Deerfield vs. Hotchkiss vs. Loomis

Prep School Admissions
1

Hey everyone,

I’m an 8th grader who is deciding between the three boarding schools listed above. They’re all really great schools, so it’s not an easy decision. Help me out!

I play the violin, sing and do theater - I love the performing arts. I’m also a big STEM person, and I want a school that has good science, robotics, and engineering programs. I love tennis and soccer.

Below are some criteria I’m looking for. I have gathered some of this information online, but statistics don’t always tell the whole story.

  • Environment: Is is a pressure cooker, hyper-competitive place or students cooperate and have time to pursue interests during free time?
  • School Culture - Is it too strict/traditional? Or is it more "chilled out"?
  • Diversity: All 3 look diverse on paper. Does everyone feel welcome? Asians, Indians, African Americans, Spanish - all represented?
  • International Opportunities - spend a semester abroad, go on trips, etc. I know they all have them - is any one of these schools particularly good at it?
  • Ability to leave campus on weekends - are you allowed to leave campus on weekends? I may not want to do it, but could I if I wanted to?
  • Prestige: Which school has a stronger cachet (rankings fluctuate year over year)?
  • Campus: School has beautiful, new facilities. Preferably, the campus should be big, and most importantly I want to be someplace where I won't be bored on weekends.
2

Hey,

I’m currently a student at another boarding school who is transferring to Deerfield. I have a lot of friends at all 3 of these schools so I hope I can provide some input.

Deerfield has a stricter, more traditional school culture. The campus is really nice. Its big enough to have resources but also quaint enough to not feel like a college.

Hotchkiss is a really small community, laxer than DA. Great facilities as well and pretty good sports, better than DA in a few.

Loomis is probably the least traditional, great, big campus. Nice sports facilities, a big emphasis on sports but still decent academics.

That’s all I can say but I hope you choose Deerfield!!

3

I would pick Loomis for you. I know 2 kids, who between them, sound like you who loved it… Theater person, game for sports, studied abroad (Spain), now majoring in engineering.

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4

I only know Hotchkiss, my comments are in caps above.

5

You will receive an excellent education at all schools. Congratulations on your acceptances!

We can’t speak to Loomis other than from the perspective of touring it a couple of years ago - so no comment. Kiddo did not apply there. You can tell by the avatar which school I was excited about = yes, Hotchkiss has it’s own 9 hole golf course - which is one of the best 9 hole public courses in the US. You walk out the door and there is a tee box. Both schools have strong golf teams and other excellent sports teams.

Deerfield & Hotchkiss have many things in common. Great schools that attract exceptional students from around the world. Beautiful setting in the countryside. Deerfield is in a valley rimmed by hills & mountains. Hotchkiss sits high above a valley with a beautiful lake. I think Hotchkiss has the most beautiful view and a concert hall with an amazing view. Deerfield also has an amazing concert hall, but not the stunning view. From people I know at both schools, I get the sense that Hotchkiss has a more robust music program.

Both Deerfield & Hotchkiss have fabulous athletic facilities. I think the new athletic center at Deerfield is more expansive : Indoor practice field(s), elevated running track, ice rink, indoor crew tank, golf simulator, dozen squash courts, team training & conference rooms, basketball courts, volleyball area, pool/diving, aerobics,spin, apparel store, etc. Here is a video of some of the facilities.

https://vimeo.com/294833943

Both Deerfield & Hotchkiss are known for academic excellence. I know that Hotchkiss recently changed up their science curriculum. You should look at the course catalogues of both schools. Deerfield has several interesting STEM offerings in bio-engineering, neuroscience, electric car engineering, computer architecture, etc. Math curriculum at Deerfield is very rigorous & fast paced - many students find themselves highly challenged.

Deerfield has a Dance Company and several dance options for students who wish to participate as a dancer and in athlete in a dedicated sport. Student choreography is popular. Both schools offer architecture. Deerfield allows students to take it as early as Freshman year and later on you can take AP Architecture.

