<p>True and a rational discussion of the policies and comparison of the admissions practices of both schools is appropriate fodder for CC discussion as on numerous threads.</p>
<p>Well outside of that though, candescence is absolutely correct that the students entering A in the fall seem much more compelled to toot their own horn by putting down E. This may just be students who have not even attended the school yet so I take it with a grain of salt and do not apply it to current students/parents. And yes maybe they are just getting overly excited about the A/E rivalry but it does come off badly at times.</p>
<p>I have found both A and E parents and current students to be very helpful, diplomatic and intelligent people on CC! I thank them for all their help!</p>
<p>To the OP: apply/interview/tour at all the schools that interest you and go where you are accepted and where you are awarded FA if that is a factor. There are no guarantees that you will be accepted at all the schools so I advise you to cast a wide net! Good luck!</p>
<p>yaā¦ it was a little weird that exeter stopped being need blind. i heard about it from a guitar teacher at the school. its really too bad for anyone who wouldve been interested to go but canāt afforded it
does anyone know if sps is need blind? I dont think that are because when i applied my dad (who went there) said it wasnt and that because of the fact that i needed a lot of FA it might be more difficult to get in. but weirdly enough it turned out to be the place i got into lolā¦
well, i hope that in the future e will be need blind again because it was really great. and they also had something where if you got into exeter and your fam made less that 75,000 per year you could go for free. apparently more people knew about that this year, and as a result a lot more applications were mailed to exeter.</p>
<p>They meet hundred percent need, however they are not need blind. A status which belongs to Andover, and Andover only. Either way, I donāt think it makes a huge effect on Exeterās overall MO.</p>
<p>but the need blind thing was nice to lean on during the application processā¦ ahh too bad.</p>
<p>and i know that a lot places are able to meet 100% need which is fantastic. and yay to andover for being need blind. its a model for other schools.</p>
<p>Many of the schools we talk about (or donāt even mention) here, and very notably SPS and E, are incredibly generous with financial aid. No, they are not completely need blind in 2009, but many kids are admitted, and given substantial financial aid, who canāt afford it otherwise. If we get too hung up about Andoverās need-blind policy then people reading these posts could get the impression that itās the only place to apply if you need financial aid, but I would argue that the other top schools are trying to be as need-blind as they can. (And Iām an Andover parent, and respect greatly what Andover has accomplished, but other schools are close.)</p>
<p>There are several CCers, including mpicz and Saer who have gotten extremely generous FA packages at places other than Andover, specifically SPS and Choate. The moral of the story is that if a school wants you badly enough, theyāll do what it takes to get you there.</p>
<p>Need blind only applies to the admissions process. Once admitted the pertinent thing is a commitment to meeting 100% of need. Most of the top boarding schools have such a policy and I would be shocked if that changed for continuing students.</p>
<p>i totally agree. other schools are veryyy generous with FA. I was given full FA at sps so i know its possible to receive help at non need blind schools- just because they arenāt totally need blind during admissions doesnt mean only rich kids have a chance.</p>
<p>a problem that a lot of smaller boarding schools have is that they dont have as much $$$ as the big name schools and arent able to give some admitted students the FA they need. CA is need blind, but they dont have as much $ as e or a or sps to give, so even if u get in, FA is sometimes harder to getā¦</p>
<p>to sps? well, i know i had a fantastic interview, and i applied as a sophmore. my essay hopefully were solid, and I know that my english teacher gave me an AMAZING recommendation because he told meā¦ as far as ssats went i was 90 verbal 94 reading and 36 in math (!!) so i was ā¦okayā¦ there. but i think definitely interview and recommmendations and the fact that it was my second yr applying. (waitlisted last)</p>
<p>and this may be a little factor but im a 3rd generation</p>
<p>Just going back to the Andover/Exeter debateā¦I wouldnāt say that either one AT ALL is more recognized or esteemed or anything. It is like comparing apples and oranges, and they often get lumped together (in movies, etc,. itās almost always Andover AND Exeter). Since youāre deciding (or comparing?) PEA, PA, and SPS, usually Andover and Exeter are known to be the ābig kahunasā (please nobody bite my head off, this is just how Iāve always seen it to be), but of course SPS is great, too. As are Hotchkiss, Deerfield, Choate, etc. Just wanted to throw that out there.</p>