this board- and that is a real shame…</p>
<p>I know PA-C, I came on strong and I do apologize. A level of disgust has been slowly building inside me over the last couple of years reading the constant stream of snarky posts from many (not all) HADES parents, especially, it seems, the Exeter and Andover parents. </p>
<p>Never once in all your posts have you acted as if Exeter is superior to every other school, or bashed other parents with stats, or acted as if you were entitled and special. Always, you have been open minded, modest, careful, studious. I watched with great excitement when your son was admitted to Exeter, a tremendous and wonderful accomplishment. And even after that admission, there was not a whiff of “I’m better than you are” in your posts. Your family will be a great addition to the Exeter community. Unfortunately, for every PA-C on this site, there are two Mainers, intent on telling (proving to) other parents, in one way or another, why they and their school are superior. It is this kind of attitude that muzzles (and turns off) so many people who come to this site to learn about boarding schools and share their excitement about all schools, not just HADES.</p>
<p>Parents on CC seem to hype their own schools to attract a greater number of applicants to boost enrollment and make the school look more selective in the process.</p>
<p>Learn from pulsar. Don’t let other people shut you up. Say what you believe in or have to say. This is an Internet board. No one is “second class citizen”. As for stats, it seems more guys tend to like using stats to make or counter an argument, while more moms like talking about impressions and feelings. Both are valid but not perfect approaches. Again, stay in your track and don’t fret over others’ comments. A/E are natually schools of high publicity. They are larger schools with more stats and news to talk about. On the other hand, they draw criticisms even from within (see the recent comments from some Andover parents).</p>