<p>I’m a muggle :(</p>
<p>lax-I remember your posts well…and I am so pleased that you came back to let us know how things are going for you.</p>
<p>What you are experiencing is what all parents here hope for their bs child. Taking nothing away from SPS, but I think if the “fit” is right, kids can find their experience at most schools just like yours. Which is why “fit” should be the number one priority in going though the bs search. </p>
<p>I respect your honesty, about not being perfect and/or the school not being for everyone. This is true for all schools and really all experiences in life. </p>
<p>After spending the thanksgiving break and christmas break with my d, she says the same things about her time at bs. I have noticed a level of increased awareness in this short time in terms of maturity and appreciation. The bs experience has not changed her, but enriched her academically and emotionally.</p>
<p>Again, thanks for your post, I wish you well :-).</p>
<p>Lax: such a heart warming posting. I hope we will reconnect when I am up there next. I always worry, but your experience is similar to my son’s and his friends (who all just left). My the regret for ost is that it can’t last longer! </p>
<p>As to Hogwarts … 
I remind you that two Harry Potters and one (sorry to say) Voldemort went to SPS. On the continuing ties front, tonight a classmate arrives for skiing who rowed for SPS with me, then Harvard, then the US Olympic team and was the subject of a book by David Halberstam. There are some magical people there! </p>
<p>So Lax, take advantage of as much as you can, meet and become friends with everyone and you will see those people for the rest of your life. Again, great post.</p>
<p>Thank you very much winterset and alexzmom! Just wanted to add some further insight into the life of a SPS student. </p>
<p>Winterset: I’m sorry I didn’t reply to your PM before. Fall term was uhhh busy to say the least. But next time your at SPS please shoot me a PM!</p>
<p>random question, but i was wondering if SPS has its own farm?</p>
<p>Lax sums up how my d feels, its not utopia, but she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. </p>
<p>Dive, no farm, but you could grow a few veggies <a href=“https://www.sps.edu/common/news_detail.asp?newsid=567926&L1=&L2=&tabs=news[/url]”>https://www.sps.edu/common/news_detail.asp?newsid=567926&L1=&L2=&tabs=news</a></p>
<p>or take an interesting class about sustainable food movements</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.sps.edu/common/news_detail.asp?newsid=575717&L1=&L2=&tabs=news[/url]”>https://www.sps.edu/common/news_detail.asp?newsid=575717&L1=&L2=&tabs=news</a></p>
<p>^ that’s exactly what i was looking for thank you!</p>
<p>I know several people in that class and they LOVE it. Great option.</p>
<p>Yeah I’ve heard many good things as well.</p>
<p>I recall someone asking about astronomy programs at boarding schools. </p>
<p>[St</a>. Paul’s School ~ News Portal](<a href=“http://www.sps.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=5636]St”>http://www.sps.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=5636)</p>
<p>Article in the New York Times regarding St. Paul’s rich hockey history:
<a href=“Concord, N.H., Revisiting a Pond Hockey Legacy - The New York Times”>Concord, N.H., Revisiting a Pond Hockey Legacy - The New York Times;
<p>I know the current students love skating on the black ice even today.</p>
<p>Wow! And I was up at 5am, caught the article in the NYT thought I would post it. I am WAY too late! Great job Creative1! I would add that the article is Huge (even by NY Times standards) with 5 Very large photos! Take a look at the Cradle of American Hockey!</p>
<p>Tomorrow and Friday the Alumni Association and the Trustees all meet in NYC for two days. Nothing dramatic is expected other than another possible snowstorm.</p>
<p>Creative, I think this article deserves it’s own heading for those that don’t usually read this thread. Care to “create”?</p>
<p>story. fif was aware of the St. Paul’s tradition, so he particularly enjoyed the Concord angle.</p>
<p>fif’s college roommate’s father wrote a great book years ago called “The Legend of Hobey Baker”. Do St. Paul’s students have access to this very interesting, and true, book about St. Pauls, the evolution of hockey and football, and the life and times of Hobart Amory Baker?</p>
<p>catg - I did start a separate posting for the story. Thanks for the suggestion. </p>
<p>fun is fin - Is your roommate’s father named John Davies? I searched the library catalog and they have 3 copies of the book - 2 in circulation and 1 in the archives (no circulation). :)</p>
<p>Winterset - My SPS student forwarded it home to me so I got a quick heads up. We have Mr. Reider to thank for sending it out to the school so quickly. Enjoy the meetings and stay warm!</p>
<p>creative1-</p>
<p>Yes. John Davies. Fascinating guy. He went to Hotchkiss (expelled 5 days from graduation!), Princeton, Yale (MA) and Harvard (PhD). Navy Seabee in the South Pacific during WWII. Also wrote a book on Phrenology. Taught history at Smith and Princeton, and later was editor of the Princeton Alumni Weekly.</p>
<p>St. Paul’s should give every incoming student a copy, 'tho it is long out of print.</p>
<p>“The Legend of Hobey Baker” - 15 used from $22.00 @ Amazon.
I made “junior” read it before he headed off to SPS a few years ago.
Btw, he is havnig a great experience at Millville.
Thanks to FiF for bringing it to our attention.</p>
<p>Looks like it will be another record year for applications. Completed apps are up 14%. And recall that last year the acceptance ratio was 15%. This year there will be fewer spots and there are 1,896 applications. So the acceptance rate will drop assuming the yield stays the same. </p>
<p>Last year yield was basically tied with Andover (for boarding only) at 74-75%. Financial aid will be up which is good news. The endowment has recovered to pre-crash levels and the capital campaign is going very well, so there will be even more money available in the future. SPS led the pack with alumni and parental support last year but I have not seen another fundraising postcard from Andover aspiring to Exeter and SPS’s participation levels. </p>
<p>College placement has continued to be led by SPS 1st or tied for 1st based on the Prepreview numbers for the last 6 years that I have tracked it. The math/science center will be a fantastic, truly amazing, new facility and should open before the end of the fall term. The new athletic fields will be great and who knows maybe a field for night games more than one night a fall. The student government has revitalized the traditional inherited clubs so traditions continue. </p>
<p>Oh and never never ever be intimidated by the silly rumors :eek: that legacies have a big edge on admissions. Legacies actually have on average higher grades than non-legacies. They may be a legacy, but they are admitted because they have the grades and the scores (and they better be good people). Trust me, the playing field is flat and fair. Good kids with diverse talents are what they admit, and I am speaking as a non-legacy who has had many formmates whose kids did not get in over recent years. Amazing place, amazing students and a tremendous opportunity. You won’t find another school like it unless it is in JK Rowling’s imagination. Optimus Optimorum. Okay… thats my pitch for the month! :o</p>
<p>Great post Winterset !</p>
<p>^^^yes, great post winterset, and great that SPS is so consistent in drawing such a large pool of terrific applicants to choose from. However, terrifying numbers for the parent of an applicant who is dreaming of being accepted! But, having just gone through the college application and admission process with an older child to schools with the same, and lower, acceptance rates, I have to believe that it is not impossible…right?! Bravo for SPS :)</p>