<p>I am a 9th grader at a public school in Northern Virginia. Recently, my school ranked in the top 150 schools in the nation. I was just wondering why no prep schools were ranked in the top 100. I was hooked on Deerfield last year, but my parents got me off it cause they say that my school that I am at now is great. I was just wondering what aspects of preps are better than publics. </p>
<p>Sports
Academics
Social Life
etc.</p>
<p>I would want to apply again, but I need some help deciding if it is really worth the money.</p>
<p>Also, what are some great basketball and academic schools?</p>
<p>Yes, I was aware of that, but I was just wondering what were the real reasons for boarding schools, if you can follow what I am saying. Maybe I’ll apply next year.</p>
<p>My answer’s going to suck, but hopefully having one reply will get you some other answers : )
The advantages of prep school definitely depends on the school. Usually, though, I think a huge plus is having a smaller school, so you get more attention from teachers as well as help from counselors as you work on your apps later on. I think other than that, it really depends on the school.
Haha, sorry for the vague answer but hopefully it helped a little!</p>
<p>But what happens if I want the best. I know that sounds extremely selfish, but what should I do if I am one of those students who won’t settle for an average, like a B on a test</p>
<p>School is what you make of it. It’s completely possible to get a great education at a normal public school. Believe it or not, $60 million science centers aren’t essential to forming the basis of a productive and fulfilling life.</p>
<p>Haha this is the type of conversation I had with my parents on why I wanted to go to prep school. It seems that most of the kids who pursue applying tend to be more mature and more interested in getting the best education possible, so I like the idea of being surrounded by that type of student body. Also, there is less commute between ECs and academics, which makes it easier for me personally. All in all personally it seems a bump up from ps. But as TomTheCat said there are plenty of successful people who took advantage of what was offered at their ps, and came out of it equally as someone who went to prep.</p>
<p>Sorry I didn’t have time to elaborate earlier. Now, you are saying that you are currently in a GREAT PS, not just a good one but a nationally ranked one; and that your parents don’t seem to support your pursuing BS. While I believe you will have a different kind of experience in BS than in PS, I can’t say a top BS is necessarily BETTER than a top PS. And even if it is, is the difference worth the $40K+ a year? I don’t know. I say you stay because I think your school is good ENOUGH. Make the best out of it.</p>
<p>If you want to go to a prep school to get all As - don’t go
If you want to go to a prep school to be the “best” - don’t go
If you want to go to a prep school to get into a better “name” college - don’t go
If you want to go to a prep school to brag about the fact that you go to prep school - don’t go
If you want to go to a prep school because you think it’d be cool - don’t go
If you don’t genuinely want to learn - don’t go
If you don’t want to do homework - don’t go</p>
<p>However, if you love learning about the why behind things; if you love being able to form lasting relationships with your teachers so that you continue to have lunches with them even after you’re no longer taking their classes; if you love being pushed further than what you thought you were capable of only to find that, in fact, you not only could meet the expectations but exceed them; if you love making friendships that may be forged out of a lot of complaining about how much work you have but also include some of the silliest and most ridiculous moments you’ve ever had; if you love having the opportunity to take classes that fascinate you even if they’re not “AP” or going to get you college credit; if you love doing things for the sake of doing them instead of trying to impress a college; if you love trying new things; if you love being able to easily go see your friends games/concerts/plays; if you love the opportunity to meet people from around the world who have perspectives you never would’ve found in your high school that contains only the kids from your small home town; if you love not having to waste time commuting; if you love being inspired by the brilliance of your peers; if you love learning from your friends; if you love school for the sake of learning - then go.</p>
<p>Honestly, prep school is a lesson in humility. You take a bunch of big fish, but you put them in a giant pond. And inevitably, you are probably not the biggest fish there. But it’s a welcome to the real world. Honestly, you will probably never be the best at anything anymore. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop trying. And prep school teaches you just that. To take advantage of every opportunity presented to you for the sake of the opportunity. </p>
<p>I know I would’ve gotten into a better “name” college if I hadn’t gone to Andover. I had a stellar GPA, at the top of my class, at a pretty prestigious public school that has college placement equivalent if not better than Andover. Now I have an OK GPA (I barely get honor roll each term) and am surrounded by superstars, something I’ve learned I’m not. When I tell people that they’re always surprised. “Why did you leave? Don’t you want to go to Harvard/Yale/Princeton/Bignamecollege77/etc.” Not everything is about high school. I’ve gotten so much out of my years at Andover. And I want a college that is right for me, not just a name. And I’m confident I’ll find that coming from PA. </p>
<p>Sorry, this probably makes no sense. But I just wanted to say how I feel.</p>
<p>Honestly, just think about it. It’s not a decision to be made lightly. It’s a ton of money and a big culture shock. One that I loved, but one that is certainly not right for everyone.</p>
<p>Ah, well, actually my school-situation is complicated.
So your shock is justified.
But last I heard if that’s the way you calculate name college placement, yes, I think it’s around 38/40%.
I mean it helps that it had a particular relationship with one of those schools and sent 10+% of the graduating class there each year. It also helped that the grade was small.</p>
<p>No matter what your interviewer said, that should never be the reason you choose a school. Was it Exeter that told you that? You are only applying to Exeter, correct?</p>
<p>Exeter emphasizes to all students, even in its college catalog, that Ivy+M+S placement is not the goal for everyone. Our admissions officer never mentioned placement to us and at the revisit day placement was not pushed at all- which kind of surprised us. Exeter’s revisit day was extremely low key, “we don’t want to pressure you”, choose us if you want to" kind of thing.</p>
<p>Yes I am applying for Exeter. Sorry I didn’t phrase it right; The interviewer told me that from Exeter I can go to any college I want. Honestly, I do want to go to an Ivy League and when I applyed for Exeter I hoped that it would help learn more and hear different perspectives, but I also hoped that it would help me get into an Ivy League. If I don’t worry about colleges now, I will have start sooner or later.</p>
<p>For the OP, the high school rankings are debatable, to say the least. If it’s the Newsweek rankings, that list only ranks public high schools, so it doesn’t include private schools by definition.</p>
<p>Even if it did include private high schools, which it doesn’t, Newsweek defines its “Challenge Index” in this way:
</p>
<p>AP is not the most challenging level at many boarding schools. A number of private schools find the AP curriculum too restrictive, and choose to create their own courses. Thus, the “Challenge Index,” if applied to private schools, would give misleading results.</p>