<p>I’ll try to stop posting after this,
but by writing, you mean the one phrase ‘enjoying the ice cream machine?’
mkay.
I actually prefer to ‘figure people out’ by getting to know them, but that’s just me.</p>
<p>Well said, Brandon, and good luck at Choate!</p>
<p>Good luck to you iCatherine at virtual Andover.</p>
<p>Tmparent…YAYAYAYAYAYAY! I’m so thrilled that Peddie appeals to you the most :). Wow…ladies and gentleman, we have a convert. Welcome to the community! Did you get lots and lots of Peddie gear?</p>
<p>I kid, I kid.
… about that being my last post.</p>
<p>Really? That’s funny, I’ve never heard about a virtual Andover. But I am going to a school next year with a similar name, minus the virtual part. But enough about myself. Good luck to you too, pulsar. Though you have yet to say which school you will be attending, that is trivial. I’m sure it’s justt right for you.(:</p>
<p>You are probably wondering how I figured you out from your writing?</p>
<p>Funny that you mentioned the “Peddie gear”. That is how I was sure my d was excited. She immediately wanted to buy Peddie stuff.</p>
<p>Yes, of course! That’s what we all love 
I already had a closet of gear–now I have a banner, shorts, sweats, 2 sweatshirts, 2 t-shirts, pajama pants, pennant, and rain jacket! As kids, tmparent, I think we like to show off our school pride. I am fiercely loyal to Peddie–I couldn’t imagine myself at any other place, especially L’ville :)</p>
<p>My posts are not meant to downgrade L’ville as I think it is also a tremendous school. I know some kids there. They also love it. But I am happy with my d at Peddie.</p>
<p>Peddie has a great Head Master who seems dedicated to making the school great. I think it’s just a matter of time. Peddie faculty, staff, and students are down-to-earth. I think one thing I noticed is the incoming students’ average SSATs may be lower than Lawrenceville’s, but the graduating students’ SATs are comparable to or exceed lawrenceville’s which means they are doing a good job during those 4 years.</p>
<p>As they say DATA IN _ DATA OUT.</p>
<p>The most important thing is what you have going in, and what you get going out?</p>
<p>The most competitive schools have the best coming in , but are they the best coming out?</p>
<p>Good question! Pulsar15, did you apply this year? To any schools, I mean.</p>
<p>Sent from my SPH-M920 using CC App</p>
<p>I have relatives at both Lville and Peddie. One thing they share is a high day school population and sink or swim attitude. Get ready to forge your own way because the faculty are not really that dedicated to helping students–function of the NJ mentality and high day school populations.</p>
<p>What do you mean by NJ mentality? just curious.</p>
<p>When I said L’ville, I mean it in a light-hearted manner. Sorry if I accidentally offended anyone!</p>
<p>Sent from my SPH-M920 using CC App</p>
<p>- Basic format/schedule of your revisit day
The 2011 St. Pauls Spring Visit (their name for revisit days) program is spread over two half days. </p>
<p>DAY ONE: Held in the evening, starting with registration at 4 PM. Tours were available for the window of time before dinner. At 5 PM, the admitted kids were then paired with a current student (you can provide guidelines when it comes to your host athlete, musician, etc.). Dinner was served at 5:15 PM. Parents and admissions staff/faculty ate in the Upper Dining Room (which is a very grand wood-paneled space), the students ate in the much more cafeteria-like Coit Middle Dining Room which is where I think most daily meals are served. Afterwards, there were two open receptions in the gym (the first for activities/clubs, the second for sports). Talented and tuneful instrumental and vocal ensembles performed at the first reception, which sort of blended into the next one held upstairs. After that, parents went to rectors home for a talk by Mr. Matthews (the current rector) then refreshments (including some of the traditional poppyseed cake very tasty). While we are at the rectory, the students attended a variety show featuring more student performing arts groups. They then came over to the Rectory to meet the Rector and his wife and rejoined their parents. We were free to leave for the evening around 9 PM.</p>
<p>DAY TWO: Started at 7:30 AM with a coffee/fruit/pastries reception in the Sheldon admissions building. We were stuck in traffic en route, so I only had time for a coffee before we had to get to chapel. They had a regular chapel for the upper forms and the visitors Third Formers had a separate chapel in the original, smaller chapel building. In lieu of a spoken sermon/meditation, a student played two classical guitar pieces (extremely well, I should add). Students then left to attend classes with their host. Parents went to a student life panel in the library, then two more presentations (Academics & Student Resources) in the Hockey Center. Then lunch with our kids in the Upper dining room (brief speeches by Rector Matthews & outgoing Director of Admissions Jada Hebra). Parents were then free to attend a class (we were given a few options based on interests expressed in online Revisit RSVP form). You could leave by around 1:30 PM if you didnt stay for sport practices or have other business on campus.</p>
<p>- Did the revisit confirm your interest in the school or did it dissuade you from matriculating?
