<p>yes, it would have, i can attest to that as i am facing that decision myself 
i was groton all the way until the exeter reception, now i just want to go to both!</p>
<p>Thanks I know I was being ridiculous but it does make me feel better. I definitely donāt dispute that PEA is as good a school as Groton, itād just be nice for people to know what I"m talking about and not just think Iām going to BS because I have no other options. </p>
<p>On another note, I just realised that at Groton, between Saturday Classes and church, Iām never going to get to sleep in. Itās a favourite activityā¦ 
I probably shouldnāt say that 'cause I donāt want theaterkid to not come to Groton!</p>
<p>Parlabane provided an objective and to-the-point description of Groton. It is no doubt one of the best and most prestigious boarding schools. However, personally Iād be hesitant in sending my son there simply because itās such a small school with a demographic composition I am not so certain about, and that thereād be likely fewer āsocial groupsā he could choose to join and the risk of feeling not fitting in and lonely for four year would be higher.</p>
<p>haha blue itās definitely going to be a really tough decision. benley, excellent point about the social scene, thatās one of the main concerns right now for my family as i am coming from a rather small school and have had many experiences with the disadvantages of a small school, which could only be intensified when the community lives together. however, weāll go to revisits and see hope to see you there blue!</p>
<p>Thatās true. Iām a little worried about that.</p>
<p>Benley, that is EXACTLY how my son is making himself feel better about being waitlistedā¦TWICE! What he has actually said to me is that though the small size would make him feel safe the first year, it might eventually become claustrophobic. There is no doubt that the academics are every bit as tough at Groton.</p>
<p>Now Iām worried. While theoritically Iām a WASP if you take the acronym literally, I donāt come from a lot of money and Iām worried about fitting in. How many students at groton already know each other? Will I suffer a lot (particularly seeing as Iām rather introverted) socially at Groton?</p>
<p>I donāt think you should worry, Blue. Groton has always struck me as a school for thinkers. Of course, all I have to go on are my impressions, as I have no direct experience with the school.</p>
<p>Why donāt you contact your tour guide prior to the revisit with questions?</p>
<p>BlueRaven1,</p>
<p>Iām a Groton grad and know the NE boarding school world quite well. Socially, Groton is one of the most inclusive communities I have ever been a part of. Excellence and intellectualism are praised and my classmates remain a very important part of my life (some years later). Please donāt get disheartened, the āsmall schoolā experience is a rewarding one and you will get to know all of your classmates well. The beauty of the school is that cliques rarely form since you know each other so well. Feel free to PM me but take heart, the Groton social experience was an amazing one for me and my peers and Iām certainly not a blue-blood!</p>
<p>Blue, I would tend to take Holas advice to heart. I donāt think Groton would have accepted you if they thought you would struggle, in any way.
PM me if you want to discuss the social implications furtherā¦</p>
<p>Thanks for the support everyone! It really has helped :)</p>
<p>Iām kind of in the same boat, having fallen in love with Groton but having second thoughts as an Exeter alum pointed out the implications of the smallness of the school. Iām just trying to put it out of my mind until I fall in love with it again on revisit day Thanks for the posts :)</p>
<p>This whole Groton or Exeter thing might be harder than I thoughtā¦</p>
<p>I know it could sound like I was trying to discourage you from attending Groton, but I was not. I said that knowing MY kid as he is the āriskā could be higher. The other side of the coin is that the bonding with peers in a smaller close-knit community could be stronger.</p>
<p>Oh I didnāt think you were Benley, it just got me thinking.</p>
<p>Theatrekid, I would take the experiences of hola3, who actually attended, over an Exeter alum, who had the opposite BS experience. Donāt get me wrong. My son is something of a theatrekid as well, and Iād love to see you both at Exeter, but do the revisits. YOU will be the one living there. While people can maybe make you think about aspects that you may not have thought of before, you are the one who has to decided whether those things are important to you. I have found that now that decisions are in, the things that were important to me (chapel, sit-downs, etc) were not AS important to my son as being with kids who were most like him. I have to let him make the decision because heās the one going!</p>
<p>Thanks for the encouragement neato :)</p>
<p>My son was accepted and while he is revisiting a few schools, Groton is his first choice. He will be playing football and hockey. Any current players out there who could tell him a bit more about the programs. He really liked the coaches and Mr Low. Any football or hockey players who plan on going in the fall?</p>