<p>Thanks @creative1 and sunnylake for your answers. My S would not feel comfortable asking those questions without assurances of anonymity.</p>
<p>School year has started at SPS! I think they managed the first day for new students pretty well. Everyone checked in at the Rectory and met up with their Big Brother/Big Sister, then were guided around to take care of some logistics by that very helpful VIth Former - we found the chapel seat, got the PO Box opened, even went to the bookstore to pick up Dās books. I think the bookstore part was maybe a bridge too far as D really just wanted to get to her room by then, and the bookstore is pretty far from many of the dorms. </p>
<p>After some unpacking time (and lunch) there was a dorm meeting for the students and a separate orientation for the parents. This was an excellent idea because it made the whole leaving process a little bit gradual and easier (on the parents). We just went to a meeting knowing we would come back to the dorm to say goodbye. Once we came back to the dorm D and her roommate were fully involved in unpacking and we felt very superfluous, so leaving campus at that point seemed like the natural thing to do.</p>
<p>3 days in D seems very happy! The cellphone access is minimal since Dās phone doesnāt work in her room and theyāre not supposed to use phones elsewhere. Facebook has been useful for quick messages, and we have a Skype date tonight. From the pictures being posted on facebook sheās clearly getting right into everything. Although itās far too early to know anything at all, signs are very good that SPS is a great match for D.</p>
<p>Glad your daughter is off to a good start, friendlymom. As far as cell phones go, Verizon has the best coverage in that area but its still not perfect. Does she have a phone for her landline? Love Skype! </p>
<p>Last night was the first dance to kick things off since all students were back on campus.</p>
<p>@friendlymom: Your closing statement āSPS is a great match for D.ā underscores something that so many newbs/prospects fail and fail again to understand.</p>
<p>It aināt about what boarding school is ābestā. Itās all about what boarding school is best for your child. Glad to year that the first week is going well.</p>
<p>creative1 - she has Verizon but her dorm is a bit of a dead zone. She has a landline phone but needs to get herself over to the bookstore to buy a phone card. She had heard all about the Nash Bash thanks to the helpful people on CC so she arrived prepared. Clearly everyone loves the Nash Bash!</p>
<p>SevenDad - I couldnāt agree more. SPS feels like just the right size and tone for DD. Thatās what itās about.</p>
<p>House trips tomorrow! DD says theyāre heading to the beach. She loves her dorm and is excited.</p>
<p>Howās the start of the year going for everyone?</p>
<p>My D has found SPS very welcoming, seems happy so far, and was excited for house trip. There are many things to figure out at a new school with new people and managing everything while away from home for the first time, but she reports making progress with them. No mention of missing home!</p>
<p>Not only have we had no mention of missing home, my D flat out told me that she doesnāt miss us! Sheās finding the homework load heavy but I havenāt heard that the academics are more difficult than she anticipated. </p>
<p>DD managed to get herself a head injury in the early days of school and Iāve been very pleased with how the Clark Center managed the situation and Dās maturity in handling the effect on her ability to try out for sports and complying with the follow-up care. Dr. Bassi is terrific! I think that moving the health center from Armour (where it used to be located) to the center of campus was a very worthwhile physical change. Student health might well have been at the forefront for the school regardless, but the physical arrangement makes an important statement here, IMO.</p>
<p>Family Weekend is coming up and Iām sure Iām not alone among SPS parents in being very excited to see DD and have a chance to check everything out first hand. </p>
<p>Do inside grades come out before the weekend or after? Are there progress reports or just the grades?</p>
<p>On another note, I think itās pretty entertaining that intervis is starting 2 days before parents weekend. I guess they really want to put the advisers through the paces when that comes up in the conferences!</p>
<p>Good question about the progress reports/grades - last year, I think we saw them on Parents Weekend, and we were able to go over them with our advisor. Perhaps they come out on Friday? Not sure, but we will find out soon enough 
Looking forward to being back on campus! It certainly seems as if more than just a month has gone by since school beganā¦</p>
<p>Adviser said we will have seen progress reports before we meet on Saturday. I think they must be out on Friday because some parent/adviser meetings will be that day. We havenāt heard from DD in a few days, so I hope we run into her somewhere at SPS!</p>
<p>According to the Academic Calendar, reports were submitted Monday, proofed Tuesday, corrected Wed, sent to Advisors by Thursday AM. Parents and students can view them Friday morning online. I just checked (just in case) and at least there are none unloaded for us. Enjoy the Family weekend, it should be fun!</p>
<p>Students received their inside grades on Wednesday. THey arenāt posted, but the kids have been informed.</p>
<p>Hi!
My daughter is interviewing this coming Monday and I have been trying to prepare her for the types of questions that might be asked. I have searched the internet for interview questions and have her writing down thoughts so she can have some sort of idea of what she wants to say. I am looking for any insight into the types of questions she may encounter that are specific to SPS. What types of things will they be looking for in an applicant? I want to prepare her as best as I can. Thanks for any and all help!</p>
<p>remcd88: This advice is true for all interviews. First, your daughter should look her interviewer in the eyes, smile, and give a firm handshake. Maintaining eye contact and smiling throughout the discussion is critical. </p>
<p>I believe when the interview is over the interviewer needs know why St. Paulās (or any other school) is the right this candidate. I think the most important question to answer is what is it about St. Paulās that makes it a great fit for your daughter. Be specific. Have your daughter do the research and find what it is about the school that appeals to her. Not only why the school is a fit for her needs to be addressed, but how will she impact the SPS community. In other words, (paraphrasing JFK) she needs to articulate not just what the school can do for her, but what she can do for the school.</p>
<p>Thanks for the quick response! It will definitely be helpful to her.</p>
<p>Hereās a thread from last yearās app cycle that might be helpful:
<a href=āhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1237590-interview-faqs.html[/url]ā>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1237590-interview-faqs.html</a></p>
<p>And from the year before:
<a href=āhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/971599-interview-questions.html[/url]ā>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/971599-interview-questions.html</a></p>
<p>Finally, it seems that kids with ATT can now make and receive cell phone calls using ATT- with 4 bars. Although at times, in certain locations, you could get a bar or two, it now seems that it is stronger and more widespread, ie. usable. Prior to this, only Verizon service worked well.</p>
<p>Wow - that is truly breaking news!! Weāve considered the school a virtual black hole when it came to cell coverage ā¦ the dawn of a new era :)</p>
<p>My daughter has Verizon and the service is spotty. It doesnāt work well at all inside her dorm and she has service in some locations on campus outside her dorm (where sheās not supposed to be using the phone anyway). Sheās adjusted, and Iām definitely not sad that texting has become a smaller part of her life now!</p>