Both schools have many longstanding traditions and tons of spirit including big rivalries (Hotchkiss - Taft, Deerfield - Choate), bonfires, school songs, community gatherings, etc. Both pride themselves on their sense of community. Deerfield may seem more traditional. They have a school dress code that includes (Fall & Spring) wearing blazers. Deerfield has a sit down meals several times per week - one large round table with 8 or 9 students and faculty member. This is a great way to promote community building and friendships across class years. I think this contributes to a friendly vibe and allows for students to form connections with others from diverse backgrounds. We get the sense that Hotchkiss and Deerfield may draw students from slightly different NE areas, even though both schools have large international numbers. Deerfield has @650 students, grades 9 - PG from 49 countries.

You are fortunate to attend either school and will meet great people at both.
Do not get hung up on rankings - be a discerning reader of rankings and “top 10 lists”. Find the best fit for you so that you can be ? happy & thrive!

6

I go to loomis and can say that one thing that separates Loomis is that we have a really nice town right as you walk off campus and we are also really close to Hartford which lets students have easy access to off-campus activities on the weekend. Students can leave campus on the weekends as long as it is approved by their parents through an app that the school uses. If you want to walk to town, however, you can pretty much just go whenever you want and we have a grocery store just off the side entrance to the school. For me, I really wanted to make sure I didn’t feel isolated from the outside world while I was at boarding school and I think that’s much easier to avoid at a school like Loomis compared to Hotchkiss or Deerfield which are very rural campuses. While you can pretty much do what you want on the weekends, the school also organizes on campus and off campus activities (Mall trips, shows, etc.) that often receive ample attendance.

The theater program at Loomis is also really well-known and we actually have a lot of support from former alumni who go on to become professionals in the industry. I believe they’re creating a new theater by next year so that might be something that would peak your interest. I’m not a big theater person, but I do know that the plays are really well done and virtually everyone tries to get a ticket to the show.

When it comes to Athletics, loomis has a reputation as a very athletic school and we do extremely well against other schools both within the Founders League and NEPSAC. I will say, we are not good at football—we are notoriously bad at football—some people feel like that detracts from our school culture, but honestly I think having a relatively weak football program allows a more balanced school culture since it doesn’t allow us to become a heavily sports dominated community. We really have strong programs across the board in the arts and athletics and students are hyper-involved in both areas.

Overall, Loomis is a pretty relaxed school in terms of everyday culture, I wouldn’t say we are as relaxed as Choate or NMH as we still have a basic dress code that has to be followed and there is a more structured schedule, but I do feel that the school administration does a good job of providing students with a reasonable amount of freedom while maintaining proper oversight.

Loomis also is a member of the school year abroad and semester abroad programs. We also have the GESC and Alford Center for Global & Environmental studies which establishes a lot of other international educational opportunities for students (I would definitely look into this if you’re considering loomis).

Good luck making your choice! I really feel for all the newly admitted boarding school students, making a decision like this is incredibly difficult without revisit days, but I’m sure it will work out in the end.

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7

Thank you everyone for your comments

@cinnamon1212
Great to know that students don’t self-segregate. Probably not easy to tell, but you mentioned Asians - do you happen to know if they are well represented across (like Indian-Americans, Chinese-Americans, Korean-Americans etc.) or mostly from one region? I am trying to gauge how broad the mix is - in some schools one region may be over-represented which gets missed by statistics.

8

My DD was accepted to all three of these schools and decided that Deerfield was the best fit for her. She is a senior now and would not have changed that decision one bit.

9

From all over. There are Chinese students from China, Korean students from Korea, Chinese-American students, Korean-American students, kids from Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Vietnam, Indian-Americans, Malaysia, Japanese-American, Afghanistan, Iran . . . and that doesn’t include Europeans, Africans etc. Better than me, I’m sure Hotchkiss has a list of all the countries its students come from.

Hotchkiss has a huge emphasis on global connections/international diversity.

One other thing I didn’t mention is that every student gets a $500 stipend for international travel no matter their means. And kids on financial aid get financial aid to go on trips. Last summer the boys and girls soccer teams traveled to Spain to train, compete and also sightsee. Kids on full financial aid went without having to pay anything.

