@MABlue If a student plays a winter sport are they able to follow your suggestion to “Just make sure you attend winter crew indoor workouts”? My kid wants to try crew in the spring but already has a fall and winter sport, with the winter sport being my kid’s primary sport. Thanks!
With winter sports, timing of practice can make the difference. Due to limited space, certain teams, usually basketball or hockey, may have practices at any time between 3:15 and 6:30, depending on the availability of space. The crew workouts usually happen at a set time. While your kid may not be able to make all of the workouts, they should be able to to at least make some of them. The main reason is it gives the coaches some visibility, and will also get the body ready to jump right into spring crew workouts.
Thanks @MABlue
@bluegrl I think we just figured out the blue card details you were talking about–my kid looked up the faq’s on PAnet which explains it pretty well: BlueBucks Funds > PA Campus Funds bc BlueBucks can be used on and off campus, while PA Campus Funds can only be used on campus–right??
Thanks for the advice.
Not sure about BlueBucks vs PA Campus funds. My parents lost their blue card login info, so they actually just do a guest gift deposit into my student account using my ID number, and I have used it on and off campus. Honestly, I would advise having a debit card to use off campus. I found this to be easier, since it can be used everywhere,can let you withdraw cash and can also make it easy to track purchases. Also, there aren’t too many places downtown to use a BlueCard. I find that I mostly use my BlueCard for on campus purchases, such a snacks or sports equipment.
We have a BoA branch less than a mile from our house so we will also get the kid an account there with debit card. Kid (and DH and me) are already fans of One Thong Chai, so we know funds will be needed to go there and other places too.
Regular Andover website lists off-campus places where BlueBucks can be used:
Andover Bookstore
Bruegger’s Bagels
CVS
King’s Subs
Mr. Takeout
Subway
Not such a big list
@AppleNotFar Though the list is not long for Bluebucks, trust me, all of those places are the only ones students really ever visit (except for the nicer restaurants). Debit card is definitely more convenient, but I always have my BlueCard on me (to gain access to buildings), not necessarily extra cash or my wallet. Also, things like class apparel, school dance tickets, sports equipment, and art supplies are things that usually only take either cash or BlueCard, so having money on your BlueCard is definitely handy for that.
Hey I’m also going to be a new junior (9th) at Andover this coming year and had some questions.
- What sort of clothes should I bring? I live in DC and I’ll be going back on the breaks (thanksgiving, winter, spring)
- What else would you recommend to have just around the dorm? How many sheets, towels, etc. should I have?
- How does drop off work? Should my parents stay through orientation? And when do parents typically leave?
- How should I get all my stuff there? Can I ship it to the school or is there a certain way I should organize to get my stuff there?
- What sort of activities are available just in general in the afternoons and on weekends other than sports?
- Would it be possible for my friends who live in Boston to come up to visit me like overnight for a sleepover or is that not possible?
- Anything else you think I should know!!!
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Bring whatever you like to wear. People ask about brands pretty often - don’t worry about that. I’d recommend bring summer clothes (fall 2015 was hideously hot in Andover) and some sweaters in case it gets cold early. Then you can take the summer clothes back home and bring winter clothes to school over break.
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I had two towels and two sets of sheets, in case one was in the laundry. That worked well enough. People have wall art (posters, decals, banners), photos, and desk organizer type things. Candles and hanging lights are, unfortunately, considered fire hazards and banned.
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Your parents can stay in a hotel during orientation, but they aren’t expected to be around.
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I’m not sure about shipping. I brought several suitcases. Honestly, you’re more likely to bring too much stuff than not enough.
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Plays, speakers, clubs, dances, hanging out with friends
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Almost definitely.
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Get involved with the people, the clubs, whatever you’re interested in right away. There’s a whole world out there. (But never let extracurriculars overwhelm your academics.)
Hi! It’s now 23 days until we arrive at campus, so I’ve started to prepare some packing lists. While doing this, I’ve come across a few questions:
-do we need to bring a chair for our desk(in our dorm)?
-when do we get information about textbooks and where’s the best place to purchase them?
-is there enough room in the dorms to bring a rug?
-do we need to purchase our own wall putty/glue to hang posters/pictures up with?
-approximately when do we get information about dorms? Is it through email?
-how many notebooks and binders should I bring? If I’m taking 6 courses in the fall, should I get enough for the first term and purchase the ones for winter term once I’ve come home, or should I buy all of the ones I need for the whole year all at once?
Thank you so much!!!
@acoolperson They sent out a packing list at the very end of the Parent Handbook (the big white one in the package, I think). I’m pretty sure they have chairs in the rooms, and rugs are a yes on the list. It said somewhere that they would have putty there, but I’m bringing my own. Otherwise, info was pretty vague on date… I feel like I heard mid-August for something??? I can’t wait any longer!!!
