<p>Thank you so much PEAteacher. My thanks go to you for being so helpful and soothing the souls of us jumpy newcomers :)</p>
<p>Will we be getting any information on what we should bring, in terms of items, clothing, etc.?</p>
<p>You’re very welcome :)</p>
<p>Yes, the Dean will send out an e-mail on what to bring. I believe he’s been sending out regular e-mails on various topics (who the Deans are, etc.), and one of these will be on what to bring. These e-mails are also posted on the “Parents” section of the PEA website. There are also several “what to bring” threads on this forum that you may want to check out.</p>
<p>I read a while ago in The Exonian that there are plans to make Fencing a varsity sport for the 2012-2013 year. Do you know if this is still a serious consideration? Also, do you know if this would include different types of fencing (foil, epee, saber) or just one?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>There’s a very active fencing club, so I assume they will keep working (like ultimate frisbee) toward making it a varsity sport. I’m quite sure they do the various types, but I’m no expert. You may want to get in touch with the club adviser, Mr. Sea (bsea at exeter dot edu).</p>
<p>Just got the registration/orientation schedule and I have a question. When would you meet the parents of your advisees that are registering a day early because of sports? The schedule only lists a time for the parents and students to meet the advisors on the afternoon of the new student registration. Are advisers available the day before?</p>
<p>Ranabona, if possible you should stay on campus until Wednesday, b/c a whole bunch of “welcome” events take place on Wednesday (including the adviser/parent meeting, during which you usually get some “orientation” to the entire dorm from the dorm head, Q&A, etc., in addition to having a chance to meet your kid’s adviser). If you can’t, then get in touch with the adviser once you know who it is and see if s/he can meet with you on Tuesday (keeping in mind that our schedules are really hectic during orientation, which is why we try to set specific times aside for the various events). Of course, your kid’s adviser may well be around when your kid moves into the dorm.</p>
<p>Hi, I’m currently an 8th grader at a public school, but I want to go to boarding school and go to Exeter, but privacy is a big thing for me. Do boarders get their own bathrooms, or do they all share one big bathroom? Do you have the privacy of going to the bathroom without anyone going in the stall right next to you? Do you have your own shower, or is there a room with like 20 showers where everyone has to take turns? If you prefer it, do you have the option of having your own room instead of having a roommate?</p>
<p>I don’t really need that much privacy though, it’s just that my aunt said that in boarding school, the bathrooms don’t have stalls and there aren’t shower curtains, but I don’t necessarily believe her.</p>
<p>Also, in the Ebook it says that boys have to wear a shirt and tie. Is this really enforced? Can boys just wear polo shirts with a collar? What kind of pants do students where, because I can’t find it in the Ebook. And in my previous post I didn’t mean “bathrooms don’t have stalls” I meant “stalls don’t have doors” I was just a little confused</p>
<p>Bathrooms in dorms are shared by several students. The showers have stalls with a curtain, so there’s some privacy there, but you may well have to use the bathroom while someone is in the stall next to you. I would encourage you, however, not to worry too much about that. Most new kids will tell you that they were anxious at first but got used to it quickly. In fact, because you generally share a bathroom with the kids who live on your floor, whom you’ll get to know very well, the bathroom actually ends up being something of a “social” place. So this is one of those little challenges that boarding school serves up, and overcoming it is part of the growth that you experience and that helps make boarding school so valuable. Regarding rooms, you may request a single, but you’re not guaranteed one. Again, having a roommate can be a really valuable experience, so try to be open to the possibility.</p>
<p>Yes, shirt and tie for boys is generally enforced. A polo shirt without a tie won’t do. You can wear any pants you want, including shorts. Jeans are fine too.</p>
<p>Thank you PEAteacher. Are these conditions the same at Andover? I don’t ask because I don’t like the bathroom arrangements, I just don’t know if I would completely fit in with the Harkness method. I’ve always been quiet in school so it would be quite challenging to speak aloud in a real engaged conversation which has probably only happened to me two or three times.</p>
<p>I don’t know about Andover. It’s good that you’re thinking about whether Harkness is right for you (I wish more applicants did). If you’re willing to step up to the challenge and try to contribute regularly, Harkness may actually be very good for you; but if you can’t picture yourself contributing regularly or you feel that you learn best in a more traditional “lecture” setting, you may well find Harkness a bad fit for you.</p>
<p>Well in school (since I’m in public school) I usually don’t talk because half of the kids there are bullies (and I don’t like to talk to them or else they would make fun of me) and the other half of people are always calling me a nerd so I don’t talk because when I do they say I talk nerdy (even though I just speak very intelligently and everyone else in that school isn’t that bright). So if I would go to a school like Exeter full of tons of smart kids (which is what I hear Exeter is known for) then everyone will be up to my level and no one will call anyone a nerd. So unless the kids are mean at Exeter too, I would probably be ready to talk to them. And also I have another question. Is it true that Mark Zuckerberg went to Exeter?</p>
<p>Yes, he did :). If you can, try to visit campus and sit in a class or two. It’s the best way to get a sense of what Harkness is really like.</p>
<p>Well I don’t think it would be that easy, because I live in San Antonio Texas (and my parents can’t really afford the travel costs). This is also a huge reason I want to go to Exeter because of the financial aid program (I’m not sure if it covers flights, but my dad said if the schooling is free he’d pay for that part). Also, do you know any ways that I could convince my mom to let me go? Because her and my aunt insist that people get killed in boarding schools, but they only got that idea from the Harry Potter movies (which I insist aren’t anywhere near true)</p>
<p>I’m not the best person to advise on “convincing parents,” but you’ll find several threads on this forum about the topic. Certainly one of the first steps is gathering reliable information on what boarding school is all about (Harry Potter movies are not the best source…). Good luck!</p>
<p>PEA teacher, thanks for all the advice! Just a quick question, how does the driver’s ed situation work in boarding school? I know you have to pay extra for it, but can you take it if you aren’t a NH resident? Or, would students at Exeter count as NH residents?</p>
<p>Assuming you want a driver’s license from your state (where your family lives), you need to do your driver’s ed in your state. Most people take care of it during school breaks (which are quite long).</p>
<p>If I’m interested in transferring as an upper, would I still be required to take the SSATs? Or would the PSAT be sufficient?</p>