Obviously not now, but when things are “normal” there are international trips led by faculty every break – to Russia over Thanksgiving, over March Break, over the summer. Then there are round square programs kids can go on, SYA and others. But again, the Hotchkiss website would be a more comprehensive source of info.

All these schools are great. I’m writing so much about Hotchkiss because that’s the one school I know a lot about. The fact that I’m not writing about the others does not mean they aren’t just as good, or a better fit for a particular kid.

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Hi @highschoolperson - iff you are from Asia or other foreign student accepted to any of these schools, I believe you will find a welcoming community. I think there were students from more than 40 countries represented at Deerfield last year. If you are on FA, schools provide stipends for a variety of needs (travel, school trips, winter clothing, local transport, etc). There are also School Year Abroad programs and team pre-season training trips at the schools you mentioned. Several overseas trips each year, also, during school breaks and summer vacations. Deerfield has an interesting trip/visit to Jordan at the King’s School. This past year, the boys hockey team trained overseas during winter break. Other teams had spring trips planned overseas and around the country.

11

If you ask me, Deerfield would be a winner among the three - by a slim margin. It appears the most balanced of all, lacking nothing, including the intangible “happiness” factor. It looks least trying, coerced or contrived because it already has everything in abundance. Congratulations!

Hotchkiss is both rigorous and beautiful, but quite isolated on mountain top. Summer is gorgeous but your time there would involve more winter than summer. If you love snow, great.

These two are really America’s best in terms of facilities, in my opinion. They are Ivy college level.

As for Loomis, I do not know much other than (1) it is one of the up-and-comimg schools, super-hot among applicants these days, and (2) one of my friends was so impressed with his son’s “transformation” there that he started making large donations purely out of his own will.

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Thanks @enpassant2019 - it had to be compelling enough to walk away from a golf course! There are videos of campus tours online for anyone reading this post. You can get a view of the academic buildings and athletics center - plus one of the good hang-out spaces.

13

@highschoolperson Hello, and congratulations on having some amazing options. Between Hotchkiss and Deerfield - let’s put it this way, there’s a reason for the nickname, DeerKiss.

For Music, I would give the edge to Hotchkiss - absolutely world class program. Apart from that, the schools are very similar. Size, academic rigor, faculty quality, mostly boarding, cohesive student bodies.

Deerfield has invested in some new athletic facilities, and Hotchkiss has a big budget for a new Dining Hall/revamped student activity facilities. Both schools excel in athletics, so it is sport dependent.

Reputationally - very similar. Senior student SAT scores are comparable. Historically, Hotchkiss was more academic than Deerfield in the 50s-80s, but there really is no difference now. Hotchkiss is more relaxed, Deerfield “slightly” more conservative, but really, this is superficial and relates to the dress code.

Loomis: caring administration and faculty. To be frank - downside is 30% day students, so the student body is a little less cohesive. People argue about this all the time, but we know tons of families at Loomis and they all agree about the day student/boarding distinction. Hartford is not culturally interesting, so there is no great advantage to being nearby except for Bradley airport. Probably no BS has made greater reputational strides than Loomis. I would be thrilled and honored if our youngest were accepted at Loomis.

Academically, it is slightly easier to get academic honors at Loomis than comparable honors or rank at Deerfield and Hotchkiss - just a tad.

All the best, and stay healthy and safe!

14

Super helpful @Mumof3Boyz! These are three of my DD top options so appreciate the input!

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For more information on Deerfield Academy, I have posted the School Profile below:

There are many similarities between Deerfield and Hotchkiss. I would say that the new athletic center at Deerfield is larger and offers more activities & spaces - although the Hotchkiss center is really beautiful and impressive. Plus, there is a tee box right outside the door of the Hotchkiss athletics center!:golf:?
Deerfield students are competitive in athletics and academics. Many kids are double or triple varsity athletes.

