<p>Went on Monday 4/4…worst weather possible. but we knew the campus and the people and it was a great day. Kids all seem great, but nothing intimidating. Proves the point that the hardest thing about the top schools is getting in. Once in you’ll do fine.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t call rain the worst weather possible as there could be snow or tornadoes.</p>
<p>@ teddy100</p>
<p>I went to a custom revisit day last week at Deerfield. The class I attended there was really engaging, and both the teacher and students seemed happy and excited for the subject. The student I was to be with for the day was really nice, and he introduced me to many of his friends there. I can say for sure that the students at Deerfield are kind and welcoming. Also, dorms and campus are great. Food was terrific. Can’t wait to attend next year!</p>
<p>SevenDad, so glad to read your post that truly shows how important revisits are. Hope all goes well for your D in her final decision.</p>
<p>Prepschoolseeker, What classes did you attend?</p>
<p>I only got to attend one class since it was a half day when I went.</p>
<p>The class I was placed in was Spanish.</p>
<p>What is a custom revisit day?</p>
<p>Ah good one, neato ;). I’m not sure if it is called that, but what I meant was that it was not one of Deerfield’s main revisit days.</p>
<p>How did you manage that? Are you from the Koch family?</p>
<p>Our SPS’s revisit experience is great. All of us enjoyed it especially our child. Just want to say it is probably due to “fit”.
- Basic format/schedule of your revisit day
We also went on 4/3~4/4. So please check SevenDad’s post. - Did the revisit confirm your interest in the school or did it dissuade you from matriculating?
Confirmed. - What specific things about the revisit pushed you in either direction?
The design of the revisit program let us have more chance to contact with more students. The kids we randomly met while walking in the campus were very friendly and helpful. - Did you learn anything new/surprising about the school?
Back in the our first tour last August, our tour guide mentioned that their swim pool lanes were short than the tournament requirement. We were told it was not the case. - Something you wish you had learned which you didn’t
Guess not at the point. - How was the food?
Quiet normal. If they are just normal food that students have daily, I am satisfied. - How were the classes you sat in on?
I attended a humanity class while my husband attended a AP biology class. The classrooms are bit of old but they are well equipped. The students which I sat in were very engaged and I enjoyed it. My husband was also satisfied in his class.</p>
<p>We attended the Deerfield revist w reluctant, scowling, admitted C in tow. By the end of the visit C was excited to matriculate, in spite of the miserableness and gloom of the cold rainy day.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Basic format/schedule of your revisit day
initial infomal fair to meet with coaches
admitted students paired off w Deerfield student to attend classes, visit dorms, and eat a sit-down lunch
parents attended a Teacher panel discussion, sit-down lunch with admissions office staff, Administration panel discussion, Student panel discussion, tour of campus</p></li>
<li><p>Did the revisit confirm your interest in the school or did it dissuade you from matriculating?
Trip was well worth the effort to convince S to attend Deerfield (C was initially put-off by rural-ness of the campus)</p></li>
<li><p>What specific things about the revisit pushed you in either direction?
Genuine sense of community at Deerfield. The Deerfield kids really shined in spite of the miserable weather that day.
Very supportive environment for the students. Did not have the sink-or-swim feel of some other schools</p></li>
<li><p>Did you learn anything new/surprising about the school?<br>
Though the campus is in a rural location, there are plenty of intersting diversions both on campus and off campus nearby</p></li>
<li><p>Something you wish you had learned which you didn’t
Wish we had stayed for the campus tour afterwards, but rain was pouring and we had a flight to catch</p></li>
<li><p>How was the food?<br>
Quite good. The white chocolate chip and cranberry cookies were seriously criminally great</p></li>
<li><p>How were the classes you sat in on?
C was VERY impressed by how smart and ENTHUSIASTIC all the kids are</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Anyone attend a Hotchkiss re-visit?</p>
<p>
Cranberry! I couldn’t quite place the flavor but those were amazing cookies!!! </p>
<p>We should have had some kind of “secret CC handshake” so we would have know who each other was on Monday. LOL</p>
<p>Choate revisit April 4, 2011
Basic format:
8:30- Greeted at the front steps of library by Choate mascot. Picture was taken under large welcome sign.
8:50-9:30- Registration and interest sampling(conveniently set up like a club fair on numerous tables)
9:45-10:15 Singing and dance performances followed by Dean of Admission welcome and Q&A with teachers and students.
10:30-1:40-Visiting students attend classes and lunch with Choate host.
Parents have various options for tours, class sit ins, and Q&A sessions followed by lunch with faculty.
1:50-2:30- Visiting students and parents reunite in chapel for singing and musical performances and conclude with closing remarks from dean of admission and headmaster.</p>
<p>Did revisit confirm interest? Yes, It was the best revisit out of all of our schools.
Specifically the campus had a good vibe. Son felt the students really enjoyed their teachers and classes.</p>
<p>Did you learn anything new/surprising? Yes, a new environmental science building will be completed in 2013.</p>
<p>Something you wish you have learned which you did not? We wish we would have taken the invitation to stay and visit afternoon practices. The threat of rain made us decide to call it a day.</p>
<p>How was the food? Good for institutional food.
How were the classes? Son felt they were challenging but felt there was enough support around not to feel like a sink or swim atmosphere.</p>
<p>I was lucky by chance to sit next to the dean of freshman boys. I learned he’s been teaching at Choate since the 70’s when an alumni, class of 75, greeted him and told him he was one of the best teachers he ever had. That spoke volumes to me.
Choate you had me at hello. 
