After a year or so at this school I’m just honestly really disappointed with the administration and my experiences here so I’m considering applying to Hotchkiss or Peddie. Does anyone have any advice about applying and going as a new junior? I’m also holding a lot of leadership positions already so would it be more advantageous for me to just stick it out?? Thanks.
BTW I am more than happy to talk about aspects of loomis which has angered/disappointed me I’m just not including it in the thread for now because its 1:25 AM and I have class tomorrow.
I’m so sorry that you are not happy at your school. Do you have some adults you can discuss this with irl?
That said. Are you young or old, could you apply to repeat sophomore year at Hotchkiss, etc? I’m
not a fan of coming into schools junior year. I think it’s rough. Both socially and academically.
What are the issues you are having? It’s hard to say “stick it out or leave” without knowing anything.
@foxrye: Any advice regarding whether or not you should transfer depends upon your specific reasons for wanting to transfer.
I have read several of your past posts.
Without knowing more about your concerns at this time, if you have multiple leadership positions you should probably remain at Loomis Chaffee as this indicates acceptance and involvement as well as a committment to others. But, as I noted above, it depends upon your specific concerns and why you think that Peddie or Hotchkiss or any other school would be a better fit for you.
I’m one of the survivors at loomis, ive gotten hatecrimed here which hasnt been mentioned on any of my posts but is known. LC has not dealt with either well.
Generally been disappointed with debate, AGH (all gender housing), the school’s academics, art programs (which isnt the art itself but just the programming and funding for it), ECs, and then the institution itself. The direction its heading is purely atheletics focused and that isn’t one that can support me.
I am so sorry to hear that you have had to endure this.
When I read some of the other responders posts, I thought of a classmate I had my senior year of prep school… who had transferred there after being beaten into a coma at her previous school.
But even at a fairly “woke” schools, there can also be varying levels of hateful behavior.
I have no idea what you’ve been through. I do not want details; it is good to preserve some of your privacy in a public forum. I can only ask this:
To what extent, do you feel unsafe?
How sure are you that you would feel safer at the other schools that you are considering?
In 1), by “unsafe”, this is not limited to your physical safety, although that is a component. You know better than any of us the psychologic effect your school environment has had on you, and how close you feel like you are to the breaking point, how unsustainable your current coping methods feel like.
In 2), I just want to remind you that “the grass is always greener” is a cliche for a reason.
The grass is always greener. That being said I think there’s a huge difference between hate crimes and what I have seen at Groton which is one group of boys having to be told constantly not to use slurs of several varieties and not learning. But the rest of the kids are accepting. I don’t think you are going to find any school where this isn’t an issue. You might find schools where parents and adults don’t know it’s happening…or it happens less often. BS is a mix of kids from ALL different backgrounds, and unfortunately in our current world, that means some kids who are jerks.
@foxrye Oh gosh I am so sorry to read this!! I feel like we went through that first admissions cycle together a couple of years ago, so I feel invested in your happiness. I’m so sorry. You’ve been given some good questions to consider. I would add that I personally would not let “oh is junior year too late to make a change?” worries come into the picture. Sure, it’s hard. But if a change is really the right thing, then if you were my kid, I would be thrilled to help you honor your soul.
That said – as others have mentioned – are you sure changing schools will solve the problem? (or is grass greener). And are you confident that the issue has gotten to where you truly do want to leave? (or, is this week just a particularly crappy week so leaving sounds really, really good right now?).
If you have felt this way consistently for a number of weeks, even on “good days,” then you might have your answer to whether you really do want to leave.
And depending on the situation, probably only you can answer with any certainty if another school would be “better” since we don’t know the details (and we don’t need to know them).
If you are under the impression that only Hotchkiss and Peddie are uniquely qualified to be the solution, then I would gently suggest that perhaps it’s a yellow flag to signal you might not be fully thinking this through.
IF you decide to go the transfer route, then know that you are supported certainly by me, but also probably others here who have gotten to know you over the past couple of years.
I don’t know your specific situation, but can comment on your question is Junior year too late? The answer is no. My daughter just started at BS this year as a Junior. And in her case, so far, the grass is greener. But you never know ahead of time if it will work out that way.
While transferring from one BS to another is less common than transferring from one college to another, there are kids who do it every year for one reason or another. Most who get to this point are happy for having done so.
As for transferring junior year, it is, in generally much easier to move from one BS to another than to start at BS for the first time as a junior. There still will be teething pains – curricular differences, making new friends, etc. – but many of the things that add to the challenge, such as living at school and self management, are things you already have mastered. With that said, it’s still hard.
If you are truly unhappy or feel unsafe, by all means, consider it. I agree with @Calliemomofgirls that you need to reevaluate your list.
Fwiw, I also think that a school like @one1ofeach describes that continues to chastise a group of students who continue to pursue inappropriate behavior is not committed to correcting the bad behavior. To call it out once or twice, recognizing that someone may need to be educated, is fine, but to get into a cycle of inappropriate behavior followed by rebukes with no difference in behavior is, imho, wrong if the school claims to be inclusive and welcoming. At some schools, that’s a path to not being invited back. You may want to think about how well you’ve been supported at LC through this. While it has been hurtful for you, have they done the right thing?
There are a few new juniors at Peddie every year, and I am sure that is the case at many schools, and they seem to slip right in with no issues. I am sure the non-cliquey and friendly, yet tight knit, culture at Peddie really helps.
I remember refuting your impression of Peddie as a STEM/sporty school in a post last year. I’d be happy to answer your questions if you would like to DM me.
I don’t know your exact situation, but to your first question of “is it possible to transfer as a Jr and have a good experience,” I agree with @AnonMomof2.