Hi. I was accepted at both Deerfield and Lawrenceville, and I need to make a decision soon! I love both schools, but I can’t decide which one to choose. Help!
Weren’t the deposits due yesterday?
@mathman1201 I deposited money at Deerfield but then I found out that I got off the waitlist at Lawrenceville
Oh, congrats. Then I have no idea what to say other than go with your gut. 
What school are you leaning towards right now?
What grade and male or female?
@mathman1201 I’m leaning towards Lawrenceville at this point.
@soontobeprepmom ninth grade, female
Well, either just go with your gut or give us some questions you’d like answered. What are you looking for-- and what do you do-- what academics, sports, arts, etc.
Well as you probably already know both schools are quite different. Deerfield is tucked away in western Massachusetts, and Lville is more of a suburban environment. Both have great campuses with excellent academics and athletics.
Lville has a larger percentage of day-students as compared to Deerfield. Lville also has the house system. Deerfield is well known for its excellent sports (esp Lacrosse) and rich tradition (sit-down meals). Both are great schools, so you can’t go wrong.
There are several applicants on this forum who are on waiting lists. Would you mind sharing when/how you found out about getting off the Lville wait list?
But Lville has more students overall, so the number of boarders between the 2 schools isn’t all that different.
@Daykidmom my primary interest is with english and the humanities. I would like a school with a strong music department as well as community service. What I did like about Deerfield was how close the students and faculty were, as well as their sit down meals. I’m not sure if that closeness is at Lawrenceville. I’m also an athlete.
Well, I don’t know L’ville very well, although it’s certainly an excellent school and people seem happy there, just like Deerfield. I think all these schools have a lot of community service, both in the local community and overseas. Look at the course catalogs for English and humanities courses (my son is taking a very cool course at Deerfield next year called “American Studies,” which is a double-period team- taught course combining honors US history and American literature, reading the literature of the historical period you’re studying, just as an example). Deerfield athletics are great, some sports stronger some years than others, other sports always strong (lacrosse, swimming, squash). Its music department is really excellent. They’ve been building the program for several years, Amd now have a new music building to go along with it, with an amazing concert hall, practice rooms, recording space, etc. There’s an orchestra that meets once a week, a chamber orchestra that meets once week (advanced players), a chamber music class that meets daily during class time (for credit) with chamber groups who perform frequently, both at the school amd elsewhere. There are several vocal groups (chorus, chamber singers, a Capella groups, etc.), a band, and a jazz band. The chamber Orchestra, a couple chamber groups, and chamber singers just came back from a really great concert tour to Seoul and Hong Kong. If there’s any trimester you AREN’T doing sports, you can do a music co-curricular, in which you have time to practice every afternoon, have opportunities to play in informal ensembles (quartets, jazz, rock bands) and then play in the community at nursing homes, soup kitchens, etc. there are also some concerts on campus and master classes. The quality of music is very high. I don’t think you can go wrong at either place, but for someone interested in music, sports, and academics, I think Deerfield provides a great balance and lots of opportunities.
I also got accepted into Deerfield and Lawrenceville. It was a tough decision for me, but in the end I’m glad I chose Deerfield. For someone who has interest in athletics, music, and community service, Deerfield definitely has a lot of great options. In fact, the new music building was just opened this year. Goodluck with your decision, both are great schools.
@Daykidmom @saylty thank you for your insights!
Anyone rooting for Lawrenceville?
Go Big Red
Go to the one closer to home.
You can’t go wrong w either school.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/29/best-prep-schools-2010-opinions-private-education.html
But if u have to fly to get there, you’ll thank yourself for picking Lville. DA is a pain to travel to and local hotels are limited and fill up fast during busy parent visit periods. Lville is down the street from Princeton and has access to transportation, airports, restaurants, hotels, shops.
Deerfield. I have been reading about the lack of placement issues for math/science at Lawrenceville and know that we would be unhappy with that aspect. Why retake something when you have so many great course options to explore?
If that decision were ours, it would be Deerfield. Good luck.
@mexusa, OP is entering as a ninth grader, if I understand her correctly. The science placement issue would not arise for her as it would for a student entering in 10th or 11th grade. Math placement actually favors Lville. Very advanced students can take courses at Princeton when Lville’s math courses no longer suffice.
This entire thread seems futile, so far. OP wants help deciding between two very different schools but offers next to no details about what she wants, why she likes these two schools or why she is leaning towards Lville.
OP, you will get no real help here until you disclose more details. Since you state you are an athlete, we can assume sports are important in your decision - in what sport and at what level? If you are a golfer at the very highest level, Deerfield should be on your radar, you would be a stand out on an elite team. Coach says don’t even bother if you don’t shoot in the 60s and girls don’t have a separate team, you compete to get on Deerville’s one varsity team. rarely do girls make it on the varsity team, some usually play j.v. If you are into theatre, Lville might be your ticket: long drama tradition is complemented by excellent theatre facilities and Tony award winning professional repertory theatre in Princeton, plus occasional bus trips to Broadway shows in NY. If you love skiing, Deerfield is best - great XC opportunities and proximity to downhill ski runs.
And so on. Lacking more information, everyone here can only offer you hit or miss opinions.
@mexusa @Agincourt My primary reason for leaning towards Lawrenceville was because of its great diversity and easy traveling and logistics etc. I understand that both schools are excellent academically and that is why it is difficult to make this decision. Anyways I have to make this decision by today as I have exhausted my brain :-S