It’s challenging to compare schools without having had my kid attend each of them!
Deerfield certainly does not lack rigor, but there is plenty of opportunity to upgrade your courses if your performance merits, or take the basic core classes. It can be whatever you make of it.
The School Profile does seem to indicate that less than 10% of the class achieves a 4.0. The median score is reported on transcripts, and at least from the classes my kid is taking (which include APs), have ranged from a median of 87 (freshman English) to a 92 (various classes). This is vastly different from local schools in my area where huge swaths of the student body graduate with a perfect 4.0.
However, this certainly doesn’t seem to be impacting college matriculation. The current results for the class of 2023 are impressive.
It may be an issue for students who are used to achieving high 90s/100 from their LPS and have a hard time adjusting to more harsh grading.
As far as other things on your list, Deerfield isn’t walkable to a town but there is school transport on weekends to go to Greenfield or the Springfield Mall (not every weekend). No Saturday classes. Most athletics teams rank highly in their leagues. Gorgeous campus.
Parent of Deerfield Senior here. My kiddo has been there for 2 years entering as a repeat Junior so we have firsthand experience with how the grading compares. She had. 4.3ish gpa at her former public school with all honors and 3 AP’s. She typically got 98’s on English papers. Her first Deerfield paper was handed back and it said “fair to good”. She ended the year with an 89.67 in that class. However, she is a MUCH better writer. There was so much instruction and peer review and editing that happened in that class. The class median grades she has seen (which are shown on report cards) are 89-95. She even took an art class where the median grade was 89.
Her senior class of about 185 currently has students accepted to every Ivy plus MIT. Many of those have multiple students going. Also many selective LACs including 7 to the number 1 ranked (USNWR). My kiddo is going to a top 20 SLAC…. the grade deflation doesn’t hurt in most cases.
Hotchkiss has an absolutely stunning campus with state-of-the art facilities, as well as dormitories that are being renovated. Their Saturdays are only half of the usual work amount, and their Wednesdays are also a half-day. Personally, after being admitted and going to revisit day, I feel that it is a really comfortable, exciting, and elite school.
There definitely is a lot of NYC students, although it is rural. When talking about social reputation… are you asking about prestige? All top 10 schools are considered prestigious especially the biggies: Andover, Exeter, Groton, Hotchkiss, St. Paul’s, Lawrenceville.
Finally, there athletics are very strong, and compete within the 10 schools league. However, it is not necessarily their main focus. Regarding college, in the past 4 years, hundreds of students have gotten into ivies and other elite colleges.
I apologize for some of my grammar mistakes – I’m writing relatively quickly.
I had kids at both Millbrook and Hotchkiss. Hotchkiss is much more intense. Millbrook, at half Hotchkiss’ size has much more personal attention – each kid is seen and known and appreciated for who they are. Millbrook has a zoo, with hands on learning there. Hotchkiss has a well organized farm program (Millbrook also grows some of its food, but Hotchkiss is further along). Kids with good time management skills do well at Hotchkiss. There are WAY more resources at Hotchkiss. Their music program is phenomenal and the practice pianos are Steinways. The performance piano is a Bechstein. (As an example).