<p>What about Blair Academy in New Jersey?</p>
<p>My opinion is that once you hit that top 10 range of boarding schools, they’re all the same in being “the best”. At that point, what separates them is their traditions, campus, and spirit/atmosphere.</p>
<p>Blair looks pretty cool! I’m applying(:</p>
<p>St. Andrew’s School (DE) is an amazing school and it’s surprising that people are not talking more about it/don’t even consider as one of the best</p>
<p>groton school is a small school and its an amazing school. im a freshmen and having a small student body means everyone is so friendly and we all know each other. just because the school is smaller, does not diminish the greatness and the quality of the education.</p>
<p>What would you all say the most down to earth boarding schools are? I know a lot of this is opinion, but I can’t visit schools so I just want to have a general idea. I’ve heard that NMH is pretty down to earth any others? I know all schools have down to earth people I just want to know where you have experienced an atmosphere like that.</p>
<p>In my opinion, there is no “Top 5”, but there are many lists that try to distinguish the top schools. Such as HADES, GLADCHEMMS, Eight Schools Association, Ten School Admissions Association, and my personal favorite The Prestige 7. The Prestige 7 contains Andover, Choate, Deerfield, Exeter, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, and St. Paul’s.</p>
<p>carep: Curious as to why you are reviving two very old threads on a topic that most here abhor? We can all look away, of course, but if you are truly interested in these inane comparisons, why not start a new thread and try to get a better conversation going?</p>
<p>In no particular order:
Cate (CA)
Thatcher (CA)
St. Andrew’s School (DE)
Gorton (MA)
Exeter (NH)
Andover (MA)
We visited most of the New England schools and with the exception of Gorton (a smaller school), it felt like many of the New England schools were Exeter and Andover want-a-be’s. Regional schools in California and the Mid Atlantic (I probably should have added Lawrenceville in New Jersey), attract top students from their respective regions as well as smaller numbers of distant out-of-staters and internationals. Parents who don’t want to send their kids more than a two hour drive from the house usually send their kids to these schools even though their kids could easily qualify for any school. In any event there is probably little difference between the top 20 or so schools in terms of results. It truly depends mostly on the kids at that point. Name ID and perceived prestige has very little to do with it and is a little childish.</p>