<p>What can anyone tell me about the Avon boarding school? What kind of students go there? What are the academics like, and how does it compare to other boarding schools. Where do graduates tend to matriculate?</p>
<p>I hear its an athletic powerhouse</p>
<p>I didn’t go to AOF (pretty much impossible considering I’m FEMALE) but I’m fairly familiar with the school, thanks to my friends/activities there.</p>
<p>From my understanding, the athletics are the main focus (esp hockey), and so academics are not that great. Thus, college matriculation isn’t usually very impressive, though there have been a few recent graduates accepted into such places as Columbia and Johns Hopkins. (Often when graduates are accepted into such prestigious institutions athletics are a strong factor). According to the many students I have known, the student body is generally very conservative, homophobic and wealthy. Also, if you are not involved in sports you are usually a social outcast of some sort. Most complain about the lack of girls on campus. There’s also a fair deal of (soft-core) drug use due to the lack of activities on campus, but you could probably say that of just about any BS.</p>
<p>Personally, most of the Avon guys I’ve met have been pig-headed jocks. However, I also know a lot of very nice, smart guys from Avon too - usually these are the ones that don’t do intense athletics, for some reason.</p>
<p>After my prep school experience, I would really recommend against attending a single-sex school, but if that’s what you want, you should look into Salisbury as well. From my understanding/experience (which is more limited than it is for Avon) the academics are better and the students (usually) seem nicer and more intelligent, if preppier. But, again, I have to put in the disclaimer and say that this is only my experience and the experience of others as they have related it to me and therefore might be biased/not give the whole picture.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I too am a female and haven’t attended AOF myself, but having attended a near-by all girls school I do know/ have numerous friends that attend(ed) Avon.
AOF is definitely an athletic powerhouse, with New England Championships in numerous sports. It boasts numerous teams for each sport (up to four or five) and the guys on the JV, and even thirds teams would most likely be on Varsity teams at local high schools. The guys are good! Plain and simple.
As far as academics, I am not too sure about their program. I do know the guys are not all die-hard athletes, some yes indeed are, but there are some who attend for academics. Recent grads, have gone off to Columbia, Johns’ Hopkins, Wake Forest, Military Academies, and some very prestigious colleges- without sports. But, a high percentage do go off to play collegiate athletics, to some very good universities.
The guys I know, some athletes, some not, have truly enjoyed their experiences at Avon.
There is a heated rivalry between Avon and Salisbury, another all-guys boarding school, known to have a reputably more diverse student body. The athletics are a large part of the school, but there is a fair bit more of guys there for other extracurricular activities, as well as the strong academic reputation. Either way, both are a good choice. Best of luck!</p>