Focus on the experience you want your child to have.

WFS and Hotchkiss have golf courses on campus. Is your son a golfer?

WFS and EHS are close to DC. Where do you live? Will you go watch your child’s athletic competitions? Would you like his friends to visit on the weekend?

Andover is the largest and will resemble a Nescac college. EHS is the most urban.

Andover has the most day students. EHS and WFS have no day students. Hotchkiss is the hardest to get to, though beautiful.

Think through what experience your child will have for their interests and the rest will fall into place. Chasing clout is tacky and will leave you empty.

I have a child that was admitted to all those schools a few years back and letting him choose the school was the best decision we made. We are so lucky we went about this decision this way. ALL those schools have children that get into HPY each year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your research is incorrect on Hotchkiss and Andover. He will have a big boost coming from those schools regardless of his grades because the rigor of these programs is widely known and respected. As a recruited athlete for high school he has a good chance of being one for college, which puts him in a different category anyway. And, as a recruited athlete, his relationship with his coaches and teammates will impact his experience more than anything so he should choose the program that he feels is the best fit for him.

The kids at the median of Andover/Hotchkiss do not end up at Ivies. Those kids end up at schools such as Colby/Colgate/Tulane.

That's not the medium kids. The bottom kids end up at Colby, etc. The medium kids end up at NYU, Duke, SMU, Emory.

Anonymous wrote:Is this even a debate?

Andover and Hotchkiss are miles ahead of Episcopal and Woodberry.

When you go to boarding school you're looking at the parent network, the alum, reputation of the school, experience, brand etc.

I say this as someone who is a multiple legacy to boarding schools across New England and has 100+ friends and family who've all gone to boarding school.

You guys need to get out of our DC bubble and actually smell the roses....

+1

Is this even a debate?

Andover and Hotchkiss are miles ahead of Episcopal and Woodberry.

When you go to boarding school you're looking at the parent network, the alum, reputation of the school, experience, brand etc.

I say this as someone who is a multiple legacy to boarding schools across New England and has 100+ friends and family who've all gone to boarding school.

You guys need to get out of our DC bubble and actually smell the roses....

College level recruited athlete is a hook. Is that the route you are looking at? If so, then I would recommend Hotchkiss or Andover. If not pursing recruited athlete, then other private schools might be better. But that is assuming your child will be the top of the class which is a huge assumption.

Anonymous wrote:Your research is incorrect on Hotchkiss and Andover. He will have a big boost coming from those schools regardless of his grades because the rigor of these programs is widely known and respected. As a recruited athlete for high school he has a good chance of being one for college, which puts him in a different category anyway. And, as a recruited athlete, his relationship with his coaches and teammates will impact his experience more than anything so he should choose the program that he feels is the best fit for him.

The kids at the median of Andover/Hotchkiss do not end up at Ivies. Those kids end up at schools such as Colby/Colgate/Tulane.

Vote for Woodberry

Anonymous wrote:Your research is incorrect on Hotchkiss and Andover. He will have a big boost coming from those schools regardless of his grades because the rigor of these programs is widely known and respected. As a recruited athlete for high school he has a good chance of being one for college, which puts him in a different category anyway. And, as a recruited athlete, his relationship with his coaches and teammates will impact his experience more than anything so he should choose the program that he feels is the best fit for him.

+1

I'd say Woodberry and Episcopal will help his Ivy chances because he'll be able to stand out among his peers. If he goes to Andover or Hotchkiss, he'll need to graduate within the top decile if unhooked. That is very difficult to achieve at those schools.

If you want him to go to an Ivy, prep schools will hurt his chances. Most of those kids are athletes or super wealthy. UMC unhooked kids are effectively shut out. While public schools in this area have legacies and athletes, your son can get a high quality education and will stand out.

Also most of the top ranked public schools have college admission that can compete with these "top" schools.

Woodberry and Episcopal are just as challenging academically IMO. Kids at those schools aren’t as interested in Ivies, though, they’d rather go to Wake or TCU because they’re from the south and those schools are more appealing to them.

I would pick Hotchkiss over Andover. Hotchkiss is more relaxed and cozier than Andover. Andover is notoriously "sink or swim" and much less hand-holding. Hotchkiss will take care of your kid both academically and mentally.

if he wants A's without exerting much effort, then he can do that at Woodberry and Epsicopal. The EHS kids aren't really that academic and the school's academics are on-par with a solid public school.

Its not about performance at any of these schools. Its about the other legacies and huge donors.

Your research is incorrect on Hotchkiss and Andover. He will have a big boost coming from those schools regardless of his grades because the rigor of these programs is widely known and respected. As a recruited athlete for high school he has a good chance of being one for college, which puts him in a different category anyway. And, as a recruited athlete, his relationship with his coaches and teammates will impact his experience more than anything so he should choose the program that he feels is the best fit for him.

My son is applying to all these schools, and he has recruited athlete interest at Hotchkiss/Andover and easily has the grades and SSAT scores for Episcopal and Woodberry.

I want him in a great school, but am worried about hyper-competitive New England boarding schools hurting his chances at graduating among top students and ruining his Ivy prospects. Would it be wiser to send him to Episcopal or Woodberry so he has a better chance of graduating at the top of class with better college prospects. From my research, the Hotchkiss/Andover kids at the median of the class don't have great college outcomes unless they are hooked.