<p>My D got admitted to Loomis, and wait-listed by five others. Does anybody know about Loomis? The tuition is 42K, and I hope it is worth it. Please advise.</p>
<p>Mount- </p>
<p>My S was also admitted to Loomis. When he went to visit, it ended up being one of his favorite schools. He really liked the kids he met and the campus. Check out their website, I have found lot’s of info for parents and little extra things I didn’t know about on the site.</p>
<p>It seems trivial but one of things that caught my S eye was the fact that you can have a mini frig in your dorm room. Lot’s of schools don’t allow that, I believe. One thing I really like is their commitment to graduating kids that know how to write. It seems like every school does this in some way but Loomis talks about it on the website.</p>
<p>Will you be able to revisit? I think that visit will go a long way in helping you decide.</p>
<p>Thank you Scotland45! I agree that their writing program seems standout from others and my D does like to write. Unfortunately we are not able to do revisit.</p>
<p>Loomis Chaffee was considered a great school when I was a preppie many moons ago, and it still is. Congratulations both of you, your kids will get as much out of it as they put in.</p>
<p>Call the admission office, tell them you are not able to do revisit and see what they can do. Good luck !</p>
<p>Sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your post, Mount. I don’t come to CC as much as I used to.</p>
<p>My younger SmilePup is currently a sophomore at Loomis and both he and we, his parents, have found it to be school that reinforces all the good stuff a kid brings to the table while offering truly transformational experiences that encourage growth in the areas where a kid might need to grow. </p>
<p>A bit of background: Back two years ago now (Gad! can it really be 2 years?!?), the SmilePup chose Loomis over a number of schools that are more frequently spoken of here on CC and which have more august reputations. Based on the (too numerous) revisit days he went to, he felt that Loomis was the best fit; he liked the kids he met, he liked the classes he was able to sit in on, and he came away from that day saying “this is where I can see myself next year”. So off to Loomis he went. Looking back on that decision now, I can say that it was the best choice he could have made, and I think he would say the same. He did go through a period before he actually got to The Island (which is Loomis’ nickname derived from the fact that, every spring, the rivers of either side of the campus flood and turn the campus into an island) of second guessing the wisdom of passing up those oft-termed “first-tier” schools. But those second thoughts are long gone. He loves his school, he loves his friends, he loves his teachers and coaches. He’s a Pelican!</p>
<p>As his mom, I have been uniformly impressed with the quality of teaching at the school. Again, just by way of background, I will tell you that the SmilePup is a very intent student who, in the past, has tended to pursue high marks with the kind of relentlessness that is best reserved for Spartan military campaigns, or the pursuit of world peace, or some such. At Loomis, he has learned to temper his quest for a top spot on the Honor Roll with a sense of humor and, dare I say it, fun. I attribute much of that directly to the extraordinary teachers he has had. They have, somehow, accomplished what no other teachers have been able to do for the Smile Pup and that is encourage him to actually enjoy the process of acquiring all the skills and information necessary to succeed in life off the Island. I really can’t say enough about their devotion and scholarship.</p>
<p>But, that blooming sense of the fun to be had at school isn’t entirely due to the teaching staff at Loomis. It has also come about through interaction with a great group of kids. Of course, not everyone is best friends with everyone else, but I would say there is a general sense among the kids of “live and let live; you do your thing, I’ll do mine” which dictates life in classes, in various kinds of performances, on the playing fields, and in the dorms. It is a very good and supportive environment. The few bad experiences the Smile Pup has had have been self-generated (that wicked relentlessness rearing its head), and he has been eased through them by his friends, his advisor (who is God’s gift to anxious parents!), or his coaches, as needed. There’s nothing more I can say about the place that isn’t conveyed by the fact that the Smile Pup feels genuine success as a student at Loomis. </p>
<p>Except that, as Scotland45 noted, they get to have mini frigs in their rooms! 
