A prep school student: Ask me any question!

<p>wow prephelp!! Thanks so much! This thread is awesome! :D</p>

<p>1) Could you talk a little about the advising set up at MX? Does the advisor make sure kids aren't spending too much time alone in their room and help them figure out how to sign up for clubs/athletics ect...? Did you know any shy/quiet kids at MX?</p>

<p>2) can you talk about the drugs/alcohol you mentioned ? </p>

<p>Thanks again! You are helping out this nervous mom so much! :)</p>

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Could you talk a little about the advising set up at MX? Does the advisor make sure kids aren't spending too much time alone in their room and help them figure out how to sign up for clubs/athletics ect...?

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<p>Basically, you can choose any faculty member you wish to be this advisor, and you can always switch out if you are not feeling it. Most kids choose their team coach, dorm head, favorite class teacher, etc... I'd say every teacher does it a little differently. Most advisors set up weekly meetings to chat with their advisees for a check-in. They can do this over a breakfast, afternoon tea, or munchkins, like whatever suits their tastes. Often, the advisees will also meet as a group altogether. Advisors LOVE inviting their advisees to little dinner parties at their houses, take them off-campus for lunch, and have a cookout during spring, etc. The official responsibility of advisors is basically to look over your grades, meet with your parents, write them letters about how you're doing, and talk to your teachers and discuss your performance during class. But mostly, they just like to talk everyday things and see how you're enjoying your life. If there's any issue, of course, they won't hesitate to help you. </p>

<p>But students aren't limited to seeking advice only from their advisors. Whenever I had a problem, I could always run to my dorm head, my favorite English teacher, school therapist, the headmaster's secretary, the cook, even the school technician... Really ANY adult at mx was so open and friendly, and they all knew the students so well and loved talking to them. If I needed help signing up for clubs or athletics like you asked, I didn't have to wait to set up a meeting with my advisor or email her specifically. I could just knock on the teacher's apartment door down my hallway or pop into my dean's office. I don't know if this is the same at other schools, but MX is such a close-knit community that these close relationships with everyone were not rare. </p>

<p>Teachers were truly amazing. They have such devotion to students - not only in classes but in dorms, sports teams, and advisees. Going to a boarding school means you WILL develop a close friendship to at least one faculty member. Many of the teachers at Middlesex have been teaching at the school for at least a decade; I believe the average time is something like eighteen years which rly proves commitment and quality of school's teaching. I've found those relationships I've built with my teachers truly lasting. I'm already halfway into college, and I've kept in touch with several of the mx faculties. I email them frequently, send them christmast presents, visit them and have lunch whenever I'm back in Concord. And I'm not the only one! All my friends do it. I think it's amazing that we still talk and how they still "advise" me on life. </p>

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Does the advisor make sure kids aren't spending too much time alone in their room...? Did you know any shy/quiet kids at MX?

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<p>Of course. Like I mentioned above, advisors are not the only ones who will try to help students. Coaches, teachers, and student deans are all enormously helpful. There is also the Students Peer Support Group. Along with advisors, you are assigned to a peer supporter who is an upperclassmen student who will look over you. They help you more with social life. If you are having a problem with friends, teammates, substance use - things that you'd rather not discuss with adults - you can always turn to these guys. Proctors in your dorm who are senior leaders will also try to look after you. I was really shy and quiet as a freshmen, and my proctor would always invite me to her room for food, movies, and sleepovers. My peer supporter would invite us to these random pizza/dance parties, and we'd socialize and have a good time. When I was a senior myself, there was a girl in my advisor group who was having serious issues with having friends. My advisor came to me and asked me to look after her, because she knew that we were on the same sports team. If a kid is rrrrreally homesick, like can't stand it I need professional help sick, there is a counselor/threapist he can go to.</p>

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can you talk about the drugs/alcohol you mentioned ?

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<p>Drugs/alcohol problem is something that you WILL have to face at any boarding school. Every boarding school deals with these issues a little differently. At Hotchkiss, you are caught once, then you're gone for good. At Middlesex, even if you are in the presence of substance although you are not participating, you still get in trouble. If, for whatever reason, you are caught breaking a major school rule, the Disciplinary Committee will discuss what to do with you whether you are suspended or expelled... There's like a whole handbook containing these rules... </p>

<p>Um.... At Middlesex, there is an educational program called "Choices" which all new freshmen and sophomores must attend. Its aim is to educate underclassmen about alcohol and drugs usage and sex and encourage them to "make good choices." There is also another program where drugs educators come in from outside and talk to kids who are particularly having special issues with drugs. You do this only if you really need that help. </p>

<p>Sometimes the school will do a room-check. Like teachers and proctors have the privilege to come into your room (under your supervision, of course) and search for any illegal substance.</p>

<p>My advice regarding this matter would be "just don't get caught."</p>

<p>How did new juniors do at MX? Did you befriend anybody/did they enjoy themselves and come out with similar long-lasting relationships?</p>

