<p>Does anyone attend one of these schools? Son was accepted for grade 9. Can't decide between the two. I realize one is co-ed and the other isn't. Son is much more academic rather than athletic.</p>
<p>Can he still do a revisit? Belmont Hill has a very distinctive, traditional culture that is not for everyone. Rivers may seem less academic but more welcoming. It depends on what he and you are looking for and comfortable with.</p>
<p>These are very different schools in terms of ‘culture’. I would very strongly recommend a revisit - see which one your son feels more comfortable at, and see which one YOU feel more comfortable at (they may both have some time set aside for revisiting parents). Both have a strong athletic component, but I believe that Rivers is ,as kids get into the upper two years, much more flexible about it. Rivers is probably stronger in the arts and music as well.
Belmont Hill is , indeed, very traditional, although Rivers is fairly traditional as well.
I can’t really judge the academics - my rough estimation is that the average Belmont boy is stronger, academically, than the average Rivers boy or girl, but that Rivers can serve quite academically strong kids well.</p>
<p>We looked at Rivers for middle school and decided that its entire emphasis was on athletics and calming boys down. Well, almost all of it. High school could be somewhat different.</p>
<p>If you were to take a second look, ask yourself whether there is more of a jock culture than you’d like, and whether the amount of intellectual stimulation will keep your son happy. There is also a music school, but I gather that it’s somewhat of a separate beast.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. My son has done revisits at both schools. I got the impression that Belmont Hill is good academically, but they definitely emphasize sports…A LOT! The huge athletic fields, the pristine athletic complex, etc., are a testament to that. I have a very “academic” son, so I am not sure he would fit into that type of “good ole boy” environment. The sports he does are more or less non-competitive.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Rivers felt much more laid back. It had more a high school feel. I think they are trying to shed their image of a music/arts school and focus more on academics. The headmaster there seems like a very approachable person.</p>
<p>I asked for a list of colleges that seniors were attending at both schools, and Rivers graduates were attending almost as good colleges as BHS. BHS had more Harvards and Yales, but I don’t see my son at either one of them anyway…too big and impersonal.</p>
<p>Son seemed to be a little more enthusiastic about Rivers, but it is hard to tell at this age. He did say that he visited two honors classes at Rivers while on his revisit, and that the English class had 9 girls and only 4 boys. That bothers me. It’s almost saying that if you are a boy here, you can’t be smart; only the girls are in honors classes. I know that would bother my son, and it bothers me.</p>
<p>So, we are still sorting things out as we move closer to the end of the week deadline!</p>
<p>labbydog, please check your private message.</p>
Looking at both of these schools. Which did you choose, how did it work out for your son? (if you don’t mind my asking)
This thread is 5 years old. Use older threads for research only. Closing thread.
The answer to the question is: None of the above.