<p>I'm looking for the right fit for my son. He is bright, curious, loves school and learning but can get easily stressed and overwhelmed by super large work loads. He does 2-3 hours of homework a night now, but couldn't handle much more than that until junior year. He gets all a's and a minuses and just took 7th grade level ssat and got 91%. I want him to go to a school with kids that are also equally motivated and interested in school, but I don't care what tier it is in as long as there is a group of intellectual kids who like discussion and aren't just motivated by grades but really like the process. Preferably a school with a draw- great science program- something like that. Any suggestions? This is my first post. thank you!!</p>
<p>Welcome to the BS forum.</p>
<p>This semi-recent thread might be a good place to start:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1035501-looking-boarding-schools-reasonable-workload-sleep-time.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1035501-looking-boarding-schools-reasonable-workload-sleep-time.html</a></p>
<p>Berkshire School is going to be constructing a new math/science building that will be opened in September 2012. They also have an amazing math/science research program that allows students to conduct original research under the guidance of professional research scientist. Berkshire’s academics are typically not considered to be as challenging as some other schools, but it really depends on each student. Your son would be able to take advanced/honors classes in order to reach a level of academic intensity that suits him best. It’s worth it to check out their website, and visit if you are interested! [Berkshire</a> School - private, New England boarding school in Sheffield, Massachusetts](<a href=“http://www.berkshireschool.org/home/home.asp]Berkshire”>Berkshire School - Boarding & Day School | Prep School in MA)</p>
<p>Here’s boarding school review’s website that outlines some key statistics about the school including school size, campus size, average SSAT score, acceptance rate, average FA awards, and other factors that you may want to take into consideration. [Berkshire</a> School - Sheffield, Massachusetts/MA - Boarding School Profile](<a href=“http://www.boardingschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/39]Berkshire”>Berkshire School (2023 Profile) - Sheffield, MA)</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Another school I would highly recommend is Choate Rosemary Hall. Although this school is more intense in terms of academics when compared to Berkshire, it really depends on the student’s personal course of study. Choate has the opportunity for motivated science students to participate in the Science Reseach Program which “consists of three linked segments: 1) three terms of training in the basics of scientific inquiry and experimentation, 2) a summer of research in a university (or similar) laboratory, and 3) a final term assembling a manuscript of the summer work that aims to meet the standards of a professional publication.” Here’s the school’s website: [Choate</a> Rosemary Hall: Home](<a href=“http://www.choate.edu/index.aspx]Choate”>http://www.choate.edu/index.aspx)
and the boarding school review’s statistics: [Choate</a> Rosemary Hall - Wallingford, Connecticut/CT - Boarding School Profile](<a href=“http://www.boardingschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/7]Choate”>Choate Rosemary Hall (2023 Profile) - Wallingford, CT)</p>
<p>They are also constructing an environmental center to be opened in the coming years that will allow students to experience “an interdisciplinary academic and residential program with a focus on environmental science.” Here’s an article about the construction of the building: <a href=“http://thenews.choate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=198%3Aconstruction-of-environmental-center-in-progress&Itemid=21[/url]”>http://thenews.choate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=198%3Aconstruction-of-environmental-center-in-progress&Itemid=21</a></p>
<p>Thanks, I have heard great things about Berkshire.</p>
<p>@fishinlady,
