<p>@UKgirl23: Nice! :)</p>
<p>I just looked in my closet and saw…sweatpants. Tight waffle shirts. Tank tops. A few gaudy dresses and one trusty neutral blazer. 
Mom’s taking me to some stores to get some more “preppy” clothes, LOL!</p>
<p>Same my Induction day lovely their a warm friendly vibe and I loved the buddy system they pair you up with people like you and when I walked in everybody smiled and wanted to talk to me and wish me good luck on my Entrance Exam and the teachers are so friendly.</p>
<p>@Girlboarder: You sound like you’re having a great time! :D</p>
<p>Personally, I am still debating about enrolling in Choate with my parents…</p>
<p>Hey @GoldenRatio! I go to Choate so if you have any questions about it, feel free to ask.</p>
<p>Best,
-orangesrule108</p>
<p>I’ve seen Choate beautiful great academics and friendly people If I was American it be my first choice. Yes</p>
<p>@orangesrule108: I’ll ask away! ;)</p>
<p>How big is the sports culture at Choate? When I asked, the tour guide made it seem like no big deal, but…if sports are mandatory every trimester, then how is that no big deal? Haha. :)</p>
<p>How much homework do you typically get? And how hard/time consuming is it? I’ve seen come of your threads, and the common theme seems to be sleep deprivation. Is it that bad?</p>
<p>What’s Archery like at Choate? I was looking through one of the threads I had subscribed to (I think it was “cool and unique ECs schools offer” or something like that), and I saw Archery…what’s it like?</p>
<p>How horrible are the dorm rooms? My tour guide showed me a room in Nicholas (I believe the dorm was called that. Or was it Squire?), and it was so small and dank! Are all the dorm rooms at Choate like that?</p>
<p>Thanks for answering! :D</p>
<p>@Girlboarder: </p>
<p>YES! I thought that Choate had the most friendly student body I’d seen out of the four schools I applied to. Which begs the question @orangesrule108: Why did you put, “rigorous” or “sleep deprivation” as the word/phrase to describe Choate?</p>
<p>Hey GoldenRatio!! I’m a sophomore at Choate. I hope you don’t mind if I answer your questions as well 
-How big is the sports culture at Choate?
BIG. Not everyone here does a sport (since you can do things such as the Arts Concentration Program, which doesn’t require you to take one), however everyone is always ecstatic about showing school pride by going to many sporting events on campus. The biggest day to support our Choate teams is Deerfield Day in the fall, which is amazinggggggg. Full of face paint, T-shirts, bangers, drums, and a TON of people representing our Choate colors (in addition, we have won Deerfield Day for years… this year we sent them home with no wins!!). The sport culture is not necessarily overpowering, but it’s something that majority of the campus likes to engage in (whether it’s playing the sport, or watching it.)
-How much homework do you typically get? And how hard/time consuming is it?
Usually you would spend 1 hour per class, but it can vary. Spring term I’m only taking 5 classes, so about 4-5 hours of homework. It may sound like a lot, but I’m going to explain how it’s not always very time consuming if you know how to manage your time. We have “study hours” for freshman and sophomores. So at 7:30pm you have to be in your dorm studying. We get a break from 9:00-9:30, and then we go back to study hours from 9:45-10:30. You may ask for “late lights”, which basically means extending your study hours till 11:15. If people are not able to finish all their work in study hours, using free periods during the day can help tremendously (I usually go to the library if I have homework to do during the day). Sleep deprivation only happens when you can’t manage your time well or if you procrastinate a lot. I never stay up past 11:30 doing work.
-What’s Archery like at Choate?
Well I don’t know much about archery, however I do have a friend who lives in my dorm who does it, and loves it too. It’s not a very common sport here at all, but it’s definitely not looked down. I actually think it’s pretty cool But sorry, I don’t know much about Archery!
-How horrible are the dorm rooms?
