<p>If I had to choose for my D, it would probably be Holderness. But that is a personal choice based upon my knowledge of my daughter's experience. Yours may be very different.</p>
<p>You may like Milton better if...</p>
<p>1) You thrive on a more competitive academic environment where almost all the kids are at or above your level. Milton's average SSAT is 88th percentile vs. 65th for Holderness.</p>
<p>2) You like having more choices of classes. Milton is more than twice as big (student population of 660) than Holderness (student population of 275). With a slightly closer grouping of academic talents and more students, a school can offer greater breadth of courses. Now remember, there are a limited number of classes you can take in a year and there are many requirements. So we are talking having a greater choice of maybe 1 or 2 classes in your sophomore through senior years. Plus being at a bigger school, you don't feel like everyone knows your business.</p>
<p>3) You may like Milton more if you like being in town more than in nature. Almost all the trees surrounding Milton were planted by people. Most of the trees surrounding Holderness are natural. You are in the greater Boston area at Milton with easy access to many activities the city has to offer on weekends. </p>
<p>4) You may like Milton more if you like casual dress and secular thinking. </p>
<p>You may like Holderness better if...</p>
<p>1) The dog-eat-dog academic competition is not your thing. While not exactly laid back in the classroom, Holderness does mathc Milton's reputation of having an Ivy Admissions rat race going on (don't mean to be offensive about it, but can't find a better description). And you will more likely end up in the top quartile or decile of your graduating at Holderness, which many argue is more important in the non-Ivy admissions. </p>
<p>2) You want to live in a community where everyone knows each other and the majority of the students are on campus 24x7. Milton is only 50% or so boarding, so the school gets a lot smaller on weekends. And many of the boarders live close enough to vacate on many weekends. Other advantages of being on a small campus is that there is more opportunity for closer relationships with a tighter knit faculty. They can know you better and work with you better. </p>
<p>3) You may like Holderness better if your idea of how to relax on weekends is more to get away from the world. You are in a small town at Holderness. While most of the conveniences of daily life are nearby (shopping and food), most of what is around you is nature and its beauty. And sometimes that is what is needed to relax on Sunday after a long week in class.</p>
<p>4) You may like Holderness more if you find structure like a common study hour and a dress code more comforting than trying to juggle your study around sports, clubs, and social life while worrying about what everyone else is wearing. Holderness is affiliated with the Episcopalian Church, but will support the student's religious beliefs whatever they may be.</p>
<p>While the Milton diploma hanging on your wall may seem impressive today, once you are in college, the only thing that is important about your high school education is that you made the most of yourself and had a good time doing so. If you think the lifestyle that Holderness offers is more to your liking and you won't outgrow it academically, go where you think you will be happiest and most productive.</p>
<p>I'm sorry if I didn't give you an easy answer, but I don't know you personally and wouldn't be comfortable making important life decisions like that for people whom I don't know.</p>
<p>As a side note, I would tend to guess that there are not too many kids who apply to those 2 schools. They are very different in so many ways. Most kids apply to very similar schools. I don't think what you are doing is a bad thing, because at your age, it does take time to make up your mind. And it sounds like you are still mulling things over.</p>
<p>I wish you the best in your decision.</p>