Considering Elite NE Boarding Schools for Son (Taft, Choate, Hotchkiss, Deerfield, etc.) Any advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Andover Class of 2024: 100 of 324 students matriculated at one of the 8 Ivy League Schools, MIT, Stanford, U Chicago, Northwestern, Amherst, Williams, or Pomona. (Zero (0) to Swarthmore & none to CalTech.)

Also, one to Oxford & one to Butler Community College in Kansas (might be for football).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Competition is fierce at the super-elite, large boarding schools like Andover & Exeter. In fact, Andover has long had a serious problem regarding suicide/attempted suicides among its students. But, that does not extend to all of the other T-10 boarding schools.

Andover is in its own league in that regard. That said, every T-10 boarding school will be a stressful environment with a lot of competition and no daily parental checks. Some teens will thrive and love it, others implode.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid might academically flourish at a less competitive boarding school. I know of a family that picked Woodberry Forest over a HADES-type school because they wanted a less intense workload and easier competition. The kid graduated with a >4.0 unweighted GPA and got into multiple T20 colleges without much problem.

This is a good example of what to do to get into a T20. This child may or may not have been top quarter at Andover. Betting odds say he wouldn’t have been, competition is that severe. A median student at Andover isn’t doing that well college wise.

Not sure that this is accurate, but it depends upon how one defines "doing well college wise".

Ivy, strong Nescac. A median student at Andover won’t get these without a hook and would’ve had a fighting chance at a DMV day school or public. You cannot grind your way to the top quarter of these schools unless you are already highly intelligent. You can grind to top 5% at Walt Whitman and Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid might academically flourish at a less competitive boarding school. I know of a family that picked Woodberry Forest over a HADES-type school because they wanted a less intense workload and easier competition. The kid graduated with a >4.0 unweighted GPA and got into multiple T20 colleges without much problem.

This is a good example of what to do to get into a T20. This child may or may not have been top quarter at Andover. Betting odds say he wouldn’t have been, competition is that severe. A median student at Andover isn’t doing that well college wise.

Not sure that this is accurate, but it depends upon how one defines "doing well college wise".

Ivy, strong Nescac. A median student at Andover won’t get these without a hook and would’ve had a fighting chance at a DMV day school or public. You cannot grind your way to the top quarter of these schools unless you are already highly intelligent. You can grind to top 5% at Walt Whitman and Sidwell.

Good point.

About 58% of the Class of 2024 at Andover matriculated at great schools (including U Virginia). So about 190 of 324 matriculated at top schools (did not include solid schools like BC & BU, Villanova, WFU, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid might academically flourish at a less competitive boarding school. I know of a family that picked Woodberry Forest over a HADES-type school because they wanted a less intense workload and easier competition. The kid graduated with a >4.0 unweighted GPA and got into multiple T20 colleges without much problem.

This is a good example of what to do to get into a T20. This child may or may not have been top quarter at Andover. Betting odds say he wouldn’t have been, competition is that severe. A median student at Andover isn’t doing that well college wise.

Not sure that this is accurate, but it depends upon how one defines "doing well college wise".

Ivy, strong Nescac. A median student at Andover won’t get these without a hook and would’ve had a fighting chance at a DMV day school or public. You cannot grind your way to the top quarter of these schools unless you are already highly intelligent. You can grind to top 5% at Walt Whitman and Sidwell.

Good point.

About 58% of the Class of 2024 at Andover matriculated at great schools (including U Virginia). So about 190 of 324 matriculated at top schools (did not include solid schools like BC & BU, Villanova, WFU, etc.)

UVA isn’t a great school. Most Andover grads would’ve gone to a better college if they stayed at home (unless there was a niche sport like squash with limited competition elsewhere). Only go for the education. I’d be embarrassed to go to a nationally recognized boarding school like Andover and go to BC Bu and Nova.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid might academically flourish at a less competitive boarding school. I know of a family that picked Woodberry Forest over a HADES-type school because they wanted a less intense workload and easier competition. The kid graduated with a >4.0 unweighted GPA and got into multiple T20 colleges without much problem.

This is a good example of what to do to get into a T20. This child may or may not have been top quarter at Andover. Betting odds say he wouldn’t have been, competition is that severe. A median student at Andover isn’t doing that well college wise.

Not sure that this is accurate, but it depends upon how one defines "doing well college wise".