I hope my son picks your school.</p>
<p>@ muf</p>
<p>Yeah, the weather always seems to get us at Choate. When I came for spring visits a couple years ago, it was pouring rain. It’s been raining/predicted to rain on all but one of our revisit days this year. </p>
<p>I hope that your son makes the right choice ;)</p>
<p>We went to Hotchkiss this weekend. We loved the school and decided that this is the school for my daughter. It was not about the facilities or the courses but about being the right fit for her. We know that these schools are wonderful academically and the issue of having adults around had been addressed for us before the visit. My daughter enjoyed the classes and she participated a lot in a couple of them. The current preps were great and honest about what to expect</p>
<p>Berkshire revisit (I posted about our Loomis revisit on a Loomis revisit thread)</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Basic format/schedule of your revisit day
8:30-10:00 Registration in dining commons. We were serenaded by a chamber music group, which was really good. Got to chat with some faculty members who were floating around. Student hosts came in and found our son and talked with us and him. Lots of yummy food to nosh on. Welcoming remarks by head of admissions, who listed many things about the 55 or so kids there which made them special or unique in some way (not by name, just what the special thing was)–a very impressive list.<br>
10:00-1:15–son went off with his host, who took him to his dorm, to the photo department, to math class, and to lunch. A different student met up with my son and took him to science class and then brought him back to where the parents were.
10:00–parents could have a tour or go to class, either a real one or a mock one. Husband went to a real physics class which he liked, though some of the kids were clearly surfing the net during class. I went to a mock history class with the head of the history department, but we spent most of the time asking lots of questions about both academics and general boarding school life, school policies, etc. I wish some parents there had actually spent some time on the school website or had downloaded and read the parent handbook, because then they wouldn’t have had to ask such basic things like, what are the hours of the class day? but I digress . . .
10:50–panel discussion with dean of faculty, head of college counseling, a house parent/teacher, and four outstanding students. A wonderful and informative presentation and lots of really good Q & A.
11:40–sit down lunch, food brought by servers (much better planning than at Loomis)–several parents and at least one teacher and one current student at each table. Got to ask lots more questions of our two students, compared notes with other parents, grilled the teacher about academics and dorm life. A really enjoyable session. (to compare, Loomis tried to squeeze all parents into the head’s house, where we had to wait on a long line to grab a wrap and some salad from a buffet, and then it was so over crowded we ended up sitting on the stairs with at least 8 other parents.)
1:15–Head of school Michael Mahar spoke very passionately about what makes Berkshire special. Kids joined us at the end. Then a slideshow about life at Berkshire, into which they had interspersed photos of (seemingly) every kid who was there revisiting (they did that at Loomis too)–I thought it was a really nice touch.
1:45-2:30–activities fair in the Athletic center, with all sorts of clubs, all the sports coaches, even a lady from the bookstore with Berkshire themed items to sell. After that, off to home.</p></li>
<li><p>Did the revisit confirm your interest in the school or did it dissuade you from matriculating? Our son really enjoyed his visit and confirmed for him that it is most likely the right place for him.</p></li>
<li><p>What specific things about the revisit pushed you in either direction?
Our son thought that the kids seemed happier at Berkshire than at Loomis. It really seemed as though the kids were a very close community, which is something he was looking for. We parents were impressed by the emphasis on the “whole student” and the well-being of the students. They are proud of their academics, which seem to be on a definite upswing, but what they kept stressing is the sense of community there and their supportive atmosphere.</p></li>
<li><p>Did you learn anything new/surprising about the school?
They have a semi-finalist for the Intel competition, and seven kids will be entering next year.<br>
They also tap and produce their own maple syrup, which they were giving out to all the visiting families. That’s part of their amazing Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program which is a truly unique aspect of Berkshire.
Their college acceptances are improving, with an impressive list of early admits. The college counseling director said that next year’s class is even better, and that each year behind that also seems better than the one before it. I think that speaks to the direction in which Berkshire is going.</p></li>
<li><p>Something you wish you had learned which you didn’t</p></li>
<li><p>How was the food?
Son thought the food was fine, nothing spectacular. Parent lunch was very good.</p></li>
<li><p>How were the classes you sat in on?
Son found the math teacher to be really good, such that he was able to “get it” despite the class being one year ahead of where he is now. He liked the biology teacher also. I wish he had been able to go to a third class.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Overall, we had a really good visit, despite terrible weather (the rain turned to snow before we left!). The school really has something special about it.</p>
<p>My D and I also went to Peddie’s revisit day yesterday April 5. Laughalittle, your description of the agenda was accurate. I enjoyed the program especially Mr. Greene’s talk, the science head’s presentation to parents, the discussion with the panel of students, presentations at lunch, history class (I guess I should say, I totally enjoyed it all). I found Peddie to be low-key despite it’s remarkable facilities (science bldg/lab, athletics) faculty, students and technology. All the students I chatted with and ran into were really pleasant. I left sufficiently impressed and reassured that if my d chose Peddie, I would be 200% supportive of her choice. This was our first visit. D was TOTALLY SOLD on Peddie and had me shopping for her at the bookstore after. She immediately donned the Peddie sweatshirt on and even raved about Peddie to people on the return flight! Laughalittle, if you were in the spanish class where the teacher called a revisit student “Tejas”, then that was my d. Well, I need to send out a couple of decline e-mails and then head to fedex to mail out the signed Peddie contract and check … :)</p>
<p>Congrats shakeitoff! So…lots of Peddie gear in the closet yet?</p>
<p>I’m not sure if I was called Tejas. Was it an all girls class? Wait…does your D speak Spanish?</p>