<p>I found these surveys published online by the Andover and Exeter school papers. Can anyone post more surveys from other boarding schools. I am specifically interested in Choate, Lawrenceville, and Deerfield surveys if they exist, but would be interested in reading any. The rate of "self harm" is very concerning to a prospective parent looking at these schools.</p>
<p><a href="http://theexonian.com/interactive/tios14/">http://theexonian.com/interactive/tios14/</a></p>
<p>I do not have links to other such surveys. </p>
<p>To address the self harm issue, though, I do not think those stats are out of line compared with the general population. In fact, probably due to various reporting and measurement factors, they are a bit lower than the national average. Any of these schools will have likely have similar stats in this area as they are dealing with the same cohort.</p>
<p>If anything, I would be reassured as a parent that a school addresses this head on in an open way and tries to destigmatize, understand, and deal with it. I agree the rate is disturbing, but more in an overall trend kind of way, not in a way that reflects badly on the school.</p>
<p>Ok so I’m not clued in, what are illegal V’s?</p>
<p>I hate to admit this and don’t condone much of what I read but this comes with the package when going to a school that IMO is nothing less than a miniature university.
Definitely a lot of disturbing information. Whatever illegal V’s are, it certainly isn’t a good thing. I’ve had a crew of BS hidden gem kids at my house and they comment how one can be sprawled passed out on the quad with a bottle of Jack and still not get kicked out at such schools as Exeter & Andover. Granted their exaggerating but they’re making an observation obtained through all the social media. I am amazed at how much they know about kids at other schools. I don’t think this is as prevalent for most boarding schools, certainly not the smaller schools. At least with the kids I know and their cliques. </p>
<p>Might mean “illegal visits” (meeting in a room to hook up?)</p>
<p>There is so much interesting info here. More Republicans than they thought, now who’s being clueless!</p>
<p>@SevenDad, you’re probably right, makes sense and all I can say is wow! </p>
<p>Too much to digest this early in the morning.</p>
<p>BB&N:</p>
<p><a href=“http://vanguard.bbns.org/wordpress/?p=3910[/url]”>http://vanguard.bbns.org/wordpress/?p=3910</a></p>
<p>Concord Academy (report of survey; scroll down through minutes. A good read.)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.concordacademy.org/parents/41012capminutes.pdf[/url]”>http://www.concordacademy.org/parents/41012capminutes.pdf</a></p>
<p>Groton:</p>
<p><a href=“http://blogs.groton.org/circle-voice/2014/06/01/school-survey/[/url]”>http://blogs.groton.org/circle-voice/2014/06/01/school-survey/</a></p>
<p>Lawrenceville:</p>
<p><a href=“thelawrence.org”>Loading...;
<p>Monta Vista High School (for comparison):</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.elestoque.org/2014/10/06/news/challenge-success-survey-launches-discussion-on-school-values/[/url]”>http://www.elestoque.org/2014/10/06/news/challenge-success-survey-launches-discussion-on-school-values/</a></p>
<p>Stuyvesant </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.stuyspec.com/news/stuyvesants-school-survey-results[/url]”>http://www.stuyspec.com/news/stuyvesants-school-survey-results</a></p>
<p>Report on Independent School Health Surveys’ overall impressions for private schools: <a href=“http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/824667[/url]”>Private Schools: Protective Against Suicidal Behaviors?;
<p>Cincinnati Country Day: </p>
<p><a href=“http://scrollonline.net/the-wellness-survey-the-results-are-in/[/url]”>http://scrollonline.net/the-wellness-survey-the-results-are-in/</a></p>
<p>It’s important to keep everything in perspective, though. The default choice for parents of high school students is NOT, “if I don’t send him/her to this school, healthy behavior is guaranteed.” Teenagers are teenagers everywhere. You have to keep in mind that teenagers take risks everywhere. So read the CDC’s research on American teenage behavior as a comparison to the schools you’re considering. If you search for your local school district, you might find their reports online too.</p>
<p><a href=“Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) | CDC”>Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) | CDC;
<p>Reading the surveys makes me much less inclined to send my son to Exeter or Andover, assuming he were to be accepted at these very competitive schools. There is a significant portion of students that are unhappy and turn to drugs and/or self-harm – way more than I would have expected. True, this is seen everywhere, but I would very much like to know if it is seen more or less at a particular school. What is the effect of the tremendous pressure felt at these schools as opposed to another school, like Hill or Thacher? Does Exeter and Andover attract more gifted students with traits that actually allow these students to excel academically but at the cost of mental instability (like manic-depressives, obsessive-compulsives, and insomniacs)? I am not reassured that the results of the survey indicate that the students at these elite and exclusive schools exhibit abnormal and high-risk behavior seen at the same level as our local public school. Part of selecting a school (and paying tuition) is to provide the right environment for learning and maturing during a particular difficult and vulnerable period of development. </p>
<p>(Looked at surveys, briefly.) Well, the % of survey respondents were, ~60% Andover, 56% Exeter, 98-99% Deerfield, 79% Groton. Quite a few students in 3 of the 4 schools did not return surveys. Female students seemed universally more likely to respond to surveys.</p>
<p>I appreciate schools’ willingness to publish such surveys on the internet. Absence of proof is not proof of absence; you can’t assume schools which don’t publish such surveys would have better results. From my brief perusal of the surveys, a lot of the pressure is self-generated. </p>
<p>I prefer small schools, but that’s a personal bias. It wouldn’t be fair for me to give an opinion on the larger boarding schools. I hope some Exeter/Andover parents can contribute their perspectives on the issues. </p>
<p>Heartburner, I have kids at Hill- in my opinion, all schools are completive environments- in the classroom, in athletics,
music, etc…. consider when selecting a school- how the school supports the students and helps them with the day to day pressures- for example, Hill has a Writing Center, Math center, peer tutors, teachers who are always available to go to for help, weekly adviser meetings/lunches, coaches/teammates who have extra practices, etc. My kids put a tremendous amount of pressure on themselves to do well in the classroom and in sports. It makes me feel better knowing that they have such a huge support system to assist them through their BS years. </p>
<p>Thanks @Bulldogs1. Hill sounds like it might be more supportive compared to other schools. Glad we are taking a look at it. Learning about the high incidence of student self-harm and Andover and Exeter is of great concern. I am amazed that the >40% depression/self-harm/eating disorder rate at Exeter is so nonchalantly reported and defended. I can’t imagine that there are parents out there OK with this statistic. </p>