Well if he took the seventh grade level SSAT he must be in seventh grade. And he’s getting 2-3 hours of work a night. He’ll be more than prepared for any boarding school. I’d look at St. Paul’s School. It has a really interesting science curriculum. (Robotics are offered, astronomy, physics of music, etc)</p>
<p>@fishinlady,
Well if he took the seventh grade level SSAT he must be in seventh grade. And he’s getting 2-3 hours of work a night. He’ll be more than prepared for any boarding school. I’d look at St. Paul’s School. It has a really interesting science curriculum. (Robotics are offered, astronomy, physics of music, etc)</p>
<p>Thank you, I will check out St Paul’s. I am worried about some of the bigger name schools being pressure cookers. Any thoughts on St. Andrews or Episcopal? Not they they are not still bigger names, but perhaps more nurturing?</p>
<p>You should definitely look at Northfield Mount Hermon. As they have ‘block scheduling’ where the kids take 3 classes per term, it is not as overwhelming as when you have 7 classes. They have a chance to really dig into their subjects during longer class periods as well. It is a Class A boarding school with solid academics, excellent faculty and a beautiful setting in upper MA. Food’s good too! My d is a 4 year senior and has very much enjoyed her time there.</p>
<p>Although NMH is not considered a top tier school, from what we’ve heard from a NMH parent who often posts here, it is quite rigorous and can be stressful.</p>
<p>Actually…my daughter is looking at a PG year. The only schools she can apply to are in the same tier as NMH. Them there’s the rules. They include Hotchkiss, Deerfield, Choate, Andover, Exeter…etc.</p>
<p>I made the comment only because OP expressed concerns over the possible high stress and pressure in the big name schools. I was trying to point out that NMH could be stressful too according to a parent on CC.</p>
<p>thank you Novelisto- I like the block idea. Kind of like Colorado College. I will take a closer look at NMH. I did look there many years ago. I think they had a working farm. Definitely ahead of their time in the 80’s! Have you considered a different type of gap year experience for your daughter? I was a female PG and it can be tough, unless she is really going for athletics. There are some great alternative programs out there. Have you heard of Where there be Dragons?</p>
<p>No, but I will look it up. Thanks for the suggestion. </p>
<p>Yes, NMH still has a working farm and the students do work-jobs all over the campus. They recently added a new arts center and scuttlebutt is that a new science bldg is next on the list. One of the great things about this school is that they don’t pigeon-hole kids…there are boys on the (Championship! Go Hoggers!) Varsity soccer team who sing in the choir and nerds who also do art. Nobody from the faculty or the student body look at you weird if you want to try new things, even things that a ‘jock’ or a ‘geek’ isn’t supposed to want to do. Classes are small and there is plenty of tutoring, learning skills, etc. on offer if things get too crazy. Balancing school, social life and work is an important lesson my D has learned here. </p>
<p>DAndrew – Sorry. So many people think NMH isn’t top-tier that we all get a little sensitive about it. Stress is part of life but the pressure is less at NMH thanks to a few number of classes per term…unless the kid really wants to be hard on himself 24/7. Some kinds of stress are self-inflicted.</p>
<p>I don’t think tiers really have much to do with the rigor of a school. If you look at course selection, for example, you will see the same breadth at NMH as the HADES schools. Colleges seem to give NMH credit for rigor as well, judging by the lower GPA’s admitted to selective schools across the board. However, even though my son is stressed (he has a particular situation that has contributed to his stress), I do not think the school is a “pressure cooker”. The school has a very nurturing, caring environment. Indeed my current student could have been a viable candidate at a “top tier” school, but we chose NMH based on our love of the school (my older son attended). There is plenty of homework, though!
