<p>For a student with a solid math/science background, but without the desire to become a scientist, engineer, or doctor (in other words, a well-rounded, friendly but shy person who is uncertain what she wants to be), which school would you recommend, and why? Please know that I am not seeking rank and competition, but pros and cons about the boarding experience at two schools which are both extraordinary.</p>
<p>I have read the individual threads for Exeter and Andover, and commend you all for all the great information and work you have put in to share your knowledge about the schools' support system, community, campus, and vision.</p>
<p>Please chime in about "feel", comparing and contrasting the Exeter and Andover atmosphere, and specifically why you would choose one over the other.</p>
<p>Why do you limit yourself to those schools? There’s so much out there of equal quality and potentially much better matched to your daughter. I ask you this because too many new parents on this site make the mistake of confusing the Exeter/Andover environments with the Holy Grail. An open mind that is focused on the best match, wherever you might find it, will yield a much better outcome.</p>
<p>You’re asking the impossible. Students who “apply” don’t really know the true climate. And students who attend (especially to those schools) will know the other only through anecdotal information.</p>
<p>It’s a stupid comparison - really. Both are extreme powerhouses. Both have science and math centers that rival well equipped colleges. Andover has museums on the grounds.</p>
<p>So it’s an interesting academic experiment, but I wouldn’t rank either over the other.</p>
<p>I’m with Rebel, why waste your energy? The acceptance levels are so low, it’s a crapshoot at best for even the brightest. But beyond that, there are 20–maybe more–great schools with fabulous academics, each with its own community feel and unique geographic features and resources. PA and PEA are both fine institutions, but for every alum that they graduate who feels empowered to take on the world, there are others that leave burnt out, with frayed self-esteem, or those that always look back on these schools as their halcyon days.
There’s NO perfect environment for anyone, but there is are a great many levels of FIT. & a parent can’t make that call for a child without the child’s input…</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the OP is asking about students’ personal experiences as boarding students at either school. Not looking for answers . . . just insights.</p>
<p>p4, both schools are “well-rounded” and should be “equally good” for a student as you described. It would be a tough call if you had to make that choice. It’d probably go down to your personal liking of how classes are taught (as E is full Harkness while A is not), the overall atmosphere of the schools, the “attitudes” of administration and students, etc. You can’t go wrong with either one.</p>
<p>Which is what I think while helping some friends with similar questions. If the choice doesn’t come up, well, some time well-spent learning about pros and cons. If the choice comes up, that tough call would have to be made. Either way, I think it helps thinking ahead, especially since we all spend so much time on making sure our children get the best shot. Why wing it after March 10?</p>
<p>Thanks dodgersmom, you noticed that my intent was not to have one compete with the other (they do that anyway all the time), but to distinguish. ExieMIT, I am not so sure there is anything stupid about comparing two powerhouses. All I know is that CalTech is in sunny California, but perhaps that is not how I would choose between technical schools. So to those less in the know, two seemingly equal institutions pose a question or two.</p>
<p>Andover and Exeter appear very similar, even sharing “Phillips” and “Academy” in their name. The nerdy Exeter scientist and chill Andover humanities stereotyping does not really persuade me. Both Andover and Exeter are very well-endowed, extremely prestigious…and as ExieMIT blissfully recalls, their facilities put those at some small technical institute on the Charles river to shame. Indeed, the Phelps and the Gelb make Harvard’s Science Center look like a dump. But all this only scratches the surface. Once street layouts and building designs and tree shapes and Whale Skeleton vs Eight Bells are duly accounted for, what are the real differences? Accepting, indeed knowing, that they both are phenomenal schools with hundreds of great courses, what real differentiating factors remain in the boarding experience?</p>
<p>In all, I see mostly similarities, with perhaps extra emphasis on some areas by each. But their students’ experience may differ based on what they are expected, what they are offered, what the school’s focus is on, how student support is really structured, how accessible school resources are, how many arbitrary changes students encounter, and how they view themselves as a community. How about social aspects such as dorm life, dorm quality, responsiveness of support staff (advisors etc), and even the attitudes of their own peers? Perhaps this helps in offering insights (not answers) I am seeking.</p>
<p>Let me add my own question to this thread, if I may . . .</p>
<p>What about performing and visual arts at the two schools? My sense, quite possibly mistaken, is that if a student really wants to devote a sizable chunk of time to playwriting or theatre production, then Andover is the place to be . . . because how in the world could you take that much time away from classes and homework at Exeter? That can’t be right, though, because Exeter has a performing arts program, with faculty who are no doubt every bit as devoted as those at Andover. But how do you pull it off as an Exeter student?</p>
<p>And same question for visual arts . . . if you want to spend two months crafting an authentic replica of a Native American basket (and I’m picking basket weaving precisely because it seems so unexpected), which of the two schools would allow you to invest that much time and energy in a project?</p>
