Thank you so much! @mexusa @ChoatieMom
Haha, I meant the swim question as in “I can’t swim very well, so I hope that there isn’t a mandatory swim test” but thank you for your reply. 
Take advantage of your welcoming community and ask for swimming lessons! I am sure they will find a solution for you.
@choatie2019-- my son called Choate IT yesterday. They said that the type of laptop you bring is up to personal preference; however went on to say that they are proponents of Apple for educational use and that if you were to purchase a new laptop, it would may better to sync with the mandatory iPad.
As an aside, I teach at a PC-based college and see first hand that while PC and Macs are better at “talking” to each other now, there continues to be little bugs that persist between the two platforms, especially with regards to power point presentations (font warping, images cut off, etc). This occurs when I pull up a ppt file created on a Mac on my classroom’s PC.
Typo correction:
*an apple laptop may be better to sync with the mandatory iPad.
@mexusa I saw that under the Information and Forms tab when I logged in to my Choate account.
I got the medical forms in the mail a couple days ago, and it doesn’t really say anything about being/not being allowed to bring over the counter medicine. Can I? Sambucol (homeopathic; black elderberry extract for colds) and herbal drink/remedy
@Choatie2019: You can call the Health Center to verify. Choate allows students to keep some OTC meds and supplements in their rooms. Others may need to be given to the Health Center for distribution. Don’t rely on anything anyone posts on CC. Call.
@choatiemom, can you give us a ball park figure of how much books/supplies typically run? iPad, laptop, phone replacement–now looking forward to now paying for books as well, lol!
Thank you!
Phone replacement due to DS dropping into a large puddle of water, commonly known as a commode. But I am not one to talk, as in the same week I shattered my own as well.
And Happy Fourth to all!!!
@itcannotbetrue: Books usually ran us about $800 each year, but we purchased from the school bookstore on registration day. Others on this forum may chime in with links to online sources that can reduce that cost, but Choate did not provide information on alternate sources. Students who receive FA will be able to get books free or at reduced cost through the school. Miscellaneous supplies like paper, pencils, notepads, toiletries, laundry supplies, fan, etc. were purchased at the local WalMart. I believe we usually spent less than $100 for those things. We never had to replace a phone, but we were fortunate to be able to supply CK with a laptop and phone heavily subsidized by our companys, so I don’t have retail figure there. CK bought his own iPad. I don’t remember what he spent, but I’m sure the price has come down since then. You may want to call the school and find out what they recommend or if there is an education discount through them. I’m sorry not to be much help here, but CK always handled his own technology needs. I do know that he did not use the iPad much. He ended up using his Surface almost exclusively.
Thank you!
Hello all! I have been away from site for awhile. Hope you are all enjoying this scorching summer…
Wanted to let you all know some IT info I got from the “horse’s mouth.” I know the wife of the IT person and was told that the Apple/Windows ratio was about 70/30 for students. However, IT was well prepared to work with both, so it is your own preference.
Good to hear that FA students get help with books. This will be very helpful, as DD is away this summer and cannot do any babysitting.
@choatiemom: Just a question for the future…How difficult is it to switch to a boarder from day student in later years ? For instance, if there is a move due to employment, would DD be able to change her status? Also, would the already generous FA package reflect this change, or would that be totally out of the question? Thanks for your input on this.
Sorry, @mexusa, I have no experience with this as FormerChoatieKid boarded all four years. I do know that it IS possible to switch from day to boarding, but only the school can give you the level of detail you need here. Contact the admissions office and let us know what you find out.
@mexusa I met a kid that did convert from a day student to boarding. But I dont know how that affects FA
Placement is up on the Parent Portal!
https://parents.choate.edu/go/newparents/Pages/newparents.aspx
@itcannotbetrue Thanks for the notice! How exciting, it is finally happening. I just skyped my DD and she was thrilled at some of her placements (and humbled by others…) LOL. One of her languages will be retested, however, upon her return and we hope she will jump a level or two. She’d better, after two months of immersion classes…
Thanks for comments on converting to boarding student, will hold off until it becomes an issue (which it may not.)
A note on placements… Do not be concerned if you disagree with your kiddo’s initial course list. There is a lot of musical chairs in those first weeks. If it becomes clear that your student belongs in a higher or lower class, changes will be made. Rest assured, no student will be deprived of the highest level of challenge s/he can successfully handle. Also, if you think your student is on the cusp between a higher and lower course, the lower is probably the better first option.
Second child, second round of admissions this year! We are gearing up again. I know that everyone is quite envious of our back-to-back admission cycles, ha ha!
That being said, can anyone comment on Choate’s sibling policy for an equally talented applicant? Future prep child #2 will most likely test about the same as Choate Child #1 (perhaps higher in Quant and lower in Verbal) and grades are slightly higher. ECs are about the same, with less “unique” ECs and more sports (rowing and lacrosse) +music. We will also NEED to apply for FA this time around. While we OF COURSE prefer for them to be together, Future Prep child #2 is also considering a few other first tier NE boarding schools. . . but yet also wants Choate! All so difficult in that while Choate is our first choice, what if they don’t accept her? Hate to put all of our eggs into one basket. Also hate to think that we might be shooting ourselves in the foot if we apply to other schools and somehow send a message to Choate that she does not want to go there.
I hope this makes sense to anyone out there reading this post! Thanks in advance for any words of advice or insight!