I see people always emphasizing not to underestimate how “hard” the academics is at boarding school (GLADCHEMMS). However, I know some college professors (Chinese) saying that BS would bore me, claiming it would be too easy.
How do you define “hard”? A comparison would be nice.
Many top tier BS graduates will tell you college is easier than BS.
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Pray tell, which boarding schools did they attend that gave them the knowledge to make that assertion?
When I visit, I want to make sure to see the classes I’m probably going to sign up for so that I get a taste.
I know that even at public school, two teachers teaching the same course can make it much easier or harder. Sometimes it’s luck of the draw.
@skieurope well I doubt it’s easy, I guess they just made a generalisation?
In a weaker moment, my D described BS as “working as hard as humanly possible and sitting around a table with 11 others who work just as hard as I do, but are smarter than I am”
@2prepMom working “hard” as in extremely high workload, or extremely hard content?
@rokrail, your question is right on point. My D is no intellectual slouch, but there were many kids smarter/better prepared than she in most of her classes. So despite the extremely demanding workload, she felt inadequate comparing herself to the likes of the IMO winner who was in her math class, for example.
The thing about BS that she found discouraging is that some kids are better than you at most things, no matter how hard you try. (a sport, an EC, a language, art, music, whatever). For kids used to being at the top of their heap in 8th grade, this is often a shock.
The trick is to find what YOU are really, really good at, and develop that talent.
As for the “hard” content, that is mainly self-inflicted. There are more challenging classes, and less challenging classes. You pick the level you want to be challenged at. The most challenging classes are often taught at advanced college level, and even kept the IMO winner from being complacent in math.
I would define “hard” as being at a school where the average of ALL the students is in the top 5% (or 10% or 20% or whatever threshold) on a standardized test that is self-selected for only the top students to even take it. I would define “hard” as working shoulder-to-shoulder with peers who have competed and won at the highest levels (be it Latin, or history, or math, or poetry, etc.) in the world.
Unless you start entertaining going to school with extraterrestrials and aliens, all you have is earthlings, so the best in the world is the best you can get. Surely there is some area in which you would not be bored?
It seems to me it would keep you on your toes. How would you define “hard”?
Well, I know a recent graduate from medical school who compared Choate’s workload and expectation of preparation/performance to medical school, not the Ivy League college she attended. The undergraduate level was “easy” compared to Choate. So, yeah, it can be “hard,” depending on the level you place into for Math, languages, etc.
@rokrali – I share your question and have tried to get a sense of this as an outsider from many different sources, but it is difficult. My conclusion is that it depends on where you come from and what kind of student you are. If a student is used to a standard LPS, then I suspect the work and intensity could be quite surprising. Being the smartest kid in a given class at a local school isn’t saying much in a bigger pond. For students who have sought more challenging environments and spent time with really smart kids in multiple contexts, I suspect it would be less jarring of a transition. I know one student forced to take grade level humanities at an acronym school who felt that the courses were quite easy, but was happy to have more time for extracurriculars and more advanced math and science courses.
Students differ in background, in intelligence, and in capacity and desire to work hard. I suspect there are different experiences of how “hard” things are depending on those factors.
Getting a C in BS is harder than getting an A in some schools, as my friends emphasize. How hard is it? You can work for six hours and not have completed your homework, which is ridiculous considering that you have two hours of sports and all sorts of clubs and extracurricular activities to participate in.
^ I’m sorry, but speaking as a BS senior, given the grade inflation at most boarding schools, I find it hard to believe that it is “harder” to get a C than an A in less competitive schools. Generally, you have to work hard for an A, but getting a B tends to require minimal effort.
Getting a B in Lawrenceville is easy? I find that hard to believe, but okay! Good to know.
On the other hand, grade deflation…
To give you an idea about Andover, I had to pull an all-nighter the night before prom to finish a comparative government paper. The bags under my eyes were bigger than the purse I was carrying that night.
It was brutal for me.
“Getting a B in Lawrenceville is easy? I find that hard to believe, but okay! Good to know.”
We have grade inflation issues. Getting a 3.0 (straight Bs) effectively puts you at the bottom 10% of the school. You have to work hard for an A though (B/B+ is to be the “slacker” GPA zone). PM me if you want more details.
I agree with all posters… I can tell you this…
BS is what you make it… I know a lot of graduates who go to ivies and say “woah! this is so much easier than x school!” but I also know people who say the opposite. I honestly think saying you would be “bored” at a prep school is giving you some false assurance. I don’t go to Andover, but @cassat is totally right… I’ve pulled all nighters so many times! You’re essentially “competing” with some of the brightest kids in the world-- not nation-- world. Your experience at BS mostly relies on you… What classes you take, who you involve yourself with, and how serious you take it… You actually have to THINK for every class… memorization will get you only so far. Post-college level writing is required in freshman year… I jumped for joy when I got a 56 on a math test because that was the highest score in the grade… BS will never be “easy” but that’s why you’re there. If a school doesn’t think they can offer you anything, including a challenge, then they won’t accept you… I hope you find a challenge soon! 
But all throughout BS… you know that you’re putting in the same amount of effort into the experience as everyone else, and your strengths can help others’ weaknesses, and their strengths can help your weaknesses. BS will humble you, but it will make you stronger and more resilient. GL my friend and sorry if my post was scrambled-- all nighters for 3 days trying to complete a paper…
When I went to revisit at MX I found some classes stimulating but 1 or 2 classes a lot of joking around. How hard are these top tier schools for someone who’s always been academic?
@OneExcitedDude I went to the Middlesex revisit day too! I found math and science easy, creative writing challenging. The thing is, I couldn’t get a grasp of the actual teaching, as my classes were mainly based on completing exercises.