Exeter? Ask a teacher

Prep School Admissions
21

<p>What I was trying to get at was a supposed "college teacher apathy" that I discussed with an Andover teacher. He said that even at schools like Andover and Exeter, the focus of some teachers can shift from "friend" to educator on some degree if they don't like the student particularly well. </p>

<p>He said that very few teachers actually behave that way, but I've talked to Exeter students and they even said that sometimes they think that their "hardest" teachers lose a lot of brownie points when they try and just push stuff onto the students. They described one teacher with the sentence: "He is burying me with so much work that I only did one out of every eight problems last night..."</p>

<p>I'm sure that 99% of the students love being pushed to achieve something greater than themselves. It just seemed like some kids thought that the academics really made it hard to be friends with some teachers. The girl I talked to was in a really high level of French and Mathematics. I guess she felt alienated and she didn't finish her third year at Exeter... I talked to a person with an extreme view so I was curious. I guess it isn't in the average Exeter student's career?</p>

<p>Thanks though.</p>

22

<p>Hey, I am an 8th grader accepted to Exeter for 9th grade. I was wondering about 3 things. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>At Exeter would I have a college schedule or more like a high school schedule. Do classes meet daily? How many classes will I have each day and how long will they be?</p></li>
<li><p>How often do you guys take tests? How do you take them at the Harkness table?</p></li>
<li><p>What about grading? I don't think that I could live with C's. How hard is it the pull B's and A's at standard level courses?</p></li>
</ol>

23

<p>
[quote]
What I was trying to get at was a supposed "college teacher apathy" that I discussed with an Andover teacher. He said that even at schools like Andover and Exeter, the focus of some teachers can shift from "friend" to educator on some degree if they don't like the student particularly well.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>First of all, never believe something that an Andover teacher tells you :) Sorry, couldn't resist :) :) but seriously, I can't say I've ever observed that. </p>

<p>
[quote]
It just seemed like some kids thought that the academics really made it hard to be friends with some teachers.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm surprised to hear that. There are certainly teachers who are friendlier than others, or more accessible, but I think that's largely a function of personality rather than anything else.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Hey, I am an 8th grader accepted to Exeter for 9th grade.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Congrats!</p>

<p>
[quote]

  1. At Exeter would I have a college schedule or more like a high school schedule. Do classes meet daily? How many classes will I have each day and how long will they be?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Check out the insane Exeter schedule here: <a href="http://www.exeter.edu/documents/DS_Schedule.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.exeter.edu/documents/DS_Schedule.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Could they make it more complicated? You'll take five classes plus health, which is a mini class of sort. Classes usually meet four or five times a week (math, science, and languages usually five times; history and other humanities four times). E.g., your schedule could be Junior Studies in A, Bio in BU (both the B and the U format), Math in EX, History in H, French in FY, and Health in G, plus sports in CDV (doesn't really meet all CDV formats). It's crazy, but you eventually get used to it, and at some point it actually starts making sense!</p>

<p>
[quote]

  1. How often do you guys take tests? How do you take them at the Harkness table?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It really depends on the class. In some classes you never take tests (you just write papers or do projects/presentations/debates). In other classes you may take them weekly. We typically use slides to take tests (you pull slides out of the table and turn your chair 90 degrees, so that you're seeing the back of the student next to you).</p>

<p>
[quote]

  1. What about grading? I don't think that I could live with C's. How hard is it the pull B's and A's at standard level courses?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you do the work you're supposed to do, you should be able to get at least a B. I feel that most of the C's I give, I give to kids who didn't work very hard. Pulling an A can be challenging, but lots of students do it. What I tell kids all the time: don't focus on grades per se. Focus on doing your best work; grades will follow.</p>

24

<p>As a parent my biggest concern is the support system & communication with parents. I want my child to be come independent, but I also want to be in the know often. How do teachers & advisors balance keeping the student on track & communicating with parents? Is there "informal" parent communication thru the advisor?</p>

