<p>This thread is so interesting in the way that it exposes the different personalities of the Exeter and Andover students (and their parents). This started out as a benign, lighthearted romp through the differences between the schools. Andover kids were immediately adaptable, engaged, witty and humorous. The Exeter responses, when they happened at all, were boring, serious, with a distinct odor of “guilty as charged.” Then the parents chime in because the differences are quite noticeable and require some sort of defense/explanation, which goes something like this: the Exeter mind is “serious,” it “researches,” it has to “figure something out” before it speaks. Oh, c’mon! Really? Is the atmosphere and mindset of Exeter that wooden that it can’t enjoy a simple, fun, quick mix-up? If there ever was a thread to make it easy to choose one school over the other, this is it.</p>
<p>classicalmama: As a debater, no. The style in which I’ve been trained is to be able to argue anything - anything that is set before me to justify and support, I can. However, in this forum I’m not arguing for or against either school, I don’t have a stance, I’m trying to find the right school for me. </p>
<p>Which is why I hope you understand why for every pro listed, I can rebut with a con and why I’m still no closer to selecting a school. If I had found a single thread comparing the things I’m concerned about - which is not which school has the most effective method of teaching, but rather the quality of living - I probably wouldn’t have felt that it was necessary to make a thread about it. </p>
<p>(that’s not to say that the quality of education isn’t important to me, I just feel that neither I nor anyone else who has completed a significant amount of time in both systems can say which is better - and that too only which system they were personally more compatible with - the only substantial information I feel comfortable relying on is the stats, and they’re at roughly the same level with mild variations in each subject)</p>
<p>rebelangel: If it was absolutely critical to judge the spirit of the student bodies of each school based on the replies in this forum, I would agree with your assessment. However, seeing as there’s been barely more than a handful of people involved, I can’t bring myself to say that anyone’s attitude here represents that of 1000+ students.</p>
<p>CaliPaki, at this point, I suggest you try private messages. There is a wealth of information about Andover and Exeter on this site. No one else can decide for you. Inviting members of each community to support the schools is fine, but it’s not bringing out their better natures, on the whole. </p>
<p>At this time, when so many posters are hoping for waitlist movement for these two schools, publicly agonizing over the choice at such length…is not kind.</p>
<p>CaliPaki,</p>
<p>Hang in there and good luck! I am sure you will make the decision that is right for you!</p>
<p>I’m sorry. I’m new to these forums, and would have reconsidered making a thread if I knew what kind of reaction it was capable of causing. However, I don’t believe there’s been a lot of drama or more debate in this thread than in any other. Personally, using a public thread is preferable as others can chime in on my questions and also comment on others’ answers. Also, I believe that the purpose of these forums is to ask for questions and advice, and in my opinion i haven’t posted anything that has explicitly made or led to offensive or derogatory comments. I can see why it may be difficult on to be on a waitlist, but this thread itself doesn’t exaggerate that there were some acceptances out of the applicant pool, which I’m sure many are already aware of, and thereby isn’t causing much harm. So I fail to see how discussing the pros and cons of either school is insensitive or unethical. We don’t ask current GLADCHEMMS students to limit how much they describe their experiences at their schools because it may sting the applicants denied admission. </p>
<p>My intention was never to rub anything in anyone’s face, I was simply trying to get as many opinions as possible in a manner with greater precision than excessive googling. (Which was why I made an account here) In fact, by the time this thread was on its second page I still didn’t even know how to read a private message. While I appreciate your input, and will now consciously watch the messages I post on CC, I don’t think its fair to end the discussion.</p>
<p>Give me a sec here - I’m about to upload and link some documents. Every Thursday, the SAB (Student Activities Board - composed entirely of students) sends out a PDF via email to all students that outlines all SAB-run activities that are planned for the next weekend. I’m going to upload a few and put them up so you can get an idea of what available to do on campus over normal weekends.</p>
<p>Uploaded! The weekenders will appear at the top of my gallery: [MobileMe</a> Gallery](<a href=“http://gallery.me.com/thurstonsmalley/100011]MobileMe”>http://gallery.me.com/thurstonsmalley/100011)</p>
<p>CaliPaki,
The thread is interesting to many people, to judge from its activity, and those who are sorry to be waitlisted (and my heart truly goes out to them) can simply not read it. I don’t think there’s unkindness toward the waitlisted.</p>
<p>@CaliPaki,</p>
<p>On another very serious thread – HOW MANY STUDENTS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB AT:, they have:</p>
<p>
As you can see Exeter is about unity and thoughtfulness. As to Andover though,</p>
<p>
You can understand this simply from rebalangel’s reply:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>See they do believe the world revolves around them. Hope this makes it easier for you to make a choice :-)</p>
<p>hootoo, That’s hilarious. 