I can’t speak to the other schools on grade compression, but Deerfield is academically rigorous and it’s tough to get the high GPA’s that are enjoyed by many students back home. No weighted grades and no class rankings. FWIW - only 1 student in the class of 2020 last year had a GPA of 95. Only 18 students of @210 had a GPA of 93 - 94.99. Please refer to the school profile for information @ Classical Studies Program, AP courses, Honors courses, and STEM courses in your particular area of interest (Robotics, Differential Eq., O-Chem, Dig Logic & Comp Architecture, Experimental Neurology, Electric Automobile Design, etc)

https://deerfield.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/School_profile_2019-2020Edited.pdf

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Thank you @Golfgr8 - your posts are always so informative.

@Calliemomofgirls I note that Deerfield’s 2019 SAT scores from its school profile are 1290-1510, mean 1390. Hotchkiss’s are 1310-1540, mean 1416. Loomis’ 2018 scores were 1230-1460 (mean 1360 according to Admissions). As further reference points, Exeter’s 2019 mean was 1450, and Choate’s was 1401.

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Like I said, Deerfield kids are really well rounded…multi-dimensional kids. I don’t know Loomis students so I can’t really comment. I do know a number of Hotchkiss students and there are many similarities. I do think that Hotchkiss might pull more from NY area while Deerfield might pull from greater New England area. Both schools have strong athletics…and many fun traditions.

  • Someone on CC a few years ago gave us all a good tip: Stay after the tour or revisit and check out the kids AFTER school to see what activities they are participating in, how they group together, how friendly they are, and if they look happy. We saw happy & healthy kids at both schools.
  • I know Deerfield has better cell phone service!?
18

Wow, everyone is so helpful! Thank you all so much!!

So, one of my main interests when attending a boarding school like these is my study in the arts, specifically music. Can anyone expand on the music programs that are at each school, which ones are better, etc.

Another thing I want to take into consideration is the people. Are the people friendly? Is it very easy to get along with others? I really want to be in a place where I fit in and feel welcome.

Thank you and have a wonderful day!

19

Hello @highschoolperson - sorry for the delay in answering your question!

Deerfield has a great variety of music opportunities. I can tell you that student performance events are frequent, varied, and are really popular. In addition to the orchestra, chamber & jazz ensembles you can also find students involved in private classes. Also, there are very accomplished musicians and singers at Deerfield. The theatre and dance programs are hugely popular with musicians participating, as well. The Deerfield musicians are scheduled to perform at Carnegie Hall next year. Here is a link to more information!

https://deerfield.edu/arts/music/

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Good morning @highschoolperson

Hotchkiss has a tremendous music program, and the school and student body are very proud of its reputation and commitment to excellence. Have you done a tour or virtual tour? If not, here are a couple of links which you can follow to see its spectacular concert hall:

https://www.hotchkiss.org/arts/esther-eastman-music-center

https://www.hotchkiss.org/our-school/our-campus

Hopefully you can speak to the music director, faculty members and/or current music students. The music department and club spectrum run the gamut of symphony, small ensembles, vocal, jazz, gospel, a cappella, and other genres. On our visits we love to hear the sounds of music wafting throughout the music center and the chapel. Hotchkiss’ Fairfield Farm is another wonderful venue for outdoor student performances.

https://www.hotchkiss.org/post-page/~board/school-news/post/encore-hotchkiss-students-return-to-carnegie-hall

Our family has attended numerous concerts, and we can attest to the talent and dedication of the students . I am a classical music fan, so I can to some degree discern the difference between a talented ensemble and otherwise, and Hotchkiss music is very high level. Some touring, Carnegie Hall once a year, etc.

We love that the student body really supports the music program with high concert attendance and enthusiasm. I think you will find Hotchkiss really embraces its music program and the dedicated musicians in it.

As one visiting musician commented:

“This is a world class concert hall. We perform 100 concerts a year in halls all over the world, and I would rank this as one of the very best in the world. It is spectacular. The sound is excellent. The architect should stand up and take a bow - these halls are very hard to get right.”

All the best as you consider your wonderful school options!