So we just sent in the papers for …Deerfield!
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CONGRATS & WELCOME NEW DEERFIELD FAMILY!!!
@Londonkid HOORAY!!! congratulations! We visited both and we would agree with your choice!
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What do weekends at Deerfield look like on-/off-campus? If students want to go into Amherst/Northampton/Greenfield, are buses regularly provided or is Uber generally used? Could you provide an example weekend schedule?
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Similarly, what would an average homework load look like (specific examples please, thank you)?
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How do clubs work (general overview)?
@Golfgr8 thank you for sticking by this thread! Can’t wait for next year — hopefully, assuming covid-19 dies down.
Congrats & Welcome @ecowell !
Hope this helps…
- Weekends at Deerfield are great. Fist, there are no classes on Saturday (yay)!
Friday nights kick off the weekend fun. Often times there are concerts, plays or dance recitals on Friday evening. Some students take the school shuttle into town for McDonalds, pizza or shopping in Greenfield. A lot of kids just hang out on campus at the Greer, the athletics complex, or in the dorm. Take out is popular from the Deerfield Inn, or delivery from restaurants in Greenfield.
Sometimes on Saturdays there is a shuttle into Hadley - where the big box stores are, a mall, and Whole Foods. I believe there is a school rule about Uber - don’t think students take Uber unless they are 18 - but check on this in the handbook. There is a school approved taxi service that students use. BTW, I hear that many schools have rules @ Uber. Amherst is about a 20 minute drive from campus and there are some good restaurants.
Saturdays are sleep-in mornings. A late breakfast or brunch with your team (if you play a sport) and then games on Saturday afternoon. Even if you don’t play a sport, there is a lot of school spirit and students come out to cheer.
Saturday nights there could be fun-theme dances, concerts, a show, a movie. Usually different options - sometimes a hockey game that goes into early evening, then people go to dinner. Some kids have away games on Saturday for their teams, so they get back late.
Sundays are pretty much for sleeping in late. There is an amazing brunch at Deerfield - high end brunch for a boarding school. Sunday afternoons are for studying - maybe a break for a hike, bike ride, working out. Sunday evenings there is a formal sit down meal (sometimes a holiday theme meal). Many teachers have office hours also on Sunday, as well as during the week. Sunday - study hours start at @7:45…
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Average homework load? Depends on the course, the teacher and your level of competence. For Freshman - please don’t sweat it. I hear that most teachers understand that you first year students have nightly study hall that runs from @ 7:45 to 10:00 PM. Then there is often a “feed” at 10:00 or dorm get together before lights out at 10:30 PM. So they won’t give you a ton of homework that you can’t finish. Most kids recommend taking your first history course in Freshman year- it can be a lot of writing, but you actually have more time for this during your first year. Don’t put off taking history. Math can be a lot of homework depending on which level math course you are in. English - depending on the teacher - can be a lot of homework. If you are in a higher level foreign language class as a Freshman, there can be a lot of homework. Learn to take advantage of the 2 free periods you have as a Freshman. Do your homework during these free’s. If you find that you are dog-paddlin in the deep end of a course, you can change during the drop-add period the first couple of weeks of school. Do not be afraid to switch out of a class if you feel overwhelmed - common at BS to do so, you will be ok.
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Clubs - Sometime during the second or third week of school there is a club fair. You will also hear/see someone giving an announcement about clubs during meals. There will be emailed announcements about joining organizations, clubs, paper, yearbook, radio, bands and community service opportunities. Some clubs also have good swag. There are clubs for every lifestyle and interest it seems. The investment club is popular. Do join some group in the Fall - even if you play a sport - it’s a great way to feel like you “belong” and a great way to meet students in different grades.
Deerfield sounds like a solid place. Of all the threads I’ve read, nobody has mentioned Debate, Model UN or even Student Council. Do these activities exist and are they popular? @Golfgr8
Yes! Thanks @nan415 for asking this important question. Almost every BS we considered in NE had Debate, Model UN and Student Council. Perhaps, you have not seen much or heard much about it this year due to COVID putting a damper on the activities in person.