:D</p>
<p>Hootoo,</p>
<p>For more grins and giggles, the correct answer is that it takes no Exeter students to screw in a light bulb because Exeter looks better in the dark.</p>
<p>
You got it all mixed up, dude! That was Wooster Aacademy</p>
<p>Hey CaliPaki - for some perspective from somebody in the same-ish boat as you: I like Andover over Exeter because I don’t want to look BACK on my four years, and finally be able to say GOD THAT TORTURE WAS WORTH IT!! I want to go through all four years of boarding school thinking THIS IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE I COULD ASK/HOPE FOR! To me the former is Exeter, the later Andover. Both are more than worth it in the end; both will provide stellar academics, extracurriculars, and hopefully take you where you want and need to go in the future. But like I said, it’s what you want out of boarding school. I for one, as academically cutthroat and ambitious as I am, don’t want to bond with people over the agony and ~eventual~ triumph of boarding school. I want to say, hey remember that time - , and can you believe we- , etc. </p>
<p>Of course I would LOVE (no really, genuinely, love) to hear about the social aspects of Exeter from a current student. Because all I’ve heard from Exeter alums and current students so far is A) it will be worth it in the end, and B) petty arguments where they thumb their nose at Andover (really? quoting an old thread that has absolutely no empirical data and was literally made to be tongue in cheek silly? Making snide assumptions on intelligence and personality characteristics of your peers? That’s what you do at Exeter?)</p>
<p>I actually started out this BS experience solidly in the I LOVE EXETER (LOOK AT ALL THEIR LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH CLASSES <em>SQUEE!!!</em>) column, for years I dreamed of Big Red and -well let’s be honest - boys in ties, but the more I researched on both schools (yes. we future andover kids do that), the more interest I became in Andover instead.</p>
<p>Bravo bravo bravo! I love it, Zenxan! :)</p>
<p>That’s nice summary as naive as it is. Now I believe 13 year olds can be pretty gullible.</p>
<p>You’re one to talk…</p>
<p>And Jesus, aren’t you going to Hotchkiss? What does any of this matter to you? Just be happy with where you’re going. Andover and Hotchkiss aren’t even rivals.</p>
<p>Pulsar did not get into Hotchkiss, despite what he claims on the Master Acceptance List. He did not get in anywhere. He is a ■■■■■ on this board who gets off on being annoying, a precocious kid with too much time on his hands.</p>
<p>(aah typos 
Typing and cooking at the same time is hard man…) </p>
<p>Thanks Tom! 
Getting information from you and andovergirl as well as all the student accounts on Andover’s website and reading a bunch of Phillipians articles (what’s up with the features? Is it all just satire?) really helped me! Plus there is this youtube video from the 08 pep rally and if that’s any indication of the school spirit at Andover - I’m in! LOL.</p>
<p>Go to Andover. I need to get off of Exeter’s waitlist <_<</p>
<p>Zenxan, please ignore features. It is supposed to be satire, but it is hardly ever funny. It is not an accurate representation of Andover students.</p>