Thoughts/Experience with Mercersburg Academy

[Anonymous]

I didn't want to dilute the Episcopal thread with questions about Mercersburg. We are planning to look at Episcopal, Mercersburg, and St. Andrews in Delaware for boarding school for our son in a few years. I would love to hear thoughts about Mercersburg Academy. If you have experience with all three schools and chose one over the other two, please share your thoughts on that as well.

[Anonymous]

St Andrews is leagues above the other two academically. Mecersburg is more of the traditional, rural, midsized boarding experience.

[Anonymous]

We found Mercersburg accidentally while applying to other places and just tacked it on. So glad we did because our child ended up going there over his other options. Tried out tons of different activities and is now in multiple leadership roles. Extremely friendly campus while maintaining rigor- it doesn't feel like everyone is out there competing against each other in the way other campuses kind of felt, but more like everyone is together. It's the only place where every random student says hi to us as parents just walking around, which I thought was interesting. Most classes starting with 9th grade, if they don't have the option of an honors or AS/AP often have an earned honors option for those kids who want to opt into that. After the first year there are more options for AS/APs and it is very flexible for the last two. At that point there are seminars and courses that are more advanced depending on interest (govt/constitution, etc). There is also a main project at the end that is similar to a capstone, though this varies depending on the route (maps program for global studies is 2 years, psych, entrepreneurship, etc- all this is on their site).

I would look at the curricula and visit each school to get an idea for what you want. And make sure you apply to more than one and have backup plans.

The downside for our kid is the rural area (definitely will be applying to more urban universities), but so busy that there's barely time to notice. Though I guess that helps them have things like skiing and hiking/kayaking.

[Anonymous]

I know two kids who attend and love it

[Anonymous]

My experience is a few years old, but it had a reputation of being a mid tier so so school, with good financial aid from a large endowment. We toured and there was something not right for our DC. It doesn’t have the same academic reputation as St. Andrews or the same name recognition/reputation as Episcopal. DC ended up at St Andrew’s and it was a fantastic experience - really incredible academics, new sports facility, amazing crew. Small, but big enough to offer everything you could want in a high school experience.

All great options! You and your child will know if the school is right as soon as you go on the tour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience is a few years old, but it had a reputation of being a mid tier so so school, with good financial aid from a large endowment. We toured and there was something not right for our DC. It doesn’t have the same academic reputation as St. Andrews or the same name recognition/reputation as Episcopal. DC ended up at St Andrew’s and it was a fantastic experience - really incredible academics, new sports facility, amazing crew. Small, but big enough to offer everything you could want in a high school experience.

All great options! You and your child will know if the school is right as soon as you go on the tour.

Could you please share a bit more about your experience at St. Andrews? We haven't toured yet. I think they offer tours in the spring for those not applying that year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We found Mercersburg accidentally while applying to other places and just tacked it on. So glad we did because our child ended up going there over his other options. Tried out tons of different activities and is now in multiple leadership roles. Extremely friendly campus while maintaining rigor- it doesn't feel like everyone is out there competing against each other in the way other campuses kind of felt, but more like everyone is together. It's the only place where every random student says hi to us as parents just walking around, which I thought was interesting. Most classes starting with 9th grade, if they don't have the option of an honors or AS/AP often have an earned honors option for those kids who want to opt into that. After the first year there are more options for AS/APs and it is very flexible for the last two. At that point there are seminars and courses that are more advanced depending on interest (govt/constitution, etc). There is also a main project at the end that is similar to a capstone, though this varies depending on the route (maps program for global studies is 2 years, psych, entrepreneurship, etc- all this is on their site).

I would look at the curricula and visit each school to get an idea for what you want. And make sure you apply to more than one and have backup plans.

The downside for our kid is the rural area (definitely will be applying to more urban universities), but so busy that there's barely time to notice. Though I guess that helps them have things like skiing and hiking/kayaking.

Thank you for sharing your experience at the school. We haven't toured this school either yet. The only tour/ open house we've been to thus far is Episcopal.

