At my boarding school in CT it was all good athletes who we PG students. Academics didn't seem to have much to do with it.

I remember this poster. He is a teenager who was recently asking about the preppiest and most conservative colleges to apply to, where the guys all wear popped collars (memorable detail). Listen, if I were you I would start getting your information from more authoritative sources than an anonymous board of DC mothers. Go to your school counselor or hire an outside college counselor. There are hundreds of great colleges out there and your choice will likely come down to practical matters like what majors they offer, what financial aid package they offer, and whether you get in. You don't need to go to a school where everyone agrees with you "PaleoCon." Maybe you don't fit in in high school but colleges are much much bigger.

At my son's CT boarding school, it is all athletes.

I know a few guys who did PG years at Choate.

I read an article in the NYT about these kind of things. Kids who want more college preparation do these post-grad years. Madeira just added a PG program because they are gaining popularity.

Some Div 1 athletes do postgrad years. Northfield Mt Hermon was/is known for basketball, for example. Unless you are a top tier athlete who needs another year of development what's the point? If you are an athlete, you need to look at the schools who excel in your sport.

There was a local grad from one of the privates who did this recently and is now at Harvard. Also an athlete, participating on team at Harvard.

Exeter only does PG years for athletes, I think. That's the norm, but Avon Old Farms and Salisbury are in a less selective band and might take more PGs for more reason. The boarding school forums on college confidential might be helpful to you.

Sometimes it's kids from bad high schools who need an extra year before going on to a highly ranked college. I know someone - nonathlete Latina from Washington heights - who got into brown on the condition that she attend Milton or someplace similar for a year.

Brown was willing to pay for it. She didn't do it and went to a less prestigious SLAC instead. I always thought that was a mistake and poor counseling.

It's usually athletes with great grades but need to perfect their game and get into the top college program they want that spend an extra year. Or it's the foreign recruit.

Anonymous wrote:I thought only athletes with poor grades took this route?

+1

At my boarding school it was all recruited athletes.

I thought only athletes with poor grades took this route?

Why? Sounds like a waste of money. Go to college.

I'm considering doing a postgrad year at Avon or Salisbury.( maybe even Exeter) How hard is it to get into these postgrad programs?