THEY VARY TREMENDOUSLY. That’s weird of your tour guide to show you Squire. To be honest, that’s the worst looking dorm. Only two on campus look like that… the rest are actually cozy/homey. I live in the newest dorm (South House/Bernhard House), and it’s honestly AMAZING. It looks like a hotel, no lie haha. But most are actually pretty fine.</p>
<p>@Justagirl3847: Thanks! Phew, so the sleep deprivation/overload of homework was just imagined after all!</p>
<p>Squire was the worst dorm room? Good; now my parents won’t be breathing down my neck, complaining about how I’ll have to live in a cave. The room I saw had no windows. The school spirit at Choate sounds great! I love being in a close-knit, supportive community; the optimism and support bolsters your character so much!</p>
<p>If you don’t mind, I have just one more question on my mind right now. But I’ll definitely have more later! :D</p>
<p>How many single rooms are there for freshman? I’m a bit squeamish about sharing a room with someone else…hahaha, I’m such an introvert!</p>
<p>How good is the cafeteria food? I’ve heard wonders about it, but, sadly, did not stay long enough to have it. Does Choate have a frozen yogurt machine (or did I mix this up with another school?) And what is the food like every day?</p>
<p>How many people are allowed to take AP or Honors courses? I’ve heard on the Internet that Choate only reserves the AP and Honors courses for the super talented genius. Is that true?</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>Hi @GoldenRatio, I go to choate so I think I could help out a bit :D</p>
<p>Squire is a really gross dorm and there are lots of other dorms you can stay in sophomore year so definitely don’t freak out about it. I think Nichols has maybe 5 singles, but that’s just going from memory. Going with a single room is definitely the way to go for freshman year. </p>
<p>Archery wise, it’s a great group of people. I have a bunch of friends on the team, and apparently they’re pretty good.</p>
<p>I can’t believe any fo you are considering packing/wardrobes already! In 6 months I’ll (hopefully) not fit any clothes I buy now and I certainly won’t like the same stuff.</p>
<p>@soccer167: Thanks! Haha, Squire is infamous, isn’t it? I guess I’ll have to give it a wide birth.</p>
<p>Do the students get to pick which dorm they stay in every year? Would that mean that I could avoid living in Squire for ever and ever? From what everyone is saying, it seems quite horrendous.</p>
<p>For archery, could you join in as a rookie and work your way up to Varsity within your high school career? I’ve heard that you could join crew as a newbie and quickly rise through the ranks; it was in a thread somewhere on this forum-I believe it’s the “Secondary School Crew Thread?” Anyway, does this also apply for archery?</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone’s answer! Choate seems to be getting better and better the more I know of it…</p>
<p>@UKgirl23: I love organizing for events that are months away. It coincides with my love of formatting text. 
Everything must be planned out, everything has to have a designated spot, everything must work!</p>
<p>No problem!! I love talking about my school!! So shoot me as many questions as you have!!</p>
<p>-How many single rooms are there for freshman?
Haha I was just like you freshman year. Although there are more doubles than singles your freshman year, if you desperately want a single, Choate will do their best to give it to you. You will take a survey in the middle of the summer, I remember it being about 20 questions, on your room habits/how you like living. The very first question asks if you want a roommate or not. I put that I was “flexible” (the third option), so I was lucky when they gave me a single. I don’t know the exact number, but in Nichols there is something like 5-7 singles, Pitman doesn’t have any, and Memorial House I have no clue (it’s the biggest dorm on campus, but probably like 15-30% singles?)</p>
<p>-How good is the cafeteria food?
YES! Choate does have a frozen yogurt machine!! We got it this year But almost every Sunday, we still have a separate ice cream station… with toppings!! The cafeteria food is good in my opinion. There are so many options to choose from. My favorite meal is breakfast… I think it’s FANTASTIC (mostly because there is a chef who makes omelets with whatever you want in them that taste amazing). Of course, there are times when the food can be a bit icky, but those times are not often. I will say, however, saturday dinner is usually when the food is not too great. Partly because the cooks don’t make a lot of meals (because some people go home, and some people eat out/order food). </p>
<p>-How many people are allowed to take AP or Honors courses?
-Lol no, that’s not 100% true. I know at some schools, you can “sign up” to be in an honors or AP class, but at Choate, you have to be “recommended” for it. I know this may sound a bit scary, but it’s not. Freshman year is kind of the year to show admissions and your advisor which classes you have ability in, so that you could take an honors or AP class in the later years. This is mainly for core classes (math, science, english, history, language). For electives, it’s a different story. Anyone can be in an honors or AP elective class if they do the prerequisite class for that course. For example, my junior year I’m taking Intro to Psych, so that I can take AP Psych after that. </p>
<p>more questions? :D</p>
<p>-Do the students get to pick which dorm they stay in every year?
Yes. Every spring term there is a lottery and you can pick your top 4 choices for dorms the following year. Usually people get their 1st or 2nd choice, but then of course there are the unlucky ones who get their 3rd or even 4th (rarely 4th).</p>
<p>-For archery, could you join in as a rookie and work your way up to Varsity within your high school career?