25

<p>
[quote]
As a parent my biggest concern is the support system & communication with parents. I want my child to be come independent, but I also want to be in the know often. How do teachers & advisors balance keeping the student on track & communicating with parents? Is there "informal" parent communication thru the advisor?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yes, parents and adviser are in constant contact. If I observe anything out of the ordinary or anything that may be a source of concern, I will get in touch with the parents. E.g., if my advisee misses a couple of classes for no good reason; if s/he does poorly on an assignment; if a teacher gets in touch with me to express concern about something; if the kid's behavior seems unusual; in all these situations, I'll get in touch with the parents. If everything is great, I will still get in touch with the parents periodically to give an update. In turn, as a parent, you should feel free to contact the adviser when you have questions or concerns. Needless to say, don't call the adviser every day; boarding school teachers have very full schedules. But do get in touch whenever you have concerns.</p>

26

<p>Is it common for students to get "burnt out"?</p>

27

<p>
[quote]
Is it common for students to get "burnt out"?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No, I wouldn't say "common." The percentage of students who struggle with academics is actually very small, even though certainly not zero. But you do need to learn to juggle everything, so that you can make time for things you enjoy doing (which helps prevent burnout). Most kids figure it out pretty quickly.</p>

28

<p>What kind of books have been read in English (winter terms)? Any glimpses for what will be in the lesson plans for the prep's spring term?</p>

29

<p>English instuctors have a lot of flexibility in choosing the books that they assign, so it really depends on the section you're in (there isn't a standard list of books that everybody reads).</p>

30

<p>I have just been accepted as a Upper at Exeter, generally how does this minority adapt to the school. Is it hard to come into a group that has been together for 2 years?</p>

31

<p>I'm not sure what you mean by those squirrels but I'll guess. :) There are a lot of squirrels at Exeter. They must like it there! Anyway, the strangest thing about them is they don't run away from you. Like you can be right next to them and they would be perfectly fine. I don't know about other places but where I come from squirrels run away from you if you come 10 feet close. Those squirrels are weird at Exeter. Must be the open campus experience getting into there heads!</p>

<p>Oh. Also, all science classrooms use harkness tables. However. they use these cool sliding boards and they teach like a normal classroom. You look at the board and he/she talks. They teach like a normal teacher would. The harkness really comes up with discussions etc.</p>

<p>BTW, I'm not an Exeter student. I went to there summer program. So I'm not 100% sure about the science thing. (However, another class was basically the same and the teacher was also a school year teacher. So I'm pretty sure.)</p>

32

<p>
[quote]
I have just been accepted as a Upper at Exeter, generally how does this minority adapt to the school. Is it hard to come into a group that has been together for 2 years?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Congrats and welcome! Exeter students may be better able to answer this question. My impression is that new students are accepted into the community very easily. You will hardly be alone, by the way; a lot of students start in their second or third year, so people are used to the fact that every year there are new faces in their class (not just new 9th graders). If you're a boarder, the dorm tends to become a natural "family" of sort in no time. New Uppers are often placed in houses rather than brick dorms, and that can make for an even tighter community.</p>

33

<p>how well do you think new uppers adapt to the exeter lifestyle?</p>

34

<p>oops, i guess that question has already been asked! sorry :)</p>

35

<p>You and RKF can be best friends... :)</p>

36

<p>Do you happen to know anything about the boy scout troop at exeter or do you know who runs the troop?</p>

37

<p>I know there are 5 allowed credits, but how many actual classes can be taken? (For example, Chorus is availible with the option of no credit, as are private lessons.)</p>

38

<p>sorry, didn't see that that's already answered.</p>

39

<p>What kind of placement tests do new uppers have to take?</p>

40

<p>What's the worst thing about exeter? (not trying to be antagonistic, I just sent my acceptance to exeter and this is the only question I can think of =))</p>