<p>pa-c</p>
<p>The attempted suicides are sporadic at all schools, not just PS. I believe it was SPS (or Deerfield) that had a sleep specialist come in last year and they changed the schedule to 30 min later start in the day and allowed kids to go to infirmary to sleep during the day. During our interview at one school, out guide appeared to be on speed (pupil dilatation, salivating, sweating, talking fast, incoherent).</p>
<p>From another board from several weeks ago. </p>
<p>M #37
Father of the Boarder
Member</p>
<p>Two Perspectives
I know a family with two generations who attended the school. The older reflects fondly – but a few photographs and review of not-yet-thrown-away report cards do awaken otherwise forgotten bad memories. It was not eden in that person’s teens.</p>
<p>The child disliked the school in one respect: not enough freedom. Academically it was a great challenge and a great environment.</p>
<p>I have written many times to many people: this school is very unique. Neither a jail, nor a wizard fortress, it is still a forbidding environment. Especially to the young.</p>
<p>As 99% enter as the top 5% of their class, over 90% must succumb to accept that they are no longer the cream of the class. Not easy for egos previously satiated with constant acclaim and success. Made even more difficult when the bad grades or anything (not the star athlete anymore, not the star musician any more . . .) cannot be placated in the comforts of one’s own home or near the everpresent and complimentary parents. </p>
<p>Boarding schools are hard on most early teens’ psyches. That is why boarding school is not for everyone. Exeter is harder than most other boarding schools. That is why Exeter should be stricter in deciding who attends. And, to their credit, they are very thorough at the admissions – just to avoid an embarrassing admission where a young person could emotionally roller-coaster and potentially crater.</p>
<p>Having said that, if you are strong enough, mature enough and academic enough to enter a place like Exeter – hurray. It is an unbelievable academic institution. Many of its departments meet or surpass those found in liberal arts colleges – even those which CC has created hot keys for in the lists of colleges. It is A-1. </p>
<p>And, I am sure that if the person who started this thread printed out the message and put it in a time capsule, and opened the memorandum on the decade anniversary, he or she would discover that fonder memories will exist as many of today’s “bitter” lessons should prove to be important lessons which may be greatly appreciated in the future. </p>
<p>Just do not look at those report cards."</p>