<p>I really don't have much experience in the boarding school realm. To give a brief back story, I was deferred from the United States Naval Academy for an extra year of athletic development. Although I had a 33 ACT (33 M/33 E) and excellent grades from a top private school in CA, the sport I play's coach decided that I needed an extra year of physical development, as the service academies do not have the "redshirt" option. I am not qualified to attend the Naval Academy prep school, as that is for remedial students that have not qualified for the academy academically.</p>
<p>There is an alumni foundation that pays for prospective USNA candidates to go for a "PG" year... Could someone please rank these schools in terms prestige and Academic rigor? There's 18 schools I have the option of attending and I eliminated 8 thus far. </p>
<p>The ten schools are (in alphabetical order):</p>
<p>Avon Old Farms
Blair Academy
The Hill School
The Hun School of Princeton
Kent School
Mercersburg Academy
Northfield Mount Hermon School
The Peddie School
Portsmouth Abbey School
Salsibury School</p>
<p>This would really mean a lot to me if you could take the time to do this. Thanks!!!</p>
<p>These are all what we call hidden gems. I don’t know much about any of the schools, but I think it will come down to what kind of experience, both athletic and non-athletic you are looking for.</p>
<p>These are all good choices–since seasoning and growth are what’s critical here, I’d look very carefully at the coaches and the underclassmen on the team you’ll play alongside. Also consider the culture or “vibe” you get at each school. AOF and Salisbury have long histories with PG athletes; you might find Kent & NMH don’t integrate PGs as well? (This is only speculation, not even opinion). Talk to the coaches and VISIT the schools that you’re attracted to.</p>
<p>I went to Kent and although not USNA, grew up in Annapolis (mom was a chem prof). This was back when the academy still had NAPS (Naval Academy prep School) which has since closed and therefore the need for this program. So I don’t have personal experience with people who have been through this exact PG year program, but my roommate at Kent was a PG and they were fully integrated with no problem to the rest of the senior class. IN fact I graduated from Kent AND Vanderbilt next (literally, what are the chances :)) to a guy who was a PG and never complained of any problems integrating into the rest of the school.</p>
<p>I can’t speak for any of the other schools, nor speak to the particular sport. I would definitely speak to the coaches, especially since its just for that one year. Good luck. :)</p>
<p>Congratulations on your achievement! Naval Academy is a big deal!</p>
<p>You will be fine academically at any of the schools you mention. Choose based on your sports interests, and maybe location (ease of getting home to visit?)</p>
<p>Js222, I’m sure the alumni foundation carefully vets the schools admitted to the program. You’ve been accepted to the Academy, so you don’t have to worry about the “prestige” or “rigor” of the boarding school at which you spend your PG year.</p>
<p>Take some time to look at the courses available at each school. Do they offer courses which align well with the courses you have already completed at your current high school? Do they offer courses which will allow you to explore intellectual interests you have not had a chance to follow? Some prep schools have very interesting senior seminars in history or English, which pull together themes in interesting ways. </p>
<p>Stop thinking about what others might think of the schools on your list. Think about which school fits you best. Only you can answer that question.</p>
<p>Though my son was not a PG, he did get accepted to both the Naval Academy and West Point from Kent. And he has friends from Kent, including friends who were PGs, who have ended up at both the Naval Academy and West Point. </p>
<p>When my son decided to leave his public high school after 10th grade, his goal was to find a boarding school where the academics and sports would be challenging and rigorous. His long-term goal was getting into a service academy. He zeroed in on Kent, Avon Old Farms, and Salisbury and loved all three schools. Kent always had a slight edge because it’s co-ed and one of the coaches he would be working with there was clearly exceptional. He also liked the proximity of campus to the beautiful little New England town of Kent. The students are allowed to walk into town for lunch, or to run errands, as long as they’re back on campus at a certain time. This might be key for an older student who’s already 18 and may want a bit of freedom to move around. The other two schools do not have towns within walking distance. Kent also offers an interesting pre-engineering certificate program, which my son thought would be great preparation for engineering in college. </p>
<p>As far as I can tell, PGs are well integrated into life at Kent. And Kent offers fantastic preparation for the Naval Academy and a rigorous level of athletic competition. I’m sure the other schools listed do too, so it’s really a matter of visiting each campus, if possible, and getting a feel for the students, campus, and the relevant teams and coaches. </p>