<p>I appled to LFA (near Chicago): only prep school here run by former Andover faculy (Dr. Strudwick: Head of school). Its pretty competitive in this area. Got accceptance letter yesterday. Also applied to AEDC & Milton.</p>
<p>Any opinions? Family is from near Chicago, so obviously some advantages. </p>
<p>Matriculation of LFA doesnt compare anywhere close toto AEDCM (dont know why), but many nice features and quality of faculty, personal involvement and guidance, campus appears FIRST CLASS, better (in my judgement) than at some of the others. Also very efficient (mostly covered) main campus avoids the huge time wasted everyday in campuses like Choate and Andover: so more time during the day 9my guess is half hour saved daily)</p>
<p>Comments and any info re why matriculation stats are what they are for LFA welcome!!</p>
<p>Hey, no takers yet?</p>
<p>Congratulations on your acceptance to a school that you seem to love! I don't know anything about this school except what I glanced on boardingschoolreview.com. If I remember correctly, the % boarding is just under 50% which is a disadvantage if you will board. However, if it's not far from home, this should not be an issue. Being somewhat close to home is an advantage, and I'm sure your parents will appreciate being able to attend some of your athletic events. Their average sat is below the average of the other schools to which you applied. This is not a problem for some students and can work to your advantage if you can be in the top 20% or so percent of the class. Generally it means that the school accepts a range of abilities, so you should have other students who are also high aptitude. Do they have a revisit day you can attend? Congratulations again. It must feel good to have acceptance at a school you would enjoy attending.</p>
<p>Congrats on the acceptance.</p>
<p>LFA is an excellent school with just about anything you could find at AESD academically. </p>
<p>As to the matriculation list, there are several factors at play here.</p>
<p>First, the typical student at LFA is a midwesterner and midwesterners are not as caught up in the Ivy League mindset as easterners. From my days living there, I found in some quarters a contempt for the perceived snobbery of the eastern elite schools. </p>
<p>Second, the level of competition among applicants for admission to LFA is not nearly as high, so statistically speaking the incoming class is going to have lower overall scores. This is not saying the kids at LFA are not sharp, but with a larger drawing area including an international reputation, statistically speaking, they can select a higher scored bunch.</p>
<p>In addition, boarding school does not have a strong tradition in the midwest, so many of the brightest and best stay local at better public high schools and local day schools. And having relatives in the Chicago area, there are some excellent public schools in the area.</p>
<p>I think the question you have to ask yourself is where am I most comfortable and where will I be the most productive? It doesn't matter what the other students achieve. Your success is dependent upon what you achieve, so you need to focus on the things that make your life better. I see you've noted the conveniences of the LFA campus. And to you, that extra time saved, may be more important.</p>
<p>In the end, whether it is LFA or any of the eastern schools you may choose, you will get a wonderful opportunity through boarding that many do not get. I hope I have been helpful.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>It is difficult to give advice without more info. regarding your interests and statistical background. Based on your post, it is easy to recommend LFA because you feel comfortable there. Only word of caution is to make sure that you challenge yourself academically and in extra curr. activities. ( I am not familiar with Lake Forest.)</p>
<p>As an add on to Goalidad's possible explanation for difference in ivy matrics, the following memory came to mind. I don't exactly remember the name of the movie (but something like school colors or school pride) in which Matt Damon plays a senior at a NE boarding school is umteenth generation legacy to Harvard. The movie is about a Jewish student in the 50's recruited to be the QB on the prep school football team. While at school he hides his Judaism in order to fit in etc. etc. He finishes his senior year at xyz prep in order to gain admission to Harvard. The point that I am getting at, is that a fair number of ivy matrics from the older established prep schoools have less to do with the school itself and more with the family legacy.</p>
<p>Goaliedad and myself have both had children who attend or attended "lesser" schools than the ones most commonly referred to in this years thread. There are a bunch of better reasons to go to an independent school over what their matric list looks like. I always recommend to my kids whether it is for college or HS that they really take the time on revisit days to see if they "fit in" Can you see yourself in their cafeteria sitting with that group of kids over there? Does it feel right when you are in the student center? How did you get along with the tour guides and other students you spoke with? What were your impressions of the classes you sat in on? All these types of "fit" questions will have a much greater bearing on your happiness during the next four years. Believe me, once you graduate HS, and college and get your first job, no one cares what school you went to. It is more about the "social intelligence" you develop that will drive you to success. GL in no matter what you choose. Nice to have that "ace in the hole!"</p>
<p>Are you thinking of School Ties? ^^</p>
<p>Yes Jonathan, that's the one! I should have known you would know exactly what I was talking about, LOL. Good job and Good luck on March 19th. I am sure you will enjoy your local independent school.</p>
<p>The college matric rate is low because AESD are more popular, and I'm sure more people apply there. But that's no reason to reject a school. I'd wait until your other boarding school letters to decide, though.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. I know comfort is the most important but ivy admissions are still some reflection on what the school and students are aiming for. I doubt it is because midwesterners are not so enamoured by ivies: the good local public schools here (and there are many good, huge ones, i am slated to go to one of them after my middle school graduation this year) send plenty to the ivies and the kids aspire to them no different from elsewhere. What worries me is this: are both counsellors and students just shooting low? When I ask LFA school adminstrators why this is so, all they say is that "our students are capable of going to any school that they desire"...not very helpful. So I'm fishing for all this info...</p>
<p>Take a look at the thread "Parents and long time posters: class of '11," especially the second half.</p>
<p>I think what Burb Parent is pointing out is posts regarding many of the AESD students are legacies both at their BS and at an Ivy League school. This may skew the statistical numbers, making the school look more Ivy oriented. As a bad example, lots of people on this forum like to take point out that our president was an "average" student going through the BS and Ivy path, that opportunity being made available because of his family connections. </p>
<p>There probably is some truth in the money matters argument. I'm sure there are kids at LFA whose alum parents have donated money to ensure their child's acceptance. </p>
<p>I think if you have any doubts about LFA's ability to provide the type of environment you need to make the most of yourself, I'd try to spend a shadow day on campus with some upper classmen (preferrably Juniors - as the seniors by now are on cruise control) and see whether the academic atmosphere is what you expect as far as rigor and seriousness of the students. My D did that at one school she applied to.</p>
<p>And if you do get to do that, please report back to the forum as I think it would be interesting to hear. A non-staged shadow day report is much more interesting than the very staged revisit days most students get.</p>