<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am a new sophomore (class of 2013) attending Choate Rosemary Hall this year. I used this website too when I was applying (although I didn't make an account then) and I know it helped a lot to know that there were people with the same queries/curious minds like I did.</p>
<p>Choate Rosemary Hall is a great school and it has popped up a lot in the threads... so if anyone wants to ask questions about Choate, I'd be happy to do so!</p>
<p>Would you mind chancing me? 0.0</p>
<p>haha what does “chancing” mean?</p>
<p>Oh, it means saying if I have a good chance of attending a school or not. I’ll post my grades/ECs and whatnot. ^^</p>
<p>suuuure bro</p>
<p>Thanks~
Here’s the link to the thread with the information:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-chances/1054560-chance-me.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-chances/1054560-chance-me.html</a></p>
<p>Hey!</p>
<p>I’m applying as a repeat sophomore for next year and Choate is definitely one of my top choice schools.</p>
<p>I was wondering how your experience has been so far being a new sophomore. Was it easy to adjust to the atmosphere at Choate? Was it easy to make friends with the students who had already been at the school for a year?</p>
<p>Is the school cliquey? How would a full FA student fit into the community at Choate? Would you say that the athletes or theater kids or the math/science students separate themselves based on their areas of interest, or do many of the kids hang out with different groups of people? Do you see a lot of students from different backgrounds segregating themselves from other students based on race or nationality?</p>
<p>How are the academics at Choate? Do you often find yourself with a lot / little free time between your homework and activities? How’s the life in the dorms (if you’re a boarder)?</p>
<p>Did you get accepted into any other schools (if you don’t mind me asking)? What ultimately was the reason why you chose Choate?</p>
<p>Sorry for all of the questions. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can about the school.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Hey, thanks again. ^_^</p>
<p>greenleaf4: I “chanced” you in the thread.</p>
<p>2010 hopeful:</p>
<p>Choate is a chill school. It’s academically challenging, but it’s also a lot of fun. There are a lot of repeating sophomores in my grade, and I can say that the advantages of “gaining” a year allowed me to befriend a lot of upperclassmen as well as those in my grade.</p>
<p>Choate isn’t cliquey like you would think. Sure, lots of arts guys hang out together in the arts center and the sports guys naturally hang out because they are in the same teams. But, keep in mind that not everyone is a single-minded student here; people aren’t just gonna be an athlete or just an science enthusiast. I, myself, was very interested in math and sciences when I first arrived on campus. I am actually taking multivariable calculus and organic chemistry right now, which meant that I was heavily involved in the math/sciences. But, I also tried out for the a cappella group this year and to my amazement I got in. I also got into the chamber chorus, and have met a lot of friends who sing.</p>
<p>If there are any cliques, it might be from dorms. For sophomores, there is a huge sophomore-only dorm that was built only 2 years ago (really fancy) so there is a lot of mingling there, but that dorm is very strict. The dorm I am in is pretty old and looks like a jail, but its small (only 6 sophomores) with big rooms and chill advisors (no lights out). </p>
<p>I actually moved from Northfield Mount Hermon to Choate because of family reasons, so Choate was my only choice. But looking back, I think Choate is a great school. It’s not intimidating like Exeter or Groton, but it definitely ranks with the likes of Exeter and Groton and Andover academic-wise.</p>
<p>I’m also going to be applying as a new sophomore.</p>
<p>I’m just curious, how selective/intense is Choate’s theater program? I know from the tour that you have 6 productions a year, a bunch of singing groups, etc, but how hard is it to get in? I have no experience but, if I got into Choate, I’d like to get involved. I know it’s kind of a specific question, but it’s really the only one I have that hasn’t been answered.</p>
<p>cassat</p>
<p>I am also in the same situation! I think Choate is really really into new experiences. The theatre/drama guys are really cool and are really willing to help new/inexperienced participate. I am actually looking into trying out for the spring musical myself, and I am also in the Winter Cabaret, which is like a musical except less acting and more singing. As for singing groups, they are by far the celebrities of the campus :D</p>
<p>@ goo:
2010 asked, “How would a full FA student fit into the community at Choate?”
