Best Boarding Schools

<p>andoverwarrior6: What do you rank choate, personally? NMH?
I'm applying to Exeter, Andover, Choate, and NMH.</p>

<p>i would say exeter, andover, and st. pauls are top three in no particular order. then it's all mixed up. i prefer exeter based on personal opinion.</p>

<p>Out of my four, here it is.
If I got into all four (or any combination with Exeter in it): Exeter wins!
If I got into Choate, NMH, and/or Andover: Andover inws!
If I got into Choate and NMH: NMH!
I think NMH wins because... I don't know, I just REALLy like it but not more than Exeter or Andover.</p>

<p>Everybody has a different choice. In my case, definitely Choate wins over NMH with a huge margin from any angle. From my angle, NMH is not even close to Choate. </p>

<p>check it out at
Compare</a> Boarding Schools - Boarding School Review</p>

<p>They reflect the latest data. They updated all the data base for last a couple of months.</p>

<p>I like NMH because of the differences between the other three- not statistics. It's rural, small, less prestigious, and other things you can't really put a marker on. And I like Choate... But NMH grabs me, makes me WANT to be there.</p>

<p>here is the latest BS ranking:</p>

<p>Rank School Name State Endowment per Students, $MIL Endowment per Students Rank SAT Score Rank </p>

<p>1 Phillips Academy (Exeter) NH 0.479 4 1
1 Groton School MA 0.554 2 3<br>
3 St. Paul's School NH 0.767 1 5<br>
4 Phillips Academy (Andover) MA 0.473 5 2<br>
5 Deerfield Academy MA 0.468 6 5<br>
5 Hotchkiss School CT 0.541 3 8<br>
7 Lawrenceville Academy NJ 0.236 12 5<br>
8 Peddie NJ 0.391 7 19<br>
9 Milton Academy MA 0.150 26 3<br>
9 Woodberry Forest VA 0.376 8 21<br>
9 Choate Rosemary Hall CT 0.215 19 10<br>
12 Middlesex MA 0.218 17 14<br>
13 Saint Mark's School MA 0.236 15 17
13 Thacher School CA 0.222 16 17<br>
14 Emma Williard NY 0.231 17 32
15 Episcopal High VA 0.234 13 21<br>
16 Taft School CT 0.224 15 20<br>
17 Mercersburg Academy PA 0.303 9 26<br>
18 Cate School CA 0.189 22 14<br>
19 MA 0.280 10 30<br>
20 Noble and Greenough School MA 0.084 36 9<br>
20 Loomis Chaffee School CT 0.132 27 18<br>
20 St. George's School RI 0.270 11 34<br>
23 Concord Academy MA 0.080 38 9<br>
24 Miss Porter's School CT 0.225 14 34<br>
25 Belmont Hill School MA 0.070 41 9<br>
26 Governor Dummer MA 0.151 25 27<br>
27 Webb school (TN) TN 0.072 39 14<br>
28 Westover School CT 0.179 24 30<br>
29 Westminster School CT 0.197 21 33<br>
30 Blair Academy NJ 0.105 29 27<br>
31 Brooks School MA 0.201 20 41<br>
32 The Hill School PA 0.216 18 44<br>
33 Webb school (CA) CA 0.040 55 9<br>
35 Kent School CT 0.095 34 34<br>
36 Northfield Mount Hermon School MA 0.101 32 40<br>
37 Salisbury School CT 0.100 33 42<br>
38 George School PA 0.102 31 44<br>
39 Pomfret School CT 0.117 28 50<br>
40 Lake Forest Academy IL 0.049 52 32<br>
41 Thomas Jefferson MO 0.011 68 21<br>
42 Cambridge School of Weston MA 0.018 64 25<br>
43 Masters School NY 0.028 61 29<br>
44 Putney School VT 0.061 44 46<br>
45 WESTTOWN PA 0.066 42 48<br>
46 Holderness School NH 0.105 30 60<br>
47 Portsmouth Abbey School RI 0.071 40 52<br>
48 Tabor Academy MA 0.060 47 47<br>
49 Worcester Academy MA 0.048 53 42<br>
50 Stevenson CA 0.013 66 34<br>
51 Baylor School TN 0.062 43 57<br>
52 Wyoming Seminary PA 0.057 49 52<br>
53 Ethel Walker School CT 0.085 35 66<br>
54 Stony Brook NY 0.022 63 39<br>
55 Avon Old Farms School CT 0.084 37 66<br>
56 Gould Academy ME 0.061 45 60<br>
57 Dana Hall MA 0.057 48 60<br>
58 Hun School NJ 0.003 71 38<br>
59 Wayland Academy Wi 0.029 59 51<br>
60 Suffield Academy CT 0.044 54 56</p>

