ExperienceWith Prep Schools?? (Part 2)

[scientific]

i can't see how sending your HS aged kids to party in the Bahamas on 40k/yr would be at all advisable ... nor how you could afford it on military pay...

 

[RSS]

Originally Posted by scientific

i can't see how sending your HS aged kids to party in the Bahamas on 40k/yr would be at all advisable ... nor how you could afford it on military pay...
Family money?

 

[fareau]

I went to a good prep school and it was a great experience that prepared me well for my subsequent years of study. It has taken some convincing to get my wife on board with eventually sending our children to private schools since she has (or had) a fixed belief that these schools are bastions for elitism and snobbery. She has several family members who are teachers at inner city public schools, so her opinion has been formed over the years from these influences.

The awful thing is that the cost of education is getting so expensive, you almost have to decide whether to spend the money on the primary/secondary education, or spend it on the college years (never mind post grad study). I actually think that the education acquired during one's formative years is more important than what constitutes the typical college curriculum, however, it is the quality of the college diploma that unfortunately is the spring board into early employment. Tough decisions for young parents these days....I'm pretty sure I could not afford to send two children through the OP's list of schools without compromising whatever assistance I might provide for college tuition....

 

[Fraiche]

I would go with St. George. Of the 4, it offers the most unique experience which in turn will cultivate a different attitude.

Prestige is a non -issue. You're splitting hairs here and admissions won't really care.

 

[B^2]

The best school for you may not be the best school for your daughter. I'm currently dating a girl who went to Exeter, college at Williams, med school at Mt Sinai, and now taking a year off to get a Masters at Harvard. The truth is, you'll likely find people like this at all of the schools you mentioned and several schools you didn't. My girlfriend chose Exeter because of the diversity as well as the academics. When I was in high-school, I looked at Exeter, Deerfield, and Andover. Deerfield felt the most isolated but all the schools were fairly similar in quality of academics, facilities, etc.

What I'm not hearing in your posts is what your daughter thought of the places. Its okay to guide her but I'd be weary of imposing your thoughts on her.

In the end I didn't go to boarding school, I developed some lasting friendships that would have not been possible had I left the state. At the same time, my college experience would have been drastically different. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you have specific questions.

 

[HEARTLESS-531]

Guys - no family money. Just a good saver and my wife works as well (teacher). I think people can save a lot if they just buckle down and focus. It's taken me years to develop decent habits. I mentioned the B word the other day to my brother (Budget) -he laughed pretty hard.
B^2 - You are right, sir. in the end, it's the kid who has to say that he/she likes the school. She had strong vibes from Choate and St. George's.
Someone had also brought up the point of 'academic rigor', which I have endeavored to understand but am still at a loss. Does this mean scope of curriculum? Saturday classes? Non-curve grading? I don't know. Honestly, I thought - and this was just first impressions - they all seemed pretty much the same. Except Exeter has a course catalog as thick as a wood cutting board. And Choate is pushing a "Middle Eastern Studies' program. Hmm.

 

[worldrunner]

For a child to be successful on the east coast....Does the child have to go to a prep school? All i ever here is about prep schools on the east coast

 

[stormin10]

I am kinda glad I stumbled upon this thread because I just graduated from a Boarding school in Va. The experience was amazing and I really only have one regret which is that I spent more time looking at different schools before deciding, because there are so many different options when choosing a boarding school. You would definitely want her to be a boarder otherwise she would miss out on most of what happens.
There's a few things I suggest though:
When it comes to tours almost all have the same tour and the same plain questions about the school her interests etc. What I would greatly suggest is having her take an overnight on one of the dorms. So she can see what the school is really like. I found out that there was a totally different experience once the teachers left and more or less the "honor code" went out the window.
There are so many choices when it comes to schools that my best advice would be to visit lots of schools and pick the one that fits into what she likes and/or is interested in the most.
Good luck with your search

 

[calisanfran]

Originally Posted by clee1982

I don't know if the OP is going to prep school so her daughter is more "polished", but I can tell you the learning experience in prep school was invaulable. I was international student, so maybe there was a huge cultural shock element to it.