Debate is popular and the experience is valuable. In addition to Student Council, there Student Planning Committee, Academic Honor Committee, Discipline Committee, Cheerleader/Pep(not like other schools), Advancement, Investment Clubs, International Students Committee, ASA, LASA, DBSA, JSA, Food Committee, Tour Guides, Center for Service & Global Citizenship, Newspaper, Arts magazine, yearbook, DA Disability Alliance, Green Keys, Singing Groups, Political Clubs, and more…
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Can you talk about school dances? Proms? Boy/girl friend culture? How do kids learn to drive? Get haircuts?!
Yes @nan415 the school is also fun, as well as academically competitive. My impression is that DA students are well rounded. This includes being social. There are several dances each year (when its not COVID). There are several concerts, also. The big student-led concert is KFC, held twice a year. PLUS NO SCHOOL ON SATURDAYS!!
Social life is big. Yes, there is a dating scene. There are a couple of cafe-snack places on campus where students hang out and socialize. A lot of students hang out in the athletic center and the Greer during the winter. Now, there is also an outdoor skating rink. Bonfires, too. There is a dance planned for this weekend. Most students really support athletics and go to games together - even if they are not athletes, themselves - so this is also a big part of social life there. Plus, the sit down meal tradition gives students the opportunity to get to know students from other grades and different social groups.
Regarding Driving School:
There are no drivers education classes. Not sure if any BS is offering this now. Most kids learn to drive at home during vacations.
Haircuts - most kids do not worry about it until vacation time. There is a shuttle bus into town on Friday afternoons - kids go to McDonalds and a shopping center with a grocery store that has a barber shop close by. There is sometimes another shuttle that goes to Hadley to a mall.
This is a bit late but do you know anything about the Deerfield Waitlist? My interview kept on saying i would 'be a great fit a Deerfield but i got waitlisted :((((
Any advice or words of encouragment?
I got waitlisted too. Did you choose to stay on the waitlist?
i did! if you did would you like to exchange contact for moral support and someone who is going through the same thing 
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Happy to answer any questions about Deerfield! 
Hey! Are there any major updates about what fall will look like? Also what are sports looking like currently and then in fall? Thanks!
Here is what we have been told so far…there have been no COVID cases on campus for many weeks. The school spent $10 million on COVID accommodations, testing, facilities, services, etc…this past year. They went ALL out to make school happen and to make it as fun as possible. This year, every student had a single room. Next year, we hear that Freshman will most likely have doubles again. Not sure. School is hoping that everyone will get their vaccines before school begins in the Fall. As for now… There is a Spring dance planned for next term. There are plans for sports…there have been some games this winter and plans are for some spring sports. You can find out more by going to the Deerfield Bulletin online. Check out the Bulletin for the latest information on events and sports.
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Wow thank you so much! So basically seems like fall will be pretty much back to normal there, I wasn’t sure exactly what they were telling current families but thats good to hear! Thank you so much! My other questions are a bit more generic lol.
Hows the food? I have food allergies are they good with special diets and allergies? They’ve talked about “waiting” tables what does that exactly entail?
In a normal year how often do people go off campus on the weekends? In a normal year can friends from home come visit you on campus on weekends?
Between classes, sports/clubs, and structured study hall and lights out hours how much free time do students really get during the week? Also speaking of classes I was curious what your student’s favorite class (or 2) they’ve taken have been?
Do varsity athletes judge thirds teams and people who are trying a new sport? Are friend groups primarily based around sports teams since athletics are such a big part of DA culture?What’s it like for someone to join the community not as a freshman?
Thanks so much and apologies if you’ve already answered these questions for me or someone else!
You ask really great questions @bostongirl123 !
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There are some inter-scholastic sports they are planning also for this Spring. Again, check out the Deerfield Bulletin online.
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The food is really good - much of it locally sourced from nearby farms. There are a couple of hang-out places to eat also on campus - the Koch center has a snack bar where many students grab breakfast and coffees between classes. The “Greer” is a snack bar in the student center adjacent to the athletic center. There is a TV and fireplace in there (although not sure it was used this year). Last week, there was a free food give away in the Greer - it’s a big hang out place.
