<p>Rooms have bed, desk, table lamp, chair, bookcase, and bureau. Dorms usually have a common room with a TV and a laundry room; many but not all also have a kitchen and sometimes a ping-pong table, pool table, foosball, music room, etc.</p>
<p>Ah. Thanks, PEAteacher and PhotoOp.</p>
<p>Primarily, my question regarding access to dorms was not about the visitation policy (but thank you for clearing that up anyway!). Rather, I heard during Revisit Day that some dorms have a we-trust-everyone-in-our-dorm policy, so they don’t lock their doors. Since anyone from the school can access any building, I wondered about the security of items in these types of dorms. And most likely, this is not an official policy but it would be hard not to consent, what with peer pressure.</p>
<p>Hi, I’m sorry if this question has been mentioned in previous posts on this thread, but approx. when does the “who’s who” page get put up? Also, when do students find out their dorm/roommate?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>herpaderp, we always tell kids that they should lock their doors. Even though theft is uncommon and we like to trust members of the community, we have 1,000 kids on campus, and it’s naive to expect that thefts will never take place. I don’t believe any dorm has a “policy” of leaving doors unlocked; however, it’s common for kids to leave their rooms unlocked just because it’s easier (or because they can’t find their key). You should never feel reluctant to lock your door. E.g., in my dorm some kids NEVER lock their room and other kids ALWAYS lock theirs; most people could tell you who’s in the first group and who’s in the second, but nobody really cares either way. We like diversity.</p>
<p>markalex1, the who’s who is updated with new kids sometime in early to mid-August. Dorm/room assignments aren’t finalized and communicated to students until the second half of August.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>Ah, thank you for clearing that up.</p>
<p>Also, a question (sorry I just keep on shooting at you!) about the laptops for financial aid kids: if we see a really good deal for a laptop, can we purchase it now and expect to get reimbursed for it later? Can you tell us how much Exeter can help us out financially with when it comes to them?</p>
<p>I don’t know the details of how that works, and it may depend on the financial aid package that you have. Don’t hesitate to check with the financial aid office (don’t spend money before hearing from them what exactly they’ll pay for!).</p>
<p>Based on last year’s experience, you will get a letter from Exeter’s Financial Aid Office, spelling out the details, near the end of July or the beginning of August. However, you can also call the Financial Aid Office with your questions. They are extraordinarily helpful and totally welcoming of questions. They do have a computer purchase program with Dell Computers, but you are also welcome to buy on your own, any brand, and be reimbursed in the amount of your computer purchase award.</p>
<p>Okay - popping in again for some more questions.</p>
<p>How do Exeter kids enjoy themselves in terms of shopping? Shopping is sort of the thing you’d have to do with some sort of larger mall. I’ve heard that Andover kids go to Burlington Mall; where do Exeter kids go? How do they get there?</p>
<p>There are free buses to the mall in Newington on Saturdays; there’s a movie theater there as well. There are also free buses to Walmart on Wednesdays. And you can do some shopping in town as well, and that’s a five-minute walk from campus (or 10-15’ to Walgreen).</p>
<p>Do roommates (girls) usually/sometimes/ever coordinate their bedding? Should we be waiting to touch base with the roomate before purchasing bedding? </p>
<p>What are the heating systems like in the dorms. I would expect it would vary from dorm to dorm. For instance, is the temperature controlled by floor, room or building? Does it run cool or warm in the winter? Thick or thin comforter?</p>
<p>Do the doorms have air conditioning or is it not hot long enough for it to matter? You can tell we are not New Englanders. Can the windows be opened? I know it didn’t happen at Exeter, but I remember some dorms having that lovely teenage scent during our tours.</p>
<p>I live in a boys’ dorm, where, I can assure you, no bedding coordination takes place 
You may have a single and not have to worry about that, but if you do have a roommate, it’s generally a good idea to be in touch with her before coming to campus, so you can start discussing some of this stuff (who brings what, how to organize your room, etc.).</p>
<p>Exeter dorms typically have radiators heated through a centralized steam system. In some dorms/rooms you’re able to regulate the heat in your own room; in other dorms/rooms you’re not. When the heat is on in the winter, it tends to be warm in the rooms (more likely to feel too hot than too cold). However, in the late fall before they turn the heat on and in the early spring after they turn it off, it’s common to have a few days/weeks when it gets very chilly in the rooms. Bottom line, it’s nice to have both a lighter and a thicker blanket/comforter. </p>
