Hello, I recently got accepted to the Masters School. I have heard many great things about the school but I have also heard otherwise. Could anyone tell me what they’ve heard/experienced? Thank you
Hi @orcawhale. I have had the same experience. Some good reports and not so good about Masters. My DD was accepted and really likes the school. I ran into a lady today whose son graduated from Masters and could not say enough great things about it. She raved about the teachers being excellent, responsive, kind and they really cared. Although some teachers have left since her son was there. She also mentioned her son enjoyed himself socially which is what I wondered about being that my D would be a boarder and there is a larger day school community and some boarders leave for the weekend. My D would not be leaving and clearing out on the weekends is not a good look for a good socially healthy boarding community. I do not know if they have closed weekends. Hmmmm. Lastly she said the college counselor was absolutely wonderful and went above and beyond for her son.
I enjoyed the open house & particularly how well the teachers gave overviews of the classes. They did an excellent job. The facilities were fine. Not rave worthy. Maybe because they could use some work aesthetically on the dorms. But the new athletic center is well done and compliments the school well.
Having a thriving enjoyable boarding community as a whole is very important in the experience of the boarder. So the questions about fit are important for the 4 years or so of the students life st the school. For instance Is it more down to earth or snobby, do they have 0 tolerance policies (having a large day community)? These questions for me still remain.But the students we met were not snobby at all.
I get the sense the school is still transitioning to be not just seen as artsy but as balanced with strong academics and top notch teachers. Sports I did not get a strong sense of competitiveness or school spirit as I did at other school open houses. But I do know they pride themselves in their fencing team and the facilities.
Revisit day will be very helpful if you are able to attend.
Can any parent speak to a current assessment of the level and quality of teaching. I am getting inconsistent feedback on that via word of mouth. Thank you.
Daughter transferred out of Masters for non-scholastic (nor disciplinary, just to be clear) reasons to another school for her junior and senior years…but I can speak from 2 years of being a parent there very recently.
I’d say the academics are pretty strong at Masters. You have to remember where it draws day students from…from the high-achieving/high-ambition NYC/Westchester County NY/Fairfield County CT areas. So parents from these areas care about academics and where their kid is going to college. Kids get into selective colleges, and I’m assuming most graduate (mostly on time) from those schools…so that means they were relatively well prepared, right?
7D2 is doing extremely well academically in IB/Honors type classes at her new school (George)…and never really complained much about Masters academics being deficient. At the very tippy top of the pyramid (like Frosh who are in Calc BC), maybe Masters is not really set up to handle that (though I’m sure they have done so over the years)…but how many schools truly are?
Teachers come and go at all schools, so don’t let reports of that deter you. Oh, one last thing…Masters uses Harkness system (don’t know if they do for Math, though), and I’m pretty sure even has invested in many of those special tables (with slide out desk panels so that there is some privacy when doing work/taking tests).
@Sevendad So helpful, thank you. Can you shed any light on the reason behind the change your daughter sought?
I am less worried about the rigor, and more concerned about the teachers being motivated, helpful and engaged. Are they willing to go the distance and help kids who are motivated learners? I had a couple of anecdotes which were worrisome. Thank you for any further insight. Trying to make a decision in the next day or two.
Send me a PM with your questions. And I’ll share the reasons daughter wanted a change.
FWIW, I think you’ll have variety in how motivated, helpful, and engaged teachers are within every school. Even the super-selectives.I had zero issues with the teachers my daughter had for her classes…and I don’t think she did either.