Revisit significantly reduced interest in school.*</p>
<p>- What specific things about the revisit pushed you in either direction?
We did not see the school as a good fit for our child/our familys values. Child had similar reaction.</p>
<p>- Did you learn anything new/surprising about the school?
I had a chance to speak one-on-one with the incoming Rector Mike Hirschfeld, who has been at the school for a while as a teacher/dean. He is also a graduate of the school. While current students & current/past parents expressed support and admiration for Mr. Hirschfeld on the forum when his nomination was announced, I did not know much about him.</p>
<p>So I am glad that I was able to spend some time with Mr. Hirschfeld (I skipped out of a significant portion of a panel discussion that my wife was already attending) talking about my joys and concerns about SPS he seemed like a smart nice guy who is interested in making SPS an even better place. I liked him a lot.</p>
<p>- Something you wish you had learned which you didn’t
One of my biggest reservations about the SPS revisit was that the various presentations offered were too broad in scope and not nearly deep enough. Besides getting a vibe for campus and the students, I did not learn anything that I did not already know from the SPS site, my AO, or current/past parents/students from the board with whom Ive corresponded.</p>
<p>I think part of this stems from the fact that they have to accommodate a bigger (and perhaps more diverse in terms of familiarity with the school some prospective parents and students I met had never visited the campus before!) group of guests than smaller schools. Unless you split the larger group into smaller ones, its just not going to feel as intimate and I guess I shouldnt have expected it to feel that way.</p>
<p>- How was the food?
Food was average
not amazing (hello Groton!) and not terrible. Lunch was better than dinner. That said, I had a fruit Danish at one of the many refreshment tables throughout the two-day program which was among the best I have ever had.</p>
<p>- How were the classes you sat in on?
My wife and I attended an upper level science class that was more of a lecture despite having a Harkness type table in the front of the classroom. I thought the teacher was good and presented the material in an interesting enough way. I was very surprised and disappointed by the lack of engagement shown by the students.</p>
<p>NOTE: The revisit confirmed for me that St. Pauls has one of the finest campuses (facilities, layout, integration into landscape) of any American boarding school. The Spring revisits are held at perhaps the worst time for natural beauty when everything is melting and muddy (oh, and it snowed/sleeted on the second day!), but the campus is still breathtaking and I hope a continuous source of inspiration to students who attend the school.</p>
<p>*I can almost hear the audible gasps across the CC nation as I have been an ardent and vocal fan on this site (and our household) of SPS since our first visit in the Summer. Believe me, I was surprised, too.</p>
<p>Congratulations SAS Dad?</p>
<p>Great review, 7d. Guess you have an easy decision to make then. Congrats and best wishes to your daughter and your family for a great four year run at SAS!</p>
<p>Anyone go to Deerfield’s revisit??</p>
<p>lol, barely anyone got in. They waitlisted so many kids. Good luck finding someone who went.</p>
<p>It’s a small school. They can’t admit 1100 like some mini-colleges do.</p>