<p>Ok so I'm going to Phillips Exeter this fall as a new prep. I don't know much about this school. I visited about 3 years ago, the summer I was about to go into 6th grade, because my sister was going there for a camp. I don't really remember it. All I remember is going to Walmart, the library, and the dining hall. I don't even remember my sister's dorm. Back then I didn't even know it was a boarding school! No one in my family ever even talked about boarding school until late last summer. I really didn't get any say in the decision of going to Phillips Exeter. My parents just assumed I would enjoy it because my sister loved camp. I have visited the website millions of times and read through several threads on college confidential. I really would like to tour the school so if someone put up a girls dorm tour or a campus tour on YouTube that would be amazing!! I know it sounds dumb, but honestly I want to know more about the social life than the academic one. I want to know about the dorms and the advisers and sports and parties. Anything about the student life is greatly appreciated. Please I just wanna know more about the place I'm going to be living for the next 4 years!! Thank you!!!</p>
<p>Did you go for an interview or a revisit?</p>
<p>No I didn’t get a revisit. I had an interview but it was here in Tennessee.</p>
<p>Congrats!
There’s usually some sort of dance or other activity scheduled every weekend <a href=“http://exeter.edu/documents/Student_Activities_Calendar.pdf[/url]”>http://exeter.edu/documents/Student_Activities_Calendar.pdf</a>, so often students will go to those.
It can really depend on the advisor, how much you’ll interact with them. They’ll usually have periodic meetings with you to see how your doing emotionally and academically. Some even schedule get togethers at Stillwells or Los Olas with all their advisees, to get in some bonding time. And hey, no one passes up free food! If you’re feeling homesick or down, don’t be afraid to talk to them about it. That’s why they’re there! But if you don’t feel comfortable talking to your advisor, there are student listeners in every dorm, who you can talk to. Girls, who have been in your shoes before, who care about you, and usually have batches of candy.
I have to say though, my favorite part of Exeter is the dorm life. The people you first meet will be the other girls in your dorm. They’ll be the people you’ll go to for advice, and the people you have crazy 3 am conversations with. There are many opportunities to get to know the girls in your dorm, like during Academy Life Day, dorm scheduled outings, and maybe if your lucky, surprise parties thrown by your amazing dorm faculty and lovely proctors!
As far as sports go, don’t be afraid to try out for something. It can even be something you’ve never done before! As a prep, if you don’t get a spot on a team, you’ll be enrolled in Prep Spaz. Prep Spaz takes place during the CD block. It’s usually the source of much complaining for preps, but it’s a great opportunity to learn a new sport you’ve never done before. Sports games usually take place on Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays. If it’s a home game, spectators can head over to the fields/gym and cheer on their friends; it means a lot to them when you do. The biggest sports event of the year is for most people Fall E/a, so be sure to go!
I didn’t know what specifics you wanted to know about Exeter’s “social” aspects, so I’m sorry if I’ve only reiterated information you already knew about. Don’t worry too much about Exeter yet and just enjoy your summer!</p>
<p>Haha oh my gosh! Thank you so much!! That was so sweet of you. And yes you gave me new information. Thanks!!</p>
<p>sorry im spamming but i need 15 posts to PM</p>
<p>Welcome! I hope I’ll see you around this fall. Even though I’m a proctor I won’t be there for registration and move in 
due to some cool yet unfortunately timed events. Good luck, and congrats!</p>
<p>There are some helpful threads on CC from the past 2 years for new students you may find interesting (search under Exeter on this forum)</p>
<p>Here is one
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1215075-ask-current-exeter-student.html?highlight=exeter+ask+a+student[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1215075-ask-current-exeter-student.html?highlight=exeter+ask+a+student</a></p>
<p>Here’s another thread including lots of social info:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1321872-if-youre-considering-exeter-going-exeter.html?highlight=exeter+attending[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1321872-if-youre-considering-exeter-going-exeter.html?highlight=exeter+attending</a></p>
<p>Just thought I’d say hi!
