Struggling to choose between these two schools for my daughter. What are the things to look at? My daughter is interested in Flute, visual arts and environmental related subjects. Thanks a lot
Ah I’m early to this thread but I have a very similar dilemma (instead of Choate it’s Lawrenceville)
What is she leaning towards?
Have you gone to revisits? Those usually help quite a bit because your daughter will be able to sit in on classes and interact informally with current students.
She can’t go for a revisit because of her recent injure.
Ah OK. Then I would suggest that she ask the Admissions Office to put her in touch with some students who may have similar interests. Speak to as many as you can! Talking to current students was really valuable for both of my kids.
Another piece of advice that I give to everyone trying to decide, is to speak with the Academic Dean (or the person in charge of academic requirements) to lay out a tentative 4-year academic plan for your DD. Especially if your DD is interested in the Arts, because those classes may be handled differently depending on the school. It’s helpful to understand the reality of requirements vs. electives, and will also give you some insight to the flexibility/inflexibility of the school.
Thank you very much
Choate has big percentage kids who are boarder and not day students. While Milton is a great school, it has only small percentage as boarder. More kids are day students, something to think if your kid is boarding.
She is leaning to Choate
@Lukelu I see. She still likes Milton though? Or do you like Milton?
I think Choate has all! Very progressive school, focusing on science and math now, at the same time very strong art program (their orchestra is excellent but she can also join wind ensemble too) even has an art concentration. The school has the Environment Immersion Program (EIP) which allows 14 students to spend in a top-notch low-carbon emission building to study and live together to consider a wide range of environmental issues. Choate has exceeded our expectation in all aspects !!!
Two great schools can’t go wrong. If environmental studies is something she is really interested in the Kohler Environmental Center with it’s EIP environmental studies program at Choate is amazing. As a parent, I was skeptical that a specialized program like the KEC program would work for high school students. I was wrong - the program is very well thought out and provides students with an intense well rounded honors college predatory curriculum built around a theme of environmental studies in a world class facility. I am not the only parent who sees the program as a highlight of their child’s Choate experience.