According to the following thread, dorm assignments came by email last year on August 24: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1804377-andover-dorm-assignments.html
Desk chairs are provided - most have been fine, one year we brought ones, but wait and see what your dorm is like. You can bring a rug. As mentioned above there is a list of suggested (and not allowed) items in the handbook.
Bring a fan.
You won’t get class assignments until you meet with your advisor and select classes, and then get your schedule. I know returning students and parents got information about the new book buying system this year. For all English classes, most History and some other classes, the school will purchase books and you will get them from your teacher in class. Some additional money goes into an account for this. The school has an online bookstore, or you can purchase them through 3rd party vendors, like Amazon. I don’t know how it will work this year for new students in the fall - the orientation schedule is more compressed then in years past. Your advisor and/or house counselor should go over this during orientation.
In the handbook it says putty is available, but I have not seen it. Bring some. I think there has been a poster fair in the fall in years past where you can get additional wall decorations.
I would suggest bringing supplies for the fall - you might not know what you really want until you get to class. There is the Andover bookstore and CVS downtown where you can walk and get some supplies, or have things mailed to you.
I think DS got his roommate/dorm assignment sometime in August, but I don’t remember exactly when.
In the handbook it says that adhesives and tapes aren’t allowed other than wall putty, but are 3M strips/hooks okay?
The schedule says that day students should bring a change of clothes, so I’m assuming we can wear whatever and will get time to get dressed before the ceremony @acoolperson
Does anyone know if a Texas Instruments Nspire CX CAS Graphing Calculator would be allowed for math class? I know they’re asking for a TI-84, but I needed the CAS for 8th grade, so I was hoping I could just use the same one for high school.
@acoolperson did you get any sort of supplies list? I have been away from home so I haven’t gotten any mail but if you guys have any other suggestions of what to bring or about orientation please let me know that would be great. Thanks!
Yes @zblue20 ! Here’s what the “Study Supplies” list said:
-assignment book
-backpack or schoolbag-bulletin board
-calendar
-dictionary/thesaurus
-subject notebooks/organizers
-Texas Instruments calculator(TI-84 or TI-84+ models)
-paper, pens, pencils
-pencil sharpener
-ruler, compass
stamps, envelopes
They also included this whole schedule about registration(September 6th) and orientation(September 7th). Would you like me to put these on here?
Yeah that would be awesome! Thank you so much @acoolperson
Ok! Here goes:
Tuesday, September 6:
New Student Registration
-9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: New students arrive and register. (George Washington Hall)
Recommended time for day students: 11:30 a.m.-1 pm.
To expedite registration, we ask that parents/guardians attend the reception in the student mail room of George Washington Hall(street level) while students register at the reception desk in the first floor lobby.
-11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Welcome luncheon for all new students, their parents/guardians, returning students, staff, and faculty. (Case Memorial Cage)
-1-1:40 p.m.:
*College counselors meet with parents/guardians of new one-year seniors and postgraduates
*Open House- Office of Community and Multicultural Development. (Morse Hall, CAMD Office)
*Welcome reception for alumni families (Oliver Wendell Holmes Library, Freeman Room)
*Parents of Students of Phillips Academy (PSPA) program information session (Elson Art Center, Kemper Auditorium)
-1:30-2:30 p.m.: Math qualifying exams by permission of the department chair. Qualifying exams take precedence over team practices and meetings with advisors. (Morse Hall, Room 206)
-3-3:45 p.m.: Welcome meeting for new students and their parents/guardians (Cochran Chapel)
-4 p.m.: Parents/guardians of new students meet with cluster deans:
*Abbot Cluster- George Washington Hall, Tang Theatre
*Flagstaff Cluster- Cochran Chapel, Choir Room
*Pine Knoll Cluster- Elson Art Center, Underwood Room
*West Quad North Cluster- Elson Art Center, Kemper Auditorium
*West Quad South Cluster- Cochran Chapel
-4 p.m.: New students meet with Blue Key orientation leaders. (Great Lawn. Rain location: Smith Center)
-4:45-5:15 p.m.: Reception for new students and their parents/guardians. (Great Lawn. Rain location: Case Memorial Cage)
-5:15-8:30 p.m.: New students meet Blue Key orientation leaders for dinner, followed by meetings with advisors. (Great Lawn. Rain location: Smith Center)
-5:30-6:30 p.m.: New Parent Welcome Reception. (Abbot Campus Lawn. Rain location: Abbot Campus, McKeen Building, Davis Hall)
-5:30 p.m.: Departure of parents/guardians. We kindly request that parents/guardians not attending the New Parent Welcome Reception depart campus by 5:30 p.m. To achieve the intended goals of the evening activities, participation must be limited to students and faculty.
-9:15 p.m.: Day student pickup. The last on-campus commitment for new day students, meetings with advisors, ends at 8:30 [.m. in Gelb Science Center. Students may be picked up in the parking lot by Gelb Science Center or in the circle behind George Washington Hall of Chapel Avenue.
-9:15 p.m.: Dormitory sign-in for new boarding students.