Thanks again
@GoatMama, I love that post!
Especially this part “the academic environment has to be able to accommodate the kid’s wingspan, but beyond that requirement, which can be met by a number of schools, the intangibles collectively known as “fit” are way more important” Glad your daughter is so happy at SPS, and I didn’t know about the therapy dogs!
Thanks, @skimom22. Nothing more comforting than a pet when you are in the thick of exams. The St. Paw’s Club may be one of the most popular clubs on campus! :o3
On an off note (prompted by @GoatMama 's post above) : MX actually lists the number of faculty dogs in its main facts and figures page… Because as we all know, # of dogs on campus can be a deal breaker 
Ohh and thank you @AppleNotFar for that link… I am going to have so much ** FUN **! >:)
That is so fun @atria that they include number of faculty dogs! My DD is at Deerfield and it’s like that there as well. Their recent head of school day was on a Friday as the head of school’s dog is named Friday. There are dogs everywhere and DD loves that aspect of the school.
I remember that on MX’s brochure and loved it! My personal favorite at SPS is the Blessing of the Pets event on the St. Francis of Assisi day, when faculty bring their pets and students their stuffed animals to be blessed…
What was hoped to be gained from the more prestigious schools? A better experience? A better college outcome? Bragging rights? Figure that out and then correlate with the available options.
It is certainly possible that one of the “top” schools might provide a more ideal experience for a particular student, especially in that the experience at the largest schools must differ from the rest simply on the basis of school size. Individual academic programs and departmental offerings vary. Rules and school cultures vary. Opportunities vary. Those things are worthy of consideration. College outcome is likely to be similar. Yes, more prestigious schools send a higher percentage of students to prestigious colleges, but a school itself is unlikely to change an individual student’s prospects. Bragging rights? I’m not immune to the appeal, although I’m finding that the more I have to brag about with regard to my children, the less I want to do it. When children are young and the achievements are small, boasting to other parents is fine, because they can find something to highlight about their own children and we all can kvell together and be happy for everyone. However, I don’t want to discuss my children’s successes in high school with parents whose children aren’t as happy as mine or aren’t doing as well. The stakes are higher now, and I don’t want to make anyone feel bad. But if bragging rights are very important in one’s circle and the most prestigious school is also a good fit for the child, there’s nothing wrong with choosing prestige.