Welcome, all who got accepted to Kent School. I am a Kent school student and am willing to answer your questions. I hope I can fully help you to see the Kent experience.
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First off, being an international student, I’d like to ask this: is Kent as recognizable in top notch colleges as PA or PAE? And secondly, could you please tell me more about Kent math team and pre-engineering classes? How often does the team participate in olympiads? And does it visit such olympiads as IMO or USAMO? Thank you for your attention
I’m going to chime in as a parent and alum. Kent is not as prestigious as PA or PAE generally (few schools are) however Kent is well known to all top colleges and universities and every year sends kids to the same top schools as Andover and Exeter but not in nearly the same numbers. That said, it may be easier to land in the top 15 or 20% of your class at Kent than it would be to land in the top 35% of the class and Andover or Exeter. I can’t speak to the math team except that I know that it is typically a top competitor. The pre-engineering program is fairly unique among boarding schools. I imagine that there is more information available on the website and that you could reach out by e-mail to the department heads for more information.
Curious about PGs at Kent. Are they all athletes ? If so, which sport or sports ? Thank you !
But to put in perspective, Andover and Exeter’s graduating class is 320+, while Kent’s is about half that, so comparing raw numbers is not really helpful.
True, but on a percentage basis A and E still send twice as many kids to those schools as Kent.
@Publisher not all are sports but the overwhelming majority are. I’m not sure how they are allocated among the sports and I’m sure that is somewhat determined by their needs however there are usually crew and hockey PG recruits in the mix.
That makes sense as crew is a very valuable asset to those seeking Ivy League admissions.
It would be interesting to know if purely academic PGS are common at Kent.
Crew is Kent’s #1 sport and many go on to be top rowers in college. It’s a good hook for any college that has rowing. I can’t speak to the number of pure academic PG recruits now. When I attended 30 years ago there were always a couple, often from a school in the UK with which Kent had a long standing association.
I read somewhere students voted for a relaxed dress code? Has the dress code changed?
The administrations of most boarding schools are not going to change rules simply based upon what students want. That’s tantamount to the inmates running the asylum. 
Our family has a long history of boarding school attendees on both sides, attending many institutions that are not just great but that also are heartily approved of by snobs and strivers. My kids are not clones of course, and as it turns out, ended up at different schools. They had stellar educations and experiences that will last a lifetime. My youngest will leave Kent and head off to a school that meets muster in the snoot rankings on here, as will many in his graduating class. I have no doubt, more importantly, that the students who have landed in the lower portions of the “class rank” (happens at EVERY school b/c that’s just how percentiles work) will be off to wonderful institutions that they are excited to go to and pursue their variety of interests.
Kent students can challenge themselves and take risks and courses that are as hard as anywhere and be with a group of peers at any level. Refreshingly, they are not expected to enter as fully formed people. For example, my son had no idea that he had a strong aptitude in one area at the ripe old age age of 13 - but by 18, he is just crazy for it and brilliant at it. He had no idea he could sing well either when he was in 8th grade and sounding like Bobby Brady in the “Time to Change” episode… be he’s got wonderful pitch and sound and is able to get on a stage and belt his heart out now. He discovered these things about himself in a high school that allowed him to do so. Isn’t that what secondary education is supposed to be for as opposed to just another hoop to somewhere?! At Kent, if you are topping out in a course, there is always a higher level, harder version of that course waiting for you. The teachers and staff will make sure of it. The same goes for a student meeting too much of a challenge and needing to back off a bit. Your peers will be right behind you and beside you as well, offering support along the way rather than trying to trample you in a selfish rush to edge you out.
After all the posts I have read about “cache” and “prestige” validation and on and on we go… I suggest a simple solution: Just get hold of a ranking list that you believe in and apply straight down the line until you hit a ranking number where you the clout is not there any more for you. Mission accomplished if you get accepted to one of them. As for others who are looking at boarding school as something more than just a way to impress and and an Ivy’esque end, please proceed as usual, ask away, tour, do your due diligence and In wish you best of luck! OH! and may I suggest taking a good look at Kent School because I think you will be very happy with what you see. :-*
Hi, @Albertjones1 - RE: DRESS CODE The school is testing out a modified version of its dress code that makes it more egalitarian this term and winter term. I know other schools, like D.A. have been dealing with the same issues about dress code and gender in recent years. Kent is temporarily implementing it after a great deal of thoughtful discussion and deliberation by the admin. Students had input, and I recall seeing an op-ed in the paper at one point, but @skieurope is 100% correct.
So …what is the new dress code that is being tried out…? Our son was just accepted so I am more than curious!
I think I heard something about a blazer OR tie instead of both? Maybe something about sweaters? My kid does not care about clothes and has been ok with his “uniform” the last 3+ years… he probably is oblivious re most of the changes too. No harm in asking the school directly. Odds are you won’t be the only ones asking. 
My son really likes Kent and it is his #1 choice of schools to which he was offered admission last week. Can anyone answer the question why Kent’s acceptance rate (over 40%) is so much higher than schools that have equivalent testing scores (1330 SAT/ 30 ACT)? Is there something I’m missing - I feel like everyone knows something I don’t or am I just an over-concerned parent? Seems like an outlier when you look at the #'s. My son is not looking at the #'s but I can’t help but notice it.
Are you sure that Kent has 1330 SAT and 30 ACT on average? These numbers seem high.
These scores look as if they come from NICHE, and, if so, they are self-reported scores from students, not true averages from Kent School. Therein may be the “something” you are missing.
Yes, they are from Niche. Boarding School Review shows that Kent did not report average SAT scores.
@dadoftwoNC: To which other boarding schools was your son admitted ?