<p>What are your opinions of these schools:
Noble and Greenough
Belmont Hill
Milton Academy
Xaverian Brothers
St Sebastian's</p>
<p>If anyone can contribute what they've seen whether it be current students, graduates, open houses, visits.</p>
<p>I am interested in sports, baseball specifically. I play for an AAU team so the athletics at a school I'm going to go to are vital for me. I receive good grades (85%+) and our school doesn't have letter grades. My SSAT scores from the practice books are 93%+ on math, 80% reading comp, and 91%+ reading. Please tell me which ones I would fit best in.</p>
<p>I can’t give detailed information about any of them except Nobles and Milton so here goes.</p>
<p>Nobles is a nice school–It’s small and the academics aren’t super rigorous but they are definitely good. Based on your SSAT scores (that is NEVER everything though) you have a fair chance/safety. They have nice facilities and not a big open campus but more of a small woods type campus (still nice though). I don’t know if you would be boarding but the boarding community is very small (only 50 kids) and it looked ok but nothing special. Also, the dining hall is more of a castle and it needs major renovation for the growing student body so depending on when you would be going you might have a “trailer” cafeteria (something to watch out for…). The athletics is very very good (I’m not specifically sure about baseball but in general). There are many opportunities for projects or anything else and the students seem very nice. (This info is from an open house).</p>
<p>Milton is a good school–It’s a step up academically from nobles. Your SSAT scores will probably land you in the range but maybe a bit below the average (which is 90% overall). They have an academically rigorous program with many offerings. The campus is more open and larger than nobles and the school is altogether bigger. Again I don’t know if you would be boarding but they have a larger percentage of boarders (I forget the exact numbers). They just got a very nice brand new science building and most of the buildings are nice and modern. I didn’t see dorms as I would be a day student. The athletics is pretty good. They certainly have the facilities but at the same time it is an academic type school. Again I don’t specifically know about baseball… Lastly, the students are really nice and the campus atmosphere is good. Additionally, the students don’t drive the place as much but they can place you in classes, specifically in 9th grade, that are at your level (even if that’s a 10th/11th grade class). That possibility at Nobles isn’t quite the same. (This info is from a tour/interview).</p>
<p>It depends on your other activities, what else you like, and where you get in but between these two you may be better suited at Nobles. Although, you shouldn’t let this throw Milton off your list because it’s good to have options and you may fall in love with one or the other so keep an open mind and GOOD LUCK!</p>
<p>I would disagree with math64’s assessment of Nobles. The Nobles and Milton have always been pretty much on par with each other in terms of academics. They’re rival schools and kids who apply to one often apply to the other. According to Peterson’s Nobles’ admit rate is 24% and Milton’s is 28%. Belmont Hill takes 34% of applicants. </p>
<p>Nobles’ and Belmont Hill’s SAT scores are slightly lower than Milton’s but in the same ballpark. Nobles has 469 upper school students to Milton’s 670 and Belmont Hill’s school total of 442 (note Belmont Hill’s numbers are for 7th-12th-Nobles has about 560 for the same grades, not sure about Milton).</p>
<p>No one should consider Nobles, or any school that admits less than a quarter of its applicants, a safety school.</p>
<p>The boarding program at Nobles is small and 5-day only. I’d assume that if you’re applying to Belmont Hill, which also has a limited 5-day program, and St. Sebastian’s which is all day, you’re within commuting distance of Nobles.</p>
<p>My advice would be to visit all of these schools, apply to any that appeal to you and see where the chips fall. St. Sebi’s and Nobles are right around the corner from each other so you could drop by one after your official visit to the other. I would ask about day-boarder interactions at Milton since the school is 50-50. If you haven’t already done so be sure to ask to meet with the baseball coach at each school. Coaches can sometimes advocate for a student on the bubble.</p>
<p>Yeah, actually my optional recommendation is for my long-known baseball coach who has known me since I was 7 and has coached me for countless teams. Thanks for both of your opinions, and my visit day for Milton is December 3 :D</p>
<p>I know a bit over Xaverian and St. Sebs. You’ll EASILY get into those schools, I know a kid with a 50% SSAT at St. Sebs. I know that all the schools on your list except for Xaverian compete in the ISL. The ISL is a very competitive league, one of the most competitive in the nation. St. Sebastian’s seems do very well baseball. They beat many other famous ISL schools last season. As for the kids who go to these schools, the kids at St. Sebastian’s are pretty nice, though the kids are slightly preppy. There isn’t too much FA for St. Sebastian’s. I would recommend you look at St. Sebs.</p>
<p>I’m proud to announce a 90 percentile overall score for my SSAT that I took for November, my first and last (have another standardized test on December) :)</p>
<p>@AlexMac,
Congrats on the great score! You’ll have a lot of acceptances when March 10th comes. Most of those schools would LOVE to have a kid with a 90% SSAT. Are you going to be a day student at Milton? (I’m guessing you are)</p>
<p>Day is the most probable option, but hey, if financial aid kicks our way I’d love to board! But for right now, I’m applying as a day student.</p>
<p>@ifax–if you know it, could you give me some upsides and downsides to a day student at Milton? We have three graduates from the past two years that go to Milton, and they three board. So I’ve heard that bit. Thanks for the compliment, and any answers are welcome.</p>