<p>I dont see why any of this matters these schools may enhance your chances to go to really great colleges but they are far too overpriced. Is it really that hard to get into these schools anyway? I came from a crappy public school system and got into all the CT schools plus Exeter and Andover. I didn’t have anything special on my resume SSAT score was 2100 and I played a lot of sports. I think Catholic School is the way to go if you have a cheap one nearby.</p>
<p>I debated about weighing in on this whole bogus “one school is better than another school” BS but then remembered we’re talking about students with limited experience ranking schools based on tidbits of data, a lot of hearsay and limited tour.</p>
<p>Sigh.</p>
<p>On this board, there’s a tendency to take limited data and spin it into propaganda. I find it hilarious since the schools being debated are still top 10 or 15 out of hundreds. And that “acceptance rate” may be skewed by the feeding frenzy created when students begin deciding which schools are better (and use acronyms, etc.)</p>
<p>Talk about minutiae.</p>
<p>If it’s any consolation, Devon, I was pretty impressed with Taft. My husband went on the revisit and didn’t allow me to weigh in my opinion before hand. He’s a grad school adcom who sat in on several classes and then sent me text messages that read “Wow!”</p>
<p>We both saw enough at the school to be comfortable that - contrary to Hcos12893’s limited viewpoint, Taft is not solely focused on sports, and has “alternatives” for those who aren’t sports oriented. It is also pretty well diversified in terms of activities. I loved that the Art teacher who wasn’t even part of the tour, pulled my non-art daughter aside and quizzed her on how she was keeping all the schools straight during her interviews and my daughter replied “a spreadsheet” and they got into an animated discussion. The twinkle in my d’s eyes told me she was smitten. And Taft got rave reviews from my friends on staff at Exeter.</p>
<p>So I wonder about the maturity of people who - hearing someone is happy with a school, has to come on and find reasons why it’s not a good choice. Given all the private messages from prospective parents who also liked Taft, I’d say to ignore the opinions of the less “wisened.”</p>
<p>Hope we meet in September when the kids start their new lives. My DH already calls me “Tafty mom.”</p>
<p>hey its all about opinion and thats all that matters you might call me less “wisened” or what have you but i have a perspective that parents will never have. </p>
<p>seeing students when </p>
<p>A) their parents aren’t around and they are not at their respective boarding schools, basically what they do at night in the city. I know a wide range of students from all different schools some are nice, well-mannered, and considerate (not to say they don’t do illicit things). And others whose behavior i find simply appalling. I must point that it is not just 1 at each school but a good number of kids not double digits but a bunch from each school. obviously it is a limited viewpoint as i cannot meet every student. The kids that i know that attend Taft are… in a word, rambunctious. I do rather like one student. nonetheless i highly doubt that either of your children by the sounds of it associate themselves with these type of kids. </p>
<p>B)
you will never hear how the students talk about their school when it is not revisit or a tour ExieMITalum you told a great story about hell and heaven and recruiting <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-parents/889482-seeking-opinions-governors-academy-taft.html?highlight=devil[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-parents/889482-seeking-opinions-governors-academy-taft.html?highlight=devil</a> but kids who are actually there have a very different perception of things at the school then the did previous to attending. obviously at any school there will be kids that hate it but thats not the point. for example one of the kids i know basically when he talks about taft, its all about athletics he DOESN’T even play any sports. and the other one to high to even talk but that another story for another time.</p>
<p>I think everyone here is right. All of these schools are good and it just matters where you want to go. Although in my mind boarding schools is not worth it unless you are at one of the best deerfield, MX, Taft, Exeter, Choate ext. Its really not worth over $40,000 a year to go to a school with high acceptance rates, unless you are looking for a sport like hockey.</p>
<p>Hcos,</p>
