<p>I just want to know the difference between lville and deerfield in terms of culture,environment and the students. Thank you</p>
<p>Have you visited, or will you be doing a revisit? Those are the best ways to tell. However, from my impressions, I get the sense that DA is more old-school New England and possibly preppier. Lawrenceville is newer and competes with different prep schools. However, both are incredible schools and I wish you the best!</p>
<p>I definitely would consider DF to be more preppy and conservative than LWV. LWV seems a little more relaxed, though when I visited it also seemed very into traditions and rituals and perhaps even hazing, though I’m sure these things take place at all schools. Deerfield in General just seems a little tighter, while Lawrenceville is looser. I hope this helped!</p>
<p>I’ve seen both schools up close. Both have quite different feels as previous posters mention. One large difference is the portion of students who are day (many more % at Lville). Going to Deerfield will give you the opportunity to have closer bonds with your fellow classmates and teachers. Deerfield is also a bit smaller, more intimate feel. Lville has a great campus, but filled with many legacy and rich-powerful familes, so there is a sense of wealth, power and entitlement among students. Deerfield is filled less with these types of students (although both have them).</p>
<p>Overall both are great schools, but if given the chance I think Deerfield is a better choice.</p>
<p>@sgopal2, i wonder how you derive these conclusions.</p>
<p>less day students → closer bonds
smaller school --. more intimate feel</p>
<p>But Lawrenceville is well known for its House system. It’s probably one of the most intimate campuses among top BSs. Also, most boarding schools are filled with legacy, power and wealth. Deerfield is not immune… probably more so.</p>
<p>I agree with @SharingGift. As I said, I think DA is more old-school preppy, probably with more legacies and older families. That’s not to say that’s a bad thing- the school is amazing! I think Lawrenceville is newer. Though, of course, it will have its fair share of power families, my guess is they would be affiliated more with the NYC/Princeton crowd instead of the NE crowd. L’ville is larger and has more of a day student population, but the House system helps to balance that out. </p>
<p>It depends on what you want and need. Look at logistics, visit feels, facilities, everything. Don’t make your decision based on which one has more power families or wealth. </p>
<p>There’s another DA vs L’ville thread in the Parents forum right now. I encourage y’all to check it out! :)</p>
<p>Unless u are a power/wealth family, you will not be part of that social circle in the school, so definitely do NOT let that be a guiding criterion for picking a school. </p>
<p>Both school are over 200 years old. DA may be a dozen years older, but big whoop.</p>
<p>Lawrenceville is only 13 years younger than Deerfield, fyi.</p>
<p>Based on your own experience, i really like lawrenceville but are there really bunch of rich kids?cliques?</p>
<p>All boarding schools have rich kids. How else do you think that two-thirds of the student body can attend w/o financial aid?</p>
<p>Another big difference between the two schools is: SATURDAY classes. L’ville has saturday classes. Although the Lville students have half-day on Wed, most do community service on Wed afternoons and for this reason end up not having much free time on Wed afternoons anyway. I spoke to one student at Lville who said that classes don’t end until approx 1 pm on Wednesdays. By the time the community service obligations are done, students are done with everything by approx 3 pm anyway on Wednesdays. Having Saturday morning classes in addition to this is a bummer.</p>
<p>For this reason (plus my previous) - Deerfield is a better choice.</p>
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<p>I completely agree.</p>
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<p>I know many Lville parents who are not super rich. They are professionals, professors, and small-business owners, etc., but definitely don’t belong to upper class. </p>
<p>ALL boarding schools are preppy. They are prep schools. They will all have “preppy” students. All boarding schools have populations of different types of students too. Just like every single other high school in the US. You will find a range of students. All boarding schools have loads of “old” money families. All boarding schools will be filled with a lot of “new” money families too. You will find cliques at any school anywhere. Drugs and drinking and sexual activity will be found at all boarding schools. These activities will be found at all schools. It’s still high school. It’s still teenagers. </p>
<p>I suggest revisiting both schools yourself, if at all possible. Dig deep into the school websites. Read mission statements. Read the school handbooks. Read the school rules. Watch school videos (on the school websites and you tube). Speak to current/former students/parents. At some point, you’ll have to just go with your gut. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>