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Joined: Feb 2006
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This subject has never come up in hour house until about a week ago or so. Ghost and I were conversing to someone who runs Mathcounts preparatory class at the HS Ghost is hoping to attend, and I did ask him about the boy who won Utah Mathcounts last year. He went to Exeter and is loving it, was the response. Ghost did not understand, but on the way home he asked what Exeter was and that is how we even started talking about prep schools, but for the duration of a car ride only. Fast forward dwo days, Ghost is getting a recruitment letter from Andover. The first question out of his mouth was - is it as good as Exeter? Then did some checking online and tossed the letter and brochure on the pile of other letters... Apart from the fact that it is flattering and eye opening to receive a letter like that , it really does not mean anything in the big run. However it has gotten us thinking. Would we dare for our S to take this route? How do you know? Do you wait for the child to take initiative or do you research on your own and than present the case from your point of you to your dear offspring? My husband did go to a boarding school, but it was in Europe and in middle ages :-)
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Joined: Dec 2005
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I keep boarding schools off in a locked-away corner of my mind, for "if things get really bad" or "when he's getting toward the end of High School, but isn't mature enough for college." Yet there are plenty of families for whom this is the very best option. I am so lucky that one of the slightly less well know boarding schools is within driving distance, so the possibility exists to go as a day student. From what I've heard, one needs to visit each campus and see what the ambience is like. I think it's ok for you to lead or follow. I'm sure it's a good thing for geographically isolated families, or certian kinds of "2E" kids. I wish I could be more helpful, but glad that I dont' know about this.
Love and More Love, Trinity
Coaching available, at SchoolSuccessSolutions.com
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well, I went to Exeter (a long time ago) and it was wonderful. Without question (get it?), the best school I went to. It was the first time where I was wasn't teased for being the smart one, and found out, thankfully, that there were plenty of kids smarter than me. And academic excellence was admired. Plus, I came from a small school. Meeting classmates from all over the world was exciting, and the facilities were phenomenal. It can't hurt to look into it, but I would speak to more recent alum. In the old days, it was a feeding ground for Harvard, Princeton, Yale. But times have changed, the colleges are looking for greater geograhpic diversity, and many local high schools are better than they used to be. College and graduate school were a let-down after Exeter. My two cents.
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Joined: Feb 2006
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Questions: How far was your home from Exeter
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Joined: May 2006
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We've been talking about boarding schools a lot lately, because freshman yr has been such a let-down. We have a great boarding school down the street, but it's military. My DH went there. Excellent academics but military stuff is a turn-off to DS. Recruitment letters from prep schools come and I carefully go through them with DS, but he says, "I don't think I'm brave enough to go away for that long". I certainly don't want him to go away, but I would love for him to have a great (not just decent or even good) education. I figure I will continue to show him the info, encourage him about re-evaluating options, but unless he really wants to go, we're going to have to find local options and just enrich with summer programs.
I feel so defeated when I write this, because it is not in my nature to "settle" for less.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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Oh Cym! What a shame to have the Military school right on your street. Is it possible your DS is letting something small overshadow the good things? ((My DS would really thrive at a military style school, I am sure, but my DH would have a fit!))
Perhaps there are clubs or lecutres that you could drop in on for a hands on visit?
My DS spent all last year assuring us that he didn't want us to attend the school's honor roll ceremony, and that none of the kids' parents attended. This year he did make the honor roll, and we were so convinsed that we didn't even think about taking time off of work. Last night I asked, "Does it bother you that Dad and I won't be at the cerimony?"
In a loud, 'haven't I been telling you voice' "Well, duh, of course it bothers me!" So I'm going to be there!
The point of all this is that as mature as these kids are, they can sometimes be acting their age, so keep an eye out, ok?
Love and More Love, Trinity
Coaching available, at SchoolSuccessSolutions.com
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Joined: Apr 2006
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We are looking into sending DS to a boarding school as a day student. We would prefer to wait until high school, but my husband and I seem to have irreconcilable differences with his current school. We are definitely exploring and considering the option of driving him 45 minutes to and from school (with good traffic).
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It was almost four hours, but didn't bother me - except for the long way home for vacations. Now that I'm the mom, I wouldn't want my son to go away either. Back then, it was my best option. Of course, Exeter would be a nice, but cold, place to live for a few years....
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Questions" Is "cold" referred to weather only, or something else?? And where did you ended up for college and grad school???
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Joined: Nov 2007
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Ania,
Sorry - didn't see your question earlier. I don't want to disclose more about myself, but I can tell you that when I applied to college the college placement officer told me I couldn't apply to Princeton, Harvard and Yale - I had to choose so as not to take up other spots (back then, probably between 15 and 30 students went to each of those schools). But that was a long time ago. I read the list of recent Exeter college admissions, and although there are still plenty of internationally known prestigious colleges and universities, including many excellent state universities, there are also colleges I never heard of before. And I understand that this is what the colleges are saying, too - there are plenty of good colleges, not just the big names. And nowadays, those big names are off recruiting around the world. And there may be a prejudice against the prep school kids, no matter that they are a diverse group, racially, economically, geographically, etc. Those are questions you'll have to ask the admissions officers at the prep schools. One thing is for sure - college was a piece of cake after Exeter. At the time, I believe honors was a B-, high honors was a B+ and highest honors closer to an A-.
You should go to take a look. I think you'll be bowled over. Classes take place around a table with 10-15 students - no place to hide. The facilities are equivalent to many colleges, and there are some very impressive students from around the world. And I believe all the faculty have advanced degrees - not sure why that's such a big deal, but I guess they know their stuff - including a number of PhD's teaching at the high school level.
I seem to have been to a lot of schools, and Exeter was far and away the best! Oh, and Andover and Deerfield are also supposed to be top notch - and I'm sure there are a lot of others. I'm not up to date and Exeter is the only school I really know about.
Oh, and cold definitely referred to the climate!!
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