Of course!! Archery is one of the sports at Choate where that happens often. The only sports that are not really like that are things like football, soccer, and hockey (maybe I’m missing a few… but those are the one’s where I know unless you’re a recruit or SUPER good, you might remain on JV)</p>
<p>I got accepted to Choate as well :)</p>
<p>As a new student, how will the counselors place you in classes? Is there like a math placement? </p>
<p>My math this year currently is up to Precalc (I go to an advance math and science school) and I would’ve gone straight to AP Calc BC next year…My worry is that Choate will put in regular Calc or worse, PreCalc. </p>
<p>Do you have time on weekends to go outside? Like to downtown? I’m not sure how the area looks like so this may be a little misleading…</p>
<p>@Justagirl3847: I am salivating at the thought of all that food! Hahaha, now I know why the Dining Hall was so absurdly big!</p>
<p>Yes! I can get a single! My Hotchkiss friend was shoving the fact that he could easily get a single in my face. Those are a lot of dorm names. O_O I’m not going to keep track of them all. It’s great that Choate has a lottery!</p>
<p>As you can see, my interest was piqued with the mention of Archery…I was also thinking of doing Volleyball, which leads me up to the next question.</p>
<p>How does the one sport per trimester system work? So, hypothetically, you could do a Fall sport, and then a Winter sport, and then a Spring sport? I guess what I’m really asking is, “Do the various sports overlap?”</p>
<p>How are freshman dorms assigned? Is that in the survey as well? And if it is, do you have any advice? What’s the best freshman dorm?</p>
<p>Wait, so how are you recommended for APs/Honors? How many people are recommended per year? Is there even a limit? I know that in my local public school, we take a test in eighth grade and then are placed in a “track” for the rest of our high school career…there’s little leeway there. How about at Choate?</p>
<p>Thanks again! The questions are just flowing from my mind; it’s like a dam has been opened!</p>
<p>@FutureExionian15: My tour guide told me that there are placement tests mailed in the summer…is this true?</p>
<p>I’m attending the April 1-2 revisit days for SPS? When is everyone else going?</p>
<p>I love all these questions!! 
Future Exonian:
-As a new student, how will the counselors place you in classes? Is there like a math placement?
You will take a bunch of placement tests after you decide to go here. I believe it’s math and language, but my memory is hazy. So basically if you do well on your placement test, you should be good </p>
<p>-Do you have time on weekends to go outside? Like to downtown? I’m not sure how the area looks like so this may be a little misleading…
I love this question. YES YOU DO!! Unless you like staying in your room all day, Choate hopes that students use (at least) friday evenings and saturday as downtime (except for exam week…ugh). Wallingford is such a cute little town. There are plenty or restaurants within walking distance. Probably the closest one’s are right behind campus, a ice cream/cupcake shop, a pizza restaurant, and a regular restaurant with burgers and things. If you walk further, there are popular chains (Mcdonald’s, Popeyes, etc.), a diner, CVS, Walmart, etc. Also if you don’t want to walk, every weekend there is a shuttle (I believe Sunday) that goes to Walmart and the closest mall (westfield mall I think). </p>
<p>GoldenRatio:
-How does the one sport per trimester system work?
No, the sports do not overlap. They are one sport per trimester, so after your season for that one sport is finished, you’re done. This allows people to take up to 3 sports a year. I took two, because fall term I did Intramural Tennis (noncompetitive), winter I did basketball, and spring I’m doing Varsity Tennis :D</p>
<p>-How are freshman dorms assigned?
That was the survey that I was referring to previously (the 20 or so questions). Unfortunately… I don’t know if you’re a boy or a girl… I assume a girl because your tour guide showed you Squire? Haha. But my advice? I would go with Nichols. It’s the bigger freshman girls dorm, the other one being Pitman (which has about 12-13 girls). Unless you like small dorms, I think being in a bigger dorm is easier, especially your first year, in terms of bonding and developing friendships and stuff. </p>
<p>-Wait, so how are you recommended for APs/Honors? How many people are recommended per year? Is there even a limit?
I probably didn’t make this clear enough… sorry about that. Basically before your freshman year, during the summer, you take placement tests for math and language (and one more maybe). However well you do on these tests will determine whether or not you’re going to be in a regular or honors class for that subject. There is no placement test for science… I think they look at your previous school’s science grade for that. During your freshman year, if you do well in those honors classes (maintain a B+ average) then you will automatically be put in an honors class the following year. There is no limit to the number of people, but then again, there are not TONS of people in a bunch of honors/AP classes here.</p>