<p>I think I'm leaning toward Milton - it seemed like a great school academics wise, but very close knit and with a real comunnity feel (?). But then Andover seemed like it had so much to offer also. Could anyone help me out? </p>
<p>And I don't really need to know about the academics - I already know about them from the tours and viewbooks. I'm mostly wondering about what its like living there, since I'll be a boarder. Also if its harder to make friends at either one, especially since I'll be coming as a tenth grader.</p>
<p>You need to compare the statistics - what do you want in a school, and is it offered at Miton or Andover. </p>
<p>Milton:
I think Milton is only 50% boarding, and remember that it is a quite small school, so 50% at Milton would be significantly less than 50% at a larger boarding school. However, this may be a benefit, making the boarding community far more intimate than at a larger school. I’ve heard that Milton mixes grades when it assigns dorms, so the community has more to do with whoever resides in your dorm, and the sports teams (or other art/music programs) you are involved with. I read that the average day’s homework load is about 2-3 hours in Milton if a person manages time well and is efficient. I also found on an earlier thread that Milton’s math program is not as developed as some other schools, but liberal and performance arts are just as strong, if not stronger, compared to other schools, including Andover. But, if you’re an entering student who has already completed calculus, you’d find limited opportunities at Milton, but then again, Milton will also give you the opportunity to take a class at MIT (or elsewhere) if you require a course that they don’t offer.</p>
<p>Andover:
At Andover, I think the average time spent on homework is something along the lines 4-5 hours. That could be a 3 hour difference, and suggests that the course load is either heavier, more difficult, or more interesting, inspiring students to spend extra hours completing it. There is said to be much more depth/breadth in academics here, but the school is also suposed to be much harder and there are more students getting Bs as compared to Milton. </p>
<p>As some wise parent said, “Prep school is not about admission to HYP. It is about finding out who you are and take the experience to a level where you can learn and apply from it in real life.”</p>
<p>Sorry I can’t be of more assistance - I don’t really know much about the schools! Everything I said I took from previous posts, so I unfortunately can’t vouch for how sound the information is. My opinion is just go with your gut - that is to say, Milton. But I don’t know you, so I can’t really say. It has to be your descision in the end, though.</p>
<p>Futureboarder, Milton is not SMALL. They have 600-700 students and 40+ in a dorm. But yes, you’re right about the close-knit community. They mix grades and the dorm parent to student ratio is 4:1.</p>
<p>I was WLed at Andover, but even if I had gotten in, I would choose Milton. Andover seems too big for me. And I don’t like the way they list all the great things admitted students have done. Easier access to Boston sounds really nice!
(it’s ultimately a very personal decision)</p>
<p>Maybe you should watch that video mentioned in Milton’s acceptance letter!</p>
<p>Visit schools and follow your heart! Congrats!</p>
<p>In terms of A’s listing the qualities of admitted students and posting it on their website, it seemed in poor taste to me to post the qualities and fun facts of the newly admitted students on March 11, even before many others had a chance to get their rejection letters and digest the information for themselves. Seemed insensitive…they could have waited til everyone had found out via their individual letter. Just my two cents. Not to take anything away from their curriculum, but I hope someone in the know there is watching…for next year.</p>
RBGG, are you implying that there will be changes (negative changes) in Andover’s curriculum next year? Do you have any “insiders info” we don’t know yet?</p>
<p>Prep2011, sorry, I thought it was smaller - I must say that 50% at a large school doesn’t sound at all bad - good luck in your descision evamarie :)</p>
<p>@DAndrew, no what I was trying to communicate is that I’m not knocking the school for their curriculum, but for their insensitivity, posting the creds of those accepted on their website before everyone got their decision letters, :o(</p>
<p>FWIW- the Mom welcoming my daughter to her new school was an ex- Andover alum, and had put 2 kids through Andover, before putting two more in a more intimate GLADCHHEM school like Milton. She RAVED about the one on one contact that her two youngest DCs got in the smaller school and expressed that at Andover you were “more on your own”, and it was more like College than school. She definitely noticed a difference in philosophy and experience.
So I guess its all about what you prefer! Both are great schools- and both were in the Forbes top 20 Prep School list!
Have fun deciding!!</p>
<p>Milton’s humanities program is hard to beat and during my visit it felt like a close-knit community. If you are into math and science, they have a brand new tech-equipped science building and they have developed their own math curriculum insead of following the standard math text books plus it has all the cultural aspects of living in/near Boston.</p>
<p>hi there, i was the one who says 'Milton’s math program not as developed as some other schools, but liberal and performance arts are just as strong…"</p>
<p>since then, another very helpful parent at this forum (I believe she is an interviewer for a very prestigious math/science university in the area) told me that milton courses should be strong enough for any purpose, and that Milton has a good reputation among colleges"</p>
<p>so fyi, my daughter just decided to go to milton</p>
<p>The other advantage is proximity to major universities on the weekend. So for those wanting some additional ops, MIT often organizes weekend science activities over the course of the year aimed at MS and HS students who are within commuting distance, and Harvard has a great HS science program in the summer. </p>
<p>So really - trying to compare the pros and cons many of the NE BS comes down to splitting hairs. Milton’s a great school and the significant factor in any student’s success is to spend four years working hard at a school that feels the most like the perfect fit.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice, it really helpful. I’m still not sure which school, but I guess I’ll just wait until visitors day. If anyone could tell me more about what life is like at these schools it would be helpful (social/etc), but otherwise, thanks.</p>
<p>IF I WERE YOU - ANDOVER.
I went to Andover for summer camp and was totally in love with it. Andover has a large and beautiful campus. The town of Andover is nice and self-supplying. The architectures and green areas are gorgeous and unbeatable.
Both Andover and Milton are close to Boston. Of course, Milton is closer.
But afterall, up to your own choice.</p>
<p>Well, I had heard something interesting while I was at the Andover revisit. One of the parents my dad talked to was a Milton alum, and he told my dad that he wouldn’t even think of sending his son there. He said that when the day students go home there is nothing to do and it’s as silent as a cemetery. Just what I heard!</p>
Well, I had heard something interesting while I was at the Milton revisit. One of the parents my dad talked to was an Andover alum, and he told my dad that he wouldn’t even think of sending his son there. He said that when the day students go home there is nothing to do and it’s as silent as cemetery, except the smell of weeds.</p>
<p>I told my daughter about there is nothing to do and very quiet like a cemetery in Milton on weekend and her respond was " Great! I can concentrate on my own business and create!"</p>
<p>FYI Not everyone like partying all the time and a lot of people love to be alone to think, study, read, listen to music or create!!</p>
<p>Exactly, my copycat and zdoub99’s original were hearsay at least, and inadmissible in court at best. The point is to ask people supporting their arguments with facts, not hearsay. “Like a cemetery”? come on, that’s a little too much over the top.:mad:</p>
<p>
Exactly, which is why I had to jump in to dust off aboub99’s mess. :D</p>
<p>
Not all the time, but sometimes. Seriously, 50% boarder in Milton means 335 students, and that’s a lot people to party with. Besides, most boarders in bigger schools spend their weekends like - get up around 11, bunch, relax, catchup on homework and unwind some more. I actually believe 50% boarder may not be a bad thing.</p>