<p>As some of you know from the HADES vs. what ever silly P starting acronym thread, I am currently deciding between a very big school, and a much smaller school (PA/DA). Besides, school culture and all that, is their anything worth noting that a bigger school may offer that a small school might not and vice versa?</p>
<p>Bigger schools absolutely have more offerings-- course selection, sports, clubs. However, unlike in college, there aren’t that many elective courses you’ll take, given required courses (required by the school and by many colleges). You will, of course, be able to take at least a few electives , especially in Junior and Senior year, so look through the course catalogs, and make sure there are the RIGHT electives – ones you find exciting. But you won’t really take that many. For sports, the larger the school, the more competition there will be to get on varsity teams-- but they’ll also offer more sports over all, and more sub- varsity teams, so it depends how serious you are about specific sports and about possibly playing varsity. There are more clubs at bigger schools. Again, you’re not going to join 50 clubs, so make sure they have clubs that interest you. For the arts, you’ll again have more possibilities in a bigger school, but also more competition for elite classes or groups. Again, I’d make sure any school is really good in whatever particular art that interests you, and that you can pursue those interests there, as well as possibly find some new things to try, but you won’t be able to try everything, Other factors-- the culture of the school, formality level, structure, political leanings, etc., all might matter, but have less to do with size. Finally, the smaller the school, the more everyone will know everyone, everyone eats together, etc. Sometimes that’s a good thing, and sometimes it’s not. Some people like to always be discovering new people, and some people are the opposite, and don’t want to feel too anonymous. There’s no right size for everyone, or there would only be one size of school. Some of this stuff you can figure out from the catalogs and websites. But, really, revisit days will help-- you’ll probably have SOME personal reaction to the size-- too big, too small, or just right. </p>
<p>I agree with everything @daykidmom said. With those two schools, there are a variety of differences, but what matters (quality of teachers, motivation of students, curricula, sports) is there. Anything else, like whether you want to make varsity or have the opportunity for club leadership, is up to you. With those two in particular, all I can say is wait for revisits. Most likely you will feel drawn to a specific school, whether or not the size had anything to do with it.</p>
<p>The average size of boarding schools is ~300 kids, i.e. the size of Groton. DA is considered a big school. PAA is an atypically huge school. You will not get shortchanged at DA.</p>
<p>@GMTplus7 I guess that might just be the admissions fooling me. From what I have seen about DA, they really market their “closeness of community” through their sit down meals and traditions. That was actually an eye opener. </p>
<p>IMO I could not do sit down meals at school every day… but that’s just me. I’m sure it does bring a closeness within the community.</p>
<p>Sit-down meals may make DA feel smaller. But it is definitely a big school w a wealth of opportunities.</p>
<p>Squash is awesome. Just had to say. But it’s crew season now, and that’s awesome too. (As is lacrosse, which I know DA has had some success with!)</p>
<p>I think your question needs tweaking. DA has about 650 students, including the PGs. True, that is substantially less than PA, but it is by no means “small”. I have had employment at two different boarding schools, and in my estimation, DA is on the high end of the mid-sized schools. “Small” is, when looked at nationally, about 200-400. Okay, so PA has nearly 500 more students than DA, or about 75% more. So, does this mean anything?</p>
<p>Daykidmom has it right that the larger the school, the more offerings, but also more competition for the “spots” at the top. There may be many plays produced during the year, and probably the parts are “shared” more or less. However, there are only so many spots on the Varsity teams, and in the Orchestra’s whatever section, or first few chairs. The fewer the students, the quicker one might secure the desired spot. Be careful about your goals, and check out the pathways available at each school to achieving them; talk to the squash coach, research the published history, yada yada. Many kids, however, find that some doors close in high school, often unexpectedly, and that others open. Many kids try entirely new things at boarding school, and could not imagine in eighth grade what they end up doing junior and senior years. That’s wonderful!</p>
<p>The small schools need half and more of the kids to participate in several activities, at least through two or three years, if not all years. The kids at medium and large schools, especially those 550+, often find themselves devoting more of their time and energy to what they are good at, becoming somewhat like specialists, in order to secure those spots at the top. The less-talented still play football, soccer, perform, etc., but at some sort of club or intramural or second tier level. Three hundred-some boys versus five hundred-some boys means that much more “competition”. </p>
<p>I suppose, too, that the “culture” at each is affected by the relative size, but since I am not intimately familiar with these schools, I won’t speculate. However, I think that you overlook the significance of “culture’s” importance at some peril. The head of school can really set a tone that affects the students, and I’d pay attention to their words and messages, just as I would read the student newspapers of the last two years. </p>
<p>Feel free to read skeptically, ymmv as they say. For sure, have fun revisiting and making a decision!</p>
<p>In my experience, I see a major difference when the school is under 300. Then it’s possible for every teacher to recognize every single student, and have multiple points of contact with a majority. At a truly small school, all the kids are called on to wear a lot of different hats. Once a school gets bigger than 300 or so, everyone covers their area(s) of expertise and fewer people (faculty and students alike) are called upon to make major extensions of themselves outside their comfort zones with any regularity.</p>
<p>As a teacher/coach/dorm parent who has taught in 4 different schools, a place feels small to me at 300 or fewer, medium at 350–550, and large when it has 600 or more. No, the numbers don’t perfectly line up. That’s just from the perspective of a grown-up who is paid to make sure that no kid ever slips through the cracks. </p>
<p>Both are great choices, but I’d argue that neither can offer the small school experience.</p>