<p>Just curious about the personality of Canterbury -- what is it known for, how is it academically, etc... I have a son who is thinking of applying there.</p>
<p>An old friend of mine went to Canterbury. President of his own marketing/labeling company. He still speaks fondly of the school. I thinks it’s 1/3 day students. Depending on the caliber of student would determine how academically challenging the school would be for your son. You don’t want a pressure cooker. Then again being at or near the top of the class looks good for college too. Personally I feel that there are many schools that don’t get mentioned enough here on CC but have the leadership, faculty, facilities and student body that has carried them into the 21st century making them excellent boarding schools. Curious, are you considering boarding or day student?</p>
<p>He would be considering boarding there. I am glad to hear your friend had such a good experience. I am more familiar with some of the schools in the Boston area, but I have heard good things about Canterbury. I am not looking for an academic pressure cooker at all - more interested in quality teachers, smaller class sizes, a fairly motivated (not just academically) student body . . .</p>
<p>In addition to Choate,Taft, Loomis Chaffe and Kent mentioned frequently on CC, there is also : Avon Old Farms, Cheshire Academy, The Gunnery, Pomfret, Salisbury (all boys), Suffield Academy and Westminster. All in the nutmeg state. IMO, try not to get caught up with notoriety. If your child grows and learns and likes it in Timbuktu then that would be the place for him. Good luck!</p>
<p>…and The Hotchkiss School is in CT, although just barely. (The NY state line is about two miles or so from the school.)</p>
<p>My son applied last year and we were quite impressed. I know several current students and they seem very happy and well adjusted.</p>
<p>Can anyone speak to the sort of student it attracts – athletically, academically, socially…I get the sense that so many schools have their own defining qualities, but maybe I am wrong.</p>
<p>My brother attended Canterbury (in the 80’s though). It was a very good experience - he went there months after my Dad died (a very difficult time) and he found a terrific support system there. A friend of mine also attended and had an excellent experience. My impression was that it was a very inclusive/cohesive environment where one could make lifelong friends. The area is pretty wealthy and my brother used to say all the day students would arrive in limo’s. I think he was joking.</p>
<p>My son started at the Canterbury School this fall. He’s had a great first semester, settling into boarding life well, making friends, and performing solidly in his classes. He came from a small intense supportive private elementary school, so I was looking for a small secondary school to continue his education in a similar environment. So far the school has been everything I wanted for him. He’s challenged but not overwhelmed, and the structure of boarding school life has given him the routine he needs to be successful. The teachers know him well, his advisor is accessible and quick to respond when I have questions, and the coaches are enthusiastic and encouraging.</p>
<p>His friends are kids of all ages, freshmen to seniors, and he keeps busy. The only complaint he’s got is that he can get bored on the weekend - in the beginning there were dances and activities to do which he says have subsided. Overall, he’s having a great time, is making the absolute most of the experience, and is very happy with the school choice he made (he was given the final decision between three schools). I’m thrilled to see him doing so well. He’s happy, confident, and having the overall experience that I had hoped for.</p>
<p>It is my understanding that the great Joseph Campbell (“Follow your bliss”) is a graduate of Canterbury. If you know a school by its graduates, then you couldn’t find a better person to carry the banner of a school than Joseph Campbell for Canterbury.</p>
<p>It is known for being one of the few Catholic boarding schools in the Northeast.</p>
<p>Does anybody have insight on Kent?</p>
<p>good thread, bumping up.</p>