<p>Creative1, that’s not really true. For the few years I have been following, in some years more boarders while in others more day students (in percentage terms) graduated at the top of their class (judged by things like cum laude membership).</p>
<p>This thread has been quite interesting to me. We are fortunate enough to be from one of the day student towns for Andover. I was shocked that not everyone from the surrounding areas is able to apply for day student status. The AO we interviewed with said that the chances of being admitted are higher for day students, thus we feel pretty lucky in that regard. Even with this, however, we are casting our net wider than just Andover. There are so many very good schools that are so close, even if we choose to board my son will be very close.<br>
Booklady; good luck with the decision. You are correct that the towns that are considered day schools are all very different. You have the very wealthy towns of Andover and North Andover and the more inner city places like Lawrence and Lowell. There are also the middle class towns like ours. I didn’t have any idea when we had our interview that there were only select towns considered day towns. I was relieved that we qualify.</p>
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<p>Seriously? How so? Have you been to any urban high schools? Making assumptions about urban schools while living in nice suburban towns can be dicey.</p>
<p>pwalsh, I graduated from a large urban high school (Lynn, MA) and many of my friends went to Ivies. As an adult, I have taught in urban high schools. So yes. I know a bit about it. </p>
<p>I also might add that I have not indicated that I live in a “nice, suburban town.” That’s also an assumption on your part. </p>
<p>What is your personal experience with urban high schools?</p>
<p>Did you see the movie, waiting for a superman?</p>
<p>Yes, you said you have a nice suburban school option as a back up.</p>
<p>I said he has a great local option school. You have assumptions about what that can mean and what it can’t.</p>
<p>Name the great non-suburban public option 25 min from Andover?</p>
<p>Not telling you where I live, my friend. There are a LOT of great schools within 25 mins of Andover, and not all of them are bedroom communities. But keep on keepin’ on. I’m sure your version is much simpler.</p>
<p>I misunderstood because you said your son was considering boarding. If, in fact, it’s day or nothing, then it certainly doesn’t hurt to apply. But, should he be accepted, one of the things you might do is map out a typical day (weekday and week-end) at both Andover and your good local school–and make that part of the decision. There are certainly plenty of day students at Andover, so it’s not like it can’t be done–I’m often surprised to learn from my kid that Friend A is a day student, so they obviously integrate well with the community. I do agree with those who have suggested that boarding while living close enough to go home on the week-end for a break from school would probably be the best of all worlds. My kiddo would have loved that his first year.</p>
<p>I know several families in the Boston area who moved after their child was accepted as a day student to be closer to the school. It certainly can be done - might be a hectic spring/summer, but that is certainly a family decision come March. And I know one who reconsidered the commute for child #1 at a school that did not specify towns and was able to get her to board after being accepted as a day student.</p>
<p>Sorry, classicalmama. I did say he was thinking about it, you are right. And maybe he will surprise me, but I am guessing he’ll want to be a day student. So our option would be moving (which doesn’t seem like such a big deal to me, all things considered). People move for far lesser reasons than being able to send their kid to Andover (if we should find ourselves with such a fortunate ‘problem’). :)</p>
<p>Thanks to all for helping me mull it over.</p>
<p>When I had an interview at Andover, I was told that the radius wasn’t flexible.</p>