I have been researching heavily on all of the info available on prep schools lately (both on CC and off).
But one thing that is very difficult to find is info on the PG programs at some of these schools - I cannot find any opinions from people who have been in these programs or is experienced in them. Most students are there for the majority of their four years. I see that only some schools offer any PG program at all - Andover, Hotchkiss, Deerfield, and Choate are the main four I’m looking at that offer PG programs. I noticed that only about 25-30 (average) students are doing PG at these institutions.
Has anyone here done this? I know that they are sometimes popular with jocks who want to boost up their academics before college admissions. I’m in an independent study academy under a charter school and I am roughly in the same situation - I’d like to get an extra year of quality education and counselling before applying to some universities. My school has only 1% of students applying to 4 years, it’s a shame. The counsellors are clueless.
I am also up to looking at responses about lesser-known prep schools with PG programs, because I know these top ones can have extremely competitive students (Exeter comes to mind). My GPA will be 3.4 or so when I graduate from my current school, as well as some B+/A’s in three online AP classes. But I don’t know how that plays in with my ‘hook’ of independent study, or the context of just attending one year as a PG student. I think it would be silly to throw a school like Andover (which looks great) away simply because of fear of fierce competition. But then there’s the reality of things, sometimes.
<p>Hm, well, I've never done a PG year, but I did summer programs at both Choate and Andover, and I absolutely LOVED Andover. I went back a 2nd year. Choate was just ok. I know SS is very different from the school year, but definitely do try for Andover - it was one of the best experiences I've had.</p>
<p>Check out the PG programs at Blair, Hill, Lawrenceville, Cushing, Williston etc. I know several PGs in the northeast. Some kids go for athletics- get a year of growing and polishing up the academics. The PGs fit in well and are treated like seniors.</p>
<p>The Gunnery looks interesting.. so does The Taft School. All of these look like, and probably are, good schools. I guess I need to visit them to narrow my choices..</p>
<p>SubMerged,
So sorry that I haven't logged in in so long, that I didn't see I had a PM.
As to PG, I'm clueless what that stands for. Couldn't be postgraduate, since you're talking about high school prep schools, I assume.</p>
<p>Your other PM responses sound more knowledgeable than me, in any case. I'm a W'Coaster. Occasionally we have E.Coast boarding school & prep school types transfer out to our school because of family move, ec. I haven't known these students well. Our school would frankly be one of the very few options for such a transfer, because few schools in the West could match or come close to the standards of most E.Coast private schools. We've also had the opposite -- some going East by choice or necessity.</p>
<p>I'm bumping this thread because I'm in the same situation. I personally want to boost my academics before I apply to college. Since I want to attend a competitive college (think Rice or Vasser) I feel that my current transcript is no where near where it should be.
I have a 3.33 GPA and a 26 ACT, so I'm wondering if it is even worth looking at PG year at Hotchkiss or Cushing.
Any advice or anyone here experiance a postgraduate year?
Thanks.</p>
<p>There are about 22 PGs at S's boarding school. Some are athletes, but many are there to beef up their academic record and some just needed another year of maturity. Most schools do NOT allow graduating seniors from their own institutions to do a PG year at the same school. Check out TABS (Boarding School Association) and you will find info on PG years. The kids fit right in with the senior class.</p>