<p>Andover</a> Is Not a College | The Dean?s Journal</p>
<p>Don't recall the concerns over a school like Andover (e.g. being bigger, "sink or swim" culture, etc.) have been addressed explicitly by the school administration - not recently anyway. I think she makes some good points, but did she provide the answers you are looking for? If you are on the fence about the school out of these concerns, has this blog entry changed your mind or help you make up your mind? Discuss away!</p>
<p>No surprises. I would prefer, however, adherence to the obvious: </p>
<p>Andover = Big School = Greater Academic and Extra Curricular choices = Less Family Like = Less Personal = More College-like</p>
<p>I love Andover, but there’s basic “math” involved in the plusses and minuses of big school vs smaller school. For either size school to claim equal strength in both areas is silly. Personally, I think Andover and Exeter should state with pride that “yes, we are a bit more college-like than our smaller peers. That has advantages and disadvantages. Here they are:…” There’s no reason why schools of either size should be ashamed to say they are not as strong in one area as another. </p>
<p>So, marketing fluff is what I think of the blog. Personally, Andover is my favorite large school. I think it is much less impersonal than Exeter. But maybe that’s because I’m more a liberal arts guy than a math and science guy. I think Andover’s liberal arts offerings are unmatched in the United States by any high school.</p>
<p>^I agree for the most part, but I don’t think they claim “equal strength in both areas”
So they do know that its size has disadvantages and challenges.</p>
<p>One other quote I think is somewhat comforting to concerning parents is:
I certainly hope the school keeps that in mind especially for kids in their first couple of years!</p>
<p>I think Jane Fried misunderstands the “feels like a college” comment. She mostly addressed the size of Andover, scope of its curriculum and the faculty being aware that the students are adolescents. To many of the people I have spoken to, this is what they like about Andover. What many do not like is their “perception” (that could be inaccurate) that Andover is a “pressure cooker” where an incoming student will work extremely hard just to achieve an average grade. Many of those considering Andover are top in their class and are already working hard. It is a tough sell to get these students to agree to work even harder and come up with less than what they are achieiving now. </p>
<p>A very interesting comparison is to look at how some of the other top BS’s are handling first year curriculums - one alllows students to take 1 course Pass/Fail each semester (choate) and another simply has 2 of the first semester courses on a Pass/Fail basis Lawrenceville). There is a lot of adjustment for students that first year, many schools accomodate for this. Bottom line, many people love Andover but I think may be a bit intimidated by it’s reputation for unforgiving academic rigor. This is High School after all.</p>
<p>Correct me if I am wrong. I think they have this “2 of the first semester courses on a Pass/Fail basis” thing built in, but that alone does not solve the “problem”. I’d vote for more guidance especially in the first couple of years to help students choose the courses of appropriate level, help new students understand what they are facing (the opportunities as well as the “traps”) and try to avoid “overstretching” as well as “under-achieving”.</p>
<p>Does Andover have 2 courses Pass/Fail the first year?? Don’t remember coming across that in the viewbook - are there any restictions on what the 2 classes are? Actually, I stand corrected on Lawrenceville, 3 of the courses are Pass/Fail the first year. Not certain if that applies only to the first trimester or to the whole year. Also, I think there are a few BS’s that do not include your first year grades in the computation of your final GPA.</p>
<p>DAndrew- that was really interesting. I don’t know much about Andover, but I’ve heard that the adults there are more “hands off” than they are at more nurturing schools. I actually did not know about the pass/fail option at Choate, but I remember that the freshmen did nor have to take final exams after their first (fall) term- they eased them into exams in the winter term.</p>
<p>Just pm’ed an Andover student. They have pass/fail for English and history in the first term of freshmen year. And, baystater, yes I think they do have a reputation of being more “hands off”.</p>
<p>All BS are hands off compared to school at home–whether at a big or small B, students better be independent (and self driven and make smart decisions without adult supervision) or the experience will end poorly.</p>
<p>^^That’s my general impression too that at least the top schools (I only know a thing or two about a handful of schools so I can’t say that all BS) are not substantially different in that respect. I think it is a common concern among parents of these schools including but not only Andover. I understand and agree on the schools’ philosopy in developing independent and capable young adults, but I think there should be more support during the transition period, and that the schools should provide “customized” support to individuals based on their varying readiness. That’s why the student/faculty ratio and small classes matter, right? Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t want a “holding hands”, “all things monitored/under control” kind of nuturing school environment, but efforts in striking a balance, and especially the “non 1 fits all” sort of approach would be helpful and more effetive, IMHO.</p>
<p>
grinzing, I have to wonder where you got that impression. We’ve found that at Exeter it is just the opposite, i.e., Exeter teachers are generally more accessible and more willing to provide out-of-class additional support than is true at the local public school. Moreover, everything I’ve heard about the other top prep schools aligns with the Exeter experience.</p>
<p>To add to Mainer’s point, bs kids also have advisers who–at least in the best situations–keep tabs on how their advisees are doing, both academically and emotionally. It’s true that bs students do have to take more responsibility for organizing their time–but not that it’s completely sink or swing.</p>
<p>There is much MORE support at the top schools than kids would typically receive at home. We did get the impression during our visits though, that SPS and Andover allowed much more independence than their peer schools. But it IS boarding school and kids have to be organized and take responsibility for their actions or inactions. It’s not for everyone.</p>
<p>^^I still think that fundamentally the top BS’s have similar approaches in advising and academic/non-academic support. I know that some schools cut Internet access for part of the study hours so students can concentrate on their school work, which is more of a control rather than supporting. Other than that, what’s the real difference between say - Andover and Exeter, or SPs and Deerfield?</p>
<p>Let’s deal in specifics here–maybe different parents or student could chime in by describing how other schools provide support.</p>
<p>Student A is struggling in math at Exeter. He’s likely to do the following, more or less in this order:</p>
<p>A: Go to a smart kid in the dorm for help (Exeter mixes all grades–9-post-grad–in one dorm, so there’s always someone at a considerable higher level sitting in a room close by). The seniors always seem willing to take time out to help the younger guys. </p>
<p>B: Get an impromptu study group together in the dorm common area during study hours or on the week-end–this seems to happen a lot, especially early on.</p>
<p>C: Go to the tutoring center–subjects like math have tutoring centers staffed by students, open during study hours.</p>
<p>D: Go to the teacher for help. Some teacher may offer direct help; others may direct kids to resource C or give advice on how to work through problems. </p>
<p>E: Talk to adviser, who can direct to resources above or, if problems persist, advise on placement. </p>
<p>Until midterm evaluations, most kids will need to initiate the above steps on their own. However, the adviser gets the midterm report and will intervene as needed at that point if the student is doing badly.</p>
<p>I see that as a pretty wide and hefty safety net.</p>