I’m going in as a prep this fall as well! :)</p>
<p>thanks 2prepmom and big red 14!</p>
<p>in catalog only music courses are partial credit, taken in addition to 5 classes. are all art courses like that too? high school course background expected at college admission websites is pretty regid. at most skipping history and language at senior year for an elective is possible. how do students take religion or second course in a department or nonstandart course like astronomi etc. with 5 class rule? thank you.</p>
<p>@olive</p>
<p>There are 3 terms in every full year at Exeter</p>
<p>Music/dance is the only option to add an additional 1/3 or 2/3 credit a term (other than health (1/3 credit a term during first year at Exeter). </p>
<p>You have to stay within 5 courses a term.</p>
<p>The 4-year requirements are 11 terms of English, 6 of science and history and completing 300 level language and math; 1 computer science, 3 art, 2 religion</p>
<p>So, 4 full years of language, math, science, history and English are not possible because of the 1 computer science, 2 religion, and 3 art requirements (6 terms of those equals two years). </p>
<p>Most people spread the additional requirements around (the computer science substitutes for a term of math; the religion is social sciences, so it substitutes for 2 terms of history). </p>
<p>The 3 art courses are left, which is why many people choose music so not to take up the 5 course slots. But you could certainly substitute a term of art for a term of history, math, English or science.</p>
<p>I think this could be improved, since students who want to take 4 years of English, language, math, science and history cannot do so with the current curriculum. Best to speak to your academic advisor about the trade-offs.</p>
<p>My son is a rising senior. His approach was to get his required courses out of the way as early as possible, anticipating that he would want more choices his senior year when the classes get more varied and interesting. Another strategy is to put off one of your required courses in, for example, religion or history until your senior year if you know you’ll want to take some of the cooler electives available then. With an exception or two, this is what my kid did and this year, he is taking many electives in the subjects he loves best–including the types of courses you mention above. </p>
<p>Courses like astronomy are possible to take as a senior year science course or as an elective earlier. Many of those courses can be taken for just a term, which makes it easier (though not easy!) to fit them into a packed schedule in the first three years of study. </p>
<p>I think you are concerned not just about Exeter’s requirements but about the recommended high school course lists found on most college’s admissions websites. Exeter has many college-level classes to offer in a variety of disciplines, and colleges know that courses that might be seen as cop-outs from a more rigorous load at other high schools are far from that at Exeter. For that reason and because of the general rigor of lower-level Exeter’s courses, it seems to be okay for kids who are, say, humanities focused, to veer away from the typical high school course suggestions on college websites (4 years of math, science, and foreign language) and still get into great colleges.</p>
<p>Thank you classicalmama. That was really helpful. If a student was entering Exeter and had already done math through the typical high school sequence or had already done AP computer science, do you have any idea how that would be handled? Can the computer course be waived for a student done with AP CS? I’m really curious about how Exeter, or a school similar to Exeter, handles students who enter with much of the typical curriculum finished already.</p>
<p>Exeter admits a fair number of kids who are “very” advanced in languages, math, science or computers. It is a minority of the class, but at least 50 kids though. They do a very good job with the placement tests for this group.</p>
<p>One of the reasons we chose Exeter was for the 4 full years of post BC calc math that is not only offered, but well populated. Same with science, many post-AP offerings if that is what you are looking for. </p>
<p>My Ds experience with meeting with faculty and getting appropriate placement has been fantastic. Exeter is very well prepared for 14 year olds who are doing college level academic work (but still want to be among same-aged peers). </p>
<p>Don’t be surprised if you are not as far ahead as you think! You will be with the likes of most of the USAMO team, and kids who take the train down to MIT to do research after school. One of the posters here on CC actually entered Exeter as an upperclassman after completing a college degree as an accelerated student. And loves Exeter.</p>
<p>Thanks – helpful. The “well-populated” is especially encouraging.</p>
<p>that was quick:) thank you.</p>