<p>A lot of people come to these boards looking for good information. While your “opinion” is as valid as the next when taken in that context, I worry that you take your limited experience and spin it into a “definitive” answer. I’m going strictly on your body of posts and what you’ve said on this thread.</p>
<p>Your assumptions about what any of us do and do not know about current students shows how flawed your viewpoints are. Since I’m in the mix more than you, on campus (plural) beyond my daughter’s visits, I dare say I might have access to some things you don’t.</p>
<p>So my comment about being “wisened” holds true. All of us are trying to bring the argument back to the middle of the road - no one school is perfect for everyone. Even so-called “top tier” schools are self selecting hence their matriculation rate is manipulated at the point of applications, and the majority of students don’t go to IVY’s so anyone choosing a school needs to look at “Fit” not insurance policy. Also, the use of acronyms like HADES and GLAD CHEMMS just fuels a false acceptance rate by driving applications to schools which have not then increased admissions. So it makes schools look more selective, while equally good schools go unnoticed.</p>
<p>So - therefore - it is significant that Adcoms do know each other across school boundaries, I was able to get good credible opinions from them about which of my daughter’s choices were top notch, and then spent time talking to staff at each school beyond your level of access. </p>
<p>So, kiddo, rock on. But stop declaring a verdict when you don’t really know more than what limited information you have. </p>
<p>One person’s “hell” can be another person’s “heaven.”</p>
<p>Nicely said, Yankee.</p>
<p>Well said ExieMitAlum!</p>
<p>Exie, you have inverted the obligation of caution. A post is only the opinion of an imperfectly informed individual. Readers of this forum ought to be skeptical of all posts, including yours. No one has perfect information or insight into the boarding school experience. These are small, cloistered, institutions, which change 25% of the student and varying amounts of teacher and administrative personnel each year. Arguably, only the current students and staff can accurately describe the culture.</p>
<p>Indeed, Tetus!</p>
<p>No argument there. </p>
<p>My post here was to counter a single point of view born from limited exposure beyond his/her won experience mocking the alternate choice of another. Had Hcos been on campus for a while (say a year or two) I’d still view the posts as limited perspective - but more informed than someone who is just advancing out of the applicant pool.</p>
<p>All views should be seen with skepticism. But it’s fair to say that while many things change with student populations, a lot does not. Traditions tend to be reinforced as Adcoms seek to admit students who enhance the atmosphere.</p>
<p>ExieMITAlum if you are trying to bring this back to the middle of the road then why must you persist on being a snarky and condescending in your comments. you are only shedding bad light on both your alma mater’s. </p>
<p>“spent time talking to staff at each school beyond your level of access.” </p>
<p>this may be true on some but its a shame that the headmaster of L’ville was my mother’s roommate at Princeton and was able to give honest opinions/evaluations of all of the schools I researched/toured so please don’t think that just because i am a young adult, I’m ignorant and are less “wisened” then you. In NYC every other kid goes to boarding school and while you might know the official rep of each school. I know the Street rep and what goes now that the teachers don’t want to know about. I never said that I am trying to weave a “definitive answer” only enlighten both of you into a world that you know nothing about.</p>
<p>“I dare say I might have access to some things you don’t.”</p>
<p>and I dare say that I do to I’m sorry you can’t see what kids do on the long weekends and breaks in the city it would rock your world.</p>
<p>“how flawed your viewpoints are.”</p>
<p>if mine viewpoints are flawed then are what are your’s ?
every viewpoint is just as flawed as the next because no one has had the same experiences or preconceived notions about certain schools or what have you.</p>
<p>“So, kiddo, rock on. But stop declaring a verdict when you don’t really know more than what limited information you have”</p>
<p>your information is limited as well so how about you stop calling the kettle black, there buddy. i never said that i was “declaring a verdict” your words not mine. I hate it when people put words in my mouth, i simply said that i was offering a view of the school which you had little to no knowledge about so please stop it.</p>
<p>“One person’s “hell” can be another person’s ‘heaven.’”
