Ask a Deerfield freshmen!

<p>ilikecheez - The interviewer asks your parents if they have any questions, and they probably will, so then the conversation sort of springs from that. The only hard questions I remember are - “What 3 words would you use to describe yourself?” and “What makes you a good student?” It’s hard to answer questions like those because you don’t want to seem like you’re bragging, but you need to answer honestly. Besides that, the interview was a breeze! It was a lot less intimidating than I thought it would be - less of a strictly question-answer sort of thing, and more like a real conversation. Just be honest, be polite, make eye contact, speak clearly, and you’re good as gold! Good luck!</p>

<p>Alright, thanks!</p>

<p>@UKgirl23, The dorm room sizes are big enough to be comfortable. Last year, I read some comments on CC saying that they are better than some college dorms. They may not replace the comforts of your home, but they are very livable. They come well-furnished (bed, mattress, table, chair, dresser) and enough closet space for clothes. You can buy your own book shelf, a more comfy chair if you like. We mostly have single rooms which is a big plus compared to many other schools that mostly have doubles and triples. As far as cleanliness, you maintain your room to be as clean as you want. They have vacuum cleaners that you can use.</p>

<p>@karategirl: I can’t say what your chances are…but I can say that I feel that you are a very qualified applicant! Deerfield is very generous with financial aid and yes
i received some. It’s too early to tell but everyone (faculty, staff, older students) all comment on how different our class is (clique wise). We all sort of mesh together.
The dorms are fantastic! I love the 80% singles aspect.
Come at me with any other questions!:slight_smile:
Sorry that it takes me a while to respond…no one said boarding school homework would be easy;)</p>

<p>I get you bingalot :slight_smile: haha. My all honors are wayyy too easy… thats a main reason why I need boarding school. For my classes now, I am so ahead ( I read the whole freaking math book… geometry is the easiest crap ever), that I am doing my own extra work for the next year :slight_smile: Spanish is my only hard class… lol. Thanks for your opinion though! :P</p>

<p>No problem! Let me know if you ever have questions.</p>

<p>All of my teachers are great! And I’m really enjoying the aspect of not only getting to know them as teachers but also as coaches, parents, and friends. They’re really open to getting to know you and meeting their kids is a lot of fun.
Ummm…homework varies? But you get a lot done during the day because as a frosh you usually have two free periods during the day. It isn’t a large load, if you play your cards right you can have it all done in the 2 hour study period or even before!
We have great sports teams! I would say that we are very very well rounded. But I would say that we are very good at lax.
THE FOOD IS SOOOOO DELICIOUS but can get repetitive at times (perfect excuse for the greer or takeout:) )
and yes…the campus is beautiful! And I love that our buildings aren’t all spread out…makes life easier!</p>

<p>Hey so I was thinking of applying to Andover, Exeter, and Hotchkiss, but this thread is making me consider Deerfield. I love school and play field hockey, basketball, and track for school, and outside I do ballet, ride horses, play piano, tennis… I get good grades and I go to a co-Ed private school… It’s often considered the best in my area, but I’m definitely considering BS so… What do you think? So far Andover and Exeter sound great, but you guys are making me consider Deerfield for sure… Do You know the FA options and tuition for these? Also where exactly are they located, and any info on matriculation? I personally want to go to Stanford or Harvard or Princeton… Reaches but yeah hahaha</p>

<p>Deerfield is very generous with FA where about 35% of the student body is on FA. We have rigorous academics, strong athletics, first-rate academic and athletic facilities, and lively theater and dance programs. Our field hockey and track teams are very strong. Our college matriculation is very strong as well. You should visit all the schools before you make the decision, especially the revisits after admission where you get to sit in the classes, see the facilities up-close, interact with the faculty and students, and taste the dining hall delicacies. </p>

<p>A lot of information is on our website that you can easily access under admissions: </p>

<p>[Enjoy</a> the Video: Ten Things I Love about Deerfield](<a href=“http://deerfield.edu/apply/ten-things-i-love-about-deerfield/]Enjoy”>http://deerfield.edu/apply/ten-things-i-love-about-deerfield/)</p>

<p>[Admissions[/url</a>]</p>

<p>[url=&lt;a href=“http://deerfield.edu/about/fast-facts/]FastFacts[/url”&gt;http://deerfield.edu/about/fast-facts/]FastFacts[/url</a>]</p>

<p>[url=&lt;a href=“Deerfield Academy Viewbook 2011-12 by Deerfield Academy - Issuu”&gt;Deerfield Academy Viewbook 2011-12 by Deerfield Academy - Issuu]Viewbook](<a href=“http://deerfield.edu/apply]Admissions[/url”>Start your Application – Deerfield Academy)[/color</a>]</p>