Ivy, strong Nescac. A median student at Andover won’t get these without a hook and would’ve had a fighting chance at a DMV day school or public. You cannot grind your way to the top quarter of these schools unless you are already highly intelligent. You can grind to top 5% at Walt Whitman and Sidwell.

Good point.

About 58% of the Class of 2024 at Andover matriculated at great schools (including U Virginia). So about 190 of 324 matriculated at top schools (did not include solid schools like BC & BU, Villanova, WFU, etc.)

UVA isn’t a great school. Most Andover grads would’ve gone to a better college if they stayed at home (unless there was a niche sport like squash with limited competition elsewhere). Only go for the education. I’d be embarrassed to go to a nationally recognized boarding school like Andover and go to BC Bu and Nova.

I understand and appreciate your stance, but U Virginia is highly regarded nationwide and Villanova & BC (both are quite strong in accounting) are very solid to excellent schools. Not as familiar with BU, but I certainly hold it in higher regard than schools like Vassar & Wesleyan & Syracuse & Brandeis & U Richmond--which are all respected colleges & universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid might academically flourish at a less competitive boarding school. I know of a family that picked Woodberry Forest over a HADES-type school because they wanted a less intense workload and easier competition. The kid graduated with a >4.0 unweighted GPA and got into multiple T20 colleges without much problem.

This is a good example of what to do to get into a T20. This child may or may not have been top quarter at Andover. Betting odds say he wouldn’t have been, competition is that severe. A median student at Andover isn’t doing that well college wise.

Not sure that this is accurate, but it depends upon how one defines "doing well college wise".

Ivy, strong Nescac. A median student at Andover won’t get these without a hook and would’ve had a fighting chance at a DMV day school or public. You cannot grind your way to the top quarter of these schools unless you are already highly intelligent. You can grind to top 5% at Walt Whitman and Sidwell.

Good point.

About 58% of the Class of 2024 at Andover matriculated at great schools (including U Virginia). So about 190 of 324 matriculated at top schools (did not include solid schools like BC & BU, Villanova, WFU, etc.)

UVA isn’t a great school. Most Andover grads would’ve gone to a better college if they stayed at home (unless there was a niche sport like squash with limited competition elsewhere). Only go for the education. I’d be embarrassed to go to a nationally recognized boarding school like Andover and go to BC Bu and Nova.

I understand and appreciate your stance, but U Virginia is highly regarded nationwide and Villanova & BC (both are quite strong in accounting) are very solid to excellent schools. Not as familiar with BU, but I certainly hold it in higher regard than schools like Vassar & Wesleyan & Syracuse & Brandeis & U Richmond--which are all respected colleges & universities.

Those are all okay to good schools. I don’t think it’s worth paying a lot to go to Andover and being in a high stress environment to wind up at one of those. It’s better to go to a worse
Boarding school or stay at home, the drop off is really steep from Brown and Dartmouth to Nova and UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As always, this board is very unhelpful when it comes to boarding schools. There is a very good, moderated boarding school board at college confidential that has been very helpful.

Many are bitter they can’t afford the tuition and feel threatened by boarding school seniors taking their public and private day school children’s college slots.

It can't be that...Exeter and Deerfield have some of the most generous FA of any school, including every college. At Deerfield, you don't pay any more than 10% of your income. I don't think any college as an example would give FA to a family making $500k, yet Deerfield caps you at $50k tuition.

Even though they are generous with FA, it is still a large expense for upper middle class families. They’re not giving up an annual ski or beach vacation for boarding school unless they really prize education. They’d rather send them to MoCo schools.

NP. Illogical conclusion. Does not boost your attempt to argue that you got a superior education at your boarding school.

Parents making 250k in the DMV don’t send their children to boarding school. Students from the DMV have rich parents or are from the inner city and use pipeline programs. People making 250k don’t get enough aid to avoid making sacrifices they don’t view as worth it. Enjoy Walt Whitman!

We make $250 and send our kid full pay. We have a family educational trust so that is where we pull the funds from. I guess my point in sharing this is…. Statements like these are silly. Every single family has different circumstances and finances.

[Anonymous]

I think a lot of families at these top boarding schools are stunned with the level of rigor and expectation placed on students. The pace is unrelenting and the workload is heavy. Most kids adapt, but the first few report cards are humbling, and it's not uncommon for kids to break down in tears when they realize their Ivy dreams are crushed because of a weak freshman GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM is notoriously anti-boarding. Prepare for people asking you why you hate your kid or why your kid hates you.