that is the only thing thing you said in that entire post which was even somewhat worth reading. i completely argee with that statement.</p>
<p>Yankeesarebad sums it up perfectly in his post let that be the last “word” in this discussion.</p>
<p>“I think everyone here is right. All of these schools are good and it just matters where you want to go. Although in my mind boarding schools is not worth it unless you are at one of the best deerfield, MX, Taft, Exeter, Choate ext. Its really not worth over $40,000 a year to go to a school with high acceptance rates, unless you are looking for a sport like hockey.”</p>
<p>ExieMITAlum your post was one of the most direspectful things i have come across here on CC. I can’t beileve a parent would ever write such things. and address me like i was a mere child. As i said above you are only shedding bad light on your alma maters. with your “holier than thou” attitude and your I’m the authority on everything from college admissions to boarding school admissions. your opinion is just as useful and useless as mine. this is the internet there are, no young and old, no rules everyone is everyone else’s peer. so not matter what you said and not matter how much “connections” you have, this is the internet and you are not better or have any more knowledge then me. our opinions are of equal value here because this is not the real world.</p>
<p>Good day.</p>
<p>Hcos12893 - but you are you a kid, aren’t you? </p>
<p>You may not like Exie’s tone, but she does offer more perspectives than you. She was a kid herself back in the day, she is involved in boarding school admissions currently, she is a boarding school parent, she is a graduate of both a boarding school and an excellent college, she has met far more kids in her life than you’ve met in yours and, a small thing here, she has years of experience dealing with life that you simply don’t have - yet. </p>
<p>No one is denying the value of your opinion and your special knowledge of boarding school “street rep,” but if I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Exie’s experience any day. One small piece of advice, if you’d consider taking it, is not to write crazy stuff like:</p>
<p>“this is the internet and you are not better or have any more knowledge then me. our opinions are of equal value here because this is not the real world”</p>
<p>You makes Exie’s point for her when you say things like this and undermine your own. </p>
<p>Still, I appreciate your **** and vinegar. You’re a lively CC’er and keep things interesting.</p>
<p>thank you rebelangel
for understanding my point of view on the situation i was/am rather angry of how she twisted my words. it is a shame a wrote that last part but i just wanted to get the post done, it was quite long and tiresome to write. i really appreciate your tone of not talking down to me if there is anything in the world i hate, it is that. thank you and i wish you well</p>
<p>Come on guys, this is the Internet. Let’s not have petty spats via this otherwise informational website, alright?
P.S. - Of course I understand all about “fit;” I myself turned down one school for a less prestigious one based upon this “fit” factor. At the same time, though, I would have to disagree with many schools that were listed as the top 25 in the nation on the first post. For example, schools like Miss Porters or St. Andrew’s are not nearly in the same league as Exeter and Hotchkiss. I know only about schools on that list, and so cannot make any judgments for the rest, but I would recommend revision.</p>
<p>The rest of us would not.</p>
<p>“Best” has been judged based solely on whether or not an applicant appeared to be more likely to get into an IVY or “Top School” - a dubious judgment with an “east coast” bias at best.</p>
<p>Hence, “Best” is relative and “scores” are too since they represent an average, not an absolute especially when we’re talking about the top schools out of hundreds.</p>
<p>One might argue, for instance, that you stand a better chance of getting into MIT if your parents relocated to Virginia and you applied to Jefferson, than going to any of the boarding schools on the list. Jefferson routinely gets double digit acceptances. And yet I don’t see an exodus to apply or migrate to the state.</p>
<p>On another thread, a parent asked me to dig up stats on IVY acceptance rates for boarding schools versus public schools. While compiling them, I was also surprised at how many of those schools also posted their SAT and ACT ranges. The majority of students (by a wide margin) come from public schools. I doubt they’d suddenly rank “lower” for admitting such a large percentage of “non-boarding” students, or less than perfect scores. Why go to a NE boarding school if one coveted IVY only took 17% of it’s students from the east coast and only 7% international.</p>
<p>So our assessment of “other schools” are based on knowledge beyond the worn out stats tossed around on the boards about what makes a school “better.” I’m an Exeter grad and darn proud of it. But I had my eyes “opened” when I took my daughter on tours of competing schools. She’s a double legacy but chose Taft. My husband, a Med School adcom kept texting me with “WOW” while he was touring with her on revisits.</p>
<p>So maybe we’re all better off not trying to suggest what makes a “top ten.” Because the fallacy is - the majority of people making that assessment - although well meaning - are underinformed and are regurgitating a limited amount of data.</p>
<p>They’re all good schools folks. Pick the best one for YOU.</p>