I am looking at schools for my son, who is not a sports guy AT ALL but he is into music, writing and arts… Any recommendation what schools to look at? I don’t want him to end up in sports oriented school where he would not feel appreciated…
Looking for day school in Boston area. Rivers is on our list… what other schools would you suggest?
Concord Academy
I may be completely wrong, but I got the vibe from Loomis Chaffee that they’re super artsy… could’ve been a misconception, though
In the Boston area, Walnut Hill. That’s purely arts though so academically you might not be getting what you want. I think Concord Academy would consider themselves artsy. More importantly they are one of the only schools that don’t require sports each semester. And they definitely have less of a sports vibe than other schools. Teams weren’t competitive. And they were in a less competitive league. And when you say art do you mean fine arts or theater? Many have one strong program or the other. Middlesex pretty strong in theater ( We didn’t find it strong in fine arts, however). Middlesex does have a good writing program as part of its curriculum. Middlesex also has a strong athletic culture, IMO.
It really depends on what type of arts he is interested in. Most schools have an orchestra and Jazz group. Rivers is known for its conservatory as you might already know. Some schools have really strong photography, ceramics or fine arts programs. Also are you considering boys schools? Some of these have good arts programs.
Have you checked which ones require a sport each semester? That could really influence you decision.
We did find that most private schools offer at least a good selection of arts, music and drama. The expertise and quality varied but most schools at least offered more than basic programs. At every school we visited there were artsy kids. I think many kids at private/boarding schools are multi-faceted. So while they might play football they might also play the violin.
I’d like to clarify that Walnut Hill is not “purely arts.” My daughter is in her second year there as a sophomore, and she has had three academic classes per semester. The students have their art classes beginning at 2:00 p.m. Her academic classes have been quite challenging, and I have been very impressed with their rigor. Some Walnut Hill graduates attend music and dance conservatories and art colleges, but many attend prestigious universities as well. It really is a misconception to think of Walnut Hill as a purely arts school; its academics are demanding, and they are an important part of the curriculum.
Did you look at Beaver Country Day?
He is into Music and Theater. He likes other forms of arts, as well, but Voice and Music are his main interests.
We looked at Beaver, I can’t say it’s my favorite school (didn’t like the vibe, I guess) so its going to be more of a safety school, I guess.
He is not interested in boys only school… Even co-ed school that has separate classes for boys/girls is a big NO from him 
Cambridge School of Weston has a great arts program and almost no emphasis on athletics. It’s a bit “alternative” though, so you’d have to be comfortable in that setting. If you like Rivers and didn’t like the vibe of Beaver, it might not be your thing. It’s still worth a look though as they have amazing classes and if you like variety, their mod system is really cool. Look at their course catalog and you will probably know pretty quickly if it’s a place that interests you.
I also recommend Concord Academy. Don’t rule out Middlesex. A lot of kids play sports, but many don’t. They seem to be trying to overcome their “sporty” label.
Also depends how far south/North/West you can travel. There are many other schools outside the immediate Boston area that have good programs.
@CAClover Good to know about the academics at Walnut Hill. Was basing info on old data ( my old friend in college who felt she wasn’t prepared post Walnut Hill) and a few kids from our town who are there who were so-so to good students but not great students. It’s great to know there’s a strong academic program there. The arts there are amazing.
Putney is a school that comes to mind for the arts, in addition to the schools mentioned above. Also, Kent School - many famous Kent alumni who pursued performing arts…went on the tour and was impressed by the theatre program there. Think there may even be a funny Family Guy episode about BS written by a famous alum…not giving it away.
If you’re open to boarding, perhaps Interlochen?
Concord Academy is pretty artsy; but we have our fair share of athletics. I think our athletics department is actually doing good and improving, but I can’t really decide just from being on campus for 2 months.
@Golfgr8 , looking for day in Boston.
Boarding opens up the options, for sure, but families in the greater Boston area have the luxury of great choices without boarding.
Thanks@gardenstategal…missed that the OP wanted within Boston area…I used to teach in the Concord and also Newton area - agree with above posts. Concord Academy has strong theatre and visual arts…also you should look at Walnut Hill, Cambridge School…there are a couple of local private schools that are not “arts” focused, yet have great programs and proximity to elite music schools if that is an area of interest. Feel free to PM me for info.
Don’t rule out Groton! There is a sports requirement, but it’s pretty flexible, and some kids find they like thirds squash or JV puck. I know plenty of kids (myself included) who aren’t super athletic but found their niche.
thank you! boarding is not an option ( in my opinion and in son’s opinion as well)
Got his SSATs scores back…they are surprisingly low, so we can cross off some of these schools of the list. Will try again, of course and we have tutors he goes to…but I don’t expect it to get to anywhere near 90s in two months… I am shocked, actually, because he is considered one of the best in his class… Hm…
I advise taking the SSAT again. There is still time and schools will consider the scores even if they come in a little bit after deadlines. My daughter’s score went up by 60% points with minimal additional prep when she took the test again just a month or so after her first test. Your son may just have not been familiar with the format or extra nervous or misbubbled etc. Most colleges “superscore” SAT these days (take the highest score in each section of multiple tests) and a boarding school will similarly look at all your scores.
@yuor28 If scores are low, there are still some great schools in the area. Have you tried Brimmer and May? Our neighbors son has loved it. Also, depending on where you are located there are lots of very good options for some schools which are very small. Have you tried attending a private school fair? There might be some options that you haven’t thought of. Some kids are very strong students and don’t test highly. Also remember the SSAT’s are all the kids going to private school so tends to be slanted towards strong students. We’ve known a few kids who had low scores and went on to great schools. If he has strong ECs and grades, he might still be a good candidate.
I would also like to recommend Walnut Hill. My two children could not be happier there. About 1/3 of the student body are day students. It is conveniently located walking distance to the train station. I have been very impressed with the academics and quality of the teachers. Kids graduate from Walnut Hill and go on to a variety of different programs at very good colleges and conservatories. There is a Dancer from last year’s class who is at Cornell studying biomechanical engineering. Students have to audition to be accepted in their art area, but SSAT is not a requirement. They have a couple of open houses throughout the year. I hope you will check them out!
Don’t worry about the ssat score. Apply where you and he feel is a good fit. Have a good interview, have good essays. I am a Kent parent if you want to PM me. My son did not have score in 90s or anywhere close to that.