This sub is filled with out-of-touch people who don't understand that day school isn't a good option for everyone. Some families are divorced. Some parents travel a ton and can't watch over their kids constantly.

Why have kids if you can’t spend a lot of time with them?

You are beyond clueless.

[Anonymous]

These schools are rigorous, but I think people oeverstate the difficulty. Around 40% of Hotchkiss students graduate with an "A" average GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As always, this board is very unhelpful when it comes to boarding schools. There is a very good, moderated boarding school board at college confidential that has been very helpful.

Many are bitter they can’t afford the tuition and feel threatened by boarding school seniors taking their public and private day school children’s college slots.

No. We just truly cannot believe that any parent would sacrifice these four years with their own child.

I think this site has a very hard time understanding that some families have very different needs, priorities, and circumstances than their own.

Exactly. Does that poster realize how many parents are alcoholics, mentally ill, emotionally abusive, or have other debilitating issues? Tens of millions. Many grandparents pay the tuition so that their grandchildren can escape hellish households.

Sure, but I don't think that's the circumstance for most kids considering Deerfield, Choate, or Taft. Most families that send their kids there are doing it for intensified rigor or that sports programs. For example, it's not easy to find a high-powered hockey program in the DMV. There are plenty of them in boarding schools.

Or because the parents “need” to travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As always, this board is very unhelpful when it comes to boarding schools. There is a very good, moderated boarding school board at college confidential that has been very helpful.

Many are bitter they can’t afford the tuition and feel threatened by boarding school seniors taking their public and private day school children’s college slots.

It can't be that...Exeter and Deerfield have some of the most generous FA of any school, including every college. At Deerfield, you don't pay any more than 10% of your income. I don't think any college as an example would give FA to a family making $500k, yet Deerfield caps you at $50k tuition.

Even though they are generous with FA, it is still a large expense for upper middle class families. They’re not giving up an annual ski or beach vacation for boarding school unless they really prize education. They’d rather send them to MoCo schools.

NP. Illogical conclusion. Does not boost your attempt to argue that you got a superior education at your boarding school.

Parents making 250k in the DMV don’t send their children to boarding school. Students from the DMV have rich parents or are from the inner city and use pipeline programs. People making 250k don’t get enough aid to avoid making sacrifices they don’t view as worth it. Enjoy Walt Whitman!

Frankly, I think the vast majority of teenagers would “enjoy Walt Whitman” more so than any of these boarding schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM is notoriously anti-boarding. Prepare for people asking you why you hate your kid or why your kid hates you.

This sub is filled with out-of-touch people who don't understand that day school isn't a good option for everyone. Some families are divorced. Some parents travel a ton and can't watch over their kids constantly.

Why have kids if you can’t spend a lot of time with them?

Totally agree, but let's go over step further - why have kids if their MOM can stay home to cook all whole organic food from processed free products grown at home or milked from the family cow. All the while wearing one of those stupid doily dresses.

Or you can consider that people have kids for all sorts of reasons and sometimes people's circumstances change in the 20+ years they spend raising children.

Oh, and the fact that we all have different values.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As always, this board is very unhelpful when it comes to boarding schools. There is a very good, moderated boarding school board at college confidential that has been very helpful.

Many are bitter they can’t afford the tuition and feel threatened by boarding school seniors taking their public and private day school children’s college slots.

It can't be that...Exeter and Deerfield have some of the most generous FA of any school, including every college. At Deerfield, you don't pay any more than 10% of your income. I don't think any college as an example would give FA to a family making $500k, yet Deerfield caps you at $50k tuition.

Even though they are generous with FA, it is still a large expense for upper middle class families. They’re not giving up an annual ski or beach vacation for boarding school unless they really prize education. They’d rather send them to MoCo schools.

NP. Illogical conclusion. Does not boost your attempt to argue that you got a superior education at your boarding school.

Parents making 250k in the DMV don’t send their children to boarding school. Students from the DMV have rich parents or are from the inner city and use pipeline programs. People making 250k don’t get enough aid to avoid making sacrifices they don’t view as worth it. Enjoy Walt Whitman!

We make $250 and send our kid full pay. We have a family educational trust so that is where we pull the funds from. I guess my point in sharing this is…. Statements like these are silly. Every single family has different circumstances and finances.

You are few and far between. Most people making 250k a year don’t have educational trusts and aren’t culturally aware of boarding schools. There are way more dirt poor and filthy rich students than those in your income bracket.