I’m really curious about this – I’ve heard some negative things about Choate around FA integration (something about expensive weekend trips, blah blah blah, ‘segregation’), so I’m curious.
Also, do you know anything about Choate’s English/visual arts department? Apparently Choate’s art program is really strong but by art, you refer to drama. Does this also translate onto the visual side of things?
Does Choate have a dive team/pool/separate diving well? (random question i know, haha)</p>
<p>Is there anything you would have done differently from the start of the year to now?
Thanks! :)</p>
<p>haha you caught me. I kind of didn’t respond to the FA thing cuz I frankly don’t know what FA means… hahahaha</p>
<p>Choate has strong programs for all arts, not just drama. We have an Arts Concentration program that literally lets you concentrate in ANY art (even theater crew!). It lets you have some leniency in sports and gives you extra time to practice your art, be it visual or performance. Some of my friends are taking advantage of that program right now as sophomores, so three years of the program can mean a lot of reached potential. And there are exhibitions/recitals at the end of every year/term (I actually went last year because I was around town and the paintings and everything were amazing).</p>
<p>I don’t really go to the swimming pools because I am not a swimmer… but that being said, I do know we have a coed diving team that is in the winter, so that most probably means that the diving team has a separate place to do their thang.</p>
<p>Let’s see, from the beginning of this year… I guess try new things? You’re at a new school anyways so you might as well. I wish I would’ve tried out for a play.</p>
<p>hahaha 
FA = financial aid</p>
<p>Thank you so much! I’m by no means the next great Broadway star, but I’ve always been interested in singing. Glad to know I’m not the only unexperienced one!</p>
<p>I actually don’t know much about financial aid (I am not an FA student myself). But I really don’t think FA students are treated any different. I mean, the fact that I don’t even know who is an FA student and who isn’t says a lot.</p>
<p>There is definitely NO segregation between FA and regular students at all. Most trips are free (its the destinationlike a movie theater or a mallthat costs money) so there isn’t any prejudice against FA’s.</p>
<p>Oh lookie, Choate thread ;P</p>
<p>Divealive: I just wanted to add a few bits here and there about english, visual arts, and diving. =) For the English Department, there are requirements on what course you take during your freshman, sophomore, and junior year but outside of that, you are free to take any electives you choose. Senior year english classes are mainly electives as far as I know. Also, I have a few friends who took creative writing courses during their freshman year.
Choate is known a lot for its arts, and that includes visual. (The arts concentration program stretches all over the three groups of art: theater, music, and visual.) Our visual arts department not only includes drawing and painting, but also digital art and photography as well as jewelry making and pottery. So you have a lot to choose from =)
And a short blurbee for diving xD We only have one pool that is shared between the dive team and swim team; however, the two teams practice at different times. (It’d be a mess if they didn’t ;P) The majority of the time, Choate sports are split into two blocks, an early practice right after school and another block directly after the other one. The diving team and swimming team switch off on early and late practices so neither one always has dinner late =P
kay… that wasn’t much of a short blurbee :</p>
<p>I haven’t been on CC in foreverrrrrrrrrr
Hope this helps =3</p>
<p>Hey guys…
This is a really quick and short question, but what do students at Choate read in class? What books have you read? Do they differ from the books that you personally like to read? Are quizzes assigned after every reading? </p>
<p>Just a thought, thanks a lot!</p>
<p>thanks so much azulhearts!</p>
<p>wait so… does choate have any diving boards (ie, springboards) or is it just like… plastic platforms?</p>
<p>@Angela: honestly, it depends on which teacher you have and which level (honors, regs) you take (though levels split only in junior year in the english dept). Last year though, as a sophomore, I read Macbeth, Catcher in the Rye, A separate peace, and all quiet on the western front just to name a few. Also, as a sophomore, short stories and poetry are part of your curriculum. I’ve read a couple myself but it honestly depends on what you like to read. As for quizzes, that also depends on the teacher. I know some that do the daily quizzes and others who do pop quizzes whereas others have them rarely.</p>
<p>@Divealive: We have the springy ones 
2 to be precise</p>