New to forum…
I would be interested in your child’s first reaction to Thacher. Did your child feel it was the right school on the first visit (and decide to apply, and if they received an admittance, decide to attend); or decide it was not for them (and decided not to apply)? We visited Thacher a couple of weeks ago with our son and he seemed to like it. (His Dad and I loved it.) We still have some more East Coast schools to visit (already visited Choate, Exeter, Andover). Thanks in advance for your comments.
Hi, my son is a current junior at Thacher. When he visited the school for an interview, he immediately liked it and Thacher became his first choice.
You know the weather and school vibe, along with warm welcoming atmosphere play a big role. It is especially true with schools like Thacher and Cate. Kids can easily fall in love at first glance but whether or not students thrive there and like the schools after they start can be a different story. So, it is hard to generalize the ‘success’ model.
If your child likes outdoor activities, he has a good chance to enjoy Thacher.
My daughter really loved both Thacher and Cate at the first visit. She had looked at (and applied to) East Coast schools including a couple of those that you mention. She knew right away that she wanted either Thacher or Cate, and felt at the time that she would be happy at either. The focus on the outdoors was really appealing to her, and both schools do that incredibly well, along with top-notch academics and athletics. She’s at Cate now and is VERY happy there.
However, I think that it’s hard to judge any school based on only one visit. This is especially tough for a 14/15 year old, who may be swayed by the tour guide, friends’ opinions, the scenery, a depressing dorm etc. Re-visits and casual visits (going to see a play or a game at the school) can be very helpful. I also think that some kids don’t want to fall in love with just one school, for fear of not getting in and then being disappointed. My daughter was a little like this, and maybe your son is feeling a bit of that as well.
My advice would be to focus on coming up with a group of schools that you’re happy with (and eliminating the ones that you aren’t), and don’t worry so much about ranking them at this point. Push for all of them, and hopefully you will have some tough choices to make in the spring 
I’m not sure if this really answers your question, so feel free to ask for more info. I’m sure that there are quite a few posters here who can give you another perspective.
Thank you both for your comments. They were extremely helpful. We are new to the boarding school process. We’lll continue on the path and see how it shakes out after we complete the visits. Thanks, again.
My son found Thacher online. We live on the East Coast where there are dozens of fantastic schools. The only reason I agreed to the visit was my son’s adamance that everything he had read about the school suited him perfectly - strong academics, huge outdoor component (camping/horses), major emphasis on a strong community etc. I agreed to the visit, but I confess my secret goal was a nice father/son trip somewhere warm. I was sure he’d attend a great school in New England - I mean, why go 3000 miles away?
It was a gorgeous day in Ojai, a bunch of kids walking by said “hi” to us right away, the beauty of the campus was/is breathtaking. The tour, the outdoor assembly, the impromptu discussions with teachers and kids, watching part of a football game (and all its fans)…everything felt exactly right to my son. Epilogue: Best four years ever. Parent epilogue: best education dollars we ever spent.
Thanks, ThacherParent. I have read many of your posts and have enjoyed them.
Even though my DS and DD attend Episcopal High School (VA), I admire Thacher from afar. This video articulates in a 1:41 the ethos of this place. Well done Thacher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQCGC2Ppsz0&list=PLC11D4FCE3E119819
My child did not like Thatcher at first. After researching it and visiting it, it really grew on her. By the time she applied, she really loved it, and it was at the top of my list! Be aware- they had (I think) the lowest acceptance rate (%) of any boarding school this last cycle. Full Disclosure: My child was waitlisted and chose to attend somewhere else.