Most silicon valley are not college drop out, most are graduate from top school (public or private, at unviersity level) or foreign... had I stayed in my phd program in engineering I would have gone to silicon valley instead of wall street.

I agree it's probably easier to get into MIT being the best in public school then being somewhere in the middle in best prep school, but I would still argue the learning experience is better in best prep school.


Living in the heart of Silicon Valley I can assure you that the majority of the top brass of most tech companies here come from pretty ordinary colleges (San Jose State, Santa Clara U, San Luis Obispo, etc etc).

 

[clee1982]

Originally Posted by calisanfran

Living in the heart of Silicon Valley I can assure you that the majority of the top brass of most tech companies here come from pretty ordinary colleges (San Jose State, Santa Clara U, San Luis Obispo, etc etc).

I don't think my statement contradict yours. I am just saying the learning experience in boarding school was amazing. Is the boarding school experience necessary for one to be successful in today's world? I don't know, but I like it nontheless.

 

[kicno10]

I came from a public HS in New England and now attend an Ivy League school. All I can say is that my public school background put me at a huuuuge disadvantage going into my freshman year. Academically I was behind many of my peers (and trust me, at my highschool, 300ish people per grade) I was easily the smartest person. Prep schools transition you into the college experience much better than Public schools. You get the chance to live away from home, be more independent and learn valuable skills like time Management. Attending prep school would have had a profound effect on my freshman year experience at college. That being said, it is very fulfilling to be able to call yourself a "public school kid" and know that you got in entirely based on merit rather than being one of the 30-40 people from Andover that get into every Ivy League school.

 

[RSS]



That being said, it is very fulfilling to be able to call yourself a "public school kid"

Fulfilling in what way?

 

[Valor]

Just by sheer volume the smartest and dumbest kids at any ivy are going to be public school kids. The prep school kids from elite prep schools are definitely above average but then again the average is always pretty mediocre given the way recruiting works.

 

[Cashmoney]

My dad was an Army officer. Brother and I attended crappy Army schools in Germany and Italy (Army schools = big city ghetto schools) before parents sent us to prep school. Andover for me and Exeter for my brother.

I experienced amazing culture shock. Andover was sinf or swim. My classmates were, for the most part, smart. Only dumbasses on campus were the PG year jocks being groomed for Ivy football and hockey teams. I got clobbered by how fast classes moved, by how difficult the tests were. I'd been a straight A student who wrote papers and studied for tests on the morning school bus ride. If I didn't turn something in on time, teachers accepted my excuses.

Now I was at a place that didn't coddle or hand-hold or accept excuses. If you copped an attitude or acted like an ass, Andover might well ask you not to return for the next term. I was in classes with 8-10 students, all smart and prepared. I nearly flunked out before gaining my footing. I needed an entire first term to learn how to study, how to take notes, how to write a sentence, then a paragraph, and finally an entire essay. Brother had similar experience at Exeter.

Andover provided me with a first-rate education. It forced me to grow up and stand on my own feet. If nothing else, it made college a breeze. Made some amazing friends. (Amazing how often the New York Times mentions my classmates. I recall reading that a guy in my dorm during senior year had inherited a billion dollars.)

The downside: I was clueless when I arrived at college. I'd gone to debutante parties and crap like that but I'd never had a girlfriend or even been on a date. (I'd managed to get laid but not at Andover.) I didn't own a car and barely knew how to drive. Knew more than was good for me about drugs and drinking. Andover was a school were students invited one another to cocktail hours before dinner. It wasn't until I got to Wall Street that I saw as much cocaine as I'd seen years before at Andover.

There was lots I disliked about the place. But I was a teenager and had my issues. Most of what I disliked about prep school probably had more to do with me. I would have been just as unhappy had I stayed at that Army school in Italy. So I don't blame Andover for anything.

And I generally had a good time.

 

[RSS]



...parents sent us to prep school. Andover for me and Exeter for my brother.

The downside: I was clueless when I arrived at college.

I was very clued in when I arrived at college. From my point of view, college was a slightly more independent version of prep school. I certainly knew lots of other students. On the other hand, classes were often a bit larger ... until I got to grad school.