<p>Actually, I respect the schools that don't do the "full court" marketing to 13 or 14 year old kids. It's all about fit and I'd rather have my child not be influenced by a bunch of giveaways and schmoozing. </p>
<p>The important thing to try to discern is how will the school's faculty and staff support the student once they are enrolled not how much they chase you between March 10th and April 10th - or before hand.</p>
<p>bproud - has it influenced your brother's opinion? will he be attending Andover?</p>
<p>My DD disliked Exeter and loved Andover. They certainly seem to be for very different kids. Exeter heaven to those who love math and science and live for the science electives. Andover more laid back and well rounded. In the end, she chose neither because she liked a smaller school feel and wanted a great humanities program: SPS.</p>
<p>bproud,</p>
<p>No offense taken whatsoever! I hope I haven't underestimated you myself.</p>
<p>It sounds like you have learned to separate the message from the background noise with regards to separate the motivations of others from the day to day interaction. This will serve you well (I'm sure you already know this, though) in life.</p>
<p>Taking this to an institutional level, trying to infer the true feel of a school (degree of personal involvement, support, etc.) from the artificial environment of revisit season is an art which is difficult for most of us who have been through the process. I think your best research is done when the school is at "normal" behavior and outside of "official" channels. </p>
<p>You probably know a few students at the schools you are considering. Those are your best resource, if you have a feeling for what makes them tick so you can see their biases. </p>
<p>If there are members here who might be helpful, study their posting history first, and I'd recommend using PM to start up conversations about the things that are your most important decision factors.</p>
<p>Personally, I've found a lot more insight through PM than on the public part of these boards. Not that these public discussions are of poor value, but often the train of thought here gets derailed with discussions of trivial interest.</p>
<p>Personally, I can't help you with those top schools. My D is not in that league. I'm just more of a general support type and of course always interested in the girls hockey end of things.</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>prestige shouldn't determine "fit." but the cause of the prestige, and the effect of the prestige as well, will undoubtedly affect "fit" and one's time spent at a school.</p>
<p>exeter is more traditional. its more like a real, old english boarding school. boys where ties. girls don't wear tank tops. andover is really very different.. i dare say it's too casual there. and the kids who do make the effort to dress up are overly foppish and affected. it appears to me that there is more nouveau riche at andover as well, and they seem to be much too fond of their own simulated preppiness. the more i think about, the more i am happy i will not be attending andover because of this. there seems to be a greater quantity of kids there affected by pop culture and materialism. (just somehting i noticed.) </p>
<p>on an international note, exeter is much more well known. my uncle (who lives in the french countryside, and is from africa, and has never once lived in america) instantly recognized "Exeter" and was visibly impressed when I mentioned that I was accepted. I asked him what he knew about it and he said, "Exeter? Ha! It is the Harvard of prep schools! Only the best of the best, correct?" I asked him if he had ever heard of andover, and he said, "Wait.. Is that the school George Bush went to? You're not going there, are you?" ..This has happened with Yale as well, esp. after GWB's many scandals and news coverage. The name is a bit tainted now (a bit), esp. because he was such an undeserving student (and that was made public). Even though there are many students at both schools who hate Bush, their reputations are intertwined. I myself didn't really mind that fact when applying to andover, but as for the public, the GWB thing really adds to the public doubt that prep schools are just playgrounds and deserve no academic merit.</p>
<p>in sum, exeter seems to embody what american regards as a "good old school," because it is traditional and merocratic. and andover appears just a little bit less so, i think.</p>
<p>JFK went to Choate, and his son went to Andover. Caroline went to Concord. Jackie O went to Miss Porter's. Teddy went to Milton. Patrick went to Andover. Bobby Jr. went to Millbrook. Bobby Sr. went to St. Paul's (for a month, but because it was so anti-catholic, his momma pulled him out).. So, I don't know why people keep associating the Kennedy's with Andover.</p>
<p>Well, other than JFK Jr and Patrick Kennedy,you also have George HW Bush, George W Bush, Jeb Bush, Richard Kerry (John's father), Vanessa Kerry, Bill Belichick, Jack Lemmon, and lots more names you would recognize. I think that is why some people think that Andover may have more prestige. I think they are both great schools, but I am going to Exeter. Personally I think the facilities are a little nicer. I went on my tour of Exeter first, and when I went on my Andover tour, I was expecting to see the same level of facilities. I was a little disappointed. Perhaps our tour guide didn't show us everything, but everything he did show us he thought was "cool", my father said he was going to rip his hair out if the guide said "cool" one more time! :). (It didn't really bother me.)