That was a deal breaker for the Smile Pup, believe it or not!</p>
<p>It’s a shame that you can’t go to the revisit day. As I say, that’s when the Smile Pup’s decision really came together. The school does a good job of presenting itself (as you would expect) and it is possible to get a feel for the place which will lessen (a bit) the anxiety of going off to BS when next August rolls around. If you have any specific questions that you think I may be able to answer, send me a PM and I’ll be sure to get back to you. The same goes for you Scotland45.</p>
<p>Congratulations to both your children! They are in for some rare and wonderful experiences.</p>
<p>smile dog-</p>
<p>Wow! Thank you so much for that excellent post! I had to “force” my son to finish his application for Loomis before he visited. Then after he and his Dad visited, it became his favorite school. He really liked the kids he met and just the feel of the school.</p>
<p>I can’t wait for revisit as it will be my first time at Loomis. Keep your fingers crossed for extra FA because he is on the FA waitlist and we just know this is the school for him.</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>Another satisfied Pelican Parent here – S will graduate in June. He came in as a sophomore day student and has really blossomed. Can’t say enough about his advisor – a truly wonderful man who S really looks up to and respects. The writing program really works – S, who is much more into math, computers, etc., is now a decent writer. He may never be the best of the best, but I was somewhat in a state of despair when he came to LC – afraid he’d never “get it.” Well, he’s “got it” and will have a piece at the English Honor Tea later this spring.</p>
<p>Smile dog, </p>
<p>Thank you so much for such a truly awesome post! Your perspective as a parent is really appreciated. </p>
<p>My D is probably not that self-motivated as your S. She like to read and write. She is not much interested in Math, although she is ok with Biology. She likes a number of sports, such as swimming, water polo, skiing, tennis, but doesn’t excel in a particular one. Lately she is more into acting/modeling. She is easy to make friends. She does treat school work seriously, but she has not consistently shown her willingness to go extra miles. </p>
<p>At Loomis, is she going to just tag along or is she going to find her identity and blossom? Can the school community identify her strength and weekness, and provide the support and guidance? We live on the west coast, and will probably have limited influence</p>
<p>I am a current junior day student at Loomis.</p>
<p>mount - I am confident that Loomis will help your daughter identify her strengths and weaknesses and ultimately become a better person. </p>
<p>First of all, we have an excellent advising system that ensures that students stay focused and receive adequate guidance. Advisers meet with students frequently (weekly or bi-weekly) and discuss their performance and what they can do to improve. Advisers do not only talk about academics, but the arts and athletics as well. The advisers of boarding students are always associated with the dorm in which the student lives, so the student sees his or her adviser frequently. Additionally, advisers typically stay in contact with parents over the phone or email.</p>
<p>Personally, I have noticed myself analyzing and developing my strengths and weaknesses as each term passes by.</p>
<p>Mount-</p>
<p>If your D loves acting, or any other performing arts, she should REALLY look into accepting Loomis’ offer. They have an AMAZING performing arts program.</p>
<p>Thank you, Loomisstudent and Lillium! I think she is leaning toward accepting it. I am glad my D is taking the time to make the decision. We’ve told her that it is basically her decision to make.</p>
<p>I have heard that the Loomis campus is stunning! Is that so? Also, I am surprised that a school as large as Loomis (? 800 students) does not have crew, especially since the campus sits adjacent to the Conn river. Does anyone have additional comments about these issues in particular or Loomis in general?</p>
<p>Is loomis as nurturing an environment as say, Blair?</p>
<p>LC parent here and I live only 20 miles away from Blair, has some relatives and neighbors sent their kids to Blair. </p>
<p>I have to say both are very good school, but son likes LC much more than Blair and we respect his decision. He felt LC is more academic then Blair and he likes the people at LC campus. If you have time, attend the re-visit day, see which school is better fit for you (and find our why LC does not have crew).</p>
<p>Pan1956 - Loomis’ athletic director was just answering this question to a parent at a recent revisit day. Unfortunately, our position on the Farmington and Connecticut rivers is not conducive to crew.</p>
<p>LoomisStudent,
Is your campus attractive? Is the academic environment nurturing or cut throat? Are the students warm and welcoming? Please elaborate about the school…</p>
<p>pan – from a parent’s perspective, the answers to your questions are: (1) Yes, extremely; (2) Nurturing, but they expect students to be self-motivated; (3) Yes.</p>
<p>I am a current sophomore boarder at Loomis Chaffee.</p>
<p>Personally I love the campus. We have a large campus, but the buildings are fairly close together so you don’t have to walk a mile from class to class. Being a boarder, the dorms are your new home and it is important that they are nice. When I toured, Loomis dorms were probably the nicest I had seen. The rooms are large, allowing you to have your own space and allowing extras, such as a fridge. Our science center is brand new and one of the highlights of our campus is our main quad, which is beautiful. As for the academic environment, you need to take responsibility for your work, but the teachers offer great help. If you need extra help, the teachers are more than willingly to help out. I found the students at Loomis to be warm and welcoming and the community here at Loomis is one of my favorite parts of the school. I knew no one before I came as a freshmen, but with the bonding from classes, dorm life, and sports it was easy to fit in and make friends. With private schools it’s all about finding the right fit and Loomis is definitely the place for me.</p>
<p>I will be a returning junior boarding girl this Fall and I cannot say enough about loomis. One thing that I’ve noticed about Loomis is the phenomenal support system… I had my adviser, who lived down the hall (and I visited or saw her daily) and my dorm head at the other end of the hall. My advisor and dorm head are TRULY like parents… It was unusual to see their doors closed between 5 pm and 1 am… Every student has at least one night where they feel especially homesick and/or overwhelmed. However, when I had one of those nights, I never felt that I had to sit in my room and suffer through it alone… I knew I could walk down the hall and find a shoulder to cry on when my relative passed away, or if I was just having a terrible week.
However, as the year went on, I learned how to cope and manage my stress. Had I gone to any other school, I’m not so sure I would have been able to excel academically, socially, and athletically like I did at Loomis in my first year there.
It’s hard to express just how much I LOVE Loomis after just a single year… At thebeginning of the year, I NEVER could have imagined how well I’d be doing as the year came to a close. My grades skyrocketed, along with my self-confidence and countless other things.
Of course, I worked extremely hard to achieve success; when I wanted to bring up my English grade, try out for a sports team, or apply for a leadership position, I knew I would need to challenge myself, and work harder than I ever had in my life. </p>
<p>I truly can’t imagine what my life would be like (both in the present and future) if I had not decided to attend Loomis Chaffee</p>
<p>Hello Caroline. I love your responses. They are beautifully written and goes to show how great of a writing program the Doomis Chafe school must have! You transition well point to point; your ideas are linked through transitional phrases; your topic sentences present a new idea/focus; and finally, but certainly not least, your ideas flow logically.
You are an exemplary student and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!</p>