<p>What school is number 19? "19 MA 0.280 10 30"</p>

<p>Sorry, I cut and paste wrong, here is the correct one.</p>

<p>Rank School Name State Endowment per Students, $MIL Endowment per Students Rank SAT Score Rank </p>

<p>1 Phillips Academy (Exeter) NH 0.479 4 1
1 Groton School MA 0.554 2 3
3 St. Paul's School NH 0.767 1 5
4 Phillips Academy (Andover) MA 0.473 5 2
5 Deerfield Academy MA 0.468 6 5
5 Hotchkiss School CT 0.541 3 8
7 Lawrenceville Academy NJ 0.236 12 5
8 Peddie NJ 0.391 7 19
9 Milton Academy MA 0.150 26 3
9 Woodberry Forest VA 0.376 8 21
9 Choate Rosemary Hall CT 0.215 19 10
12 Middlesex MA 0.218 17 14
13 Saint Mark's School MA 0.280 10 17
14 Thacher School CA 0.222 16 17
15 Emma Williard NY 0.231 17 32
16 Episcopal High VA 0.234 13 21
17 Taft School CT 0.224 15 20
17 Mercersburg Academy PA 0.303 9 26
19 Cate School CA 0.189 22 30
20 Noble and Greenough School MA 0.084 36 9
20 Loomis Chaffee School CT 0.132 27 18
20 St. George's School RI 0.270 11 34
23 Concord Academy MA 0.080 38 9
24 Miss Porter's School CT 0.225 14 34
25 Belmont Hill School MA 0.070 41 9
26 Governor Dummer MA 0.151 25 27
27 Webb school (TN) TN 0.072 39 14
28 Westover School CT 0.179 24 30
29 Westminster School CT 0.197 21 33
30 Blair Academy NJ 0.105 29 27
31 Brooks School MA 0.201 20 41
32 The Hill School PA 0.216 18 44
33 Webb school (CA) CA 0.040 55 9
35 Kent School CT 0.095 34 34
36 Northfield Mount Hermon School MA 0.101 32 40
37 Salisbury School CT 0.100 33 42
38 George School PA 0.102 31 44
39 Pomfret School CT 0.117 28 50
40 Lake Forest Academy IL 0.049 52 32
41 Thomas Jefferson MO 0.011 68 21
42 Cambridge School of Weston MA 0.018 64 25
43 Masters School NY 0.028 61 29
44 Putney School VT 0.061 44 46
45 WESTTOWN PA 0.066 42 48
46 Holderness School NH 0.105 30 60
47 Portsmouth Abbey School RI 0.071 40 52
48 Tabor Academy MA 0.060 47 47
49 Worcester Academy MA 0.048 53 42
50 Stevenson CA 0.013 66 34
51 Baylor School TN 0.062 43 57
52 Wyoming Seminary PA 0.057 49 52
53 Ethel Walker School CT 0.085 35 66
54 Stony Brook NY 0.022 63 39
55 Avon Old Farms School CT 0.084 37 66
56 Gould Academy ME 0.061 45 60
57 Dana Hall MA 0.057 48 60
58 Hun School NJ 0.003 71 38
59 Wayland Academy Wi 0.029 59 51
60 Suffield Academy CT 0.044 54 56</p>

<p>Good ol' Lawrenceville Academy...</p>

<p>Please cite your sources, Erykybk ....</p>

<p>That's pulled straight out of the Bunkel Index...the Summer '08 Quarterly Update.</p>

<p>It is very impressive and it is so useful that I'm glad it was posted twice.</p>

<p>So, the "best" school is the one with the highest endowment per student and/or the highest SAT scores?</p>

<p>Best for everyone or for really poor, really good test takers?</p>

<p>These "best" threads drive me nuts! It's like saying that the largest, richest corporation would be the best place to work!</p>

<p>If the people in the the largest, richest corporation are more productive, that would be the best place. That is why SAT score is one of the factor combined with the endowment. Most of the people who donated the money are from those schools. If they were not happy with the schools they went, they would not donate money to the schools. Everybody may have a different view!</p>

