<p>I'm currently a high school sophomore living in the United Kingdom, and I'm in the process of applying to three schools: Phillips Academy Andover, Phillips Exeter Academy, and Deerfield Academy. I visited all of them back in October, and I fell in love with every single one of them, each for different reasons. I was wondering if there is anyone on College Confidential who has previous experience with any of these schools, or even anyone with more knowledge than I, who could lend me a hand in isolating the reasons that I would like each school, and maybe, ultimately, if I ever get far enough (fingers crossed), which school would be a good choice for me.</p>
<p>Deerfield I really liked because to me it seemed as if there was a real sense of community, and I mean a real sense of community. There are sit down (formal and arranged) lunches four days of the week and almost as many of the same type of dinners. What I loved, however, was the Koch Science Center, a space-age science building complete with planetarium and caf</p>
<p>It's a little early to be deciding between three of the most selective schools in the U.S. If you do get accepted into each one, then go to each revisit day and make your choice based off that. In any case that would be a nice problem to have =). Personally I like exeter the best though, just my two cents.</p>
<p>Haha, istoleyournose!, don't worry, I'm staying VERY pragmatic. I'm slightly biased towards Andover because my mom graduated from there, but I have connections at both Deerfield and Exeter as well. As I said, though, I liked them all.</p>
<p>As for Eton and Stowe, well, they're just not the same. Not that I have actually looked at either of them, but, no matter how immature it may sound, at the mention of British boarding schools I think of mean teachers and oppressed boys. That's the other thing: Eton (and I don't know about Stowe - never heard of it before today) is an all-boys school. I would really, really hate that; it just seems so old fashioned. That and Eton is Christian. I'd be a lot more comfortable in a non-denominational school where chapel isn't a requirement.</p>
<p>Wow I can't imagine having connections anywhere! I would focus on Andover since you liked it best (it seems from your comments) and you are a legacy there.</p>
<p>They're hardly connections at all, really. I just called them that because it sounded cooler than saying my uncle taught at Deerfield and my cousin now goes there, and that my great grandfather graduated from Exeter in 1911.</p>
<p>Andover is more or less my first choice, I suppose, although I did really like Deerfield. I can't really put my finger on why, but I think part of it is the fact that my cousin is there and he's in the same grade as I am, so if I did end up going I'd more or less have friends instantly.</p>
<p>Obviously, though, this all remains completely hypothetical. I know that talking about everything this much now and putting so much thought into it will just make the blow of rejection all the more painful... I'll just have to wait and see how everything unfolds, and I will on or slightly after March 10.</p>