FYI, Mercersburg Academy will be holding its only open house of the admissions season on Monday, October 12. I hope many applicants and parents will take the time to learn about and visit this extraordinary school, whether at the open house or another time. Also, the new (as of last year) Mid-Atlantic Boarding School Group, comprised of Mercersburg, Blair, Peddle, St. Andrew’s, and Episcopal, will be hosting several events. Although each of these schools has its own distinct character, I think you will find real warmth at all of them, and great attention toward helping their students become better, not just better educated.
HT to @twinsmama for this announcement. In addition to the many NE schools mentioned on this board, I hope applicants consider these Mid-Atlantic schools as well as others in NE and on the West Coast. DD ended up at Episcopal High School after visiting 8 schools including two (SAS and MB) from the Mid-Atlantic area. DS is a junior at EHS. I wish we had more time to visit Blair and Peddie, but the clock struck midnight. MB and SAS are amazing schools/communities, two of the finest. Both campuses are breathtaking. While DD loved SAS, she did not apply. DD applied to and was accepted to MB (great dance program).
We live 20 minutes from PEA and 40 from SPS, Andover, and Governor’s, all very fine and familiar schools. All of DD’s classmates (20) that applied to private school, applied to PEA. Two were accepted, one to PEA and one to Governor’s. I beat the drum to parents to consider schools outside of NE to no avail. The look of why when I suggested these schools was priceless.
If DD had attended either SAS or MB, I would have been equally thrilled as I am with EHS. Give all of the Mid-Atlantic schools a very serious look, especially if you live in New England!
Here’s a link to the event schedule as provided by the MASBG.
http://www.midatlanticboarding.com/events/
“I beat the drum to parents to consider schools outside of NE to no avail. The look of why when I suggested these schools was priceless.”
So now you know how I’ve felt for 4+ years!
I did not realize these schools were in a “group” together. I still am seriously considering - booking visits, for all of them except Peddie. It is the largest concentration of a particular type of school I am looking at. Very interesting to me! I must love the mid atlantic 
Good luck @catinthehat579! Although I do understand parents’ wish to keep their children within a certain distance/time radius of home, I also think the New Englanders just don’t know what they are missing by not looking further afield. @i70sband was very wise and his (am I remembering correctly on gender?) children are benefiting. Please do let me know if you have any questions about Mercersburg.
^ correct.
We loved Peddie.
I love Peddie as well. It is an amazing school!!
The Mid-Atlantic schools have their own athletic conference: MAPL (Mid Atlantic Prepschool League)
If u are a swimmer, then Peddie is THE school.
Hill is very Hogswartsy gothic looking.
Lawrenceville’s house system is very distinctive. Lville is also big on Harkness Table learning.
Episcopal has access to all the nation’s capital has to offer.
Mercersburg received a huge endowment gift just a couple of years ago. Should translate to more opportunities for FA.
SAS, of course, is the Dead Poets’ Society.
Go PHLEGMS !!!
^^^ Though Episcopal and St. Andrew’s are not in the MAPL. They do play schools from that league in some sports some of the time, but not regularly. SAS is in the Delaware Independent School Conference, which is mostly private day schools, and it plays lots of public schools as well, really depending on the sport. Squash and crew have schedules with schools from a couple hundred miles north and south.
The Mid-Atlantic Boarding School Group seems all about marketing and admissions.
With regard to sports: Mercersburg will be breaking ground on Friday for a field house, which is supposed to be completed in time for the 2016-17 school year. A new and larger pool will be next. After that, I can’t imagine that there is anything left to build. @Charger78 , I think you are right that the new group is intended to facilitate combined admissions events, but I also think it is based on a real commonality of purpose.
Up next: a boathouse and crew team… and a river
Mercersburg is also a really good school for swimming. They have a USS team on campus and you can swim all three seasons. They host a swim camp and advertise in Swimming World…haha. They also have German, and you get to sleep in late (which for a swimmer is like 3 hours later than normal!)
(in response to comment about Peddie)