<p>Hey, speaking Latin or Greek isn’t a prerequisite for admission to Groton.</p>
<p>It isn’t??? Seriously? :0
Wow… but at this site, for the 2nd and 3rd form, it says here=</p>
<p>2nd and 3rd FORMS (grades eight and nine): </p>
<p>The curriculum in the 2nd and 3rd Forms challenges students across the intellectual spectrum and encourages students to immerse themselves in the basic disciplines. The definition of “basic disciplines” includes at least two years’ study of a classical language, Latin or Greek, in the belief that this exposure will provide an ability to analyze carefully and to synthesize various expressions of thought.</p>
<p>If it’s not prerequisite, I’d love it.</p>
<p>Being a competitive swimmer is certainly a good thing . . . just make sure you apply to schools that have swim teams! When it’s time to apply, contact the swim coaches for the schools directly, tell them you’re interested, give them some background info about you, and ask them about their swim program. Taking the initiative will help! And include a recommendation from your then-current swim coach in your application.</p>
<p>Latin/Greek - not a prerequisite, just what they expect you to study when you get there, apparently.</p>
<p>I don’t know any greek and i havn’t studied latin since the 6th grade which they don’t even know I studied. Studying Latin or Greek is compulsory when you’re AT the school during 8th and 9th grades not before you attend. You can apply, trust me I did and got in without me even mentioning either language. I study French</p>
<p>Try some of these other great boarding schools as well. These are also great schools e.g Loomis Chaffee, The Hill School, St. Andrew’s, St. George’s, Georgetown Prep (if you’re a boy) Hawai’ Preparatory School, Tabor Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall, Avons Old Farms, etc. Also, remember to look at the location of the school, because that’s important too! Also, there’s a list of boarding schools on Wikipedia, check it out! many great schools are on there!</p>
<p>If you are very serious about swimming then you could apply to Peddie school in new jersey. It provides a year-round swim program with a great education as well. </p>
<p>and St. Pauls doesn’t have a swim team…</p>
<p>Andover/exeter/hotchkiss all only have one season teams meaning that you have to play water polo in the fall or swim outside (which you could ask the coaches about). </p>
<p>Good Luck!
-yangster</p>
<p>@ dodgersmom, thanks! I’ll plan on talking to the coaches when I apply!
A question here…can you list the top (you know, the famous ones) schools that have swimming teams? Yanster mentioned that SPS doesn’t even have a swim team :(</p>
<p>@BlueRaven1, nice advice! I’m planning to apply to Groton, too, if there is a swim team!</p>
<p>@Everencer, those other schools are some to research about! I know most of them, but location won’t matter to me, since I’m free on going anywhere- just a great atmosphere would be appreciated. </p>
<p>@Yangster, hi again! (LOL)
Thanks about SPS, not having a swim team. Even though I take swimming as one of my advantages (being really fast);however, I want to focus on “land” education, too. 
Just like Andover, Exeter, and Hotchkiss, one-season team would be decent!</p>
<p>There are Many Great schools. There are differences in atmosphere, size, resources, specific strengths and pedagogy. But there are more similarities than differences. Many of the opinions you are hearing reflect the fact that people have been accepted, rejected, waitlisted or plan to attend a specific school. So…BE CAREFUL with the advice ANY of us give you (myself included)(no swim team, but a phenomenal pool and athletic facility!). We are all biased and loyalty begins on March 10th. The best school is always the one you are at.</p>
<p>@ Winterset, thanks!
That’s actually the most unbiased comment! ahahaha
Thanks, but I was just trying to figure out some those were matching with me. :)</p>
<p>JPBOARING</p>
<p>HERE ARE SOME OF THE 25 BEST SCHOOLS IN USA.</p>
<p>‘25BESTBS’</p>
<p>St. Paul; Choate; Hotchkiss; Westminister; Lawrenceville;</p>
<p>Taft; Deerfield; Westover ; Andover; George Town Prep</p>
<p>Thacher; Groton; St. George; St. Marks ; Concord Academy;</p>
<p>Middlesex; Governor’s ; Canterburry ; Miss Proter’s ; Loomis Chaffee</p>
<p>Cate ; Peddie ; Milton ; Exeter ; St Andrews DE</p>
<p>The above is not listed in any order or rank. </p>
<p>When you are ready to apply next year, pick a few BS from the above list. Don’t fall in love with any school, until you get ACCEPTED & ENROLL.</p>
<p>@newebs, Thanks!!
