<p>wow, i just read through this thread and it is quite interesting...i just feel like bumping this....btw where is olivia????Olivia, I would love to talk to you about choate, i am going there next year. :) thanks!!!
BUMP!!!</p>
<p>Wow--I haven't posted in forever! I just recently read through this thread and I was struck by a few things.</p>
<p>1) We miss you Livy!!!! (Ms. Dean's class says Hi!)</p>
<p>2) I was actually very peeved by Icy's posts regarding certain generalizations of prep school students. As a Choate student myself I can assure all of you guys (and yes, I actually do have the experience to say this) that Choate is a very diverse school, with people from all walks of life. If anyone had any doubts about this than their perception of the school would be quite inaccurate. As Livy has said many times, she left Choate for personal reasons, and her departure is not a statement about the type of students at the school nor anything else except that she personally didn't feel the best away at boarding school. </p>
<p>3) Finally, Choate is a wonderful school, and (again) we are all sad to not have Livy anymore. :( But we're very glad she is happy where she is now.</p>
<p>This is an interesting thread. I heard that some students leave BS after a couple of years. I posted the same question to other threads. I like to know the students retention rate of BS. Anybody knows?
And I like to know the exact reason why they are leaving BS before graduation.</p>
<p>There are plenty of reasons for kids to leave before graduation. Sometimes finances change and they can't afford it anymore, sometimes they just don't like the school or the people there, sometimes they just hate boarding school and the rules there, sometimes they want to be closer to their family. There's no "exact" reason for leaving, everyone's different. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.</p>
<p>I heard that some students want to leave BS to have a better chance to go to elite college. If they belong to top groups at BS, they will be very successful in going to colleges. But if they belong to below average group, their success rate decreases rapidly.
If they went to public schools, they would get straight As and have a reasonably good chance in college matriculation. Basically, they think they'd
be top students at public school rather than average or below average students at a good BS.</p>
<p>Is that true?
That is what I want to know about.</p>
<p>i read some of these posts and some people say that boarding schools are mostly rich, snobby kids, but then other people say that there are all different types of people. i'm trying to convince my parents to at least think about bs, but they keep telling me that it's all snobs. who do i believe here??</p>
<p>@ erkybk: If students leave BS to get a better chance at an elite college, does that make them correct in their assumption? And if they are correct, is that because it's a general rule, or a fact that applies to them, specifically, after putting in some time at BS? Does it mean their decision to leave is a wise one as a general principle? If you think so, then how can you trust that when you have to assume that their earlier decision to attend BS wasn't so wise? Bottom line: the perceptions as to whether, as a general proposition, BS gives you an advantage in college admissions are not going to be better informed among those who leave BS before graduation.</p>
<p>@ cyprus: Sounds like you have to take them on some tours this fall to settle this dispute. Considering that they definitely won't be "on board" with this during the first interviews/tours, just be sure that those don't take place at schools you've got your heart set on. Disinterested parents will knock the best of applicants out of the running instantly. So, as long as you're likely to get thrown out of contention at the first places you visit, make sure those are places where that outcome is acceptable.</p>
<p>Im sorry if this is a bit personal D'yer buy could you tell me your age and occupation. Im just curious. You can PM if u want. U don't even have to answer. I know how much you like to blow people off. lol</p>
<p>Cyprus, it depends on the school but there are many, many boarding schools which are not snobby. I am at Exeter, which is considered to be one of the wealthier schools, but I can still say there is a very broad spectrum of people here. At least 40% are on financial aid, and while 60% are paying full tuition and come from very priveliged backgrounds, you wouldn't be able to tell in many cases. Of course there is the rich, prep school contingent but it is just that - a contingent, and a dwindling one if you ask me. If you went to prep school you woud mostly find your own kind with ease. Your social experience is really based on who you choose as friends. So sit down and talk to your parents about it, and tell them all of the reasons why boarding school sounds good to you that aren't social reasons. Put all social presumptions aside - after all, aren't academics what matter most in a school? you can start talking about social concerns later, and point out to your parents that you aren't snobby and are interested in prep school, and it's likey there are others out there like you. I'm sure you'd do fine socially, espeically if you visited many schools and picked the one(s) that felt right to apply to. The only way to do that is to start looking. PM me if you have any quesitons, after 4 years at a prep school I might be able to provide some insight. Good luck.</p>
<p>livy might go back i think....</p>
<p>@ erkybyk: But what percentage of students at public schools maintain an A average? It may be a much larger percentage than the percentage at prep schools. If a student can distinguish himself at a school with a competitive grading scale, he has a greater chance to distinguish himself. One of, say, five in his class with an A average, at a more rigorous school, is more impressive than one of forty at a less rigorous school. </p>
<p>In your example, though, I would agree that a student performing below average at a prep school could produce a higher grade point average at a run-of-the-mill public school. Such a student would rather be one of a larger group of students with high grade point averages, if he were more concerned about the college admissions rat race than challenging instruction.</p>
<p>This is, of course, why we won't see the end of standardized testing anytime soon.</p>
<p>A separate, and very important question, to my mind, is, does the structure of the college admissions race place undue weight on a "perfect" grade point average? If you want all As, you won't take risks. If you don't take risks, you may be squandering the limited time you have to concentrate on learning.</p>
<p>My parents are struggling to send me through PA. I don't know if I'll have it okay, but I hope I do...</p>
<p>Yes, I know few students who left elite BS for that reason. They were top 1% at MS but fall into average or below average at an elite BS. They lost confidence, couldn’t take rigorous courses and of course much less chance for elite college.</p>