I am applying to Hun and on this site I’ve seen a lot of hate on this school. My impression (via my computer screen hehe) was the school is very nice as well as rigorous. I am going to soon interview, but I would like to know why people are hating on Hun beforehand for knowledge is power I guess (it’s more to see what I’m getting into lol). Thanks for any insight, it is very much appreciated!
Hun is really more of a day school with a small boarding element, and as such, the student body tends to reflect the homogeneity of the area it serves. It has a reputation for being pretty sporty and for not grinding the life out of its students. If you are applying as day, I suspect you will find the school comfortably familiar.
It has in its roots programs for teaching students with LDS and I believe they still do this well. (Pennington is their main competition for schools with learning support.)
We have known families with multiple day students here who have been happy with it. Only know one student who boarded and she recommended that her younger sister find a school that had a larger boarding community.
Fwiw, DS enjoyed his revisit day here but ultimately opted for another school.
I suspect the reason you don’t see much about it here is that it tenDS not to be a top choice for boarders, not because of anything else.
I’m curious what the OP has read in terms of “hate” about the school…please share if you have links to the CC threads/posts you a referring to.
I think Hun suffers a bit in comparison to nearby Lawrenceville. Agree with gardenstategal that it has a relatively small boarding population…but it is hardly alone in this regard. LIke her, I have known families who have sent kids there as day students…and they seem to have had good experiences and good college acceptance outcomes.
Well, thanks for all the replies! I used a bad word choice when I said hate, rather people have opinions on the schools reputation (i.e. drugs, low boarders, focusing on sports, rich kids who couldn’t get in any where else,etc.) and because of their opinions I guess I became a nervous and wanted to hear at least some positives from others. Once again thank you for all replies!
They did have an incident a little over 4 years ago that resulted in a number of expulsions as well as kids choosing to leave. I don’t know all the details but am under the impression that it had to do with drugs and was dealt with swiftly and decisively. It did get a lot of buzz locally so you could still be seeing the tail end of that.
I am of the opinion that every school (public, private, etc.) will have some kind of "scandal " from time to time, so it’s really a matter of whether/how it is dealt with - I would not hold anything against them that was addressed. And because the Princeton area has good public schools, stereotyping kids and families who choose private options is not uncommon.
Will you be able to visit at some point?
Hun has a very good reputation in the central NJ area. As pointed out above, it is not known for boarding, simply because such a small % of students are boarders. It is primarily a day school. But it is well known for excellence. I know many of my son’s friends who went to Hun and thoroughly loved it.
Hun has great academics and a small school environment. For many kids, it is a great choice.
@gardenstategal I am going to visit a bit later this month and that incident will certainly be a question I am going to ask. I am aware it is mostly a day school and I am going to ask if their is student discrimination amongst boarders and day students too. Thank you all for the replies! It really means a lot.
Fwiw, some friends were joking that all schools seem to be on a 4-5 year scandal schedule. Something happens, a bunch of kids are expelled, everyone realizes there are consequences for breaking rules so behaves, those behaving kids all graduate, the school is full of kids who never experienced a scandal and do something egregious…
The kids I know who have attended Hun were all really nice kids, btw.
I can’t imagine anyone at any school anywhere answering anything but “No, of course not!” to that question. I think it would be a hoot to actually hear in an info session, “Why, yes, we DO have an issue with student discrimination at this school but that’s part of our charm.”
Seriously, you get the real answer to this question by observation over time, not direct inquiry.
@ChoatieMom that’s is a very good point now that you raise it. I suppose I am just going to have to observe as you said previously. Lol, it’s quite comical to think about a school admitting to student discrimination. Thank you for preventing me from wasting a question during interviews!
No worries, @futurebskid. Have fun on your visit and report back.
I would add that if someone is ranting about how good or bad a school is, there might be a specific reason. Some people work hard to convince themselves they are going to the “best” school. Why? Who knows. Others diminish a school because it doesn’t fit THEIR idea of what is important. Human nature is a strange thing.
It fits their child. Great. Nothing more or less. Honestly, all schools have issues. No schools mentioned are really bad. Some are just better fits than others. It can be student specific, or based on specific experiences with a cohort. IF you decide the school isn’t a good fit for your student or family ----you should just not apply. And if you think a school is a good fit for your child you should try to pinpoint why the fit is good. Almost all schools have had a scandal in recent years. If you google the school name and scandal it’ll pop up. In addition, some of the schools people mention as being “the best” are ones which our family would not consider for various reasons. Sometimes academic reputation is better than reality or vice versa. Sometimes there are issues within the school with the administration, or the sports program or any number of things. You just have to figure out if it’s a good fit for you.
And I believe that at most of the BS schools mentioned you can get an excellent A+ education and develop yourself as a person.
Be honest. Think of where you will grow and thrive.
Thank you @Happytimes2001 that is some really good advice not just for bs, but even down the road for college. As of right now I think the four schools I have selected fit me well, some more than others of course, but nonetheless all feel right to me.