As far as the marketing goes, I think someone has said it before on another thread, that you have to be careful not to make your decision on things like how "nice" the person who interviewed you was or by how good the brownies were on the revisit day. How do you decide? I don't know, that is an individual decision, what is important to me, may not be important to you. Good luck to everyone!</p>
<p>Blairt, it doesn't sound like you spent much time at the 2 schools. May I ask what your experience with them is? Were you at revisits this week?</p>
<p>
[quote]
**JFK Jr
[/quote]
**
Choate........</p>
<p>I thought JFK Jr was Andover class of 1979... any Andover alums out there to clear this up?</p>
<p>You are right, I am incorrect I was thinking of his father, President JFK.</p>
<p>My son is a senior at Andover and has loved it without exception. He and his friends are all into classical music, which is huge at Andover. But so is jazz and rock. There's a whole bunch of good theater students, too, doing marvelous things. And then there's all the kids that write for the newspaper and journals. Etc., etc. It's a big school, so there is lots going on, but I never noticed any pretentiousness. S's friends are based on mutual interests and include both on and not on financial aid, all together. </p>
<p>As a parent what has always impressed me is how well and how intelligently run the school is. The administration is just as good as can be and I think Head of School Barbara Chase sets a gold standard for excellence. It's such a joy to visit because it is the one institution I know that is impeccably and so thoughtfully run. All of the adults there are not only very, very smart, but very, very people smart too, and really know and care about their students. I don't say it's better than other schools; I just say it is perfect itself.</p>
<p>I've never heard the name G<em>W</em>B ever mentioned in almost 4 years. Even his own class ('54?) voted overwhelmingly for J. Kerry in a straw vote in the alumni magazine.</p>
<p>Blairt, although I respect your opinion, I don't believe that what you say is universally accepted. Based upon people that I have spoken to in Europe, Asia and America, Andover and Exeter are both very well-respected and viewed as schools of equal prestige and standing. I haven't met anyone who has negatively looked down upon my Andover attendance due to the fact that George Bush went there...He's not the only alumni that people have heard of that attended Andover. </p>
<p>Anyways, you're entitled to your opinion about Andover and I won't try to change it. Good luck at Exeter - you're going to a great place. </p>
<p>Good luck to everyone else who will be matriculating at boarding school.</p>
<p>I think Andover is a great school. I do. But I've come to realize that it doesn't live up to its name (and, that the name itself is losing credibility).</p>
<p>Andover has a really diverse crowd, which I really respect. There are so many different types of kids (and not just by race or geographical origin) that one could not typecast the entire class. It's just that I met a suprisingly high concentration of a few "types" of people that I think are inimical to an intellectual environment. Mostly the garrish nouveau riche who try too hard (ie, kids heavily affected by pop culture/consumerism/materialism, something I'm not fond of).</p>
<p>One thing that scared me about Andover was that there is a significant amount of friction between students and administration. Yes, at every other school as well, but more than a few students made a special note of this when telling me about their school. They all said that it was a frequent problem, but I didn't ask for details specifying the problems. I also found a website (sort of like an underground website) that a student made, mocking the school website by rewriting the "About Andover" and a few other sections (very witty and revealing).</p>
<p>...this needs to be continued later........</p>
<p>the director of admissions at exeter pretty much wants us tour guides to know this:</p>
<p>*we do not disrespect other schools
*on revisit days, we know that they have already been acquainted with the academics, the facilities, the perks, but what they want to know about most is what kind of kids are here, so don't try and 'sell' them the school (we can assume that if they're revisiting, they like the school at least somewhat)
*we are to be ourselves, show the touree what really goes on in a school day, introduce them to friends, let them know about how classes are</p>
<p>and, finally, i personally think that one of the reasons exeter doesn't try to put pressure on the admitted is because they do NOT want kids who don't actually like the school to attend here, because ultimately they will be unhappy.</p>
<p>and i'd say a fair amount of kids come here just for the prestige</p>
<p>which would lead someone to think that exeter has 'more' prestige than andover, if andover is trying harder to 'reel in' their kids, but who knows....</p>
<p>hmm blairt i got that impression too, about the students vs. fac...
exeter has teachers who are hated, and teachers who are dearly loved, but i guess that depends on how pessimistic you are.</p>
<p>Blairt and the rest...how do you quantify this "slipping" prestige? Has Andover in recent years sent fewer to the Ivies or has gving decreased or something else tangible? Didn't Andover also have a record number of applicants and a new low acceptance rate? I went to Andover and I would hate to generalize about others schools I did not attend...however, I find it very hard to believe that the Exeter experience or any other top boarding school is all that better.<br>
In regards to Andover somehow being overrun by, "Mostly the garrish nouveau riche who try too hard" what the hell does that mean? At best you sound classist, at worst you simply sound ignorant. I graduated from Andover and now attend an Ivy. If anything, I can say the student body at Andover was as diverse if not more diverse and any difference between "new money" and "old money" students is a useless moniker. Attending these "elite" schools is about enjoying an unparalled opportunity and forming bonds with classmates that will someday go on to great things. One of the greatest things about Andover, since graduation, has been the outreach. You talk about the full court blitz they put on accepted students, (having been accepted to multiple Ivies, they all become extremely active with calls and letters once accepted)but you are unaware of the amount they keep in contact with alums. I am unaware of any other boarding school that has the alumni director organize a yearly on campus dinner. At all the schools with high concentratons of graduates, Jenny Savino reserves a restaurant and opens a tab for the young alums. It is a great time to talk about the past and reconnect with those you might not see on a daily basis. In any case, the alumni outreach, even for young alums is just as fantastic as the outreach they have for the newly accepted students. I have probably grown to love my experience at Andover even more, ater leaving, then previously.