<p>New juniors are somewhat rare at mx. When I was still in school, there were never more than five kids per year. They have somewhat a hard time in the beginning during the orientation, just because the new student orientation consists of all freshmen and like thirty sophomores. Once classes start, however, they integrate within the society very quickly. The deans and their dorm faculties are especially attentive to them. The deans will always put them on the same dorm floor with other juniors who have reputations for being "nice." There are also class requirements they must fill out for credits, and it's sometimes annoying for them. Among the new juniors, I've seen some sports recruits who were having academic difficulties and others with adjustments to living on their own. By the senior year though, I've felt like the new juniors in my class have been with me at mx the whole time.</p>

<p>How do you get magazine subscriptions?</p>

<p>I though waitlists were simply that; a wait-list. I didn't know you could be actively engaged in trying to come off of it - I thought it simply depended on timing and random picking.</p>

<p>Are all schools like this?</p>

<p>Well done PrepHelp!! I agree with everything you say.</p>

<p>Wait... prephelp deleted their post?</p>

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How do you get magazine subscriptions?

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<p>Sorry, I don't really understand your question... </p>

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I though waitlists were simply that; a wait-list. I didn't know you could be actively engaged in trying to come off of it - I thought it simply depended on timing and random picking.</p>

<p>Are all schools like this?

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<p>I mean it's a pretty selective admission process, so they're not gonna admit kids based on "random picking and timing." It's most likely that the admission officers will have ranked the wait-list; you could be their number one call or all the way down to number fifteen - in which case, they are gonna try calling fourteen kids for acceptance before they get to you. But who knows how long these waitlists even are.</p>

<p>I always wanted to ask that question ;)</p>

<p>So...</p>

<p>I have an impression that most kids at boarding schools are really open-minded and friendly. But I'm really curious to know how the situation with international students looks like. Do they tend to stick together or do they also have good friends among American students? Are they welcomed at school as much as American students?</p>

<p>The contrary. Kids at boarding school tend to be more exclusive, judgmental, and cliquey. It deviates a little from typical American high schools(i.e. Mean Girls), but it still is high school, come on. They tend to care a lot whether you are "one of them." They will judge you from your clothing brands to whether you wear pearls, pop your collars, and carry LLBean tote bags. The more athletic, the more respect you will get. Being on Varsity lax or some other favorite sports will make you much "cooler." You will definitely encounter conversations on how much money someone's family has or what their family names are which they will use to prove whether they are related to someone famous historically or some billionaire you read on magazines or the school buildings are named after. Pretty goes for blonde and skinny. Typical vacation spots are Martha's Vineyard and Cape and Maine. </p>

<p>Blah Blah I really hate writing things like this, because personally I think it's all rubbish, but I try to give you an honest description of boarding schools that you will not read on their admission catalogues. </p>

<p>As kids grow up, they eventually realize that all these things are all stupid and juvenile, like I did. But if you are one of those young children who desperately care about being popular and cool, then what I wrote above may matter a lot to your case.</p>

<p>International students tend to stick with each other A LOT more. They're usually more quiet and shy either beacuse of the language issue or cultural differences. Of course, they can have friends who are Americans and have no issue adjusting to American boarding school life. But the typical norm is that majority stay in their rooms, eat their own native food, and watch TV shows in their languages, etc. They also have extremely high standards for studying. Most of them are really smart and hardcore working all the time. If you are an international, you would know why and I don't have to explain.. </p>

<p>I think people like to hang out with others who are similar to them, hence cliques exist. For instance, another group who tend to stick together at BS is the racial minority, most of who are on scholarship from urban NYC area.</p>

<p>But really, everything is up to you. You can have friends outside of your clique if you want. You can find people who are open-minded and friendly. But I truly do think boarding school is overall a judgmental and unaccepting place in terms of social aspects - not necessarily a bad thing. It toughend me up a lot..</p>

<p>I hate to butt in I personally don't agree with some of the things that you wrote seeing that I am a BS student. From your post I got the feeling that people really judge you based on the price of your clothing and other things. To me at BS I feel as if the wealthy don't go around and talk about how rich they are and where they vacation. I found that people were less worried about the brand you wore and more worried about if you looked good in your outfits or not.</p>

<p>Aw that sucks! That's why our society is so dumb. Everyone is so caught up with wealth and their statuses and such. Blahblahblah... It bugs the crap out of me.</p>

<p>keep in mind soccerrocker, this is only one person's experiences. your results may vary.</p>

<p>Yeah, I know. But still...</p>

<p>Sorry to interrupt you guys, im new here,</p>

<p>I just received my ssat scores and I am not satisfied with the results. However, I have no choice but to send it to the schools i'm applying for since its pretty late. I really don't know if I can get accepted to the schools I want.</p>

<p>My scores are: Math 710, Verbal 716, Reading 596, </p>

<p>The schools im applying to are: Mercersburg academy, loomis chaffee, cheshire academy, culver academies, valley forge military academy, and peddie school.</p>

<p>Can someone tell me if these scores are sufficient enough?</p>

<p>Oh my God, for the second time, make you own chances thread.</p>