<p>
[quote]
If the people in the the largest, richest corporation are more productive, that would be the best place.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Guess who is the largest richest corporation is...</p>

<p>The</a> Fortune 500 and Breaking Business News - Fortune on CNNMoney.com</p>

<p>Uhh, I think you can do better than being a Walmart greeter with any prep school education... LOL</p>

<p>Point here, going along with Baseballmom, is that money and test scores are not the be all end all of how to evaluate the "best" boarding school.</p>

<p>Actually, taking credit for moving along the already accomplished is very easy. Taking a student with flaws (as most have) and turning him/her into a better achiever says more about the true "value added" by a school.</p>

<p>I too am totally turned off by the simplistic idea that there is a "best" boarding school. I'm sure that if there is such a thing, that only the "best" people go there and the rest of us are doomed to a life of mediocrity.</p>

<p>Can the sillyness please come to an end?</p>

<p>Andover is still the best. The word "best" does not have to be parsed. Applicant's various shortfalls that initiate a lack of fit are not relevant.peace.</p>

<p>Andover is #1. Everyone bow.</p>

<p>NOW!</p>

<p>We have just returned from a whirlwind weekend, visiting 11 BS in NE and had previously visited others. As has been said on this discussion many times, "GOOD" is in the eye of the beholder. We are looking for a BS with an excellent academic reputation, small "friendly" feel, where fun is equally important.</p>

<p>Just our quick observations from visiting the different schools and our quick impressions.</p>

<p>Groton = s-m-a-l-l campus; circular drive around fewer buildings (than expected); little "stuffy"</p>

<p>Kent = small campus; buildings close together; river running behind it; not impressive</p>

<p>Taft = elegant campus; loved the looks of the campus/buildings--very impressive. possibly a country club feel. </p>

<p>Andover = big (compound); spread out - all over the place; for us, too big.</p>

<p>Exeter = big (compound); better looking campus than andover (more manageable) for us, too big.</p>

<p>Middlesex = nice; small, middle circular quad separates the buildings, gives it a bigger feel than the school is; okay overall.. (a little disappointed in campus and not sure why).</p>

<p>NMH = beautiful entrance; school under construction; will be beautiful - putting millions of dollars into it. (did not make our list).</p>

<p>St Marks = very close buildings all in one location, small classrooms. (small school. (didn't have friendly experience).</p>

<p>Choate = spread out across road; no 'grand' entrance. (immediately disappointed in campus).</p>

<p>St. Pauls = an amazingly b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l campus; walked through woods 'down into' the main community. (hesitant about that "freedom w/ responsibility" thing).</p>

<p>Deerfield = loved it; mixed "old with elegant"; very friendly students </p>

<p>Had visited:
Lawrenceville = nice circular entrance, old elegant buildings spaced nicely; nice "house" system for incoming freshman; % of boarding too low for us.</p>

<p>Mercersburg = campus spread out; buildings far apart, "rolling" enrollment; campus too big (not on our list).</p>

<p>Peddie = don't remember</p>

<p>The Hill School = beautiful campus built on winding hill, across the road from extreme "poverty"; the paradox of a rich wealthy school sitting beside abject poverty is unforgettable.</p>

<p>St. Andrews, DE = small, elegant, picturesque, nestled back in their acreage, maybe too small at 287 students. </p>

<p>St. James = Clean, sweet, neat, very small (too small)</p>

<p>For reasons beyond, but including looks, our top picks:</p>

<ol>
<li> Deerfield</li>
<li> St. Pauls</li>
<li> Middlesex</li>
<li> Taft</li>
<li> St. Andrews</li>
</ol>

<p>This was a very thoughtful review. If you are a rising 9th grader the campus atmosphere at Andover and Exeter will appeal to you more as you mature. Younger kids tend to lean towards Taft/St.Pauls/deerfield because they appear "orderly". Lawrenceville day students are typically kids of Princeton Profs or NY commuters which make them essentially boarder mentallity kids.Andover(high school feel). Exeter ( more asians, younger kids, too many sports PGS), Lawrenceville ( more relaxed with slightly lower SSAT with Harkness)</p>

<p>What about Hotchkiss, Choate, Loomis, Westminister, and Gunnery?</p>

<p>Hotchkiss and Choate- lower entry requirements, NYC bias, legacy bias. The other three are clearly in the lower 2nd tier.</p>