Madeira - thoughts?

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

Jean Harris. (Sorry, came of age in the 80s.)

[Anonymous]

It's an excellent school, but it doesn't start until the higher grades (maybe high school, I think). A lot of girls also board there. If you have a girl who's into horses, she'll be in heaven.

[Anonymous]

Campus is beautiful. Really beautiful.

If you have a girl who is not interested in athletics, it may not be for her.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Madeira alum...its been over 20 years.

It is an excellent school from the academic standpoint, at least back then it was one of the more rigorous of the prep schools. They had a strong extracurricular program that involved a one day a week internship, in your junior year it was on the Hill. It developed professional maturity. I credit some of my early career achievements in moving up past peers of equal age quickly back to this experience. Everyone in my class felt very prepared for college.

I was a boarding student and loved the experience. It was challenging but also alot of fun. However, I am not planning on sending my daughter there. The school is primarily (or it was...) made up of boarding students. The dorm life is part of the culture and the "day girls" who were a minority ended up being left out. In some cases, not all, the day students were "used" by the boarders to get off campus.

If we lived in an area without challenging private day/public schools and without all the opportunities a metro area offers, I would consider Madeira for a boarding school.

Funny comment on the athletics..same was true back then too. I think our field hockey team was regularly beat by 8th graders. We all had a great time. I actually ended up getting into sports and athletics because you didn't need to be on your way to the Olympics to participate and it was fun rather than an ego destroying experience.

[Anonymous]

i am an alum & loved the place. I certainly was not an athlete! I really hope to send my own daughter there.

[Anonymous]

might be 50 % or higher boarding with a significant percentage of international students [Asian] currently

[Anonymous]

According to their website, Madeira is 52% boarders now. So with an almost-even split, maybe the day students aren't outsiders now? Still, a higher percentage than at other top independent schools in the area.

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

Madeira is a very well-rounded school and not just for girls who are interested in sports. My DD graduated from there and is now a senior at Columbia in NY. Her experiences at Madeira gave her the poise, confidence and academic ability that she possesses today. She was involved in every aspect of the school (extracurriculars ranging from dance to multi-cultural clubs to sports). She is well traveled, speaks 3 languages, keeps in touch (and visits with) her Madeira friends from at least 3 or more continents. Most importantly, she competes in areas that are historically dominated by men. Her now summer internship, with a major banking firm in NYC, is comprised of 140+ summer interns of which she is the only "brown" female - she is in the least bit intimidated. Madeira truly instills the values necessary for young women to succeed in this very global society. My DD is very focused, confident and she definitely thinks outside the box - I know that she acquired many of these qualities from Madeira. I can't wait 'til my 6-year begins her freshman year there!

[Anonymous]

Addition left off of PP ...

When I say that my DD is the only "brown" female of 140+ interns, it's important to know that of the 140, 75% are men.

[Anonymous]

What a depressing percentage of women at the banking firm!

[Anonymous]

Women in leadership (or not so common for women careers) is made open and fully approachable in these all-girls' schools! The girls/woen are really empowered!