<p>Exeter is great about encouraging contact between families and prospective areas of interest. We responded to that invitation and set up a meeting while interviewing for admission with the chair of the Dept of interest, (it was math) who spent a lot of time with us, and he was VERY honest. For example, he explained that the math club kids spent just about every waking hour doing math, theirs was a small part of the Exeter world, and that probably my D would find other things she would find just as interesting at Exeter, but if she decided on competitive math, that was OK too. No pressure, student choice. We were rather taken aback at the time, but what he said was true. </p>
<p>He also gently reassured us that they had all the math she could possibly want, and not to stress out about placement, which was continually adjusted based on student interest and ability. That has also turned out to be entirely true. He was one of the nicest, most honest, humble and approachable human beings I have met in a long time, and my D really liked him. Students streamed in asking him for help with homework problems. </p>
<p>I got the feeling he was pleased with her interest in math, but also was being honest about what to expect and trying to help us understand their program in order to make a good choice with as much understanding as we could get without actually being part of the school. He did not seem to be testing or evaluating us in any way. </p>
<p>Exeter and SPS were the only two schools that encouraged meeting with faculty in an area of interest. All other admission offices were impenetrable behind vague assurances and suggestions to look at the web site.</p>