<p>There’s no air conditioning in the dorms, and you’ll probably miss it only in the first two or three weeks of the fall term (and sometimes in the last few weeks of the spring term). Still, it can get hot during those weeks, especially if you live on a top floor; one of those square window fans will serve you well (it tends to cool down at night, so the fans are helpful to draw cooler air into the room). You can pick these up at Walmart once you’re on campus. The windows can definitely be opened, but, yes, dorms don’t always have the greatest smell (even though girls’ dorms do better than boys’ dorms…).</p>
<p>Sorry if these questions have been answered.</p>
<p>How diverse, in terms to location/socioeconomic class, are the Exeter students? I’m from the Pacific Northwest, and I would be in need of financial aid. I’ve heard wonderful things about Exeter, but I don’t want to be stuck among the typical snooty rich kid stereotype that comes along with boarding schools.</p>
<p>How many students come in junior year, for the two year diploma? Next year, I’ll be a sophomore in high school, so (granting that I’d even be accepted, which probably won’t happen, but I at least want to put forth an effort) I’d come in for the two year diploma. How is this viewed by universities?</p>
<p>I had similar concerns (about “snooty rich kids”) when I started teaching here, and I’m happy to say that very few Exeter kids fit the stereotype. My impression is that most Exonians are remarkably normal teenagers. Yes, they’re smarter, more independent, and all that, but if you meet them outside of the classroom, they’re just regular kids who play videogames, watch movies, hang out with friends, waste countless hours on Facebook, and generally do all the things that teenagers do. Very few if any play polo or hang out with William and Kate As a relatively large and well-endowed boarding school, Exeter also offers more diversity than you might expect in a New England prep school (including many from the Northwest and some who grew up on a farm, in a commune, etc.).</p>
<p>Regarding new uppers (upper = junior at Exeter), we have about 40 this year, and that’s quite typical, so you’ll be in good company. I can’t say how colleges see this, but I doubt that they make much difference between two-year and four-year students (even though they will, of course, review your entire record).</p>
<p>Ah, thank you so much for the answer! I will definitely be submitting an application for the fall of 2012. Even if I don’t get in, or can’t make it for some reason, I’ll definitely be applying.</p>
<p>I wish I would have done this before ninth grade, when I was looking at boarding schools. </p>
<p>You were quite helpful, thank you very much.</p>
<p>Thanks PEAteacher. You are extremely helpful.</p>
<p>I am working my way through all 670+ posts.</p>
<p>Hello again, and I have another question! Getting more and more stoked for school as the beginning draws near.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>On average, how much free time do students get every day? I have heard from Andover students that they very rarely get less than two hours of free time. Realistically, as a teacher and with your experience in dorms, how much free time do you feel students get?</p></li>
<li><p>The prep PE program - what’s that all about? What kind of stuff is taught/done?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Free time… an elusive concept. I can tell you this: Your morning and afternoon are quite packed, even though you may have one or two (eventually up to three) free periods. You might hang out or do work during those free periods. Your “free time” tends to be in the evening. E.g., a lot of students don’t do any work between 6 and 8 (classes end at 6:00; study hours start at 8:00). This is hardly true for everyone, as you may have clubs, or music practice, or start your homework early; but you may also just have dinner and hang out until 8:00. In many dorms most kids also hang out between 10 and 11 as study hours end at 10:00 and bedtime tends to be at 11:00 (for preps and lowers). Bottom line, it really varies from person to person, but I think it’s fair to say that, if you want to, on most days you can spend at least a couple of hours a day just hanging out.</p>
<p>I don’t know the details of prep PE, affectionately known as “spaz.” Exonians can fill you in here. The short version is that you meet four times a week and get to sample a lot of different sports in the course of the year.</p>
<p>Post #463, someone asked about books, and this was your response:</p>
<p>Well, you can get an idea of the textbooks you’ll need by using the Exeter bookstore website (which right now isn’t working for me, but usually does). However, if different sections of the same class use different textbooks, which is often the case, you won’t know what textbooks you need until you know your schedule (with sections/instructors); and you won’t know your schedule until the day before classes start. </p>
<p>How does that work? I can’t help but picture 1,000 kids headed for that small bookstore on the day before class starts. Do they have to have the books that first Friday or do they have the weekend to get them? What about if my D’s days are filled with sports practices. When is the best time for her to get books?</p>
<p>Well… somehow it works out! It’s perfectly fine, in fact advisable, for your D to wait until she meets her teachers before buying the textbooks; but then she should get on it because she will have homework out of her textbooks for her next class meeting. The bookstore is open all day Friday and Saturday of the first week, so she should head over whenever she has a moment.</p>