<p>Today, completely out of the blue since he had never requested information, my son had an e-mail from Deep Springs. We know only the most basic information: rural school, 26 highly selected male students, free tuition, 2 year program leading to transfer to highly thought of schools.</p>
<p>Does anyone have first hand experience they would like to share?</p>
<p>ask your son: does he REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go there?</p>
<p>Because the only people who will be happy/get the most out of Deep Springs are the people who truly and honestly want to be there.</p>
<p>They sound sooooo cool. Sort of like a Chewonki program for college. I don't know if anyone outside of Maine has heard of the Chewonki program, but I hope so. From what I've read, they're taught mostly by professors on sabbatical from very highly regarded colleges, and they live the farm life while receiving a great education. I think it sounds wonderful, and I wish I could go...but I'm not a boy :(.</p>
<p>Roby:</p>
<p>Two kids from my S's school are at Deep Springs. one is in his second year, one has just started. It's for extremely self-reliant and extremely self-motivated kids. The two boys who are at Deep Springs were stellar students, leaders, great athletes. They were involved in a variety of ECs across several disciplines. The sophomore turned down several Ivies for Deep Springs, but is pretty assured of being admitted when he completes Deep Springs.</p>
<p>It's not for everyone, as the students need to do everything for themselves. Vancat is right: the students who will get the most out of it are the ones who want to be there.</p>
<p>Now that the Red Sox have won...(another obsession??)</p>
<p>Marite, if 2 kids from your S's school are there (out of 26 students) yours must be the most prevalent feeder school. My son looked at Deep Springs on first pass (through Fiske or whatever) and was interested. We dismissed initially due to location. The idea of self governance, of physical participation in a community, self reliance, etc. was very appealing to my son. What I wonder about is the "intellectualism" of the place. My son is bright boy, engaged learner, has deep interests in academic domains. But, I wouldn't describe him (yet anyway) as a "scholar". I would describe him as a more pragmatic thinker, though capable of high levels of abstraction as well. He is "well rounded"- actor, debater, athletic, social...though time is such that he doesn't pursue all he could at the same depth. </p>
<p>Any sense of that as a factor? </p>
<p>Mind you, son is already set to apply ED elsewhere, but the email today has me wondering...first of all, how did they find him (the email came to my address, not his, for example...)..</p>
<p>I know the two kids vaguely through my S. Perhaps the reason there are two is that the current students select the incoming ones. The sophomore was on the track team, did calculus in his sophomore year, was on the science team and was captain of the Mock Trial team; he's deeply interested in political issues, though he is also very good in math and science. The second kid was captain of the science team and also interested in political issues (a bit the reverse of the first student in terms of balance of interests).
My understanding of Deep Springs is that it is highly intellectual, but you have to be self-motivated--as in everything else since there are no real external constraints or incentives. Deep Springs graduates have gone on to elite colleges (I first read about it in an article about some students who'd gone on to Harvard).<br>
I think the sophomore turned down Harvard and Yale for Deep Springs. I thought that the freshman was headed for MIT.
It's interesting that they chose Deep Springs. Very few kids from the school go to the West Coast--it just shows how adventurous they are. I know they both have fairly extensive international experience, which probably influenced their decision.</p>
<p>Thanks. Sounds like a great place for the right kid, no? I think my son would consider it, if there were 26 women as well!</p>
<p>Robrym: rural is not the word for it. If you'll look at the school's website, you will find that the word is "isolated". It does attract top students (it is also a working ranch; they must work 20 hrs./week) but only those who will thrive in such an enviornment.</p>
<p>It is isolated. It is intellectual. It is hard work. It is almost a pass into an elite college on transfer. I have read some criticism that the graduates have a lower rate of marriage then the general population, but I am not sure why that would be. Perhaps being isolated socially? But, I have also read that they become very self sufficient there and very well read and very well prepared for anything they wish to do.</p>
<p>I think for the right person it could be a great experience. After all, it is only two years long and it is free, also.</p>
<p>I think the kids have to get up at a certain time (and it's early!). No sleeping in till noon. . .</p>
<p>One of my son's friends is a student at Deep Springs. I asked my son when I'd visiting him this weekend if he had heard anything, and he said yes. His information isn't that helpful, but he shared that his friend has to milk cows and also has to help review the applications of the next group of kids aspiring to go to Deep Springs. Also, according to him, they play naked frisbee there. He didn't mention anything about the intellectual aspects . . . I'm curious as to how it is set up, what a typical day is like, that sort of thing. Well, maybe we'll find out more at Christmas break. . . His friend has said he plans to transfer to UChicago when he completes the Deep Springs curriculum, though that of course could change over the next year and a half.</p>