Novelisto…that was an exciting soccer game!</p>
<p>Take a look at Blair Academy in northwest New Jersey. The school has great college matriculation [Blair</a> Academy - Admission](<a href=“http://www.blair.edu/Admissions/ad_matriculation.shtm#2003]Blair”>http://www.blair.edu/Admissions/ad_matriculation.shtm#2003). The science department is headed by a very smart and interesting man with a Ph.D from MIT and a background in research [Blair</a> Academy - Academics](<a href=“http://www.blair.edu/Academics/ac_curr_science.shtm]Blair”>http://www.blair.edu/Academics/ac_curr_science.shtm) They have the standard array of science courses plus things like biotechnology that should keep a 4-year student busy. </p>
<p>I think he would find a peer group of motivated students interested in discussion. It is likely that your son would be placed in honors/AP classes. If he is able to keep his grades up, he would have the chance of being among the top students. </p>
<p>One of the things that makes Blair stand out is that it is a close and caring community. He will get to know some faculty very well, and with school size of around 450, it is small enough to know many students, but large enough to discover new friends.</p>
<p>If you decide to take closer look, feel free to ask me questions.</p>
<p>Good luck in your search! You are starting early, so you should have a good list for next year. If you live close to any boarding schools, some schools allow you to tour but not interview when your son is in 7th grade. There is a small window from around mid-April to around 2 weeks before graduation. It might be helpful for you and your son to visit a few schools of interest to help narrow your criteria. This is not a standard process, so the Admissions person in charge of tours may not agree to it.</p>
<p>Here’s a list of schools you may consider for your son. They are established schools with solid academics. A few are all-boy schools.</p>
<p>Canterbury School Co-Ed 9-12, PG
Concord Academy Co-Ed 9-12
Foxcroft Academy Co-Ed 9-12
The Loomis Chaffee School Co-Ed 9-12, PG
The Masters School Co-Ed 9-12
Suffield Academy Co-Ed 9-12, PG<br>
Westminster School Co-Ed 9-12, PG<br>
Berkshire School Co-Ed 9-12, PG<br>
Blair Academy Co-Ed 9-12, PG<br>
CFS, The School at Church Farm All-Boys 7-12<br>
Hill School Co-Ed 9-12, PG
Mercersburg Academy Co-Ed 9-12, PG<br>
The Pennington School Co-Ed 7-12
St. Albans School All-Boys 9-12<br>
St. Mark’s School Co-Ed 9-12<br>
Salisbury School All-Boys 9-12, PG</p>
<p>fishinlady, you say that your son does 2-3 of homework a night right now. What kind of homework is it? I think that makes a big difference in determining what he will be able to handle. There is a difference, for instance, in 25 math exercises and 8-10 math problems. The exercises may be time consuming but practically mindless; while the problems may take less time but more energy. The same can be said about writing lab reports verses review sheets.</p>
<p>I think these are the questions about “work load” that should be asked. Some kids can handle huge volumes of work easily, but get stressed when they are given 3 to 4 longer assignments with due dates looming a week out. Like most things, you have to look at quality as well as quantity. I don’t know your son, so I can’t say what type of school your son would be happy with. Chances are, he’ll like most of the ones he visits because they are, by and large, populated by :
</p>
<p>I think you’re going to have more trouble eliminating schools than finding schools you like but; if you want to make sure your son is not overwhelmed, look at schools that have a variety of levels of core courses from which to choose (regular English, Honors, and AP) so that he can pick how much work he’s willing to commit to each subject. Be warned, however, that the regular level classes at most of these schools will be equal to the honors or AP level of most public schools.</p>
<p>Thanks neatoburito and Dandrew. His current school does a very good job of making sure that the work is mostly quality work and not quantity work. It is a small private k-8 school. There are many long term assignments, and they are being “well-trained” for the next level. Maturity for boys this age I imagine makes a huge difference as the work load increases. He is my oldest, so I haven’t see that unfold yet. Really I wonder which schools have the reputation of being academic without having a highly intense pressured atmosphere. Also, what are people’s feelings on Educational consultants and any recommendations in NY metropolitan area?</p>
<p>So far as educational consultants go…I’m going to be real useful and say ‘it depends’. Do you work full-time? Do you have time/energy to devote to poring over websites and doing the legwork? Do you have the extra money to pay a consultant? If you are going to obsess anyway (and don’t we all?) will having a consultant in the mix make you feel less stressed or more so? </p>
<p>Unless you feel your son needs some kind of educational testing, I think parents are just as or more competent to find the right fit as any consultant. YMMV, of course, but if you can physically manage to do the job, you may feel better about your eventual decision if you and your son do the search together rather than relying on an expert. With CC to help you, you have a wide variety of experiences to draw on and a whole raft of people ready to answer questions. And you don’t have to pay a dime. </p>
<p>You can always hire somebody later if you feel confused or have trouble deciding which schools to cut from your list.</p>