I was accepted to Blair, but I am not sure whether or not I should go. It’s definitely not as prestigious as the other boarding schools and quite pricey as well. Thanks!
Blair is prestigious, actually, compared to most boarding schools. Unless, of course, you were comparing it solely to GLADCHEMMS schools in which case, your logic is off.
What does GLADCHEMMS stand for?
Groton, Lawrenceville, Andover, Deerfield, Choate, Hotchkiss, Exeter, Middlesex, Milton, St. Paul’s.
I am not quite sure what yardstick you are using for determining “not as prestigious as the other boarding schools.”
Blair, along with the rest of the “not as prestigious as the other boarding schools” crowd (such maligned and “lower tier” institutions as St. Andrews, Mercersburg, Hill, Lawrenceville, Peddie, Choate, Kent, Loomis, Westminster, NMH, and a slew of others that for whatever were absent on the day that God handed out the HADES badges) will have no problem holding its own in terms of academics, college prep, and overall reputation.
But definitely choose a school that you feel is more prestigious if that is important to you. Just be sure you are using criteria that are appropriate to you, not criteria that are based on some external factors or opinions that are in the end not really that valid or useful.
There are wait listed kids who would love to go to Blair, so if you are not excited about it you can be sure your space will be taken by someone who appreciates it for all it is and all it has to offer, and who will not worry about false notions of prestige.
On the other hand, if you are wanting to go to Blair and are being told by other people that it is not worth it for whatever reason, then do not listen to them. Look at what made you consider it to begin with, start a brutally honest list about what you want in a school, and then look to see if it really comes up as short as you are being told. I say it will not, unless there is some very specialized activity or academic area that you are interested in
Wow! Lawrenceville, Choate, Hill, etc. are FAR from even being CONSIDERED lower tier. Anybody who thinks that needs to take a step back and get their priorities straight. After all Stanford doesn’t have prestigious “Ivy League” status, but it’s still, well, Stanford.
@boardingprep1213 - My point exactly. Yet all, along with other similar schools, have been thus described on these very boards. Note my clever use of quotes. I was responding to the original post, from whence I derived my vocabulary.
To the OP,
I would not worry about Blair’s prestige. Academically, you will be challenged at whatever level is appropriate and you will be among very engaged and happy students and teachers. In terms of prestige, Blair is well regarded among colleges, as are most similar schools, and a degree from Blair will be just as well received as from any other school. It depends mainly on how you do academically at the school. Kids from Blair are very well prepared for life, which is in the end what matters.
Parents are also, almost without exception in my opinion, very pleased with their children’s experience at the school.
Most kids I know at Blair are doing very well and are not too worried about the prestige factor. In fact, I think at most boarding schools you will find that once students get there they are for the most part very happy, motivated and not too concerned about how their school is ranked by the world at large. They are too busy learning and focusing on their own future.
I am not sure how price is a factor, as Blair costs about the same as other schools. The ROI is not really different, as all schools at this level will offer about the same value overall. If FA is a factor, that will definitely make a difference if you are offered more aid elsewhere, at a similar school.
My brother loves Blair’s porches. 