<p>I just wanted to give a little back to the community that helped me a bunch during my admissions process. I'm just going to put a few fears I had before school, and then list the reality of the situation now that I am here. I'm a new junior at a NE Prep school by the way.</p>
<p>-I won't get a spot on the team because the coach doesn't know me.
The coach for football and for lacrosse both asked how many new students were at the meeting. I think that 50% of the team came in as freshman, but not more than that. A huge portion of new kids made me rethink the whole "It will just be last year's starters" idea. On football we have about 7 starters that are new(Not PGs). </p>
<p>-Socially I won't fit in because I'm new.
So many new kids and so many ways to get to know people... It can be football, soccer, class, study hall helper or one of the people that you share a job with... You get to know at least 200 different people the first two weeks. I clicked with so many kids... I am so busy but I still have time for my friends because we are all busy doing the things that got us knowing each other.</p>
<p>-Between the academic pressure, sports, girls and transition my grades will stink and I'll lose my scholarship.
I have already learned better time management skills in about a month... The schedule really gives you a host of opportunities to study and to work out and lift... The best part: Balance. I've found balance between friends, sports and school. I even get some sleep every now and then...</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your thoughtful post, italian. I’m glad to hear you’re doing well. We look forward to visiting Kent. It seems like such a nice school. I really like it and so does my son.</p>
<p>-One of my concerns… Since the school is a little rural… Would I ever get to know other schools?
I have visited probably five different schools because of sports and we have schools come to Kent every Wednesday and Sunday. I get to talk to kids from Choate, NMH, Berkshire, Canterbury and Avon at these events… We also have interscholastic dances. I know not all schools offer this… But from what I understand it really helps you just get to know people in general. A few of the Lacrosse guys at Kent ended up playing on teams with kids that they met at interscholastic dances and events.</p>
<p>I’m interested to know how you learned new time management skills.</p>
<p>Also, already having some years of HS behind you before Kent – How do you find the amount of homework stacks up?</p>
<p>My Son’s biggest fear is that he barely keeps up with his day school HW, ECs & if BS has more homework he wouldn’t be able to keep his grades up.</p>
<p>Also – How do the instructors handle HW? Is it “checked” or is it more like a college course in that you do not participate well in class if you haven’t prepared.</p>
<p>The amount of homework depends on:
A. The Teacher
B. The Class
C. The Time of Year</p>
<p>Teachers vary and when you have three teachers per subject… It is really hard to say how much you can get. I have a very relaxed English teacher. We have 15 minutes a night plus a paper every 3 nights that takes 45 minutes. One other English teacher gives about 40 minutes a night plus an essay a week. </p>
<p>Class: For history you basically do just as much in class as out of class. In English you do more in class than out of class and in Physics you do more out of class than in class. If it is an AP humanitarian, a bunch of reading and papers. AP Science or Math you review before class, have a class on it and then review after class and then move on to the next thing.</p>
<p>We have a two hour study hall very single day(except saturday and sunday). So I get probably 4 hours of distracted studying done in those silent 2 hours in the library.
If I don’t have homework, I’ll study in the dining hall(more social and loud) or hang out with friends(Very few people hang out at that time…).
They make 10-10:30 upper formers time to chill… I love it. Very relaxing to end your day with friends.</p>
<p>We have three main ways of checking:
A. You have a problem in class that you work on the board or explain
B. The teacher extracts ideas and thoughts from each student on the assignment(It may be something crazy like draw what happened)
C. You turn it in/the teacher looks at it</p>
<p>They use turnitin.com for all of the assignments… Very hard to cheat or plagiarize.</p>
<p>It is harder. I have had to cut down on wasted time and stuff. You have to be super efficient with everything to have a balanced schedule like I do.</p>
<p>I just want to back up IT here. My son repeated his frosh year and yes, bs is more rigorous. The courses, even the same level courses are taught with more depth and more is expected of the student to earn a decent grade. Also, more hours of hw.</p>
<p>The people can be defined in three groups:
A. Canadians(Hockey nuts)
B. Europeans, Crew Kids, New Englanders
C. Sports Recruits</p>
<p>I’m actually into all three of the groups because all three of those types play football. I lived in Jersey for a little which is kind of like New England…</p>
<p>The people are very open and friendly. As you go on, your peer group really narrows down to 10-15 people. Mine is opening up randomly… Like now I’m hanging out with more lacrosse players since we’ve been playing a bit. </p>
<p>The one thing that is weird… To be known you have to be memorable. Like everyone knows our best football player, basketball, soccer and the smartest kid/best musician… I stand out for Lacrosse and that has really become me. I’m expected to lax every sunday and to go on fall ball trips… Which is fine. I guess I’m feeling pressure to fit into my niche?</p>
<p>Food is pretty basic… We have one of the best chocolate shops in the tri state area though… People from NYC have houses at Kent just to buy from the shop and to fish/enjoy the valley… IT IS LIKE A PAINTING. The natural beauty is so awesome.</p>
<p>It is called the Partridge Scholarship. It is linked to my academic performance. I didn’t know this until a month ago, but the scholarship can go upwards to $25,000 for next year and half of this year if my grades are one level above the requirement for the regular $15,000 that the scholarship provides.</p>
<p>Kind of complicated for my liking, but I love the fact that I have incentives to strive for above and beyond what they ask of me.</p>