[Anonymous]

Then they fail out of college

Many kids from Barnesville school go. None made it through first year of college.

Some of that is Barnesville academics do not prepare for higher learning and some is mercerberg
Lots of home schoolers end up there as well.

Reviews online are new
Old not great reviews have been removed

[Anonymous]

We are currently applying to St. Andrew’s. First choice.

I just don’t understand why everyone goes to New England. We are overseas in a country with amazing schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My experience is a few years old, but it had a reputation of being a mid tier so so school, with good financial aid from a large endowment. We toured and there was something not right for our DC. It doesn’t have the same academic reputation as St. Andrews or the same name recognition/reputation as Episcopal. DC ended up at St Andrew’s and it was a fantastic experience - really incredible academics, new sports facility, amazing crew. Small, but big enough to offer everything you could want in a high school experience.

All great options! You and your child will know if the school is right as soon as you go on the tour.

Could you please share a bit more about your experience at St. Andrews? We haven't toured yet. I think they offer tours in the spring for those not applying that year.

It was an incredibly caring place. It is also a very strict place with lots of rules - I like this as a parent. Academically they push your child in a very supportive way. When my child was getting 100% across the board for a math class, they sent me a note saying they were going to move DC up mid semester. That happened for another language class where the teachers thought that my child could do more based on a summer course DC took that pushed them ahead in material. It is also small enough where they can try out for the play or take on a leadership role. They keep the kids really busy.

Check out their crew schedule on the website in the spring and drive up to watch one of the events. It is a beautiful place and feels like home. We cried dropping him off and we cried the day he graduated.

Overall, the academics are great, the kids are nice, at the same time it is not a pressure cooker. They are there to learn… and build community, not get into Harvard. They do that too…. But it is not the goal if that makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My experience is a few years old, but it had a reputation of being a mid tier so so school, with good financial aid from a large endowment. We toured and there was something not right for our DC. It doesn’t have the same academic reputation as St. Andrews or the same name recognition/reputation as Episcopal. DC ended up at St Andrew’s and it was a fantastic experience - really incredible academics, new sports facility, amazing crew. Small, but big enough to offer everything you could want in a high school experience.

All great options! You and your child will know if the school is right as soon as you go on the tour.

Could you please share a bit more about your experience at St. Andrews? We haven't toured yet. I think they offer tours in the spring for those not applying that year.

It was an incredibly caring place. It is also a very strict place with lots of rules - I like this as a parent. Academically they push your child in a very supportive way. When my child was getting 100% across the board for a math class, they sent me a note saying they were going to move DC up mid semester. That happened for another language class where the teachers thought that my child could do more based on a summer course DC took that pushed them ahead in material. It is also small enough where they can try out for the play or take on a leadership role. They keep the kids really busy.

Check out their crew schedule on the website in the spring and drive up to watch one of the events. It is a beautiful place and feels like home. We cried dropping him off and we cried the day he graduated.

Overall, the academics are great, the kids are nice, at the same time it is not a pressure cooker. They are there to learn… and build community, not get into Harvard. They do that too…. But it is not the goal if that makes sense.

Thanks for sharing this. It sounds lovely. How is the social scene? A few posters on the Episcopal thread were sharing how that school has a rampant set culture from 9th grade on.

[Anonymous]

What is a rampant set culture?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is a rampant set culture?

Woops. That should read sex culture.

[Anonymous]

Yikes Episcopal. 9th grade? I know I'm old and outdated, but I don't want that for my 14 year old. St. Andrew's sounding better by the minute!

I know kids will find there own sexuality as they become adults. But I'd be happy if that were delayed to the older years of high school. Or college.

[Anonymous]

Yikes Episcopal. 9th grade? I know I'm old and outdated, but I don't want that for my 14 year old. St. Andrew's sounding better by the minute!

I know kids will find there own sexuality as they become adults. But I'd be happy if that were delayed to the older years of high school. Or college.