Prestige is an arbitrary designation so just attend the schol where you will be happy.</p>
<p>well said, sleph.</p>
<p>I never said that Andover was "mostly" "overrun" by materialistic brats. I'll put it this way: there seems to be a higher concentration of the NYish (some NJ) crowd (that is often associated with Choate). My point was, Exeter really seems more intellectual and academic and TRADITIONAL (point of my post) than Andover because of this. I met a lot of people at Andover who seemed to be trying too hard. I met many more kids who impressed me with their witty intellectual poetry and fondness for Voltaire, sociability and photography skills, dedication to crew and Chinese orphans, and the shocking desire to help me learn about Andover with absolutely no gain on their part. I love Andover, and I'm still a bit sad that I won't be wandering the immortal halls of Bullfinch discussing poetry w/ other humanities students any time soon. (But I think that humanities reputation is a bit aggrandized because Exeter has just as many English electives, more History electives, more languages, and many famous writers. But then again, Andover has the best secondary school physics department in the country(/world?), and a molecular biology course with lab work comparable to MIT interns.) I think each school has more than enough to offer. This thread wasn't started by me, I just thought I would chime in my thoughts on why the public (who determines prestige) might think Exeter is more prestigious than Andover. They are both so alike that nobody will ever be able to win the argument/1st place. I already noted prestige was important. I actually went into the process having a great prejudice for Andover (and completely shunning Exeter, not giving it a thought)</p>
<p>This is why I chose Exeter:
-former Olympian cross country coach
-crew on campus, many alumni that have gone onto crew for Division I, many Olympians and National Team members... great coaches
-Harkness method in every single class, including math (which helps to better understand the concepts, and really imbibe them rather than just memorize)
-fast-paced language program that encourages taking on a 2nd language
-really interesting language electives, like Rebels in Revolt for French
-really egalitarian FA process that sees diversity in a number of ways
-all art teachers are working artists
-dress code (traditional, instills school pride and self-worth)
-many English teachers are published authors and poets
-proximity to horseback riding (on weekends, my alumna interviewer used to ride her bike to a nearby stable and ride)
-sailing club
-surfing club, proximity to NH shore (10 mi., which is like a 1-hour bike ride or 15 min. drive)
-outdoors club (that you can participate in while taking another sport, not full-time like at Andover)
-Exeter is a really nice town. Rated as the #1 place to walk (..lol) around town and see the foliage in the fall. Plus, it has a lot of history.
-every presidential candidate comes to visit PEA and deliver a speech. I will be there in 2008.
-THREE assemblies a week (i think..)
-SOOOOOOOOOO MANY community service orginizations and projects -- it's insane. they took all of my ideas (almost... i have one left i want to establish there). it's amazing.
-more literary and visual arts clubs/programs than Andover, and they seem more interesting to me
-The Exeter Independents - strong nonpartisian political program. NH is the Libertarian capital.
-Random Acts of Kindness Club. Sounds really fun.
-Archery and Fencing Clubs
-Scuba Club.
-Polar Bear outing..... :)
-proximity to skiing
-Origami Club :)
-much better summer program, which would enable me to prepare for Exeter and advance in the future
-sports program this is available to every level. there is a squash club, where you can just learn and then play (and maybe prepare for the team). theres a tennis "ladder" program, where, through mini tournaments, you climb up a ladder of ability and get to play w/o varsity pressure. and a golf club, etc. they have everything.
-bigger library, study rooms, 30,000 more books, more subscriptions
-it seems like exeter wins in the food department to me.. i like how the grill is almost always open.</p>
<p>and why i like Andover:
-proximity to Boston (but hey, I doubt you really get the time to make use of it)
-ballroom dancing (i think i'll open a club at Exeter..or maybe they already have some sort of program, because
-hands-on summer archaelogy course in NM w/ native american chiefs (where i grew up --- would love to learn more)...but hey, i guess i could do that already..and i'm not really an archaelogy whiz.
-Bullfinch Hall it's just so timeless and romantic. and the walls..
-addison gallery of american art. one of the first museums to collect photographs.. has large collection. but hey, students rarely visit.
-no saturday classes
-the sanctuary log cabin</p>
<p>It is easy post up here and have such a biased opinion when you did not HAVE a CHOICE. I hope Blair learns something about manners at exeter.I doubt that is going to happen based on her posts.Be grateful that you were accepted and good luck . I revisited Both A and E , but will decline to tout either.</p>
<p>Where are you going next year, Francis?</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>I just posted why I like Andover, but that Exeter was just a better fit for me.</p>
<p>And I wasn't rejected by Andover. I didn't apply...</p>