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Food preferences and food allergies are common…also many vegans at school, so you will have a choice of options. There are some major special meal traditions at school during normal (Non-Covid) years. A couple I can think of include the Thanksgiving meal, the international meal, and the Holiday meal (Beef Wellington & Baked Alaska).
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Waiting tables. - it’s part of the fun, so don’t freak out! As you may know, an important tradition at DA is “Sit Down”. This is a great way to meet people you would normally never talk to, make new friends, and also to get to know your teachers. Personally, I think it’s one reason why there are fewer cliques at DA compared to other schools - at least you do not see them in the dining hall. You will be assigned a table of 8 students and one teacher (or is it 9 students and 1 teacher). The students are from various grades. There will be a schedule of students assigned to set up the silverway, glasses, water pitchers, get food and those who clear the tables (2nd waiter). The students have really missed Sit Down this year. Frankly, when we visited other schools during Revisit week a few years ago, the cliques we saw at lunch were a turn off. So, at Deerfield, I think the “sit down” tradition is a great way to build a sense of community.
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Third sports-Fourth Sports-New Sports: Many students begin new sports at Deerfield. I wrote on another thread that this is a great time to try something new. Also, you may be coming from another country or part of this country where some of these sports don’t even get played. Nobody looks down on someone for being on Thirds or even a Recreational team. Honestly, I do think maybe the students put a lot of pressure on themselves. There is a lot of school support for the athletic teams…IMHO, I do think boys Varsity hockey and boys lax gets the most spectators. In the fall, girls volleyball is popular. But, you will see students really supporting the teams.
How often do people go off campus? Before COVID, my sense was that MOST students spent their weekends on campus. Again, this is due also to sports. Remember- DA does not have Saturday classes! 
There is usually a Saturday evening activity, performance or dance. Sundays are big study days. Other activities students enjoy include outdoor hikes (climbing The Rock), biking, working out. The location is great for outdoor activities. There is usually a shuttle on Fridays into town - sometimes also on Saturdays.
Free time? Yes - there is a lot of free time. The school gives students a lot of flexibility. Freshman have study hours between 7:30 and 9:45 or 10:00 PM. They very often have an evening get together at 10:00 in the Freshman dorms (like a Feed). This year there were venues built outdoors to enjoy free time (fire pit, skating rink, sledding hill).
Visits on campus: Some parents, friends, visit often (when not COVID) - the Deerfield Inn is right there on campus so it’s super convenient. BTW - you can go there to eat (during a normal year) and also order out food from there. We have had friends visit from home. If you go off campus with friends or on your own, there is a procedure.
Favorite classes? Popular classes that we hear about often involve a special teacher. I know there are some great CS courses with amazing teachers. Science courses in engineering, neuroscience. You should look through the course list.There used to be a course in designing an electric car…but not sure if that will be available next year. Also design, art, photography, architecture are popular. You hear a lot about the teachers, not just the courses.
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There is a series of videos from last year and one new one with tours of the school. This may help those of you where were unable to visit.
Here is a short video of the DA athletic center.
Your responses are so incredibly helpful thank you so much!! Deerfield seems like such an amazing school and community, but it’s so hard when I haven’t actually been able to visit in person and talking to AOs is very biased towards the school (although it does seem as amazing as it sounds). I also wish I was more thorough with writing down my thoughts about each school I applied too because they all kind of jumbled in my head haha so now I’m trying to distinguish between the schools I am very much considering. I’m glad to see that food allergies are common and easy to deal with its honestly one of the top things I am nervous about at boarding school! I also like how structured and traditional DA is but was worried about free time, so I’m glad to hear there is plenty!
I know study hours are structured and there is some free time during the day but I’m curious about finding time to call home. Would you get in trouble doing this during a free period or during study hours if you had a lighter homework load one night? I will also be coming in as a sophomore so I know rules change a bit for them.
Also I am prone to getting sick its a curse (currently have strep and mono as I write this lol) so I was reading about sick procedures and policies. What if you would rather spend the night sick in your own bed and not the health center? What if you get sick and want to go home for a week is that allowed? Also what if you just quite frankly need to take a “sick day” because you’re overwhelmed and need a break?
Also I think DA gives students laptops if I remember correctly? If so could you keep your own laptop from home or do you have to take theirs?
Thanks again for answering all of these!!
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