<p>Lastly, no school can guarantee you a placement in HPS. It’s not the school that matters but what you do at the school when you get there that counts. BS is not about going to HPS, though you could if you choose to, but it is about the journey not the destination, imo. Deerfield education teaches you how to think for yourself, to do your best job in whatever you pursue. It is about learning to think, learning to design the next iNew, it is about reflecting on the beauty of the sunset over the Pocumtuck mountains, it is about enjoying the climb up Mount Kilimanjaro as much as you would enjoy the view down below when you get there, it is about hearing the music in the crackling of autumn leaves in the Pioneer valley, it is about looking beyond your four walls and teaching an indigent orphan in Nepal about the joys of reading a story book, and last but not least it is about coming up with nifty ideas to hoist the Deerfield flag on Choate’s Gym on Choate Day. In a nut shell, you don’t need to go to HPS to be successful. In this context this may be apt, Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, was an orphan, he barely went to college, but he managed to make a real difference. [color=green][Steve</a> Jobs.](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs]Steve”>Steve Jobs - Wikipedia) If you think I sound like a poet or a philosopher, blame our English, History, Philosophy and Religion Departments as they are well-known for polishing the diamonds in the rough.</p>

<p>Thanks for all of that Invent! I think you pretty much covered anything.
And alafair…I think that you should DEFINITELY consider boarding school. I’m glad that I got you to consider Deerfield!haha
but make sure that you would be happy to attend all of the places that you apply to.</p>

<p>Hi there! If you enjoy a sport, dancing for an example, for fun do you have to try out, to get in a class,show,team thing? By the way, what do you think of day students?</p>

<p>I am curious, what do you guys do on the weekends? Like are you allowed to go out, can you have sort of “slumber parties” with your freinds? I am just very curious :slight_smile: ~ Thanks</p>

<p>If you enjoy a sport…yes. You do have to try out to be placed into either Varsity or JV…but most sports have a thirds team(for beginners or people that have not been playing long). Don’t worry if you happen to be on thirds, though! They are treated just like any other team (uniforms, away games on buses, etc) and it’s soooo much fun!
Now for dance you would not have to try out (unless you want to be in a choreographed number or something) and there is an intro to dance class available!</p>

<p>Day students are awesome! They hang around campus a lot, play on sports teams, and just have fun like everyone else! They also enjoy dorm sleepovers and it’s sometimes nice to stay over with them at their house sometimes. I love all of my day student friends.</p>

<p>WEEKENDS. Well, of course there’s homework to be done!haha
But other than that hanging at the greer is always an option. Or cheering on other sports teams (if you’re not playing in a game yourself!) or watching an on campus movie, or catching up on your favorite t.v show, or babysitting for your teacher, walking a campus dog, PARTICIPATING IN THE CAPUS TRIP TO 6 FLAGS, club meetings (guess what new england boarding school now plays quidditch?) going into town to have dinner and a movie…the list could go on and on!:slight_smile:
Oh. and yes. SLEEPOVERS ARE THE BEST. You can have them on the weekends!</p>

<p>Hope I helped!</p>

<p>BUMP!
I know you all must have more questions</p>

<p>sorry if this has already been asked but how was your admission process? who did you interview with and how did it go? did you get in anywhere else? if so, was deerfield always your first choice? they say that you average 20hrs of homework per week, is that about right? </p>

<p>thanks!</p>

<p>What are lunches like, are they awkward? Isn’t awkward an awkward looking word? Are there cookies? For the application how long was your graded essay, and was it a class assignment or did you have to ask for assignment from your English teacher?</p>

<p>My admissions process was fantastic! I had always loved Deerfield through and through…it was my first choice from the start. I interviewed with an alum in my area and it went great! Yes, I idd get in elsewhere but like I said, I chose Deerfield from the start.
I would say that the number is about right…maybe five hours less? Some people work at different paces…but you can usually get things done in the 2 hour study hall period provided!</p>

<p>Lunches are delicious and no, they are not awkward. I love them because as a freshmen you can meet upperclassmen and not be afraid to wave at them outside of meals. Yes…there are cookies and other very delicious desserts.
My graded essay was a standard 500 word essay and it was a paper assigned by English teacher!</p>

<p>Keep the questions coming! I’m ready to answer them.</p>

<p>I would love to go to Deerfield but it’s a very difficult school to get into. My interview went well and I get very good grades and do well in school. What can I do (other than doing well on the SSAT’s) to help me get into a school like Deerfield?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>That sounds like a lot of fun! But how long do you have to spend on homework each night (including weekends)?</p>

<p>I’m so glad to hear that you’re interested in Deerfield!
The interview portion is really crucial so it’s good that it went well for you. I would say that Deerfield looks for students that are well-rounded and willing to learn…so if that is you just be sure to let your personality shine in everything you do! Show them how dedicated you are to everything you do.</p>

<p>Homework is a great thing to do on Sunday mornings for about an hour or so if you need the time. But on sundays there is study hall so you could always wait until then. For frehsmen the workload isn’t TOO bad! It’s all about how you manage time.</p>