I really appreciate your reply; thanks for the list!</p>
<p>This list is a starting point. Get a book like “Private Secondary Schools” by Peterson’s or Greenes’ Guide to Boarding Schools which lists all of the stats on boarding the elite boarding schools. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Can your parents afford to pay the tuition? If not, look for 10-15 schools with need-blind admittance and huge endowments. If they can pay full price, skip to step 2.</p></li>
<li><p>What kind of grades do you get? Look at the average SSAT scores of incoming freshman and figure our which 10-15 schools are likely to accept you. </p></li>
<li><p>Are you great (and I mean great) at a specific sport? Find out which schools have the best records in that sport and put them on your list. If you’re just good or average but you still want to play, be sure the school offers JV/Club opportunities in the sport. </p></li>
<li><p>Do you want a big school or a really big school? Say, 600 -800 vs 1000-1400 students? If you don’t know, put 10 of each on your list.</p></li>
<li><p>Do you want to go to school in a place where you have access to a large city or town? If so, determine how easy or difficult it is to get there from the school. (You won’t believe how remote some of the schools are)!</p></li>
<li><p>Do most of the students remain on campus over the weekend? If you won’t be going home weekends, you want to be sure you have plenty of company.</p></li>
<li><p>Is there something in particular you want to study in depth? Pick 10-15 schools that offer what you want.</p></li>
<li><p>Is there an extracurricular activity you are interested in? Pick 10-15 schools that list a club or group that offers what you want.</p></li>
<li><p>Do you want to study abroad while in high school? Pick 10-15 schools that offer term/semester abroad programs that are well-attended.</p></li>
<li><p>Do the websites make you want to go there? Pick 10-15 schools that look you would enjoy spending 4 years there.</p></li>
</ol>
<hr>
<p>Look at your list and request brochures/dvd’s from the 15 schools that appear the most often. After reviewing the information, try to visit at least 5-6 schools before applying. You will begin to get a feel for the environment and figure out if bigger is better or if smaller suits your style. You will also start to see the type of students attending the schools. Try to attend a class. There is a real difference in the Hotchkiss classroom vs. an Exeter class. </p>
<p>When you’re ready to apply, pick 10 schools and go for it. The application process will teach you a lot about yourself at an early age. Believe me, after applying to boarding school, college apps will be a walk in the park.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>That was an awesome list. I’m going to put it in the “Best posts” section as well! Kudos!</p>
<p>WOW I nominate rechicago for “rookie poster of the year!”</p>
<p>rbchicago, you mentioned in your post that there is a “real difference” between a Hotchkiss classroom and an Exeter class. Because my son is in his first year at THS, I’m curious what this difference may be. Please advise. Thanks.</p>
<p>Great list–but I disagree with number 2. It’s possible to get good FA from schools without huge endowments. Limiting to just those schools can be too limiting as they tend to be the schools that are most difficult to get into.</p>
<p>I disagree with number 3. If you are great in a sport, you should not only consider schools that have the best record. Consider the coaching you’ll receive as well as the team’s matriculation. Do the colleges these student-athletes attend align with schools that interest you? You are more likely to get in top school that needs help. If the school offers the sport, they want a few players that will hopefully make them somewhat competitive.</p>
<p>newebs: This is not meant to offend these schools and their students, but there is no way Westy, MPS, Canterbury, and Georgetown Prep are top 25. They each fill a niche, but it does not make them top 25 overall.</p>
<p>catg - Thanks!</p>
<p>classicalmama,
I agree that you can get FA aid from schools without huge endowments, but my experience was that of the 7 schools to which my d applied, she was accepted to 6 but declined by her 1st choice due to the fact that they could not provide the necessary aid. If you need FA in order to attend, it increases your odds of acceptance if you apply to schools noted for generous FA packages where you are at near the top of the grade/score range.</p>
<p>toombs61,
My d sat in on classes at both Hotchkiss and Exeter and got the impression that Exeter students were more intellectually engaged with the material. It probably has to do with the fact that all of Exeter classes are discussion based around the Harkness Table as opposed to lecture based, rather than the ability of the students at either school. Exeter homework was all about getting ready for the next class as opposed to an extension of the current class. </p>
<p>For example, at Exeter, a math class consists of students discussing proplems they solved for homework. In the class, they are expected explain the formula used and why. In most Exeter math classes, no textbooks are provided. This is different from schools where class time is used to lecture on formulas and their applications and then students are given problems to solve based on what the just learned in class.</p>
<p>CKSABS,
On the sports issue…I agree with you that you shouldn’t limit your apps to only the schools with winning seasons, BUT Prep schools take some of their sports teams SERIOUSLY and your chances of acceptance increase if your abilities align with the focus of the school. Granted if you are looking for a future college scholarship in the sport, you want to look at coaching, but if you just want to increase your odds of acceptance, be sure your talents make you a competitive candidate to the schools to which you apply.</p>
<p>Re endowments for FA: My son was accepted with nearly full costs covered at two schools with endowments under 75m. The key is (with anything related to admissions) fit. He would have been great at those two schools. The other two schools that offered him aid had much higher endowments. The one school that I was told that the reason he wasn’t selected is known for generous FA. At the other schools that WLed him, I don’t know because I didn’t ask. But they all had larger than average endowments.</p>
<p>Find the schools that you think you would love to attend. Chances are, if you love them for the right reasons, you’ll “fit” there and your chances increase dramatically, though it’s still not a sure thing.</p>
<p>I wish it was as simple as finding applicable criteria and that is, of course, a great way to begin compiling a list. The rule I gave my son was, “If you don’t love it, don’t apply. You don’t have to have a reason.”</p>
<p>But my son didn’t have a list of “must haves.” His criteria was pretty simple: Will I be supported in my intellectual pursuits and do I like the feel of the place? I had my own set of criteria and we didn’t visit any schools that I didn’t feel good about. (What’s the point of visiting a school that I wouldn’t send him to?) After the initial winnowing, the ball was in his court, so to speak.</p>