My own observation would differ about the triples, if only for one of the boys’ corridors in Founders. Voorhees has IV Form boys and is on the third floor; one side of the corridor overlooks the parking area between Founders and Pell, the III Form girls dorm. (This is all shown in the Viewbook schematic/map.) As the top floor, it has the building’s roof that slopes forty-five degrees so that the narrow, rectangular rooms, at least on the Pell side of the corridor, do not have four vertical walls but three. The fourth side, one of the longer ones, is sloped and contains the single dormer window for the room. A triple on the corridor can be smaller in size, or certainly no larger, than a double on Hillier. The sloped wall severely affects what can be done with desks, bureaus, shelves and lamps. For instance, the three beds cannot all be on the floor, there will be a top bunk throughout the year. The physical layout of triples like the one I saw can be a real challenge for the occupants. Quite frankly, the boys dormitory situation is, I think, perhaps the least attractive feature of the school’s building and grounds environment. The kitchen side of Schmolze, on the second floor and for V Form boys, can pick up not only food but also septic smells. St. Andreans learn to deal with whatever is thrown at them and I have seen boys adapt, without complaint, to conditions as described. With 310 matriculated students for the coming year, it would seem that there will be a few more triples than usual. ~O)
thanks @Charger78 and @seekers! it’s great to hear different opinions
Hi! @jump1234 so sorry I haven’t seen your question:
- Rompers are not allowed unfortunately! I have seen girls get away with wearing them to events like Awards Night and Graduation, but they are not part of the classroom dress code. Having said that though, my sister likes to wear them as casual wear on the weekends or when we're out of class, so it's totally up to you!
- I don't own a mattress pad, but lots of people do own foam toppers. I only have a mattress protector :P
- In my personal experience, I haven't had a huge problem with sloping ceilings or walls. The triples on girls' dorm are most definitely bigger than doubles, but the increase in size can be minimal, and room sizing depends on where you live. For example, a triple on freshman girls' dorm is relatively bigger than a freshman double, but is still small compared to a triple on junior girls' dorm.
@seekers is totally right about the bed arrangements. What usually happens is that two roommates will sleep in upper and lower bunks, while a third will sleep on their own. OR two in a bunk bed, with the third bed parallel and right up against the lower bunk.
The roommate dynamic can be a little different with a triple. I’ve only ever lived in a double and single, but I have heard that it can be a really fun, rewarding experience. As long as everyone is on the same page in terms of room expectations, like cleanliness and noise levels, it’s a wonderful arrangement.
I hope this helps!!
and @Charger78, you are quite right about the rooming situation. The school has started to take more students in general, which is why, within the existing student body, more triples and quads have begun to form. My sister will be living in a quad this coming year on junior girls’ dorm.
thanks so much @asi102!!! that was super helpful 
sorry for all the questions haha but i have one more: what do people wear on opening day at SAS? i know it’s not for awhile but i’ve just been wondering so thanks guys!!!
If you mean move-in day, I would dress for comfort because you will be hot. As a parent, I think I wore cargos (say it ain’t so, 7D!) and a polo and some hiking shoes. Yes, the seniors help, but there’s still schlepping and unpacking. I think 7D1 wore a t-shirt and some shorts. Again, because hot.
yeah i mean move-in day sorry
@jump1234
don’t forget that the Square Dance is that night – you could peruse some of the photos from the Flickr page below to get ideas for what you might bring to school for that:
https://www.■■■■■■■■■■/photos/sasdelaware/albums/72157646773127147
If it’s nice, the dance will be on the front lawn over the pond, but bad weather put it in the field house last year, as you can see
thanks @SevenDad and @Charger78!
I do think they call it “opening day”, but wanted to clarify if you meant “move-in day” vs. “first day of classes”.
Best of luck. It’s an amazing school in a picturesque setting. We will miss having SAS in our the lives of our family on a daily basis 9 months of the year, but will always feel an attachment/loyalty to this little school on Noxontown Pond.
Feel free to ask any questions as the school year unfolds.
@SevenDad
gotcha 
thank you!!! I’m really excited.
What are some thoughts on the amount of spending money kids need at SAS? I’m thinking of a monthly allowance that can be budgeted for town trips and other extras.
@whatscreenname: Start with $50/month and see how that works out. My daughter often survived on much less over her many months at SAS.
You did deposit $250 into the debit account, as we all have, so that should probably last long enough for your child to get a track record on which to gauge your next deposit. Some kids find it easier than others to withdraw an allowance from the debit account by seeing Mrs. Beblo in the School Store during hours. We did not set up our kids with a personal bank debit card until the V Form year, when they start signing up, and paying, for standardized testing online. The older boy spends way more money than the younger girl because he orders so much food delivered to the school; maybe he gets out on the town more than we realize, too. The school will alert you, iirc, when the debit account gets too low. All told, the low end may be $20-30/month and the high end can be $100plus.
thanks @SevenDad!
Another question: Are there hiking and biking trails and what freedom do the kids have to use them? My kid loves camping/fishing and is wondering if a backpack hammock, fishing rod, and other outdoor equipment is worth bringing.
@whatscreenname: I don’t know how bikeable the trails are (but my daughter had a street bike and never thought to try on hers). I’m pretty sure the kids are free to explore them during their free hours. One teacher (who left at the end of last year) would even hide out somewhere on SAS’ 2000+ acres and there was a contest for the first kid that could find him. No one ever did!
There is a Wildlife & Forestry team during the Winter sports season…and part of their role is to maintain trails. I would encourage that your son/daughter participate in that club if possible. My daughter had one of those camping hammocks and would use it occasionally. Personally, if I had been a student at SAS, I would have brought my fly rod with me. Plus XC skis.
That said, I’d say to start slow and get the lay of the land first. Better to have the parents mail gear or bring it on Parents Weekends than to bring too much that won’t get used.
Note: I don’t think the school allows pocket knives or personal axes. It’s not Thacher, after all.
FORGOT TO MENTION: For new incoming frosh, if SAS holds to their class-specific orientation/bonding experience, I would be sure to pack some clothes you don’t mind getting muddy (real muddy), as well as a pair of sneakers/hiking shoes that you also don’t care about getting dirty (even irreversibly so).
@SevenDad what about new incoming sophomores? do we do bonding exercises too?
Sophomores also go to echo hill, but do a ropes course rather than a swamp walk… team building without having to throw away your shoes.