<p>So, it’s great that both schools are looking for students with unique interests, but will playwriting or basket weaving or unicycle riding or ??? become no more than a distant memory once classes start?</p>
<p>@p43531, I want to figure out the same as you do, but it may be a question impossible to tackle since we all would like to see beyond the obvious.</p>
<p>I believe you would agree that you won’t go wrong with either school, so why do you have to figure out precisely if the next day’s stock market is going up or down?</p>
<p>If I have to pick among A & E, I would go with A,simply because it is closer to my house :-). If I could pick something else, I would pick SPS instead, as I would rather my d to go completely out of her comfort zones to embracing something totally new.</p>
<p>OP - why do you start two almost identical threads that differ just by one crucial first sentence - description of the interest of the child and the two school names?</p>
<p>mhmm - I believe OP explained that she matched schools up in pairings that seemed to make sense for purposes of comparison. And the description of the student played a part, I believe.</p>
<p>Perhaps I’m mistaken about the OP’s intent, but I tend to look at schools the same way - putting schools A, B, and C in one group, and schools D and E in another. And it might well be that my question about what differentiates the schools in the first group might be totally different from my question about the second group. Does that make sense, or have I just muddled this further?</p>
<p>Thanks for the question. The two children are different, one is family (not ours), the other is a close friend’s. They both applied to a variety of schools with expressed preferences (not their parents’, their own). Since my older kids (currently 6, 10 and 12) will also be that age before long, I have gone along for some campus visits and collected some information. Then, as I learnt about their encounters with the SSAT (both did very well, but they were admittedly lucky), I came upon this Forum and rapidly absorbed great information so many of you have kindly posted.</p>
<p>Funny thing is, there is perhaps more confusion on my mind than there originally was. I started with the notion that each school is truly unique, but finding that elusive something that sets them apart is really more difficult than it first seems. Sure, only one school may fit someone with a clear-cut superior talent in a highly specific area or a unique sport; but how about the rest, kids with a number of talents, strong abilities, and interest in learning?</p>
<p>You see, WBJC2BS above prefers Andover to Exeter, but SPS to either, and gives his own reasons. Others may do the exact opposite. I think it is the same way for most of us (should such lucky choices present themselves on Mar 10).</p>
<p>Which is why I am seeking input on the experience at each school, beyond academics and basic campus landmarks you can find in a travel guide.</p>
<p>You will be taken to the edge of the Universe by all the respective school supporters on CC and will be left there alone pondering. I say stop nitpicking. These schools have produced many productive citizens and your kids can do well at any of these fine schools and also at some great public schools out there that go unnoticed by anxious parents.</p>
<p>IMO I think both schools have excellent science departments. Andover has some amazing science courses, including a course about molecular biology research. I’m not sure if Exeter has something like that… does anyone know?</p>
Understand your point here, but the input based on personal experience has so much to do with one’s onset expectations, personalities, and incidents that happen at certain time and place that are hardly reliable and useful to you, unless you know the person who makes the comments enough that you can relate to him/her in a meaningful way. You could get vastly different views on exactly the same aspect of the schools. Check out the “schools crossed off after visiting”, you’d know what I mean.</p>
<p>Bottom line is the schools you paired are as someone pointed out very strong “powerhouses”, which can facilitate the needs of kids with diverse background and interests. The differences are subtle. Again, you really can’t go too wrong.</p>
<p>ifax, i go to exeter at the moment. there are great science electives, like molecular genetics, marine biology, astronomy, robotics, evolution, and animal behavior.</p>
<p>Still, Andover is not Exeter and vice versa. It seems to me that at these levels, after spending many months (years) preparing, learning, perceiving schools’ subtleties, that not going “too wrong” is not quite the goal.</p>
<p>As a parent based on my own experience and close friends
I see difference below ( I can think about more but it should be enough for you to get a picture of a kid lives in campus )
Saturday class, Some performing art students will attend off campus activities like New England Conservatory music/orchestra/practice. You can tell which school is easier.
Course placement. Exeter has more restrict based on placement test and hard to jump. Particularly math under Dr. Z, highest for all preps and lowers.
Dorm System, Preps live together and more strict light out policy at Andover, Exeter mixed all grades in a dorm and light out policy varied dorm to dorm. See how it will affect a night owl.
Campus layout, Andover dorm and academy buildings spread out so you see some students run or bike between the class and you see the difficulty during winter and snowing day.
Harkness. Math and Science Harkness at Exeter is tough for some students but great for others who love it.
Dinner hall, You can compare both schools. You will get a lot of different opinions. either lover or hater.
I say stop nitpicking. These schools have produced many productive citizens and your kids can do well at any of these fine schools and also at some great public schools out there that go unnoticed by anxious parents.</p>