With April 10 looming and one revisit day remaining, DK still has two schools she is deciding between.
Anyone else still wrestling with a decision?
Yes. I think DS has decided, but am not sure how informed the decision is at this point, or whether he is just worn out. I said before I write a check, he needs to show me his school comparison list. Am I being unreasonable? Are others having detailed conversations or are you just going with feel? They are all great schools, but there are differences in academic program, availability of extracurriculars, etc… Fortunately, we are done with revisits. I’ll be happy when this week is over!
I’m not sure we’ve even made any progress towards deciding! Still have one more revisit day this week, though I think it’s very unlikely she’ll pick that school. But I can tell where she is at all on what the decision would be between the two she’s already revisited. After all the driving we’ve done in the last week, I just want her to pick the closer school!
I agree with all of you. – Very tired mama.
We are sitting on admits at Andover and Milton both with significant FA. Revisit day at Andover was a disappointment for DS and we have in fact scheduled a second revisit for 4/9. At this point the decision is down to Andover or the current local public HS. Hopefully the second Andover revisit will result in a family decision everyone get behind.
Mine has narrowed it down to 2 schools. Last revisit day today. Having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that he will be able to choose by Friday. It’s a huge decision and both are great choices, but VERY different schools.
@fullofbs - I told DD that it is all about “gut” or “feel” at this point as they are all great schools. She has already chosen boarding school over current day school which may have been the toughest choice for her. Now it’s just a matter of where she can envision herself for the next couple of years.
@redsoxfan18 - Would you mind sharing why revisit day was disappointing? No connection with host student?
@TheStig2 The connection with the host, and the actual classes attend contributed to the disappointment. We did not ask why, perhaps it was illness, but there was a last minute change in host. The match in terms of common interests was not as strong as it was with the original host who had exchanged several emails with DD prior to revisit day. DS, who is a current Andover senior, had this to say about DD’s host “She is just a terrible example of what is it like to go to this school.” I’m hoping for a better connection on 4/9. I give the AO a ton of credit. I reached out to her and she immediately made time for a phone call and suggested another visit. She is working on finding a good match and is going to make time to meet with DD as well. We almost went down today but I could not clear my work schedule.
When we were in this same boat last year, GMCkid really benefitted from speaking to current students. Even after the revisit days, which were very busy and a bit overwhelming. She called some of the kids who she had met during the process, and just talked things through with them. I’d say that this final interaction is what tipped the balance for her of Cate over Milton.
@RedSoxFan18 If you choices are Andover or the LPS, enroll in Andover and give it a year. She can always return to LPS, but that year of Andover will put her in a great position for the rest of her LPS career.
@RedSoxFan18 , could you please share why you have completely ruled out Milton?
HBKid went all-in at Exeter after attending 4 classes at Revisit and walking around the campus again (he went there for the summer program). I put the “Phillips Exeter Academy” sticker on my back windshield, so we know its official now.
Beardlings slapped Hotchkiss stickers on laptops last night, marking the end of jury deliberations in the Blackbeard Family vs. Boarding School Selection case. Feels like a big relief for everyone to have made the pick. Good luck to everyone in the final stretch. What a marathon!
Milton is winning the race in Caring household.
@CaringMom11 For me Milton has not been eliminated but DD said last night that if she is going to BS it is Andover. It has been an emotional week and I’m not entirely sure DD had a well thought out rationale for that statement. That said I did not protest too much as Andover would be $13,0000 less per year. I think DD would do very well at either school.
@mexusa that is exactly what we have told her, give it a year and you can come back. We are only 100 miles away so we can come to sporting events, and she can come home once in a while. (I suspect she will want none of that once she is there and would not think about bringing her home for the first 6-8 weeks)
DD is also still deciding between two schools. Last revisit day is Thursday, so it looks like we’ll be waiting right until the end. She loves both schools, we (parents) have pros & cons to each, but we’ll be happy with either one.
@RedSoxFan18, thanks for reply. Its perfectly fine that she is choosing Andover over Milton, I wanted to understand the thought process. We are certainly choosing Milton but then again we hadn’t applied to Andover so wanted to understand the perspective for Kid #2.
@momonymous, are you open to declare which schools she is considering?
We are still undecided. We have 2 offers PLUS we got WL at our 1st choice. At their request, we have contacted the WL school twice. Today was our 2nd call and unlike last time, they took a message. I think that’s a bad sign!
Of our 2 firm offers (both with $$), one has asked us to forward the award the other school presented. Not only can we NOT do this, it is unethical to ask. Has anyone had a similar experience? It has really left a bad taste in our mouths!
@CaringMom11, DD is choosing between Thayer and Moses Brown. She’s still on the waitlist at Milton.
@WinchesterMom, the following post discusses a similar case where a school asked to see proof of another school’s FA award…
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-parents/1476216-financial-aid-appeal.html#latest